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“It’s always something else with you, isn’t it?” my dad mutters.

Douglas narrows his eyes at him. “I thought you Raleighs had killed each other off.”

My shrugs. “I don’t know who is behind this.”

“Lester, but he wasn’t the one in charge,” I tell my dad. “Do you remember him?”

“I do,” he responds. “And you’re right. He would not have been in this alone.”

“Why do they want Aerin?” Moses asks. He is Douglas’s softly spoken beta, and the closest thing Aerin had to a father growing up.

“Dad believes they want me to lead them. We think they’ve rebuilt in Michigan,” I explain.

Douglas nods. “I gather they have no interest in Connall after what he did, but history is important and they’ve seen what you’ve built for yourself here. That makes sense. When are we leaving?”

I blink at him, surprised at his willingness to drop everything and come to Winter Lake. And he must have to have gotten here when he did. “I called you early this morning. Minnesota is hours away. How did you get here so fast?”

“We flew,” Moses explains. “Then we picked up a hire car in the airport.”

“And how was the flight?” I ask, sensing I already know the answer.

“Terrible, of course, but it had to be done.” Douglas gets to his feet. “I’ll drive with Moses. The rest of you can travel in your own vehicles.”

He’s walking out of the kitchen when Bennett calls after him, “But your pack?”

“They can manage for a couple of days.” Douglas pauses in the kitchen doorway. “And they have someone capable watching over them.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“Exactly as I said,” he responds.

He sounds vague, which, for Douglas Boone, is unusual. Every time I’ve spoken to him in the past, he’s been blunt. Or manipulative.

But evasive and vague?

Something is going on that he doesn’t want me to know about.

I glance at Moses, but his expression is unreadable, which isn’t unusual. Moses could win a game of poker with anyone. That’s how closely he keeps his cards to his chest. If Moses wasn’t here, I’d assume he was the someone capable Douglas was talking about. But it’s not. So who does he mean? His enforcers?

“But a plane would be faster,” Clary says, frowning. “Leah might need me now.”

“It’ll be faster to drive. Winter Lake is closer to Michigan and there’s no guarantee we’ll get a flight right away when we get to the airport,” Douglas says, studying Clary. “I don’t remember you from before. Who are you?”

“Clary. From New Mexico,” he introduces himself.

“They took his mate and he’s trying to get her back,” Bennett adds.

Douglas eyes him for a little longer. “Do you have your own vehicle?”

Clary nods.

“Leave it. You’re driving with Moses and me.” Douglas walks out of the kitchen and calls from the hallway, “I’ll wait in the car.”

We all glance at each other as, after a brief pause, Clary trails Douglas from the room.

He was a neglectful father, Aerin would say, and he rarely ever made time for her. But lately, every time she’s gotten into trouble, he’s been here, trying to help.

I hadn’t expected he would drop everything to come to Winter Lake to help Aerin. He’s still cool and distant on the surface, but beneath that hard to read exterior lies the heart of a man who must love his daughter to shrug off his responsibilities for a two hundred strong pack within seconds of hearing she’s in trouble.

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