Chapter 5
Nathan hands me a coffee on my way to Sebastian”s office.
”Thanks for the tip,” he says with a wink.
”I literally told you nothing.” I stop myself from grinding my teeth in frustration.
”No comment speaks volumes to those of us with the same training.”
”Sebastian is going to kill me if word gets to him that I gave Nathan any information,” I say to Nora, who is standing behind me.
”Let”s hope that hasn”t happened.”
Sebastian”s office smells of fresh coffee and old paperwork. He”s behind his desk, his blue eyes studying a file, his brow furrowed in concentration. He looks up as we enter, his expression shifting to a stern, professional mask.
”Ava, Nora,” he greets, his voice low and controlled. ”What do you have for me?”
I pause for a second to organize my thoughts. ”We found a second body. A shifter this time, in the Protected Zone. Name Aiden Black. He was Blackwood Pack.”
His eyes widen, surprise flickering across his face before he schools his features again. ”And the cause of death?”
”Hunter”s rifle,” I reply, my voice tight. ”But that”s not all. We found a pendant near the human victim and another near Aiden”s body. Both with symbols.”
He leans forward, his gaze intense. ”What kind of symbols?”
Nora steps up, pulling out her phone to show him a picture. ”The one by the shifter victim is an image of a wolf”s head surrounded by thorns—”
Sebastian”s eyes darken, his jaw clenching. ”The Shadow Rogues? Are you sure?”
I nod, my stomach churning. ”The human victim also had a pendant. A wolf head surrounded by a crescent moon and stars—
”Dammit. That”s the mark of the Blackwood Pack Alpha,” Sebastian growls while he levels his eyes directly at me. ”And you know that. Knew that last night when you found it. I must have missed the phone call where you recused yourself from the case because of your close personal relationship with the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack.”
”That was years ago—”
”Do you think the chief cares about how long ago you were entangled with the suspect in two major crimes?”
”Zane wouldn”t do this—”
”And your proof is?” Sebastian raises an eyebrow.
I swallow the first words that come to mind. They won”t help me right now. Not if I want to stay on this case, and I do more than anything. I may no longer be a Blackwood Pack member, but I know I”m the right person to investigate this case. I want to be the one that solves this case. ”I”m still investigating.”
”Have you ever seen those pendants?” Sebastian asks.
”Not up close. The traditions of the Pack said the Alpha had to keep that symbol close. As a symbol of the power the moon gives to the Alpha. But Zane opted against the pendant.”
”How does he keep the symbol?” Nora asked.
”As a tattoo over his heart,” I answered without thinking. The look Sebastian shot me spoke volumes about his thoughts on my response.
”So the last Alpha before Zane…” Sebastian prompted.
”Devin wore a pendant. He had a chain specially made that allowed him to wear it like a collar in his wolf form.” I keep my eyes up. I don”t want to challenge Sebastian, but I don”t want him to think I submit to his dominance. We are not Pack, and he is not my Alpha.
Sebastian leans back in his chair, rubbing his temples. ”This isn”t good, Ava. The chief is already on my case about the CIS. He doesn”t think we need a separate unit for supernatural crimes. And now this...”
I can see the weight pushing down on his shoulders, but I also see the resolve to solve this case and protect Cascade Falls.
”I promise I won”t hide anything from you, Sebastian,” I say firmly. ”If Zane did this, I”ll slap the cuffs on him myself.”
”Zane”s parents were well-known members of the Shadow Rogues. Some called them leaders, if a band of rogues could have anything called leaders.” He pauses while he looks at me. ”But Zane isn”t stupid. And he wouldn”t run around killing people while holding pendants that are so easily connected to him. Because I truly believe that, I won”t pull you off this case. But Ava, we are on thin ice with the chief. Do not make me regret this decision.” A clear dismissal.
As Nora and I leave his office, I can”t help but feel a sense of unease. The murders, the pendant, the Shadow Rogues...it”s all connected. And I have a feeling we”re only scratching the surface.
Nathan steps in front of us with a smirk. ”So, how”s it going for crimes involving supernaturals? Are you super?”
Nora groans. ”Really, Nathan? How long have you been planning that witty line?”
”Come on. That was a good one.”
”No. Really, it wasn”t.” I respond as I step around him. ”You should probably not quit your day job to launch your comedy career.”
”Oh, Ava. You wound me.”
I stop and turn toward him. ”Maybe on another day, I”d find your antics humorous. Today though. People have died. So I don”t have a laugh to spare. I”m focused on catching a criminal. Maybe you should do the same.” With that, Nora and I walk through the door without a backward glance.
”Funny thing is… all the murders on our books right now involve supernaturals. Any comment on that?” Nathan calls out as I close the door. It took all my willpower not to slam the door, but that would”ve worsened the situation.
Nora pulled me toward her car. ”Let”s get some lunch while Dr. Patel finishes the work-up on our evidence.” I almost protest, when Nora levels her gaze at me, ”Nathan”s trying to get your attention. He”s been trying for months. You haven”t noticed and now he is upping his game. If he can”t catch your notice with cute messages, he”ll catch it through work. But we don”t want Nathan looking into our work. Not now especially. So until we finish this case, you can”t rise to his bait.”
”What? Nathan wants… my attention?”
”You are the only person who hasn”t figured it out. Nathan has been trying to ask you out for months. He”d practically propose to you if you gave him even a second glance.”
”But—”
”You aren”t interested. I know. I”d have said something before if I had thought it was a problem. It wasn”t until today. We can”t have him draw attention to CIS right now.”
Nora put her car into drive and headed toward our favorite deli. The thought of my favorite sandwich made my stomach grumble. Maybe lunch was a good idea.