Chapter 24
VESSA
When I turn the knob to the Alpha’s bedroom, the familiar aroma of mahogany fills my senses. I easily could bask in the shadowy ambiance and cozy smell all afternoon, but I do have a purpose for sneaking in here. The man requested a fresh change of clothes.
Leisurely, I find my way over to the closet.
I imagine most of the clothes hanging in here have been personally tailored to fit his intimidating frame.
Several pairs of jeans and dark trousers made of thick cotton canvas are folded on the lowest shelf—still six inches above my head.
The tier to my left holds several sets of boots, each pair designed for combat of some degree.
Tucked in the very back are his old uniforms from his time in the army.
The blue and tan fabrics are rugged and stained in a few places.
Proof that he must’ve seen action overseas.
My fingers stroke the letters of the name etched opposite a square chest pocket that designates his former rank.
When I look up, something catches my eye with a squeal of delight.
On the very top shelf rests a dark leather cattleman hat, the rim bent slightly inward.
Oh, I’d like to stick around for the day he reaches for that.
A voice from the hall startles me into action, snatching the first shirt and pants in my reach. Nell. “There you are. I was starting to think you’d curled up for a nap in there.”
I frown at the nosey intruder. “When were you going to inform me that Axe’s birthday is next week?”
The question had been stewing in my head since yesterday, when I noticed the event discreetly marked on his calendar propped under the sconce at his bedside. March 23rd: Another one down. Along with another important occurrence, just three days before—the next full moon.
Thank the gods.
Nell cocks a brow in amusement. “Why would I? The man loathes his birthday. He can’t be reasoned with and quite frankly is impossible to find a gift for. I gave up trying years ago.”
I shrug. “I don’t know, I might have a good shot. I have decent taste.”
“Says the person who voluntarily eats black licorice.”
Nell follows me out the door, shutting it tight. Abruptly changing the subject, she squeaks, “So, what did you think of Solmuk? Does he still strut around with his perfect gentleman facade?”
“I knew I sensed something there.”
There’s a glimmer of pain in Nell’s eyes that’s impossible to conceal with sarcasm.
Treading lightly, I ask, “You fell in love with a human?”
She stiffens, taking her first step down the stairwell.
“Aren’t lycans allowed to be in other relationships before their mate comes along?”
“Yes,” Nell says. “But the nature of a human relationship is different from ours. Typically, when wolves seek partners prior to finding their mates, it is to fulfill a primal need. Love and intimacy . . . those feelings don’t typically show up until you find your true match.
To feel such intense emotions for someone who isn’t your bonded, and for him to be a human at that .
. . some of our elders, those most devoted to the Luna goddess, might call it blasphemous. ”
My face contorts. “As if we have any control over who our heart wants.”
Almost instantly, Dominik’s voice comes to mind. Humans always have a choice. Remember that.
“Right? We were eighteen. An entire year together, and not once did Solmuk inform me of a crucial detail pertaining to his obligation to the clan. Each year on the spring equinox, Chief Kismet and her family host a meal inviting the Skornokovys and a few members of the pack to the property. I wasn’t planning on going, but Demi—big surprise—insisted.
When I stepped in line to fill my plate, I saw Solmuk out of the corner of my eye.
Sitting next to a girl he was supposed to marry the following summer.
Needless to say, I was mortified. Demi—she wanted to strangle him,” she admits.
“But if either of us put our hands on him, it would’ve been the end of our precious alliance. ”
“He came to find me later that night,” Nell continues.
“Tried to explain it all away, saying that he had begged his grandmother to rescind the betrothal. Apparently, it was made a year before the two of us met. He was struggling to find the right time tell me. But if he really loved me, he would’ve broken tradition. ”
“That’s awful. Truly, I’m sorry.”
“Eh, don’t be. I found a way to get over him real quick.”
“Oh?”
Nell glances around furtively. “As Luna, you’re eventually going to become a vault for everyone’s secrets. I love Cora to pieces, but she can’t keep one to save her life.”
I snicker.
“In the days that followed, I was furious. My wolf was ready to rampage. Of course, I didn’t expect her to get me senselessly hammered and storm up to that club just to throw my arms around that repulsive—"
“No,” I gasp. “No, Nell, you didn’t.”
Gritting her teeth, the Beta clutches onto the railing for support.
My hand drops from my mouth. “But . . . you and Dominik . . . That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It was only once,” she snaps. “And as drunk as I was, I think my wolf knew it was convenient. At the time, he was also being strung along by someone. We both needed to blow off steam.”
I find myself struggling to picture the two of them mashing their faces together.
Even more baffling is the thought of someone so smooth and calculated on the receiving end of heartbreak.
But perhaps Dom wasn’t always a womanizer.
Perhaps whoever drove him towards the Beta for a night of passion is to blame.
“Was it . . . good?”
Nell averts her eyes. “Yes. Disgustingly good.”
She continues. “Across the province, there is a saying between females. The Alpha Commander was born for battle, and his brother . . . his brother was born to please.”
Gulping involuntarily, I mumble, “I see.”
Nell grips my shoulders. “Please, please don’t ever bring it up in front of Axe. He would probably castrate him.”
“Does Jabir know?”
“No. But I think a small part of him suspects. I don’t even want to ponder the idea of how he’d react if it ever came out.”
As the stairs bottom out to the main floor, I give her hand a squeeze. “Your secret is safe in the vault. I promise.”
Axe
For the first time in years, I allow myself the indulgence of sleeping past the sunrise.
My first waking thought drifts to that damned kiss.
That incandescent glow that rippled across Vessa’s skin.
In that bloody state, it must’ve been a hallucination.
With her mouth on mine, I could’ve sworn the aurora felt closer.
To think I could’ve died without experiencing what she tastes like .
. . it makes me want to kill those bastards all over again.
Had I not been weakened by my injuries, my wolf likely would have slipped through its cage. By some miracle, he yielded. Except now that I know what it’s like to feel her melt beneath my touch, there’s not a chance in hell that I’ll be able to stay away.
I don’t know what’s more irritating: my body’s slower healing rate or the coddling hens who refuse to let me return to work. I haven’t been able to get five godsdamned minutes alone with Vessa since she stormed out of my office back at the shop.
After Cora makes her nightly visit, I insist on moving to the common room downstairs to finish reviewing my paperwork over dinner and a glass of bourbon.
I certainly need one after listening to Nell bitch for over an hour about the mayor’s press release.
She continues to ramble about the sloppy media response as she reaches for wine glasses for my mate and for herself.
Nell has taken on the brunt of my desk duties over the last several days.
Responding to emails, organizing reports, putting off my nosy sister’s inquiries, and updating the task force on the shooting.
Meanwhile, Jabir pulled the photograph of the client from the arms dealing database and a license from his guard’s wallet to share with them and investigate any possible motives as to why they were sent to dispatch me.
Flashbacks to the attack have me pinching the bridge of my nose. More than anything, I wish that I could be covered up to my elbows in motor oil right now instead of writing a bullshit excuse of an incident report that is already overdue to the Council.
Bunching my fists, I address my Betas. “This doesn’t make any sense.
Jabir and I run a background check on each client two weeks prior to their appointment.
I knew the man who referred the Mongassi mercenary well.
An old army buddy of mine. Good guys, both of them.
They don’t have any lycan connections in the southern continent.
They don’t even know that I am one. No chance would Tim ever set me up. ”
Jabir shuffles across the lounge with a lump in his throat. “That’s because he didn’t. This afternoon, I stumbled across an enforcer report out of Hichano last night. The mercenary—your actual client—was killed a week ago. Carjacked on the interstate. Seems like he was making his way here.”
Vessa gasps, a hand clamping over her mouth.
“How did they intercept him?” I growl.
Jabir scratches his beard. “It’s likely that whoever sent them hacked into his profile on our system and stumbled across the correspondence.
My best guess is those men likely reported to someone else, who then tipped them off.
Those men were sent to kill you, Axe. By someone you must already know.
Whoever it is, he knows all about our operation now. ”
Fuck. We’ve never had a breech like this before.
“I don’t believe that. If they were after me, they would’ve made the hit immediately, without Solmuk there to back me up. Think about it. They were lycans. Why attack in broad daylight on human turf?”
My wolf stirs as I silently recall the shift in the atmosphere. The excitement that rolled off them when a particular scent wafted into the room. Of course. Those men were never there for the limited-edition M1. And if they wanted silver, they wouldn’t have brought their own.
“I might’ve been on their hitlist, but those assholes were after something far more valuable in the shop.” I look in the direction of my mate, who is listening to our discussion intently, fiddling with her fingernails. “Her,” I state.
Nell cranes her neck. “Apart from your task force, who doesn’t even have access to your client database, no one outside of this town knows that Vessa is your mate. Apart from her relatives.”
“We’re not actually related,” Vessa clarifies. “Maurleen’s an old friend. She saved me from—never mind, it’s a long story.”
While I’d like to agree with my Beta, I’m not sure I can.
These days, anything is possible. Everywhere I turn, lycans are assessing me for weakness.
For a crack to slip through and exploit.
I’m not going to keep sitting here and pretend this is another coincidence.
This is the third time someone has endangered my mate on my watch, and I’ve had it.
Enough of being two steps behind in all of this.
Jabir awaits my instructions. Judging by the heaviness weighing under his eyes, he must’ve spent all last night looking into our breech in security. If anyone can catch the scent of a virtual trespasser, it’s him. But right now, I’m far more concerned with the little trespasser standing behind me.
I turn to Vessa. “You know what? I think it’s time you told us.”
Her cheeks redden at the imposition. “I’m not sure it’s relevant.”
Discarding my sling, I stomp over to where she leans against the bookshelf. She tries to shuffle backwards, but I flatten my hand next to her head, sealing her in. “Let me rephrase that. Who the fuck are you?”
“Now just a second!” Nell interjects.
Vessa freezes, focusing her efforts to calm her heartbeat. Her eyes refuse to connect with mine. So I help her out, nudging her chin higher. Her pulse skitters, the stench of smoke wafting over her pores. She’s scared, alright. But that expression tells me confrontation is nothing new to her.
“Answer me, Vessa. Did you know those men?”
She shakes her head, holding her ground.
Irritation flares in my voice. “But you know why they were looking for you.”
“I’m not telling you anything without Maurleen.”
“Why, so she can cover for you? What aren’t you telling us?”
My thumb brushes against her throat. Beneath my touch, her body pulls taut.
Silverfire, does she actually think I’m going to hurt her?
This isn’t an interrogation. I am completely incapable of conducting one if it involves tying her up and exerting force.
Nothing remotely productive would be accomplished, not with my wolf constantly trying to sabotage my efforts to remain in control.
If anything, I would be the one under extreme duress.
Qinnu was right. I can’t trust her, nor myself.
Vessa bites down on her tongue. Her eyes detach, shutting down.
With an exasperated growl, I push off the wall. “Fine. Call her then. Tell Maurleen she is being summoned to Lupine Manor. By the Commander’s request, she is to report immediately.”
I whip out my phone and thrust it into Vessa’s hand.
Without protest, she enters the number into the keypad and raises the device to her ear.
The call lasts all but fifteen seconds, Vessa’s voice wavering as she repeats exactly what she’s been told.
Then, she gives the phone back, her expression grim.
With one last attempt, I say her name softly. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what kind of trouble you’re in. Who are you afraid of?”
Wrapping her arms around herself, she refuses to speak another word. But she doesn’t have to. The closer I lean in, the faster her pulse races.
So, I was right from the very beginning.
It is me.