Chapter 14 #2
I pushed open Cooper’s office door without knocking. He was already standing. That alone told me everything.
Cooper was usually controlled, measured, the kind of alpha who didn’t waste motion or energy. If he was on his feet before we even spoke told me this wasn’t going to be easy.
His cold gaze snapped to Mason first.
“We need to talk,” I said.
Cooper’s eyes flicked to me briefly. Then back to Mason. “I imagine we do.”
Silence stretched for half a second. Then I told him everything, about Mason being a plant, about Kai, and Daniel’s latest order.
Each word felt like I was laying something volatile on the table between us.
And with every piece, Cooper’s expression hardened. When I finished, the room went very still.
Cooper exhaled slowly, then glanced at Mason.
“You understand,” he said, his voice low, “that what you’ve just told me puts you in a very precarious position.”
Mason nodded. “I do.”
“And you expect me to believe that you’ve suddenly decided to switch sides?” Cooper asked.
“I’m not asking you to believe me,” Mason said quietly. “But I’m telling you the truth.”
Cooper’s jaw tightened. “That’s convenient.”
My wolf bristled. I stepped forward before I could stop myself.
“He came to me,” I said. “He didn’t have to.”
Cooper’s gaze snapped to mine. “And that absolves him?”
“No,” I said immediately. “But it matters, and I know he’s telling the truth.”
It had to mean something, because if it didn’t, I didn’t know what I was doing here. Cooper held my stare for a long moment. Then looked back at Mason.
“You’re no longer a guest,” he said flatly. “Until this is resolved, you’re a prisoner.”
The word hit the room like a dropped blade. Mason didn’t argue.
He just lowered his head slightly. “Understood.”
Something in my chest twisted. I stepped in again, voice firmer this time. “I’ll be responsible for him.”
Cooper didn’t respond immediately. He studied me, like he was weighing something. Me, my judgement, my loyalty, perhaps all of it.
“You’re emotionally compromised,” Cooper said bluntly.
He wasn’t wrong. Cooper probably knew I’d been spending a lot of time with Mason and had come to care deeply for him, but still it didn’t make it easier to hear those words.
“Maybe,” I admitted. “But I’m also the one he trusts. If this goes sideways, I’m the best chance we have of keeping him cooperative.”
Cooper’s eyes narrowed slightly. Then, after a beat, he nodded. “Fine.”
Relief hit me harder than I expected, but it didn’t last, because this wasn’t over.
“We use this,” Cooper continued, turning back toward his desk. “If Daniel wants inside our territory, we give him a reason to step closer.”
Mason’s head lifted slightly.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked.
Cooper didn’t hesitate.
“You call him. You tell him you’ll do what he asked,” Cooper ordered.
Mason stiffened.
“And Kai?”
Cooper’s gaze sharpened. The room seemed to tighten around us.
“You tell him you want your brother here before you make any move,” Cooper said. “If he wants access, he pays for it.”
Mason’s hands curled into fists. He nodded slowly. “Okay. Thank you, for considering Kai.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Cooper said drily.
Mason swallowed. “I understand.”
“Good,” Cooper said. “Then make the call. Put it on loudspeaker.”
Mason hesitated for half a second, just long enough for me to see the fear flicker through him. Then he pulled out his phone. His fingers shook once, twice.
I reached out, brushing my knuckles lightly against his. I wanted to remind him that he wasn’t alone. He glanced at me for a second, then hit dial. It rang twice, then the line clicked.
“Didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.” Daniel’s voice was smooth.
Mason inhaled slowly.
“I’ll do it, But I have a condition,” Mason said.
Silence on the other end. Then it was followed by a soft, mocking chuckle.
“You don’t get to give me orders, dog,” Daniel said.
My wolf surged forward, teeth bared. I barely forced it down.
“Have you forgotten about Kai?” Daniel asked.
Mason began to tremble. I stepped in close, my hand coming up to the back of Mason’s neck, grounding him.
I leaned in, pressing a brief, deliberate kiss just below his ear. I wanted to remind Mason that he was no longer alone in this. His entire body went still, then Mason straightened.
“I know how much you need this,” Mason said, tone confident. “You won’t get another opportunity to infiltrate the Pecan Pines Pack this easily. Take it or leave it.”
Daniel didn’t say anything yet.
“I want my brother,” Mason said, each word clear. “And once I have him, you can do whatever you want.”
The lie hung in the air, and it sounded convincing enough. We all waited. One second, two, three.
“Interesting, so you do have balls after all, Mason,” Daniel said. He didn’t laugh this time. “Deal.”
The word landed like a detonator. Mason’s hand dropped slightly, the phone lowering as the call ended. For a second, no one moved. Then Mason exhaled shakily.
I didn’t realize how tense I’d been until my shoulders loosened. Cooper stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
“That was well done,” he said. “But don’t relax yet.”
Mason and I both nodded.