Chapter 15 – CAMILLE #2
“We make a big song and dance about my presence, that I’m here to investigate, that I’m an expert in tracking magical signatures, and everyone must cooperate.” I lean forward, elbows on my knees. “After yesterday, most people probably suspect as much anyway.”
He nods. My barking orders at Callum and poking around the equipment won’t have gone unnoticed, and certainly not by someone trying to cover their tracks.
“I’ll let slip that I’ve found evidence. That I’m close to identifying the saboteur, and I’m on my way to tell you. I’ll make myself an immediate threat to their plans and draw them out.”
This is the exact opposite of the secretive mission Torres wanted, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
“That’s dangerous.” Not a refusal, just a statement of fact. “They can use the artifact against you.”
I touch the necklace and hold it out for him. “It’s enchanted. It’s not an absolute block, but it should be enough to allow me to identify them without feeling the effects.”
Dean stares at the shimmering stone. “They must have something similar.”
I nod. “Yes, but it could be just a stone, or a brooch. Something they can easily hide. It’s worth mentioning to security, but I doubt they’ll be wearing it openly.”
Rubbing his hands together as he considers my plan, he frowns. “I’m uncomfortable putting anyone in danger.”
I wave away his concern. “This is my job, Alpha. And this might be our only option with so little time. This will be fast, and we’ll control the circumstances with backup in place.
” The leather creaks as I shift positions.
“The time for stealth is gone, I’m afraid. Blunt and effective is what we need.”
Dean stands abruptly and moves to the window, hands clasped behind his back. His reflection in the glass shows a man weighing difficult options.
When he turns back, he nods, his eyes glazing over as he mind links someone from his pack.
“Callum’s on his way.”
I take it that’s a yes then.
Dean dips his head, looking less alpha when he returns his gaze to meet mine.
“What you saw down there, Camille–Jax’s situation–it can’t become public knowledge.”
The change of topic doesn’t surprise me. He’s protecting his brother, just as he’s always done.
“There are lots of people who don’t understand what he’s been through, who won’t care.”
Who’d see him as a problem to get rid of, is the unspoken conclusion.
“You think I’d report him?” I ask in disbelief. Frankly, I’m offended. For now, I give Dean the benefit of the doubt and assume he’s not certain what we are yet, that we’re mates; otherwise, he wouldn’t even think it.
“I think you could be in a tricky position with your job… and I know he doesn’t make things easy.”
He strides to the back of his desk but doesn’t sit, holding the back of his chair.
The leather protests under his hands as he grips it tight.
“I know if they saw him at his worst, they’d think he was dangerous to others.
And while he’s quick-tempered, he’d never hurt someone who didn’t deserve it. Other than himself.”
The words hang heavy in the air between us. We both know what the council does to wolves who can’t control themselves. They get terminated. He’s asking me to keep Jax’s secret. To protect him, if I can.
“Whether you two work things out or not,” he continues, voice carefully controlled, “I’m asking you to keep what you’ve seen within this pack.”
Dean could get into a lot of trouble for keeping the extent of his brother’s issues from the council, and with the opening of the pack’s borders, it’s going to get harder and harder to keep it quiet.
I hold his gaze, chin tipped up, letting him see that I mean it when I say, “Your brother’s secrets are safe with me.”
He watches me for another heartbeat, weighing up whether to trust me, before nodding slowly. The tension in his shoulders eases fractionally.
“This trap… so, I’ll start telling people the real reason you’re here. I’ll announce at breakfast that I expect full cooperation. That should set the cat among the pigeons.”
That’s an understatement. I can only imagine the chaos that will follow.
“And then this afternoon?” he asks, rubbing his brow, no doubt, pre-empting the massive headache this will create for him in trying to get the last round of the contest completed.
“I’ll blab that I’ve found crucial evidence publicly, so our saboteur hears. And you’ll conveniently be otherwise occupied, giving them a window of opportunity to find me and try to shut me up.”
Keeping my voice calm, I pretend it’s just another day at the office for me, but it’s risky, because it could literally be anyone on that list.
“Callum and I will coordinate with security and the new enforcers arriving today. Jamie can watch the people on your list at breakfast and see if she can identify a few prime suspects who look overly concerned with your presence while I’m delivering my speech.” He’s already mind linking again.
The shift from tactical leader back to protective big brother happens seamlessly. “When do we tell Jax?”
I blink at him. Surely, he knows the answer already. We don’t.
Dean grimaces, and the rubbing across his brow gets harder. “He’s going to kill me for this.”
I give him a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, he probably will.”