I thought about it for a moment before asking, "Is that why you wanted us all here for a meeting?"
"Yes," Sinclair replied. "This feels hinky to me. I'd like to get more opinions before I decide whether or not to assign anyone to this case."
Made sense. We'd been doing this a long time. We knew what to look for when something didn't feel right. If this assignment didn't feel right to Sinclair, then we needed to be cautious, especially if the request was coming from a council member.
I hated to wait until the others joined us simply because I wanted to know more about this case. I didn't know if it was the discussion I'd had with Sinclair or something else, but this whole thing wasn't sitting well with me. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck beginning to stand on end. My panther was growing agitated, pacing.
I didn't like it.
I was just at a loss to explain it.
By the time the others joined us in Sinclair's office, I was having a hard time keeping my claws retracted.
I was ready to climb the walls.
"Thank you for joining us," Sinclair said as he faced everyone. "Elder Clarence took me aside at our last council meeting and made a personal request for an assassin. As you know, that is not how we do things, and he knows it. He also didn't have a name or a description of the person he wanted dealt with. Just a general idea of where he might be in the coming days and weeks."
"That's it?" Sampson asked. "That's all he told you?"
Sinclair nodded. "The alpha of one of his skulks came to him and told him that his son is being threatened."
I forgot to breathe.
"Someone is stalking him. They haven't been able to figure out exactly who it is, but there are signs of him hiding in the trees and watching the house where the alpha and his family live. It's even more distressing because the son has a child of his own, a three-year-old son. There is a worry that the child could be attacked because of his connection to his father."
I gripped the arms of my chair, my nails slowly sliding out of the tips of my fingers and embedding in the soft leather.
"From what I understand, Alpha Langston's son is soon to be mated soon and—"
A loud cracking noise echoed through the office as I ripped the arms off my chair. My chest rose and fell rapidly, my heart beating out of control as rage consumed me.
"Stalk, is there something you need to tell us?" Sinclair asked.
"They're lying to you. The son can't be mated," I snarled. "He already has a mate."
"Who?"
"Me," I growled as I stood and shook my hands free of the broken pieces of the armchair. "I'm your stalker."
Chapter Two
I smiled as I watched my three-year-son run around the yard as if he had ants in his pants and a hornet's nest chasing him. He was loud, boisterous, and totally adorable. I wasn't thrilled with how he got here, but I'd love him until my dying day.
Watching him play in the yard every day was one of the highlights of my day. The rest of my highlights were wrapped around Tommy, as well. Feeding him, holding him, tucking him in at night.
It was safe to say my son was my world.
"Watch, Daddy, watch."
I smiled at Tommy. "I'm watching, baby boy."
Like I'd take my eyes of him in this den of idiots. I shot a glare at the two armed men standing guard over through the fall of my bangs. I understood why they were there. If they weren't I would have been gone a long time ago, taking my son with me.
Having armed guards twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week meant I couldn't leave the hell I lived in. I certainly couldn't free my son from this prison.
Not yet anyway.
One day they would slip up and we'd be gone, disappearing into the darkness. I just needed to bide my time until that happened. I already had a bag packed and hidden under my bed for when that chance arose.
