James ran a hand through his graying hair, his chest still heaving from the exertion. “Sorry, Joey. I heard someone lurking at the door, and I thought…” He trailed off, his eyes darting to the gun on the floor.
I picked up the gun, tucking it back into my waistband. “You thought what?”
He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I thought it might be one of them.”
I stiffened, my mind racing. “Why would a werewolf be looking for me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady and not think about Marcus.
James’s eyes narrowed. “Because of Toya, Joey. You went dark for twenty-four hours.”
I let out a breath, relieved he didn’t mention the Alpha. “I’m being careful, James. I learned from the best.”
He nodded, but I could see the worry etched on his face. “Flattery will get you everywhere, kid.”
I changed the subject, gesturing to the lock on the door. “Did you break my door?”
He nodded, giving me a hint of a smile. “Old habits die hard. I hadn’t heard from you in a while, and I got worried. Came to check on you, and when you didn’t answer, I let myself in.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And you just happened to have your tools to fry my keypad?”
He chuckled, the tension in the room easing. “Always prepared, Joey. You know that.”
I smiled, shaking my head. “Well, next time, guess my code, old man.”
He laughed, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Please tell me it’s not your sister’s birthday…” When I didn’t answer, he groaned. “Joanna…”
I returned his premature laughter. “Coffee?”
James grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Coffee sounds great.”
I made my way to the kitchen, pulling two mugs from the cabinet as James settled onto a barstool. I never liked coffee, but James did. And after five years,the familiar motions of preparing the bitter drink for him were a comfort in the chaos that was my life.
James’s presence in my place was always both reassuring and unsettling. Reassuring because he was the closest thing I had to family, and unsettling because he was a reminder of the world I’d chosen. A world where beasts like Marcus were meant to be hunted, not… well, something else.
“So, why haven’t I heard from you?” James asked, cutting through the silence. “What have you found out?”
I poured coffee into both mugs, sliding one across the counter to him. “Not much,” I admitted, wrapping my hands around my mug. “No one at the club recognized Toya. And there was no mention of an uprising, either.” There was no way in hell I was answering his first question. I took a sip of my coffee, replacing the rancid taste of betrayal in my mouth. “Please tell me you’ve had better luck.”
James’s eyes narrowed as he swallowed. “Yes, and it’s a mess, Joey.” He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “It was tricky. Intel is scarce, but there are whispers. Werewolves believe it’s time to stophiding and to claim their place in the world. They think humans should know about their existence and accept them. Fear them.”
“I know that much. How do they plan to achieve that?”
“There’s been movement in the Bureau. The treaty—Anything to do with the deal made with the werewolves is being triple-fortified. Copies destroyed. Hard drive encryptions encrypted.”
I swallowed hard. “The Bureau’s scared…? James, do the werewolves have someone in the Bureau? If they can leak the conditions of the treaty…”
James sighed a deep, bone-weary sigh that shook me to the core. “It would be catastrophic.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in.
The treaty between the werewolves and the United States government was a delicate yet fucking horrible agreement that maintained the balance between our worlds for years. If the werewolves had someone in the Bureau and they leaked the conditions of the treaty, that balance would shatter. It would expose the supernatural world to humans.
And expose just how fucking eager their country was to serve them to it.
Chapter Nine
Marcus
The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of Blackwood Territory, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. I inhaled deeply, the scent of earth grounding me. I needed this run—needed to feel the power of the wolf coursing through my veins to clear my head.
