Chapter 9
JAIME
Iwoke to the sound of phones vibrating against the nightstand.
For a second, I didn’t remember where I was. The room was dim, curtains drawn tight against the early morning light.
Then I became aware of something warm and solid pressed along my side. Chris.
His arm was heavy across my waist, his leg tangled with mine like it had always belonged there. His breathing was slow and even, warm against the back of my neck.
The memory of last night’s kiss came back in pieces.
I had meant to go back to my own bed. Instead, somewhere between talking and the quiet that followed, we’d both just stayed in his.
Both our phones buzzed again.
Chris stirred with a low groan, tightening his arm unconsciously before shifting to reach for his phone. I felt the drag of his fingers over my hip as he pulled away, and my body reacted before my brain did, reluctant at the loss of contact.
“Morning,” he muttered, voice rough with sleep.
“Mm,” I replied.
He huffed something that might’ve been a laugh, then frowned at his screen.
I rolled onto my back and grabbed my own phone.
Event Notice:
Due to the ongoing investigation into equipment tampering discovered during yesterday’s trials, all competitive events remain postponed until further notice.
Participants are requested to attend a mandatory briefing at 9:00 AM in the Grand Magnolia Ballroom for further updates.
We thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Chris let out a quiet curse under his breath. “Guess they sent it to everyone,” he said.
“Yeah.”
Chris turned his head toward me. His hair was a mess, falling into his eyes. There was still a faint crease on his cheek from the pillow. He looked a lot younger like this.
“You think they caught someone?” he asked.
“Maybe,” I said. “Should we go check it out?”
He nodded immediately. “Yeah.”
We untangled from each other reluctantly, grabbing clothes from the chair and dressing quickly.
I kept an eye on him as he pulled on his shirt. There was something about the morning light catching his jawline that made it hard to focus on anything else.
When we finally made our way downstairs and arrived at the Grand Magnolia Ballroom, it looked nothing like it had during the welcome reception.
It was still packed with handlers and their dogs, but it was quieter in a way that felt tense rather than celebratory. Gone were the bright, coordinated outfits, glittering leads, and polished jackets.
I was still trying to find a table when I saw a hand waving above the crowd.
“Over here!” It was Sheila.
She was impossible to miss, even in a plain sweater. Tall, sharp eyes, dark braid over one shoulder. Beside her stood Donnie, broad-shouldered and perpetually skeptical-looking. Both were shifters we’d met during the course of the event.
We edged through the crowd until we reached their table.
Sheila leaned in slightly. “Did you hear? They caught someone,” she said, her voice lowered but vibrating with energy. “Late last night.”
Chris’s posture sharpened just a fraction. “Caught them doing what?”
“Messing with the equipment,” Sheila said. “The agility course. The teeter and at least one of the jump bars.” A few handlers nearby glanced over.
Donnie shook his head. “Unbelievable. Who does that? You could seriously injure a dog.” Donnie’s gaze sharpened. “You two were right there yesterday. Chris, I even saw you jump over the barrier.”
“You must’ve seen something up close,” Sheila added. She was fishing.
I felt Chris glance at me. We hadn’t said anything to anyone yesterday. There was no point in causing panic before the officials confirmed anything.
“Someone could’ve tampered with it,” I said evenly. “Or it could just be poor maintenance. It’s hard to tell until someone checks every bolt.”
Donnie seemed to consider that and nodded. “I’ve been through a couple of shows where equipment just wasn’t secured properly. Volunteers miss things.”
“But then why call a full briefing?” Sheila countered, skeptical.
Before I could reply, Chris nudged me lightly with his elbow. I followed the direction of his gaze. Marion was weaving through the crowd toward us.
Donnie gave him a brief nod of acknowledgment but immediately turned back to Sheila, their conversation resuming in low, urgent tones. Sheila didn’t bother hiding the look she gave Marion as he approached.
“Well,” Marion said lightly when he reached our table, offering Chris a polite smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “what do you think this is all about?”
Chris slipped into the same neutral expression I’d been wearing. “You’ve got me.”
“Must be important if they’ve called everyone down.” Marion’s gaze flicked between us. “I just hope they don’t cancel the rest of it. It would be a shame after all this.”
A sharp tap on a microphone echoed from the front of the room. Heads turned instinctively toward the stage. The event chair, a middle-aged woman in a navy blazer with the organization’s crest, stepped up to the podium, flanked by two officials and a uniformed hotel security officer.
The room quieted.
“Good morning, everyone,” she began. “Thank you for attending on such short notice. Several incidents occurred during yesterday’s trials involving compromised equipment. After a thorough inspection, we’ve confirmed deliberate tampering. A suspect was apprehended late last night.”
A low murmur spread through the ballroom.
“All remaining equipment has been dismantled, inspected, and re-certified. The semi-finals will resume tomorrow at 8:00 AM. If you prefer to withdraw for your dog’s safety, you may do so without penalty. Please notify the steward’s desk by 6:00 PM.”
“All updates will also be sent via email and posted on the event portal. Event staff and safety officers will remain available after this briefing.”
The microphone clicked off. Conversation erupted immediately. Sheila and Donnie were already moving toward another group of handlers. Marion stayed where he was.
“Well,” he said, exhaling dramatically. “Thank goodness that’s sorted.”
My wolf didn’t like the way he said it.
“Guess we’re back on track,” he added, flashing Chris a grin. “Hope you two aren’t planning to back out. It wouldn’t feel right making it through semis without facing one of the best teams here.”
Total nonsense. We had barely scraped through qualifiers. Clean run, yes, but not dominant.
Marion stepped closer, clapping Chris lightly on the shoulder before leaving our table.
Chris’s posture changed instantly, his jaw tightening. For half a second, gold flickered at the edges of his irises.
I moved without thinking, placing my hand over Chris’s forearm.
“Hey,” I said quietly.
His gaze snapped to mine. The gold faded, replaced by a clear, rich brown.
“Sorry,” he muttered under his breath. “That guy is just…”
“I know.”
For a short while, we just looked around. The ballroom was still buzzing with motion. People shifted in small groups, some making their way toward the registration table at the front, others already slipping out through the side doors.
“So,” Chris said after a moment, his voice quieter now. “What do you want to do?”
I stared toward the podium, my mind already pulling in two directions.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe we should update Cooper first.”
Chris nodded immediately. “Yeah. I was thinking the same thing.”
Once we were back inside our room, Chris unclipped Pampi’s lead and let her settle on the rug. He pulled out his phone, dialed Cooper, and put him on speakerphone.
The call connected after two rings.
Chris told Cooper that equipment tampering had been confirmed, the suspect apprehended, and the semis would resume tomorrow. I filled in a few specifics about the re-inspection and the option to withdraw.
There was a pause on the other end.
“I’m glad no dogs were seriously injured,” Cooper said evenly. “What are you two thinking?”
Chris looked at me. What was I thinking?
We could leave. Pack up, drive back to Pecan Pines. The suspect had been caught and an official statement issued. Case closed. That should have been enough.
And yet, it didn’t feel settled. The faulty equipment was one thing, but what about the dogs that had gotten sick?
And the suspect they caught. Were they only charging him for the equipment tampering? What if it wasn’t even the same person behind everything?
I met Chris’s eyes. “We’ll stay,” I said before I even realized it. “At least through semis.”
Chris blinked. I surprised even myself.
There was a small pause on the line before Cooper answered. “Alright,” he said. “Just remember to keep your guard up. Report back to my office once you’re back in town.”
“We will,” Chris said and ended the call.
Chris turned to me slowly. “You sure?”
I leaned back against the edge of the desk and scrubbed a hand over my jaw. “I don’t know,” I admitted.
“They caught the guy,” he said gently. “So it’s over.”
“Maybe.” I exhaled slowly. “I just think it wrapped up too cleanly. Like they found something obvious and decided that was enough.”
He reached out and brushed his thumb lightly over my wrist. “You don’t have to stay because of me,” he said quietly.
I looked at him. “I’m not.”
For a moment, I wasn’t sure what to say. His concern made my chest tighten in a way I wasn’t ready to unpack.
Instead, I huffed out a breath and glanced down at Pampi, who was watching us as if she could read every unspoken thought between us.
“What do you think, girl?” I asked her. “Want another run? See if we can survive semis?”
Her ears perked instantly. She sprang to her feet and gave a sharp, excited yip, tail thumping hard against the carpet.
Chris laughed. I felt my mouth curve before I could stop it.
“Well,” I said. “That settles it.”
Chris was still looking at me like he wanted to say something, as if he was weighing whether to offer me an out. One more chance to walk away.
Instead, I pushed off the desk.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s see if we can get some ring time before tomorrow.”