MAX
I sensedMase before I even reached my office, his scent so familiar now my wolf recognised him as easily as my own pack. “Hey.” I leant against the doorframe, laughing as Mase startled so badly he fumbled his phone and it hit the floor with a clatter.
“Someone your size should make more noise,” he said, shaking his head as he bent to retrieve it.
Grinning at him, I walked in and sat down at my desk. “What can I say, I’m light on my feet.” Shifters might be well built, but we were stealthy. We could move around without making any noise at all if we needed to, even through the forest. Our scent would be the one thing that betrayed us.
Unless, of course, we had some of those witch potions that Zh’alek had used. I shuddered at the thought. I relied on all my senses to do my job. I hated knowing there were substances out there that could so easily fool me and my wolf.
Lady Sarhin said they’d disposed of everything they’d found when they discovered Melhak’s stash. But who knew if there were any more places like that out there? I knew the Fae High Court would keep searching, but a witch had made them in the first place. Magic like that might be banned by the witches’ council, and the consequences for breaking that law weren’t pleasant. But only if they got caught.
Mase’s phone buzzed in his hand, startling me out of my dark thoughts. I’d always been optimistic, a glass half-full type of guy, but ever since that night at the bar I seemed to only see the negative.
I hated that too.
It wasn’t me, and I didn’t like the despair that usually crept in alongside it.
“Dathal just texted me,” Mase declared, setting his phone down. “Said he’ll meet us at Axel’s.”
“Hmm?” I looked up at him, trying to remember why we’d be meeting Dathal there.
Mase frowned. “To meet with Lady Sarhin and handover the witches we have in custody.”
Ohhh. Of course.
Fuck’s sake. Get it together.
“Sorry.” I rubbed a hand over my eyes. “Didn’t sleep all that well.”
Mase looked at me, really looked, like he was searching my face for something. He opened his mouth, then closed it again without saying anything, and I knew then that Rys had told him something was going on with me. “Are you okay?”
Before I could answer, he added, “Rys told me that you were dealing with some pack stuff. This last month or so I wondered if it had been resolved because you seemed… well, not okay, but better. Then today…” He waved his hand about. “Sorry. Ignore me, I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
I sighed.
Fucking Xen.
As well as being my partner, Mase had become a close friend over the past few months. Lying to him wasn’t something I could do, not even for my alpha. But I couldn’t tell him the truth either. “Did Rys tell you anything else?” When Mase looked guilty all of a sudden, I added, “I don’t mind if he did. I would never ask him to keep secrets from you unless it was for your own safety.”
Mase picked up a pen, fiddled with it for a few seconds before answering. “He said whatever was going on with you was pack business and that you couldn’t talk about it because you’d been ordered not to.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “And you thought that only applied to him?”
He rolled his eyes and huffed. “Of course not, and I’m not asking for details. I’m asking, as your friend and partner, ifyou’reokay. And if there’s anything I can do to help you in any way.”
We could use all the help we can get.
But I couldn’t ask for it without telling him why.
Something else had me curious though. “What’s so special about today?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you said I’d seemed better for the last month—which I’m not sure is true—but what made you think I wasn’t okay today?”
Mase’s smile was instant and his eyes lit up. “Oh… well you know I’ve been working with Axel and Dathal to get more in touch with my fae heritage, right?”
I did know that, but I hadn’t asked him lately how it had been going. Guilt gnawed at me for not paying better attention, but before I could voice it, Mase spoke.
