17. Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen

“ N ow that everyone is present and accounted for, we can finally begin.” Benjamin leaned back in his chair at the head of the table and called the meeting to order. “Miss Owens, if you would be so kind.”

Janet took a sip of water from the glass in front of her before giving a full report on what happened at the lab from the time she clocked in for work until we found her covered in blood under a pile of rubble after the explosives were detonated.

Apart from someone blowing up the lab she worked in, Janet’s day seemed like any other. She didn’t see or hear anything unusual until a man wearing a black knit ski-mask stormed in and ordered them to lay down on the floor.

Nothing new had been revealed. Her story provided only one lead. The same lead I could have been investigating down in the archives if Benjamin hadn’t forced me to attend the debriefing.

I tuned out the council members as they questioned Janet about the man responsible for the death of her coworkers. It didn’t matter how many times they asked her or how they framed the questions. Her answer had been the same.

She couldn’t remember.

Benjamin rapped his knuckles against the tabletop, pulling my attention away from the clock on the wall whose second hand had been ticking away the minutes of my life.

“Miss Redford, you were at the scene. Is there anything you would like to add?” The alpha addressed me the same way a teacher would call on a student caught sleeping in class.

“Uh, no sir.” I blinked the boredom from my eyes and sat up straighter in my chair. “The explosion occurred before we entered the building and the man Miss Owens saw had already fled the scene.”

It pained me to admit that last part. We had been at the same place, at the same time as another possible suspect in the murder of my father, Dr. Bennett, and the employees of Lykos Labs. We weren’t any closer to finding him, because we didn’t know who he was.

Or how he could have killed his first two victims without even leaving a trace—or a scent trail.

Unless he was working with the rogue .

It hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I have missed it? It had been staring us right in the face the whole time. I could have kicked myself for not thinking of it

The rogue smelled off, because his scent was intermixed with human. They hunted their prey as a team and their pheromones were layered until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.

I fidgeted in my seat, tapped my foot on the carpet, drummed my fingers against my knees—anything to keep my mouth closed and the words from tumbling out in front of the council. Only two of the members present were aware of what happened to my father.

News of the real manner of his death would not have been well received.

I held my tongue long enough for Benjamin to adjourn the meeting. When the last council member left the room, I leapt from my seat and rushed the acting alpha before he had a chance to move from his seat at the table.

“There’s two killers. The human at the lab is working with the rogue.” I pressed my palms against the tabletop and leaned over the tabletop. “That’s why we couldn’t place the scent. Because it wasn’t one scent. It was two.”

Lucas and Gabe stood behind me, discussing the theory amongst themselves.

“You’re grasping at straws, Lina.” Benjamin steepled his hands in front of his face. “None of you picked up on a human’s presence in the lab. We have one woman’s account of what happened. That’s it. Just her word.”

“We have to start somewhere, Benjamin.” I implored him to hear me out. “She’s the sole witness. We have to give her the benefit of the doubt, right? It’s all we have. It’s—”

“Not enough.” Benjamin closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. “I’m sorry, Lina, but it’s not. I mean, what do you propose? Pull the names of every human resident along our borders from the archives and then what? Drag Janet to every house and sniff them out?”

“If I have to.” I slammed my fist against the table. “It’s better than sitting here taking notes.

“I want justice for your father, and Dr. Bennett. And all the wolves we lost today.” The pain he felt over every lost soul strained his voice. But I can’t give you carte blanche to chase down humans without something more than one person’s word. Especially when that person suffered significant injuries and may not have been thinking clearly.”

“Then what was the point of all this?” I shook my fists in the air. “If you don’t believe her, then why bother?”

“It’s protocol. You know that.” Benjamin believed in the rules and procedures that had kept the packs together for so many years.

The debriefing represented everything I hated about the council and pack politics.

All talk. No action.

“Give me access to the archives. Maybe there’s record of a complaint filed by one of the neighbors. Something to help me whittle down the list of people in the area.” I switched gears and tried negotiating. “If I can’t find anything in the archives that warrants follow up, I’ll drop the human aspect and focus on the rogue.”

“I need you to drop the investigation.” Benjamin raised his hands and staved off objections from all three of us. “Just for a couple of days.”

“A couple of days?” Lucas stepped up beside me. “How many more wolves have to die, dad? Whoever’s responsible has already taken dozens of lives. Mr. Redford, Dr. Bennett, they were your friends.”

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown, Lucas.” Benjamin rubbed his temples. “Every father wants to see his son become alpha. I wanted that for you too. Part of me still does. The rest of me hopes you never have to make the decisions that face the person who sits in this chair.”

“What does that mean?” His father’s words seemed to strike a chord with Lucas. “What’s going on?”

“The challenge is set to begin.” Benjamin’s reason for delaying the investigation fell short.

We already knew about the challenge, and I reminded him as such.

Benjamin retrieved a small flask from the inner pocket of his blazer and topped off a paper cup emblazoned with the hotel logo.

“Tomorrow night there will be a reception open to all of the packs whether or not they have representation in the challenge.” He drained the cup and tossed it into a waste basket in the corner. “The first fight is scheduled to take place immediately after.”

“Tomorrow? Benjamin, you have to stall them. I’m not ready.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I mean, I need more time.”

“No, you were right when you said you’re not ready.” Benjamin pushed his chair back from the conference table. “And that’s your problem, Lina.”

“Dad, take it easy.” Lucas came to my defense.

Gabe was smart enough not to say anything. Old habits die hard. It didn’t matter how long he had been out of a pack; you don’t intervene when an alpha is dressing down another wolf unless you intended to challenge him.

“No, she needs to hear this, son.” Benjamin buttoned his blazer and walked around to the other side of the rectangular table to address me. “You’ve been running your whole life, from your family, politics, pack, and you’re still running. You agreed to this when you came home, Lina.”

“I know.” I tucked my chin against my chest unable to meet the stern look in his eyes. “If you’re worried about me running away again, don’t. I’m going to see this through.”

“Stalling is just another form of avoidance.” Benjamin placed his hand under my chin, raised my head and forced me to look him in the eyes. “I gave you an important task and I need to know that you’re up for it. I need to know that I can trust you.”

“Of course, you can trust me.” I tried not to take his words personally, but they still stung. “I will catch them, Benjamin. I won’t stop until I do.”

“Good, Lina.” He chucked me under the chin. “Real good. But there’s something else I need you to do for me while you’re working on this, okay?”

“Okay.” My hesitation was obvious in the way I dragged out the word.

“I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” Benjamin waited for my answer, continuing when I nodded my head. “When I tell you to do something I need you to do it without pitching a bitch. I can’t have you fighting me tooth and nail over every little thing. You have to have faith that I’m doing the right thing.”

“I trust you, Benjamin. It’s just …” I shook my head. “I haven’t had to check in with anyone for a while now. I’ve gotten used to making my own decisions since I’ve been on my own.”

“You were your own alpha.” Benjamin smiled. “I can respect that, but there can’t be a power struggle between us. Not now. We need the challenge to proceed without a hitch. Even if your human theory pans out, that still leaves a wolf accomplice, and the tournament is our best chance to flush them out.”

He grabbed one of the blank note pads provided by the hotel and jotted down a six-digit code.

“Find out what you can tonight and then the challenge gets your full attention tomorrow.” He tore off the paper and handed it to me. “Be social during the cocktail hour, work the crowd. Get to know the competitors and you just might find the killer.”

“Better that I find a murder suspect than a husband.” I had been trying not to focus on the fact that at then end of my investigation I would no longer be a Redford. Though Benjamin made that impossible with the announcement of the first elimination fight.

“I’m sure you could find at least one real prospect.” He looked past me to where Lucas stood.

“Maybe.” I glanced back at my on again, off again boyfriend and smiled.

But Lucas wasn’t the only man in the room my wolf responded to.

Gabe’s gaze flicked from me to Lucas and back again. I felt his eyes on me, gauging my emotions. That was the moment I knew he felt it too. Something that danced right over the line between friendship and a sexual relationship.

Something that would cause a lot of problems if we acted on it.

My wolf was willing to roll the dice.