Page 19 of Deadly Wolf Bite

“Exactly,” Mia says almost gleefully. “Vincenzo will think we’re following his orders until…boom. We’ll turn all those people to our side. He’ll have to watch his people become our people—right under his nose. By the time he realizes our pack is bigger than his, it’ll be too late.”

Grey nods, his eyes glittering with the promise of the future he’s painted. “As long as we stick together, nothing can stop us.”

I swallow hard, trying not to think about what will happen to Grey when it all falls apart.

6

GREY

Dressed in a shirt and tie, I pace in front of the windows of my apartment, my thoughts consumed by the woman in the back bedroom—and the secrets she’s keeping. Since the moment I confronted her at Dutch’s earlier, her anxiety’s been through the roof. It’s more than her pounding pulse and jumpy movements. Her fear permeates the air between us. My sensory awareness of her emotions is more proof.

She’s my mate.

And she’s lying to my face.

It’s not just her either. Thanks to my growing alpha power, my wolf tasted the lie in his words the moment Ramsey spoke today.

The question is what the fuck to do about it.

From the direction of Lexi’s bedroom, a blow dryer begins running. We still have plenty of time before our dinner reservation, so I dial Dutch.

He picks up quickly, but the music in the background nearly drowns him out.

“Yo,” I barely hear him say. “Hang on.” A second later, the music shuts off. “What’s up?”

“They’re hiding something about last night.”

“Yeah,” he says on a heavy sigh. “I had the same feeling.”

“Fuck.”

Lexi’s secrecy at least makes sense. She doesn’t know me. Hasn’t yet learned to fully trust me. But Ramsey? He’s supposed to be one of few I can always count on. Clearly, he doesn’t feel the same about me. Not anymore. Maybe Lexi’s not the only one whose trust I need to earn.

“You want me to talk to him?” Dutch asks.

“Nothing that direct,” I say.

“Tail?”

I hesitate, considering the idea. If Ramsey lied because he doesn’t trust me, it won’t help for him to discover one of us is following him. But I need to be sure there isn’t something more to it. “Put Crow on it. He’s the most discreet.”

“You could just compel Ram to tell you the truth,” he says.

I scowl. “I’m not strong enough. Not yet.”

“Damn. What about her?”

I look down the hall toward Lexi’s closed bedroom door. Even with the mate bond coming to life, I can’t read her feelings for me thanks to the distance she keeps between us. It grates on me. Makes me doubt myself in a way I never have before. And I can’t afford doubt—not now. Not when we’re going to war. Not when I could so easily lose her.

The fact that she didn’t tell me what happened last night speaks volumes about her faith in me right now.

“I need her to trust me—on her own terms,” I say finally.

“I don’t disagree, but time is of the essence here.”

“I know.”

He pauses then says, “You could just claim her. Even without her wolf, you’d read the truth from her.”

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