8. Callum
CALLUM
“Morgan’s gonna tell Ash about us on Saturday.” Lynx rubs his jaw and sits back, letting that sink in.
We’re back in our safe room.
All of us this time, our other duties delegated for now.
“He’s coming here, right?” I already know most of what Ash and Morgan talked about from Lynx, but things might’ve changed since then.
Lynx nods. “We thought it’d be best if Morgan told him here. I doubt he’ll believe him without proof.”
“Fuck.” Flint taps his fingers on the table. “How d’you think he’ll take it?”
“No idea.” I sit up a little, that guilty feeling worming its way back in. “But the sooner he gets it over with, the better.” All the times Ash talks to Morgan in confidence, not knowing that we can all hear him . . . it’s starting to get to me in a way I’ve not experienced before.
It makes my skin itch and my wolf antsy.
I’ve not shared this with the others, but from the looks I’m getting now, they know something’s up.
Not anything I want to discuss, though, so I deflect the conversation. “What’s happening with Morgan’s house. Any updates?”
“So far we’ve seen three different people come and go. But they’ve installed floodlights and security cameras all around the property, so getting close for identification purposes is a no go.”
“What about the cars?”
“Two big SUVs. Both black.” Jet shrugs. “Standard hunter vehicles. But I guess it could be a coincidence.”
I glance at Lynx. “I think we need to risk it and contact Grey. It’s the only way we’re gonna find out if they are hunters and whether it’s council-sanctioned or not.”
“How are you going to do that?” Jet’s eyes narrow. “It’s not like we know where he is right now.”
I lift my phone. “I’ve got his number. So does Lynx.”
Jet scowls, gaze flicking between me and Lynx. “When the fuck did that happen? Last time I checked, we weren’t swapping numbers with fucking hunters.” He slumps in his seat. Body tight with tension. I’m used to his hatred for all things hunter, but this feels different. Feels like more.
“Since he helped us get Morgan back and kept the hunter council off our backs,” Lynx snaps, then softens his voice. “Have you forgotten what happened to him because he helped us?”
Jet flinches. “No.”
The Silver Blades were less than pleased with all the scrutiny Grey brought down on them from the council. I never expected them to turn on one of their own, but last time Grey was here, he still wore the evidence on his skin.
“I’ll call him, see what he knows,” Lynx offers.
“Tell him about the tattoo on the bloke who mugged Ash as well.” My hands curl into fists just thinking about it. Lynx watches me, but I pretend I don’t notice. “Is that everything?”
Lynx’s gaze turns curious, which is never good. “Why? You got somewhere to be?”
“Thought I’d take a ride into town. Check in at the garage.” The garage that’s supposed to be our main source of income. They don’t need me checking up on them, but it’s not the only reason for going. Though I’m not telling anyone here what the other one is.
“Yeah, that’s it.” Lynx stands, then leans on the table. “Keep watching your targets, and report back if anything changes. I’ll let you know what Grey has to say.”
We all start to file out of the room, but Lynx catches my arm as I pass him.
“Stay a minute.” His fingers curl around my forearm. It’s not an order, but a strong suggestion that I do as he asks, and I’ve never refused him before. Not going to now, either, no matter how much I know I won’t like this conversation.
As soon as the others leave, Lynx closes the door.
Oh, it’s like that, is it?
I smirk at him.
Not too long ago, I was doing this to him. “This an intervention?”
“Does it need to be?”
“Not from where I’m standing.”
He leans against the edge of the table, the solid wood easily taking his weight. “We should talk to Nico and Luke tomorrow. Go through everything they can remember about the fight rings. We can’t put it off any longer.”
“No.” I know I said I’d do it, but I’ve been avoiding it and Lynx hasn’t pressed, but he’s right. It’s time. Both Nico and Luke endured awful things in the fight rings, but they could have insider knowledge that we desperately need. “Just me and you?”
“For now.” He sighs. It’s heavy with the knowledge that someone’s going to be pissed off, and I have a good idea who.
“Jet won’t be pleased when he finds out we did it without him, but you know how he gets when we discuss hunters.
And he’s protective of Nico as it is. I don’t want to upset either of them any more than we have to. ”
“Fair enough.”
“I’ll explain to him after. When he’s calmed down.”
I snort. “Good luck with that.” Thinking we’re done, I reach for the door.
“One other thing . . .”
“Fuck,” I groan, turning to face him again. Propping myself against the wall, I settle in for what I’m expecting to be an uncomfortable chat.
“You don’t need to be the one to watch Ash, you know. You could delegate that.”
“I have.” I gesture between us. “I’m here now, aren’t I?”
He gives me a flat look. “What’s going on with you two?”
I laugh. “Nothing.”
“You sure?”
“I followed him myself because I didn’t like what went down at the hospital.”
“Neither did I, but one of the others could watch him just as well as you.”
He makes a valid point. I’ve been away from the compound more than I usually am these past few days, but I’ve got this feeling . . . I rub a hand over my chest and his focus narrows to the action.
Understanding fills his eyes. “Do what you need to do. But keep me informed.”
“I will.” I straighten. “We done?”
“Yep.”
I’m halfway out the door this time when he calls, “Morgan said Ash’s gone back to work today.”
“And?”
“And nothing. Have fun in town.”
I can hear him laughing as I slam the door behind me.
It’s early afternoon by the time I leave the garage and head for the Tesco Express where Ash works. I pull up beside Ren, who’s been watching Ash since he arrived at work about half an hour ago. We’re parked at the back of the small car park, half hidden behind a bush.
“Everything all right?”
Ren nods. “His dad dropped him off. And there’s been no sign of hunters or anyone who’s caught my eye so far.”
Hunters are easy to spot because they usually carry concealed silver-coated weapons, with or without aconite. We can smell them.
Hunters have a look too.
Ash should be relatively safe inside a shop full of people and his coworkers, so there’s really no need for us to be here. Not until he leaves in a few hours. “You can go back if you want.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I want to take a look inside, then I’ll follow you home.”
“Okay. See you later.”
I wait for him to pull out onto the road and roar off in the direction of home, then get off my bike and head towards the front of the shop. A familiar scent lingers in the air, raising my hackles.
What the fuck is he doing here?
Ren didn’t mention seeing Wilson, so maybe he’s been and gone. Either way, I’m on high alert now.
The automatic doors slide open and I carefully step inside, gaze snapping left and right, but there’s no sign of him. Not immediately anyway.
His scent is stronger inside, meaning he’s probably still in here. I’m gonna have fucking words with Ren if that’s the case.
I grab an empty basket, so it at least looks like I’ve come to shop, and wander up and down the aisles, picking up a few bits so I don’t stand out. It’s not a huge shop, but it’s big enough that it takes me a few minutes to discover that neither Ash nor Wilson is on the shop floor.
Odd.
Wilson could well have left, but Ash should be here somewhere.
There’s a yard out the back where they keep their empty cages and rubbish. Maybe he’s out there? Or maybe in the staff room? I take my time paying at the self-checkout, waiting for Ash to reappear.
I’m in the middle of bagging my stuff when I hear his voice.
And he’s not alone.
Seconds later, a door swings open and Wilson saunters out, followed by Ash and another guy I think is the store manager.
My focus is all on Ash though.
He’s smiling at Wilson, but it’s nothing like the ones I’ve seen him flash at Morgan. It doesn’t reach his eyes for starters, and there’s a tightness to his jaw that I can see from here.
I focus on what they’re saying.
“I’ll get back to you if we need to see anything else,” Wilson says and the manager nods. Then he turns to Ash and puts a hand on his arm. Ash flinches and I fight to smother the growl building in my chest.
Don’t fucking touch him.
My hands tighten on my shopping bag as I watch Ash subtly shift backwards so Wilson’s hand falls away.
Wilson scowls, but he’s quick to school his features into a neutral expression. “About the other thing. I doubt we’ll have any luck getting your phone back, but I’ll contact you if we have any updates.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to,” Ash says, taking another step away. “I only need the crime number for the insurance.”
Wilson moves with him, and my lip curls. He’s about to back him into the wall if he gets any closer. “It’s no trouble. How’s the arm?”
“On the mend.” Ash’s voice is colder now, any friendliness gone. Then he turns to his boss. “I’m just going to get some fresh air for a sec.” He gestures to his arm. “Talking about the attack’s made me feel a bit hot and lightheaded.” I can spot the lie a mile away, but his boss is quick to agree.
“Absolutely. Take all the time you need. You know you could take a few more days off if you need it.”
Ash shakes his head. “Nah, it’s fine. I’m only doing training. I just need a minute.”
He says a curt goodbye to Wilson, then heads outside without noticing me watching. Wilson hasn’t seen me either, so I move down one of the aisles, out of the way, as he follows Ash a couple of minutes later.
I don’t bother waiting now though. I don’t trust Wilson not to corner him outside. But when I get out there, Ash is nowhere to be seen, and Wilson is heading to a car that is definitely not a standard patrol car. Is he even on duty? He had his uniform on, but who the fuck knows.