Chapter 11 – CAMILLE
CAMILLE
Kain emerges from the shadows between ancient pines, his power preceding him like a wave.
My wolf watches his approach with wary interest. Unlike Ryan, who’s all swagger, bold attitude and pumped-up muscles, Kain’s energy is striking in a different way.
He’s not brash or cocky; instead, his composed demeanour commands respect.
He’s a bit of a mythical character among enforcers, the man who gets drafted to help handle wolves dealing with moon madness or turning feral.
So what is he doing here?
“Just thinking out loud,” I reply, fixing a pleasant smile on my face. “Sometimes talking through a problem helps me work through it.”
If he thinks I’m odd for talking to myself in the middle of the forest, he doesn’t show it. His expression remains neutral, though I catch the way his gaze takes in my position near the contaminated markers, and how my hands are shoved into my jacket pockets to hide the evidence bags tucked inside.
“And what problem are you struggling with today?” He moves closer with deliberate steps, not quite threatening, but definitely testing my boundaries.” Maybe it’s something I can help you with.”
I can’t figure out if he’s talking about the case, Jax, or both.
His wolf’s demeanour is so different from Jax’s wild energy, controlled and calculated, and it makes him almost impossible to read.
As he eases closer, I take a step or two away, toward a large tree, to re-establish my personal space. The bark is rough under my palm, and I can still sense the faint traces of magic clinging to it. Looking at Kain, I wonder if he can pick it up too.
Maybe that’s why he’s out here.
“The course setup is interesting.” I gesture vaguely at the marked trees around us. “I’m just trying to understand how it all works for when it’s our turn.”
Kain looks out into the dark forest, then back at me, scepticism clear in his dubious expression.
“It’s a bit late for you to be arriving now to observe the Games. They’re almost over. I take it you’re not just here for your pack, but in a professional capacity.”
He stops in front of me, just outside acceptable conversation distance, forcing me to look up at him.
“Is that not professional enough?” I ask with a smile, not volunteering anything. We’ve never been formally introduced, so it’s quite possible he’s just testing a suspicion by throwing out a comment to see if I’ll bite. But I’m not that green.
The canopy overhead filters the late afternoon sun, casting shifting patterns across his face.
“And these scent challenges were completed days ago. Wandering the woods alone now isn’t going to tell you much. You should have been here to see them.”
I shrug, looking past him at the marked trees to visualize how the wolves completing this challenge would have become confused at this point, but I’m unable to pick up a clean scent or even tell which direction it went.
“Maybe. But I still like to understand how things work. I may as well make myself useful when I’m here.”
Kain leans back, arms folded, and gives me a wry smile, like he’s in on the joke. “Yes, though I can’t help but wonder why an observer needs to complete such a... thorough examination… when they can create any challenge they want to test their own alphas.”
There’s no direct accusation in his tone, just mild curiosity, but it still makes my pulse quicken.
He knows that’s not the real reason I’m here.
My location deep in the forest suddenly feels very isolated, the silence between the massive trees absolute, except for our voices.
“I’m thorough by nature.” I meet his dark gaze directly, still keeping my tone light and non-confrontational. “And I’m not above copying people’s ideas, if they’re good ones.”
My attempt at a self-deprecating joke falls flat as Kain’s features remain stony. He breathes in, nostrils flaring, as he examines my scent.
“I like to be thorough myself, make sure I have all the facts. But you already know that. And while we haven’t crossed paths directly, I do know who and what you are.” His gaze falls to the bulge in my jacket, where my knife sits tucked away in its sheath. “Just not why you’re here.”
Should I be concerned about Kain? He wasn’t on my radar previously, given he’s a favourite to win anyway, but he’d have the connections to source stolen goods.
“Ditto,” I say with a wry smile. “Is managing a pack not a little tame for a man like you?”
My blade is within easy grasp, but I suspect that while my reflexes might be good, his are better.
“Maybe a normal pack. Not this one.” He shrugs. “And even if I don’t win, I can still do some good here.”
He takes another step closer, and I have to consciously force myself not to retreat. This close, I can see he’s younger than his unflappable presence suggests.
“Such as?”
Kain shrugs, refusing to give me any information easily, but he leans forward and takes another sniff of the air around me.
“You tell me. Know anyone who could use my help?”
He means Jax. He’s here to assess Jax.
My heart pounds in my chest. Whether official or unofficial, he’s keeping an eye on my mate’s wolf, trying to decide whether he can be helped or not, whether he’s a danger to the shifter community or not.
“Not off the top of my head.”
Kain tilts his head slightly, studying me like a particularly interesting puzzle. “I can help him.”
Does he expect me to give him information about Jax’s volatile behaviour, that he might use against him?
Hell no.
My wolf bristles at his intense scrutiny, but I hold my tongue, forcing myself to stay calm. This doesn’t mean the council is checking up on him, but it does mean he needs to be on his best behaviour.
Not traipsing through the woods, darkness hanging over him like a storm cloud.
Kain opens his mouth to speak, but before he can try to convince me once more that his intentions are good, his entire demeanour shifts. The casual stance disappears as his head turns sharply toward the trees to our left. Every line of his body becomes taut with sudden alertness.
“We have company,” he murmurs, and there’s something almost amused in his tone. “And he seems upset.”
Shit.
Even before he appears, his thunderous mood rolls through the forest. The barely controlled fury radiating from him makes my wolf whine, torn between excitement at his proximity and concern at his obvious state of mind being put on display before Kain.
“This should be enlightening,” Kain whispers as he settles back into that deceptive casualness and leans closer, still not touching me, but closer than mere acquaintances would stand.
Jax bursts from the undergrowth like jealousy personified, face flushed, and the tendons in his neck bulging. He takes in the scene in an instant, Kain standing close to me in this isolated location, his body blocking Jax’s view of me, where I’m backed against the tree.
His eyes flash from brown to gold and back again so fast, it’s like a switch being flipped.
The snarl that rips from his throat raises every hair on my body. It’s the sound of an alpha wolf whose mate is being threatened, and my traitorous body responds with a flood of heat despite everything.
“Kain.” Jax spits out the name as he circles to the left.
“Jax.” Kain nods pleasantly, apparently unbothered by the waves of barely contained fury rolling off Jax as he prowls closer. “We were just discussing how important Camille’s presence is.”
Were we?
I eye Kain suspiciously. What is he up to?
Jax’s control is hanging by a thread, and we all know it. He has no time or patience for small talk. “Get. Away. From. Her.”
Each word comes out more growl than human speech. His wolf is so close to the surface, I can practically see it pushing against his skin.
Oh, this is bad.
“We were just having a chat about the latest goings-on at the Games.” Kain’s tone remains mild, but I catch the sharp interest in his eyes as he looks between us. “It is her job after all?”
Jax grits his teeth, not liking that Kain knows who I really am, all the while, moving to position himself between us. A mate shielding what’s his.
“Why are you even out here, Kain? Lurking in the shadows. Did you follow her?”
Jax stands directly in front of me now, blocking Kain’s view of me completely. I’d roll my eyes at this ridiculous display if the situation weren’t so potentially explosive. And lethal.
Kain growls, and Jax bares his teeth. They’re locked in a primal dominance display, and the testosterone level is suffocating me.
“Camille and I…” Kain starts, and Jax lunges forward before stopping himself, squeezing his eyes shut briefly, before he speaks.
“There is no you and Camille.” Jax’s voice is chilling, but Kain doesn’t seem ruffled. He narrows his eyes and shakes his head.
“How fascinating.”
Stretching up to his full height, his gaze finds mine over Jax’s shoulder. “Quite the bodyguard you have here. Though I doubt the lady requires such enthusiastic protection. Not with that blade she has stashed in her jacket.”
Kain smiles gently and nods before he finally takes a step back.
“As enlightening as this has been, I’ll take my leave.” He inclines his head to Jax. “Be careful. Camille is not the only enforcer who’ll be around for the final. If you’re willing to work with me, I’m willing to help.”
Then he melts back into the forest with the same unnatural silence. One moment he’s there, a solid presence among the trees, and the next, he’s gone like smoke. Only the faintest trace of his scent even confirms he was ever here at all.
The instant he’s out of sight, Jax whirls on me. His chest heaves with each ragged breath, hands clenched into fists so tight, that I can smell the copper tang of blood where his claws have pierced his palms. The gold in his eyes hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s gotten stronger.
“Did he touch you?” Jax demands, sniffing around me, crowding me toward the tree at my back.
“No.” I sigh. “We were just having a conversation.”