Page 4 of Shadow of Fury

“Jackpot.” she muttered to herself as she pulled at the handle repeatedly before releasing it.

As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t risk using her enhanced shifter strength to break the lock on the drawer. If what she was looking for wasn’t in there, she’d be screwed. She couldn’t have the Alpha realizing she had been in his office when he was out or she’d be fired on the spot and lose any chance of ever getting close enough to keep searching for answers

So far, she’d been very careful to leave everything exactly as she’d found it. If the Alpha returned and he noticed a paper or two moved, he’d chalk it up to his own rush to get out of the office. A broken drawer couldn’t be explained away as easily, especially when it was the only drawer in the entire office that had been locked in the first place.

She’d just have to find the key and if Alpha Kemp was anything like the elder generation she knew, he’d have it tucked somewhere nearby so he wouldn’t lose it.

Wren pulled open the small drawer in the center of the desk and rummaged through it. Pens, paperclips, extra staples, it appeared to be mostly office supplies so she shut it again and moved to the top drawer on the right side of the desk. There was a stack of mail and a letter opener inside. She immediately reached for the sharp, knife-like object before catching herself. Picking the lock would be just as obvious and wouldn’t help her keep a low profile. She sighed and put the letter opener back but the paper on top of the pile slid sideways to reveal a moon shaped insignia and her curiosity got the better of her.

Pulling the letter out of the drawer, Wren unfolded the sheet of paper so she could see the emblem better. She sucked in a surprised gasp as recognition hit her square in the chest. Most wolf packs were insular by nature so normally she’d have no way of knowing what mark represented what pack but this one was familiar to her.

This was the symbol of the Crescent Pack wolves of Louisiana.

Wren’s cousin, Gia, still spoke often about her birth pack despite being forced to flee when she was only a child. Gia’s father had died in the fighting but one of his friends had gotten Gia, her little sister, Ella, and their mother out of Crescent Pack territory. They’d run all the way to Oklahoma, to the Shadow Pines Pack, because Gia’s mother and Wren’s mother were sisters. Wren’s family had welcomed them into the pack and she’d grown up hearing Gia talk of the powerful pack to the south, and the Enforcer who had saved them.

Wren scanned the letter quickly and then, uncertain she’d read it correctly she slowed down and read it again. Knowing she couldn’t risk taking the letter, Wren pulled her phone from her pocket and opened the camera. She took a picture of the letter, the whole thing, top to bottom and then she took a closer shot of the name signed at the bottom of the page and one more of the pack insignia for good measure. She didn’t pause to worry about the ramifications if anyone found out she’d been snooping through official pack mail.

This was too important and Gia needed to see it.

She was just about to tuck the phone away and get back to searching for the key to the drawer when the device buzzed in her hand and she let out a squeak of surprise. She jumped, nearly fumbling the phone to the ground before gaining a hold on it again. She looked at the name on the screen and grit her teeth before swiping to answer.

“What?”

“Hey, where are you?”

“Working late. Why?” Wren put the phone between her ear and shoulder and hurriedly folded the letter and put it back in the desk drawer.

Her younger sister snorted on the other end of the phone, “Uhm, because I’m standing outside the front door and it’s locked and I don’t see you in your chair. So, where are you really at, you big, ol’ liar?”

“What? You’re here?” Wren cursed under her breath. “Hold on.”

She hung the phone up before her sister could annoy her any further and quickly pushed the drawer shut. She moved the desk chair back into place and gave the office one last longing glance, wishing she’d had more time. She couldn’t be sure when, or if, she’d get another chance like this. She took a deep, calming breath, smoothed her hair and clothes and then casually walked out into the main office to unlock the front door and allow her sister to step inside.

“What are you up to?” Raven did a circle, looking around and taking everything in.

“What do you mean, what am I up to?” Wren scowled, “I’m working late, just like I told you.”

“You’re a really terrible liar.” Raven raised an eyebrow. “Don’t ever play poker, sis. You get this line between your eyebrows when you’re thinking too hard.”

Her sister started to reach out and touch her face but Wren smacked her hand away, “Stop that. I do not.”

“Do too.”

“Well, I’m not lying. I’m here, at work, which you can see perfectly well for yourself.”

Raven’s dark eyes narrowed, “Maybe, but you’re up to something, otherwise why was the door locked and why did you come out of the Alpha’s office?”

“Not that it’s any of your business but I was putting some papers on his desk for him to sign tomorrow and I don’t like being here alone after dark so I locked the door.”

“There’s that line again.” Raven rolled her eyes and Wren seriously considered strangling her baby sister before pulling another deep, calming breath into her lungs.

“What are you doing here?”

Raven shrugged, “I was heading home and saw the lights on in here. I figured if you were about done, we could walk together.”

“Oh…” Wren nodded, “Yeah. Okay. Just let me grab my purse and lock up. Thanks.”

“Sure.”

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