Marilee and Lois returned a few minutes later, taking their seats at the table as if nothing had happened. I noticed that she was wearing different clothes.
“Are you okay?” I whispered to Marilee.
Seeing her turn into a wolf had freaked me out, but it wasn’t the shift that bothered me. Sensing that she was in pain bothered me more than I would have expected. I could have sworn I heard her bones breaking as she transformed, although she seemed finenow. There was something about her, something that made me want to protect her even though she was the bodyguard.
Marilee pressed her knee against mine, the same way she’d done earlier.
“Yeah, it was just… unexpected. Sorry if I freaked you out.”
I waved my hand. “No worries. What do we do now? This is obviously way beyond what the Canadian government hired you to deal with. I’m not sure how much you charge, but I have some savings…”
“The money from the Canadians is enough,” Lois interrupted. “But you can’t go to that conference. We need to get you to a safe house.”
I shook my head. “No way. I have an obligation to attend the conference. I have meetings scheduled, people to talk to. I’m not going to lose my job over this.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Why the hell is everyone against going to the safe house?”
Wanda opened her mouth to respond, and Lois’s head whipped in her direction.
“Don’t you dare mention Tasha.”
Wanda’s lips pressed together and she looked back at the computer. I made a mental note to ask Marilee what was going on later.
“Hazel.” Lois turned her attention back to me, her tone conveying exaggerated patience. “Going to a safe house is the best way for us to protect you. There are too many variables at the hotel.”
I crossed my arms. “Sorry, but no.”
Lois sighed.
“Fine, let’s see if I can put another team on you then.” She glared at her staff one by one. “A team of people already mated.”
I wasn’t sure what that was about, but I didn’t want to ask. I’d been raised to fear nothing, but I had to admit that Lois scared me a little. Lois looked at her notebook, her brow burrowing in concentration.
“Most everyone is on assignment already.”
“Not me, I’ll go,” a woman who’d introduced herself as Allie raised her hand like she was in school. “Don’t worry boss, I’ll stay focused on the job, I promise.”
For some reason that made Lois glare at Marilee again.
“I’m bumping someone out of the adjoining hotel room,” Wanda said, fingers still flying over the keyboard. “Who are you gonna send, boss? I’ll hack into the conference site and get them registered.”
“I’m going to keep you here in the office to do your computer mumbo jumbo,” Lois said.
“That’s good, because Tasha is home this week.”
“Well, I’m glad I can arrange your work assignments around your freakin’ love life, Diaz. Let’s send Evans then, along with Gunderson,” Lois ordered. “They’re both between assignments and since Gunderson is a… mixed breed she can help Martin if she decides to spontaneously wolf out again.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Marilee said defensively.
Lois gave her a look that could melt steel.
“Do you want me to see if any of the bears are available to help, boss?” Wanda asked, redirecting her.
I glanced at Marilee, but she shook her head once, indicating that I shouldn’t ask right now. I kept my mouth shut.
“Yeah, they can speak Russian or whatever the hell it is they speak and maybe people will think they’re some kind of diplomats too.”
“Their native language is Belarusian,” Wanda responded. “Even though they speak Russian, they’re kind of sensitive about it given that the Soviets tried to eradicate their native language before they got their freedom.”
