My sister perks up. “What about Sherwood’s family? Could it be a retaliation?”
I dismiss the suggestion. Colton’s relatives could be motivated by the death of their leader, but they’d never attempt a stunt this risky on human territory. They wouldn’t go to such lengths to drug Vessa. They’d just kill her. That being said, it would be in our interest to scope out their territory in the next few days to try and catch wind of anyone who recently went dark.
Going dark—in other words, going rogue. Monitoring lone lycans is Demi’s specialty, having acquired the skillset from years of partnering alongside Tesni.
One empty chair remains between Jabir and I, though a moment later, Vessa slips through the door. She dips her head tome in greeting, sporting a black suede pantsuit. The guests from other packs flare their nostrils, sharp inhales following as she settles into her seat. Chests heave as the males silently assess the scent that has every Bleeding Sun male on edge.
Paul strains as he takes in her petite frame and smoky eye makeup. She doesn't look in his direction. It feels intentional, though there isn’t much to look at beyond a receding hairline and a nondescript face.
“I’ll be damned,” he rattles. “So, it's true then.”
Dom smiles. “Would anyone care for a drink?”
Everyone declines, so he sees to serving himself. Vessa and I both glance over at Demi at the same time as her finger tapping on the stone table grows more rapid, a nervous tic I haven’t seen since her ex broke out of prison.
Vessa leans forward. “Are you worried for her?”
Demi straightens in her chair. “Who, Tesni? Nah, she’ll be alright. The only thing that worries me is that nothing scares her.”
Clearing my throat, I address the room. “Now that Vessa has joined us, I’d like to compare our reports and see where Ludone is being sourced. Dom and I have reached the agreement not to close the club for now. But I want this pipeline taken down swiftly and thoroughly before the enforcers catch wind of it.”
Paul narrows his brows. “Why are you so sure that the girl was targeted intentionally?”
Before I can answer, Jabir butts in. “She’s not a ‘girl.’ She is your Alpha Commander’s mate and since she is sitting right across from you, you will address her directly as such.”
Crossing his arms, Paul grunts. He's always steered on the side of arrogance, but something about the human in his room—something other than her scent—is clearly souring his attitude.
"Is there a problem, Childers?" Demi asks.
Vessa’s expression remains solemn. If I look closely, there’s a whirlwind of emotions churning behind those eyes, merging with a scent that is just as distracting. Annoyance, defensiveness, and what is that? A twinge of dread?
Paul averts his penetrating gaze. His shoulders roll back as he concedes. Just to throw it out there, I suggest that perhaps the drugging was a probe. Whoever smuggled the powder in here knows my pack leaders and their routines. If creating chaos is the goal, infiltrating my security off pack grounds is the best strategy to expose us to the humans. Ludone is a clever and chaotic distraction.
“What’s the current intel out of the Pen?” Paul inquires. “I heard those boys had their hands full back in November with the last uprising. Haven’t lost that many Auxiliaries since Kiersten?—”
Demi slams her fist on the table. “Donotsay her name.”
That shuts him up quick.
Alban Lycan Penitentiary is the largest holding facility for convicted lycans in the province. A nasty, brutal hellhole. Either Jabir or I will visit quarterly to monitor security and interrogate groups of prisoners who are rumored to attempt an escape. Auxes are the highly resourceful bounty hunters we deploy to track down the escapees and detain them.
Jabir takes the question. “According to January’s report, we’ve put sixteen individuals away over the last two years for distributing Ludone. No one’s sentences have been reduced or rescinded. Every manufacturing operation has been successfully shut down within days of detection, under the Council’s decree. This substance must be coming from a new source.”
Dom takes a healthy swig of his old fashioned. “Have any of you morons thought about giving Shay Belgrave a call?”
Demi rolls her eyes. By now, she looks like she could use a drink.
He scoffs. “What? You think she lacks a motive?”
Between the two of us, Dom and I have been burned by her more times than I can count. While Shay thrives on manipulation, drugs have never been her poison. I refer to this point in her defense. “Shay had nothing to do with this.”
“Of course, what was I thinking? Clearly you knew her best,” he chirps, draining the rest of his glass.
Crimson burns unabashedly on Vessa’s cheeks. Silence settles among the room as Dom pushes out of his seat. Sweat glistens on his forehead, trickling beneath a strand of hair I’ve never seen out of place. What the hell’s got his panties in a twist?
Dr. Caulder clears his throat. “Still no positive ID on the smuggler?”
“Negative.”
