Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Jay slides my hospital gown off my shoulders, letting the thin fabric pool at my waist. I lift my arms, helping him dress me. Every movement feels like something is tearing open inside me, but I don’t let it show.
He pulls a loose cotton bra over my head.
I was taken off all pain medication early this morning, and I’m sure as fuck feeling it. Every nerve ending is awake and angry.
Jay clearly dislikes me, but he’s careful not to hurt me as he pulls my bra over the bandage on my chest. He inspects the band, ensuring it isn’t cutting into my bandage, before helping me into my shirt.
It’s a scratchy, black HPAW-issued shirt. I’m familiar with the attire. Sickeningly so.
Once the top half of my body is covered, I slide my legs over the edge of the bed and plant my feet on the cold, cement floor. My toes curl, and I can’t hide a grimace as I grab the arm of the bed and force myself into a standing position.
My knees shake, threatening to give out at a moment’s notice. For a second, I think they might. The sudden movement also makes me dizzy, which fades after a few seconds.
Jay is on guard, prepared to catch me.
Caleb would hate this. He’d agonize over seeing me so weak that I can barely stand.
I push the thought away immediately.
“Are you sure about this?” Jay asks. Like I have a choice.
“Yes.”
It’ll be a cold day in hell before I show up to a meeting with leadership in a hospital gown. If they’re going to decide whether I live or die, I won’t look like prey when they do it.
Leadership will see me as a strong, capable woman.
I doubt it will make much of a difference. Men like Jonathan don’t care how you present yourself, only whether you’re useful. I’ve met with leadership only a few times, and each was an unforgettable experience.
Jonathan and Benji are intimidating men.
They’re very likely going to be the ones to decide whether I’m worth keeping alive, and they’re not easy men to please. I’ve only had two formal meetings with them—the first when HPAW brought me in when I was seven and the second a week before I left on my mission.
Jonathan is cunning, maybe in his early forties.
His father once ran HPAW, and he followed quickly in his father’s footsteps. His dark-blonde hair, wide smile, and boyish look convey friendliness, but behind that kind exterior lies a sharp, calloused man. His hatred of the shifters runs deep.
Benji will be easier to win over. Or at least slower to kill me.
He’s just as sharp as Jonathan, but he believes in looking at a problem from all angles. Daniel once told me that Benji’s patience comes from age. At almost eighty, he’s had a lot of time to practice.
I assume I’ll also meet with several board members, Daniel included.
Jay slides my underwear up my legs. Once they’re at my thighs, I take over, securing them at my hips. This is humiliating, but a small price to pay for professionalism. Jay helps me into black pants next, then makes quick work of my socks and shoes.
“You should be resting,” he says.
He thinks leadership should postpone this meeting, giving me more time to recover.
He’s an idiot to think that would ever be allowed.
I sigh. “Take that up with leadership.”
Jay pulls around a wheelchair, and I lug myself into it with a muffled groan. Here we go. He pushes me out of my room and down a narrow hallway. When we round the corner leading to the elevator, I’m not at all surprised to see a guard posted outside it.
I faintly recognize him, his curled, black hair and crooked smile familiar, but I can’t put a name to the face. Maybe I fucked him once. Oh, well. He’s not important to me.
His last name is sewn into his shirt, near his right shoulder. Smith.
“Evelyn,” he greets me, his voice low. He turns toward Jay. “I’ll take her from here.”
Jay passes me off. I grip the handles on either side of my seat, my knuckles turning white.
HPAW won’t kill me immediately. It would look bad on them, especially if they don’t have hard evidence that I’m compromised. They’ll make it look like an accident.
I’m brought to the top floor of the facility. It’s a highly restricted floor, and Smith has to scan a red ID card to gain access.
When the elevator doors open, I raise a hand, stopping Smith from exiting.
“I’ll walk,” I say.
Smith pauses, his gaze darting to my wheelchair before shifting to the bandage still wrapped around my head. I’m expecting him to refuse me, but with a shrug, he rolls me just beyond the elevator doors and hits the wheelchair brake.
“Be my guest,” he says.
This is going to hurt.
My knees buckle as I stand, and I take a moment to collect myself before walking toward the main conference room at the end of the hallway. It’s the same room I always meet leadership in, and I hold my chin high as I push open the door and step inside.
Jonathan and Benji are already seated at the table. They’re flanked by the council members, six of them in total. Daniel is at the end, closest to the empty seat clearly assigned to me.
Everybody rises as I enter. It’s not done out of respect. Nobody in this room would care if I died. I’m sure many are actively hoping for it.
The jury’s still out on Daniel.
I sink into my seat, then clasp my trembling hands together. It’s not nerves that have them shaking, but pain.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
Jonathan is the first to speak. “I’m glad to hear your surgery went well. You’re expected to make a full recovery.”
“Thank you.” I set my clasped hands on the table. “I assume I’m here to discuss Alpha Knox and my time with the shifters.”
I keep my voice steady. Controlled. This is the version of me they’re familiar with.
Jonathan nods. “Yes.”
It’s hard to keep my composure as I detail the last few months of my life. The beginning of my mission, when I was still loyal to HPAW, is easy to discuss. I explain Caleb’s behavior toward me, but I don’t linger on the parts that matter.
I have to give leadership something, though.
I admit that the alpha title isn’t passed through bloodline, and I reveal the names of the other alphas. I don’t know much about Maverick, King, or Everett. Even if I did, I wouldn’t give HPAW anything that could get them killed.
Assuming they’re still alive.
I do share that Everett is having issues with polar bears.
Jonathan interrupts. “Do you know the pack borders?”
My pulse spikes.
Caleb once drew out a map for me, explaining in detail where each alpha resides. What would HPAW do with that information? The possibilities are endless. Some are disastrous.
“I don’t,” I lie. “Alpha Knox didn’t tell me much about the other alphas. He was distracted by HPAW’s attacks. They began only days after I arrived.”
I’m not outright calling out leadership for going back on their word, but I know the accusation has been received as several council members shift in their seats.
“Alpha Knox decided he no longer wanted me as a mate after I attempted to kill him,” I continue. “He moved me out of his home, and I was then excluded from all pack business.”
Benji leans forward, his green eyes narrowing. “You were researching bonds and markings at the library, were you not?”
Of course they know. Somebody is feeding them information.
I draw in a slow, steady breath. “That’s true. Shifters revere their mate bonds, and I was hoping to find a way to reverse the darkening of mine and convince Alpha Knox that my affection for him was genuine.”
Benji looks pointedly at the bandage covering my right hand. “And you succeeded…?”
I have the rapt attention of every person in this room.
“Yes,” I say. “Shifters enjoy public sex. I allowed Alpha Knox to take me in front of his pack, which reversed the coloring.” The words taste wrong coming out of my mouth.
I force myself to continue. “I earned back the alpha’s trust. That’s why I was allowed to join him at the meeting of the alphas. ”
Benji hums, and Jonathan whispers something in his ear.
“Why did you remove your marking?” Benji finally asks, gesturing to my bandage.
“I was promised it would be removed once I completed my mission.”
I pause and clear my throat, letting my excuse sink in. It’s true. I’ve always been adamant that I wanted my mark gone the moment I returned. I was ashamed of it.
“I was frustrated yesterday when I realized it was still there,” I continue. “So I took matters into my own hands.”
Silence stretches. It’s meant to make me crack.
The council members glance between leadership and me, no doubt waiting for them to take the lead. Jonathan and Benji continue whispering to one another, their words impossible to make out.
It pisses me off. That’s probably what they’re aiming for. They want me emotional.
The councilwoman on my left shifts, swiping her tongue over her lips before tapping her fingers aimlessly against the table. Her nails click against the wooden surface, but it’s relatively quiet.
“Are you concerned that my loyalty has shifted?” I ask, addressing the elephant in the room. It’s better to control the direction of this conversation than wait to be cornered. “I was ordered to earn Alpha Knox’s trust, and that’s what I did. I remain a loyal member of HPAW.”
Leadership turns to Daniel, seeking his input. Daniel has yet to speak, and I’m eager to hear what he has to say. He said he wouldn’t defend me, but then he left me his switchblade. I don’t know what to make of it.
Daniel is a valued member of HPAW. His endorsement will go a long way.
He leans back in his chair. “I’m not sure,” he eventually admits.
“Evelyn has always been committed to her role in our organization. She believes in our cause, but I can’t confidently say that her time with the shifters hasn’t altered her motives.
I understand why there is concern, but I think it’s worth having further discussion. ”
Sometimes I really fucking hate Daniel.
Benji cups his chin and stares at me. It’s unnerving, and I fight the urge to look away. The seconds pass. They turn into minutes.
“I would hate to do something hasty,” he eventually says. “But I have trouble believing you, Evelyn. You’ve lied to us several times already during this meeting. How can I trust what you tell me?”
My stomach drops. I don’t let it show.
I furrow my eyebrows, feigning confusion. “Lied to you? What have I lied to you about?”
Jonathan laughs, and Benji frowns. I’m so fucking screwed.
“I don’t understand,” I continue, forcing more confusion. Not fear. Never fear. “I did everything you asked of me. Am I in trouble?”
Benji rises. I gulp, my throat dry as he walks across the room and opens the door. With a flick of his fingers, he orders the guard who brought me here to come forward.
“Put her with the wolf.”
The order is sharp.
Adam?
“Why?” I demand, pushing to my feet despite the pain. This isn’t part of the plan. This isn’t how this was supposed to go. “You promised that once I complete my mission, you’ll let me go. You said I could live a normal life. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Benji spares me a quick glance, then leaves. Jonathan is quick to do the same, as are the other council members.
Daniel is the last to leave. He refuses to make eye contact.
Only once the room is cleared does Smith enter. He wheels in my chair, not a word spoken between us as I shuffle into it. They’re going to kill me.
Not here and not now, but soon. They’re setting up for it.
I suppose that was always their plan, though.