“That was it, for fuck’s sake!” He yanked at his hair, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief. “That’s why sheseemed familiar! I’d seen her before. In the email you sent with her fucking picture.”
Groans and curses erupted around the room. Hunt dropped his head into his hands. Cole muttered something under his breath. Noah pinched the bridge of his nose.
I stared at them all, incredulous.
“Neither of you dumbasses figured it out?” I said flatly.
They looked ashamed, avoiding my eyes, shuffling in their seats like schoolboys caught cheating on a test.
“Your memory is worse than a damn fish,” I sighed, shaking my head. Then I caught myself and snorted. “Actually, look who’s talking.”
Knox’s lips twitched despite his frustration. Noah let out a surprised laugh.
I turned back to Moonfang’s leaders. “So you’ve come here to help us stop the woman you exiled from your pack?”
Jasmine nodded, her expression earnest. “We feel responsible. Mira came from our territory. She was our problem, and we let her become yours. So yes, we’re here to help however you might need. Scouts, guards, warriors. Whatever you need, we’ll provide.”
Gratitude swelled in my chest. These people didn’t know me. They had no real obligation to help. But here they were, offering their resources, their people, their time.
“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it deeply. “That means more than you know.”
Jasmine smiled at me, warm and genuine. Ryder inclined his head in acknowledgment.
Cole cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “Do you think Mira might have a connection with Mary Thorne?”
The room went quiet. I saw Knox tense beside me, his hand tightening on my thigh.
Ryder considered the question, his brow furrowing in thought. “When did Mary visit Moonfang again?”
Cole provided a date.
Ryder nodded slowly. “Mira was already in the pack at that time. She used to hang around me and my family constantly.” He glanced at Jasmine, who nodded in confirmation. “It’s entirely possible they met during Mary’s visit. If they did, they might have kept in contact. Built a relationship.”
Oh, shit.
The pieces were falling into place. Mary, the woman who had tried to steal Knox, who had escaped custody and taken Cole’s son. Mira, the exiled wolf who had been attacking me and my businesses. They were working together. They had to be.
“So we’re dealing with at least two women who want to hurt Lina,” Hunt said grimly. “Possibly more.”
“And someone who can hack into email systems and delete communications,” Noah added. “Someone tech savvy.”
“Mira isn’t that skilled,” Jasmine said, shaking her head. “She’s cunning, manipulative, but technology isn’t her strength. She must have help.”
“Mary isn’t tech savvy either,” Cole said. “At least, she wasn’t when I knew her.”
“So there’s a third person,” Knox concluded, his voice hard. “Someone working with them. Someone who’s been monitoring our communications and keeping us in the dark.”
We weren’t just fighting two vengeful women. We were fighting an organized group with resources and skills we hadn’t anticipated.
The meeting stretched on for hours after that. Knox and the others shared every detail about the attacks, the threats, the timeline of events. Ryder and Jasmine listened carefully, asked pointed questions, offered their own insights based on what they knew about Mira.
They discussed strategies. Patrol routes. Communication protocols that couldn’t be intercepted. Ways to flush out whoever was monitoring their systems.
By the time they reached a conclusion, my head was spinning with information and my body was exhausted. They had a person helping them who knew how to hack. Which meant we needed to find them before they could do any more damage.
“I think we should end here for today,” Knox finally said, rubbing his eyes. “Get some rest. We can continue tomorrow with fresh minds.”
There was a murmur of agreement around the table. Everyone looked tired, the weight of the situation evident in their slumped shoulders and tight expressions.
