Seth caressed a hand down her arm, bringing all sorts of nerves wide-awake. “There are four packs in our coalition, all maintained by mining. We’re the Silver Pack. The other three are Copper, Slate, and Granite. It’s simplistic but centuries old.”
All right. That was interesting. “If you’re a coalition, then why would Ruby be spying?” Mia asked.
Seth shifted his weight, pressing her against him. “We’re a coalition out of necessity to deal with the other species and groups out there. The Copper Pack has tried to take over our land more than a couple of times, and their Alpha is getting older, as is Benjamin. A conflict is inevitable.”
Mia straightened her legs, wincing as her hip joint protested. “So it’s possible somebody from the Copper Pack killed Ruby?”
“Yeah, but doubtful. I don’t think they have a clue there’s a traitor amongst them. Ruby wouldn’t tell me who it was, and I figured I had time to get the truth from her. I didn’t know somebody was gunning for her.” Frustration darkened his tone.
This was information Mia could’ve used earlier. “I am so finished with you keeping secrets.”
“Then come all-in to the pack. You can’t straddle the line and have one foot outside and one in, baby. It’s that simple.” His strong voice held no give.
She exhaled, noting that the burning in her chest had subsided. “Okay. What did your father say when Ruby told him about the informant and that she wanted to go to Notre Dame?”
“Nothing. Benjamin would’ve been furious that she’d been talking to an informant, and I had to get her out of that situation before we spoke to him. I planned to meet with her informant and take over or kill him, but I wanted to give her time to trust me with the name. I didn’t realize she didn’t have time.”
Mia chose to ignore the casual remark about killing the informant. For now. “So you just said you’d both talk to Benjamin later?”
“I told her that she wasn’t to put herself in danger again and that I’d have to handle that situation first before we sent her off to college. She agreed very quickly that night, saying that something had come up and she needed more time to prepare herself to talk to Benjamin. She wouldn’t tell mewhathad come up, and I figured she was just having second thoughts and needed time to think about it.”
Mia gasped. “Ruby found out she was pregnant.”
“Yeah. That had to be what was going on. She seemed excited and nervous all at once—and, no, she did not tell me she was with child. It had to be early because I didn’t even sense the pregnancy.” Seth stretched out his feet. “Before you ask, my guess is that Erik was the father. And, no, he had no clue. My brother was genuinely shocked when you dropped the bomb that day at my father’s house.”
Mia’s brain kicked into gear. Finally. “Would anybody object to Erik and Ruby having a baby?”
Seth stiffened behind her. “No.”
“Seth. You just said you wouldn’t lie to me. Stop lying.”
He growled low. “Fine. Ruby’s mother was human, which made Ruby half-human. Many wolves are purists and believe the Alpha line must be kept clean.”
“Is Ben one of those people?”
“No.”
“Seth—”
“I mean it, Mia. My father believes differently, as do I. Erik’s baby would’ve been welcomed into our family, as would Ruby have been, and I still would’ve pushed for her to go to college if that’s what she wanted to do.” A buzzing echoed, and Seth tugged his phone to his ear. “What?” he whispered.
Suddenly, he jumped to his feet. “I’ll be right there.”
Cold wafted across Mia’s skin. She rolled over to face him and swung her feet to the floor. The room spun just enough to force her to clench her teeth. “What happened?”
Seth paled until his lips appeared blue, and fire flared to life in his intense eyes. “Somebody shot my father.”
Alarm propelled Mia to her feet. She swayed.
Seth steadied her. “Go back to sleep. You need more rest.”
“No. I’m coming with you.” She grabbed his hand, telling herself that she was a cop and investigating a shooting was her job. A tiny voice in the back of her head snorted. She was going because Seth Volk needed her.
Instinct whispered that the Enforcer who protected his pack didn’t need anybody.
Except her.
Chapter28
