I didn't have much time to dwell on Izzy or even the problems going on in my pack. My day had been filled with test after test. Havers was determined to figure out what exactly was causing the brake in my pack link. I had gone through many scans all of which seemed to reveal very little. After everything was said and done the best Havers could conclude was that the swelling in my brain was disrupting the link and once that healed, it would most likely return. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

Izzy hadn't returned after going to visit her brother in the morgue. Not that I blamed her. It wasn't until late the next evening that Asher had come to give me a rundown on everything that was happening. Griffin had been going over possible weak spots with the guards and discussing defense strategies with our fighters.

Asher had spoken with Alpha Greys, and he agreed to allow any members of Mountain Ridge to seek refuge in Midnight Creek. He also informed me that so far only children and elderly were signed up to leave. The able-bodied adults were choosing to stay and fight. This gave me an overwhelming sense of pride and hope that maybe just maybe we could find a way to survive this.

"She wants to leave tonight," Asher informed me. There was no need to ask whom he was speaking of. By the solemn look on his face, I knew, the she, he was referring to was Izzy. So this was it. The final nail in the coffin, she was leaving, and I was again, left without a mate or even the prospect of one.

"Oh," I said trying to keep my expression indifferent.

"She has also requested to have two of our men accompany her back to Crescent Moon to help return the body of her brother home."

"Yes, of course. Have Joshua and two others escort her." Asher studied me for a moment.

"You do realize once she returns home with the corpse of the young boy there will be no more time to prepare. Phillips will be out for blood," he spoke slowly.

"Yes, but what am I supposed to do, hold her brother's body prisoner until we think we are ready?"

"No, but I'm just--"

"I know," I said cutting him off. I knew he only wanted me to think everything through. "But if Phillips wants a fight nothing is going to stop him. We are as ready as we will ever be, and Havers has agreed to possibly releasing me in a day or so." That must have been news to him because Asher's mouth hung agape.

"He thinks you're ready to be released? Wait. Does that mean your link.......?" He let his question hang in the air.

"He says the swelling has gone down substantially, and the incision is almost completely healed. The link has yet to return. I mean I feel it, but it's as if it is just out of my grasps." It was true the link was still not functioning. I had spent the majority of yesterday fruitlessly testing it, trying to get a message out to anyone in the pack, first Griffin then Asher. I even tried to send a message to Trevor asking him if he thought befuddled was an underused word. The lack of response told me, it, in fact, was not working.

"Well, that's something isn't? Why don't you try sending something to me right now?" he suggested encouragingly. Asher's attention was entirely focused on me as if he stared at me hard enough it would make a difference. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his annoyingly optimistic attitude.

'This is pointless,' I spoke through the link. I paused to see if Asher would react to my comment, but his face remained unchanged. I don't know why I continued to allow myself to get my hopes up.

"See nothing," I said in exasperation throwing my arms up and leaning my head against the pillow. Asher thought for a moment and ran his hand through his hair like he often did when he was trying to figure something out. "I have been trying to send out messages all day yesterday and nothing."

"Okay was what if we try something else."

"Like what?" I asked. He wasn't making any sense. What else could we try?

'Griffin is an ass,' Asher's voice rang out loud and clear in my head. My eyes widened in surprise. Never had I been so glad to hear Asher complain about Griffin. If I could hear him, that meant the link wasn't completely severed.

"You heard that didn't you?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, though I didn't need to hear it, to know that's what you were thinking." We both laughed, relief flooding through me.

"She'll come back you know?" He said after the laughter died down, and just like that, the dejected feeling returned. I nodded and gave him a half-hearted smile. "She will. She loves you."

"Maybe, but love doesn't always fix everything."

~~~~~~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~~~~~

I know it has been awhile since my last update, and I apologize. To make it up to you I will be posting the second chapter tomorrow. I hope you enjoy.

Do you think Asher is right? Will Izzy come back or is the death of her brother too much for her to overcome?

Will Logan's link ever be back to normal?

Please don't forget to vote and comment = D