Chapter Eight
Dax
After spending a glorious night in bed with Violet, I have, with the greatest reluctance, allowed my mate to leave my side.
She is in another part of the community center; she’s asked Lane for a lesson in making pancakes without setting anything on fire.
She actually added those specific instructions.
Every single member of the Rowan clan is there guarding her. I have explained to all of them that in the event that she is harmed in any way, I will of course be obligated to eviscerate them.
They all agree. Of course if they dishonored the Rowan clan name and also our pack, that would be the only logical consequence.
Jesse and his brother Cole are in Cole’s office, standing behind me as I glare at Jesse’s computer. I haven’t told them that Violet is my fated mate. I’ve also been dodging phone calls from my parents. I am not sure how I am going to tell everybody.
Would Jesse even approve this match? Would Violet’s father? What will we do if they say no?
I can’t worry about that right now. The most important thing is to try to figure out who is behind the assassination attempts. Nothing is more important than keeping Violet safe.
That’s why I briefly left my mate and why I’m scrolling through the list of the most likely suspects, which have been sent to us at my request.
There’s Rowan Huxley. He was a former enforcer for a Montana pack.
Motive: he was dismissed from his position for torturing prisoners during an investigation and obtaining forced confessions that turned out to be false.
Violet’s father was the one who pushed for his removal and blocked him from joining any other pack’s security forces.
Martin Shearwater ran a profitable cross-territory smuggling ring trading in illegal magical herbs, like truth potions and love spells.
It is universally illegal to use magic of any kind that compels others to do things against their will.
Violet’s father was instrumental in getting his appeals denied.
He finished serving a ten year stretch in prison recently
Then there’s Aldwin Leonine, a lion shifter.
His father Alderon kidnapped a female lioness shifter and held her prisoner for several weeks because her own pride was small and weak.
Violet’s father helped organize the rescue team that extracted her, and Alderon was executed.
Aldwin swore revenge at the time – several years ago.
He now is insisting that he never meant it, that he was just emotional at the time.
There are about a dozen more like that.
They’ve all been investigated. They were nowhere near the pack property and did not appear to have connections to anyone on pack property.
Every one of them volunteered to be interviewed by a Truth Mage, and every one of them passed. Never in shifter history has a Truth Mage been wrong.
I look over the list, frowning, and shake my head.
“You know what? These are all men. Statistics show that poison is most likely to be a woman’s weapon of choice. How thoroughly have all of the women in the pack been looked at?”
“They have used a truth mage on every single member of the pack. Male and female.”
“Family members?” I lean back in my chair, scowling. “Would anyone benefit from the deaths of these women?”
Jesse shakes his head. “From what we’ve been told, everyone loves Violet and Drusilla, and also, there’s no motive.
Killing them would not benefit anyone financially.
Killing Violet’s father wouldn’t benefit anyone financially either.
Nobody would inherit. The money and land stays with the pack.
I mean, Violet and Drusilla and the Carmichael boys would be cared for for life, but they wouldn’t walk away with any kind of fortune. ”
I heave a frustrated sigh. “The attacks on two people that Mr. Carmichael loves the most would seem to be carried out to inflict maximum pain. Someone apparently hates him enough to want him alive, and suffering, rather than directly trying to attack him.”
“Agreed.” Jesse nods.
“But every person with that kind of motivation this is either dead, or in prison, or has been cleared.”
“Also agreed.”
“Well, fucking hell.” I glare at the list as if I can terrorize it into giving me answers somehow.
“How is Violet holding up?” Jesse asks.
“Oh, pretty well. She’s upset that she can’t go into town, but she’s been making the best of it.” I avoid his gaze. I am lying by omission, and I hate it.
“That’s good. By the way, your father has called me.
He said something about a mating arrangement, and he just needs your okay to be able to seal the deal, but he can’t get ahold of you?
Totally your choice, of course. I would never require a pack member to make a mating arrangement that was not of their choice. ”
“Now’s not a good time.” Not now that I’ve met my fated mate.
“Of course, of course. Totally dedicated to your current mission. I appreciate that,” Jesse says gravely. He looks at his brother. “We appreciate that, don’t we?”
“We appreciate it,” Cole agrees. They look more serious than they usually do. They have strange expressions on their face that I can’t interpret. It is rare to see the two of them not joking around with each other.
Well, I have other things on my mind. Specifically, my mate. I leap to my feet. “Speaking of which, I should go fetch Violet now. I do not want to shirk my protection duties. May I be dismissed?”
Jesse nods. “One more thing. You let Violet shift and run the other day, but kept at a close distance, I hear?”
I give him an uneasy glance. “Yes. I…I felt that she needed it. I believe her father is very, very protective of her, sometimes overprotective, and she has not been given the opportunity to develop any kind of independence or self-confidence in her own abilities. She was never in any danger. I stayed upwind of her so she would not scent me, but I always remained close.”
Jesse gives me a serious look. “I know you would never knowingly endanger the woman we have been charged to protect.”
“Never,” I vow.
“You are dismissed. If I hear anything from the Everpeak pack, I will let you know immediately.”
With great relief, I go to fetch my mate.