“I told you she was different. From the first day . . . Well, at least now it makes sense why her scent is so . . .” I choose my next word carefully.“Compelling.”
“You knew she was hiding something. And you chose to keep that to yourself.”
“When I sensed it at the task force meeting, I thought it had something to do with Childers. She seemed panicked around him. I didn’t want to expose her when things were already tense.”
Axe releases me. Having calmed, his voice stabilizes. “Someone has turned on us. From the inside.”
“What?”
“Jabir and I suspect that someone in Bleeding Sun has infiltrated our firewall, someone who’s had tabs on Vessa far longer than we have. Someone with connections to mercenaries.”
Just as she suspected in the task force meeting.
Venomous rage is spreading through me, threatening to violently take over. I reach for a nearby cigarette, then retrieve the lighter from my pleated pocket. “Is this just between us?”
“As of now, it is.”
Axe doesn't suspect anyone on the task force is compromised, but he won’t risk feeding any outsiders this information. As much as I piss him off to no end, he knows I can be trusted. He needs me there tomorrow to help survey those in attendance. To detect if any scents are awry.
For a moment, I consider the severity of his request. My brother can’t stomach appearing desperate, especially in front of other males. It goes against every single Alpha-inherent tendency. For a decade, he’s known about my augment, yet he’s never asked to use it for his own personal gain.
“Please. Just this once. If anything, it will?—”
I raise the cigarette to my lips again. “You don’t need to explain to me why she’s worth it.”
Dipping his head in thanks, Axe turns to exit the loft. Just as his hand grips the knob, my voice brings him to a halt. “You can’t keep putting them off, you know. The Council. By now, they probably have their suspicions.”
He whirls, cutting me with a death glare sharp enough to take my head off. But I refuse to let it intimidate me.
“Think about it, Axe. If Naomi’s puppets learn who she is destined to become, they will take her from us. They could vote to execute her. Tell me the thought has already crossed your mind.”
It is a fate that must be considered. And a possibility that infuriates me at the most primal level.
Rather than acknowledge it, he shows me his back. “When you decide you want to be a legitimate part of this pack again, then I will consider welcoming your unsolicited advice. But until then, leave the Council to me.”
Vessa
I watch the sun’s rays reflect on the bay as we drive through the business district, eventually veering into the dense Malabaht forest. Axe’s truck pulls onto a gravel lot. A row of canoes with spears and fishing nets are docked against the quaint riverbank.
As I crawl out of the back seat, the compound in its entirety comes into view. A massive bonfire and sacramental tent are visible to the far left. Several indigenous women laugh with each other outside a small log cabin where clothes and furs are hungto dry. They wave to Tesni as we approach the stone-carved walkway, leading to a tall dwelling made of cedar planks. Salmon and bear faces of red, white, and turquoise overlook the lodge’s main entry, flanked by a pair of stunning cedar totems. Wolves.
“If you are to become Luna,” Axe begins, “one thing you need to understand is thatthis town, this river . . . they belong to the Tilaak people. Not us. As occupants of their forest, we are to respect their culture and defend their land from the greed of outsiders. You’ll come to find that there’s a great deal we can learn from each other.”
“But above all,” Tesni cuts in, “we are friends.”
Before we enter the lodge, Axe requests Tesni do a quick lap around the property to make sure no other lycan scents are lingering. The Sentinel dips her head and immediately makes for the trees, stripping off her cargo vest and readying herself to shift. Axe and I turn away just before her nude form slips into the trees.
My jaw drops as we pass through the doorway, taking in the full scale of the structure. More wolf totems reside here, as support beams to hold the exposed roof planks in place. Dozens of wooden tables for communal eating, intricate murals, and animal hides are strung about. My eyes fix on a tapestry along the left wall. It bears a raven, similar to the piece framed in Axe’s office.
“The Tilaak call them “koi’yowa,” he points out. “They are typically given to members of the clan who display great valor. For outsiders to receive one is the highest form of flattery.”
My brows perk. “And you were given one of these?”
Axe chuckles heartily. “Gods, no. The one back home was given to my great-grandfather. I can only hope to one day be half the man he was.”
A small woman aged about seventy years sets a long, polished tusk on the top shelf of a display case filled withpottery. As we approach, I note the intricate markings along the bone, illustrating what looks to be an epic tale of warriors hunting whales. It’s a masterpiece.
“Aleksandr.Are you here to answer for why you’ve been away so long? How I’ve missed you,E’yonno.Happy birthday.” She extends her arms to gather him close. Her wrinkles soften with her smile. The silver wisps in her black hair are as whimsical as the extravagant blue overcoat she wears.
