He wasn’t 100% shifter either. Ben had a gift for healing and had stayed on with the Pack when I offered him a job after seeing him in action when a rogue cat shifter caught one of my shifters unaware on a camping trip.
His sharp, dark gaze swept the room, snagging briefly on Simone and betraying his emotions when I caught the sound of his heart rate briefly rising. Simone carefully did not look at him. Instead, she pointed to the ground.
“Poisoned and cut. Says it’s a paralytic.” Her voice was short and to the point, but I’d known her for years and heard the slight tremble in the words.
More power to them if those two got together. Ben never showed a hint of interest in anyone in my Pack or outside. Out of anyone in my Pack, he could use an Omega the most.
Ben was taller than me by about three inches and outweighed me by at least fifty pounds. If he got his hands around me, he might be able to take me in a physical fight, but that had never happened. As a sparring partner, he kept me on my toes.
The healer crouched, a soft blue glow pulsing at his fingertips. “Hold still,” Ben growled.
The shifter obeyed, lying still as the grave.
Ben’s eyes glowed the same color as his fingers as he swept through the body, looking for the source of the poison.
He stilled when he found it. “Oh,” he breathed. “Clever girl.”
My brows went up at the admiration in his words. A sharp pang zinged in my chest, and I brushed it away.
Ben rose and dusted his hands off. “He’ll be fine in an hour or so. I’ll have someone carry him to the clinic.” He turned to examine Seymour.
“Don’t get too close,” I warned.
“I’m a healer,” Ben said. “It knows I’m not a threat.”
I wouldn’t be so sure about that, but Ben reached a finger out as he bent and started speaking in a gentle voice. “Hello, you beautiful little monster. What are you?”
“Red Dragon flytrap,” Simone said.
Ben made a humming noise. “Yes. And no.” With a glowing fingertip, Ben stroked the back of the main trap’s head. Seymour craned its stem up, almost like it craved the attention.
“I’ll be damned,” I breathed.
“This is a gift from your Floromancer, isn’t it?” Ben asked.
“Evie, yes.”
“She’s brilliant,” Ben murmured.
Simone went still, but not before a look of despair crossed her face before she schooled her expression into neutral interest.
The healer rose. “This is a Red Dragon, yes, but she somehow crossed it with Gelsemium DNA while still keeping all the physical properties of the original plant. Still looks likea Red Dragon, still carnivorous, but mildly poisonous to those unfortunate enough to get bitten.” He turned to face me. “Did she leave you with any food?”
I held up the bag of frozen worms. Ben shook his head. “That will tide it over, but I guarantee you your Floromancer has given it her blood.” He chuckled. “If you keep it, you may have to make periodic...offerings.”
“Shit,” I muttered.
Ben pointed to the folded-up paper. “Need me to get that?”
I sighed. “If you would.”
But when Ben reached under the main trap to get the paper, Seymour reacted, snapping at Ben’s wrist. The healer jerked back with lightning-fast reflexes and held his hands out in surrender. “Ah. Okay. For Caelan’s eyes only, I understand.” He stepped back and gestured for me to go ahead.
With a muttered curse, I reached toward Seymour. When it made no aggressive move, I reached further, my fingers curling around the check. Just as I pulled it away from the pot, Seymour reacted, trap opening wide, poison dripping from its teeth as it lunged for me.
I swore and jerked away. “Asshole.”
Ben chuckled. “Shifter Lord, have you ever heard the old saying about attracting more flies with honey?”
