Flashback
Cayden walked into Haley’s office. She grinned, “So you are my secret appointment.” I nodded, “That I am.” She got up and gave me a hug and I returned it. We sat back down on her couch. She asked, “What’s going on?” I sighed, “Sadly, I’ll be talking generalizations here.” She nodded, “Sure.”
I explained, “I’ve got someone I’m dealing with that is highly intelligent and overly expressive. I’m shocked she doesn’t have Fairy blood. She’s on that level of her every thought and emotion playing on her face. She can reign it back and look blasé about things, but you see it first. It looks like it’s an effort to shut it all down.”
Haley asked, “Can you tell me what kind of supernatural she is?” I answered, “A Werewolf. Not an Omega either. Definitely ranked blood.” Her mom was a Warrior, but she behaved more like an Alpha. Micah swore she had Beta tendencies, but I saw all Alpha with her.
She frowned, “That’s interesting. Continue.” I nodded, “It’s like she wants me to figure out every question I’m asking her about, but she won’t tell me herself. I need her to trust me.” She asked, “Is there a hard deadline?” I shook my head, “No.” She laughed, “Then there’s no fucking problem. She will trust you because you are trustworthy.”
I explained, “I’ve been building that with her, but it’s getting me nowhere. She’s evasive.” She jumped in, “Are you sure she doesn’t have any Fairy blood?” I nodded, “Yes, I’m positive. I’ve been around Dylan and Travis Frost. They have the tiniest drop of Fairy blood, so I’d know.” She smiled and I knew she was thinking about when everyone found out they had Fairy blood.
I hadn’t even met the man at that point, and I’d heard how insanely obnoxious Dylan Frost was about the whole ordeal. Eric actually hid from him a few times. Uncle Bjourn and Hastein got memos about it. Gunner had stopped the whole realm from getting the announcement because it didn’t need to go out here.
Haley asked, “What happened in her past to close her off?” I admitted, “Her family died.” Except a brother, but I didn’t really count him as family to her at this point. She hummed, “So this is likely about Ashley Griffen.” I didn’t say anything. She told me, “If it were about her, I’d tell you time is the only thing that will help here.”
She added, “I also believe there is a missing piece that will make everything I’ve studied about her make sense. It’s probably what she wants you to figure out.” I pressed, “What do you mean?” Haleyanswered, “There is no reason for that girl to be your source. She should be running to Eric and she’s not. She should be deferring to her Alpha as a Lead Warrior and she’s not.”
She rubbed her temples, “I’m really fucking worried about her because she’s pushing herself past her natural blood instincts, which I think she’s right to do. Eric thinks that Alpha is shady, and to me her actions prove he’s right. There’s just either one or some missing pieces in the information about Ashley. She should be angry at everyone and what’s happened to her. I understand that portion of it all.”
She tapped her chin, “There’s just something that I know is missing and I can’t fucking find. I had Harper’s boytoy lover unearth every god damn thing about her, but it’s not there. I think you’re the hope there. She wants you to figure it out, but she doesn’t want to tell you directly. I don’t know why though.” She was scared for some reason.
I grimaced, “I just can’t get my footing. She is someone I need to protect.” She picked up on my wording and jumped on it. “Need to?” I nodded, “Yes.” She thought about it, “Elise feels that way and she hasn’t met her, as does EJ. I know Micah does and now you. I’m searching through information about her. I think I should make my way down to her town and meet her.” Her receptionist came in and put the cookies Karina makes down.
I asked, “Why do you get these in your office?” She answered, “It was requested. I’m so sorry, they’re not supposed to be delivered while I’m in a session.” I ate three of them and felt silly for even coming. I told her, “It’s silly. You don’t need to meet her. She’d know I sent you and probably never forgive me.”
She frowned, “If you’re sure.” I nodded and kissed her head, “Thanks for the insight.” I portaled away without looking back. I’d wasted both our time with that.
Flashback Ends
Addison pulled me out of it when she knocked on the door. She came in announcing, “Ash, it’s time.” I left because I could tell she wasn’t going to tell me what Trevor did. I jogged up the stairs to the private Box that Micah would be sitting in.
I walked in, instructing, “Find out what happened with Trevor and Ashley.” Micah bobbed his head, “I’ll dig around, but like I said people don’t talk about it. I do know whatever it is was the final straw for the Alpha and Beta’s mates. They moved into their own places after whatever happened. Not that they loved them before but...” He trailed off.
I changed the subject, “What’s this about a stuffed wolf? Is it from her family?” Micah shrugged, “I don’t know. I’ve heard people talking about it, but it clearly has sentimental value. They are assholes for being jerks about it, but it’s probably the least horrible thing they do.”
I thought back to the first time I’d met Ashley. That must have been the toy in her backpack. I nodded to myself muttering, “I think it’s black and white.” Micah shrugged, “Max said wolves can be weird about that if they like someone. I think there was a situation in one of the allied packs where someone had a wolf no one liked. I can’t remember who though. I didn’t really pay attention to the story. The guys in the pack didn’t like it because their wolves weren’t that color.”
I snorted, “Assholes. It was a kid’s toy. Or a teenager, I guess.” Micah laughed, “I think it was a little girl’s toy.” I raised an eyebrow, “I’d have killed anyone who got upset about Aubrielle or Tenley’s stuffed animals.”
Micah shrugged, “Wolves.” I snorted, “Your mate is a partial wolf, as if mine.” Micah nodded, “Yeah, but they don’t suck. That’s why I tuned the story out. Who wants to hear about assholes wolves?” I snorted, “Fair point.” I tried to remember if I’d ever heard the story, but I was certain I hadn’t.
The concert started, and my thoughts shifted. The Rebels were really good. They covered a wide variety of songs in different genres, switching from pop, to rock, and then country. Micah commented, “I mean, it’s Nashville. They had to do country songs.” It was impressive they had the range to manage to pull it all off.
Ashley could play both electric and acoustic guitar. Her voice was decent too. Towards the end of the concert, we faded into the background. We grabbed the drug dealer and opened a portal to Micah’s fake apartment to secure him.
I told him, “Go back to the concert and bring Ashley here afterwards.” Micah nodded and left. I joked to my prisoner, “Alone at last.” The guy hissed, “Let me go man!” I smiled, “Sorry partial Demon, that’s a no go.” I let my eyes blaze and his widened in fear.
He whispered, “A Hackura.” I nodded, “You’re going to sing for me ALL about how you’re supplying drugs to the area and why.” I called Angus on my phone. “Little brother, I need you to come collect a package from me.” Angus snorted, “Why can’t you bring him here then go back?”
I laughed, “Because if I’m caught by my mother in law, she might not let me leave. She literally gave me a day pass. We all know you don’t cross that woman.” Angus laughed and opened a portal then nodded to the guy.
He asked, “Who is the partial Demon?” I answered, “This guy is one of the leaders in the drug Ring.” Angus nodded, “Right on. I love your source here. You get the best sources AND you didn’t even have to cultivate this one. She just offered herself over to you. I swear Cayden, if we weren’t brothers I might not like you. You get everything.”
I shot back, “I don’t recall you having any trouble with the ladies.” Angus wiggled his eyebrows, “No I do not. Let’s go dirtbag.” Angus turned, “By the way, you should check out the locker rooms in the gym when you get home.” I raised an eyebrow. He winked, “I’m just saying.” They left.
I thought about everything he’d said. Angus was right, Ashley was a great source. I didn’t have to do much of anything to get her to offer to be one either. How the hell did she even know we had sources? How did she know so much about us?
I was pulled out of my thoughts by a pop. I whirled around and took in Cassie. She looked stunning. My mind was instantly going to that outfit being on the floor after I ripped it from her. Aesir please do not let this be her wedding dress. I couldn’t rip that. But this dress needed to be ripped off her now.
