Chapter 17 - Aris

"Let's go!" I holler, slamming my fist into a cabin door until it opens, revealing a sleepy-looking Percy, rubbing his eyes, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. He blinks at me wearily, then looks past me into the clearing.

"What's up, Boss? Don't you know it's still the middle of the night?"

I growl at him and jerk my head in the direction of the woods.

"Let's go, Heroux. Help me gather up the rest of the team. We're going for a little walk."

Percy immediately drops the joking expression, nodding his head and turning to pull on his clothes.

"Don't bother with those," I say, thinking of something at the last second. Percy raises an eyebrow, and his true nature comes leaking back through despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Geez, Boss, she's not enough for you?"

"Shut up, Heroux, just get out here."

I turn away from his cabin to see Bigby emerging with Byron and Eva in tow. Ado is already standing in his tighty whities on the edge of the clearing, his face carefully blank as usual. Eva is wearing a slip and Byron is in a pair of Ninja Turtle boxers, a deep red flush across his face and his bright blue hair sticking up in every direction. My eyes dart between the two of them, but Bigby shakes his head slightly, letting out a low chuckle.

My body is shaking with barely contained rage, and here I am, laughing at Byron's choice of undies.

"Come on," I say, glad my voice comes out as furious as I feel. The last thing I need is to make anyone here feel like I don't have full control over the situation.

A thought comes to me, unbidden and shocking, but I find I agree with it completely. If any of my team members turn out to be a traitor or a threat to Linnea in any way, I won't blink as I rip their throat out with my teeth.

My team follows me at a break-neck pace down to the river, and when I shift, they follow suit. My bones pop and my ligaments stretch, and I ease into the wolf form, like sighing into a comfortable outfit after a long day of work. I try to remember how long it's been since I was last able to shift—then refocus on the task at hand. The rest of my team has also shifted, and now we're a proper pack of wolves standing together in the moonlight.

Huh,Percy remarks playfully, nudging Byron with his head, then jumping back when Byron snaps at him. Not blue.

Fuck you, Byron sends back. Despite his lithe human form, Byron's wolf is fairly large and muscled. I wonder how often he shifts when we aren't on the job. Eva is built for speed, with slicked-back white fur and that same determined, fiery look in her eyes. Bigby, just like his human self, is huge, but in my wolf form, I hulk much larger than him, having inherited my wolf from my father. An alpha's size and strength for the rising leader of the pack. A waste.

I shake my head, clearing away thoughts of my father, and instruct the members of my team to completely submerge themselves in the water despite the fact that it's a cool 50 degrees. Our fur helps to keep us warmer than if we were in our human forms, but it's still chilly, and I watch them shiver when they come back out, the water sluicing off their fur and dripping in huge drops onto the dirt on the riverbed.

What is this about? Ado sends, which surprises me. When I meet his eyes, his are calm and serious, with an annoyance hidden deep inside beneath his respect for me as his leader. I consider the possibility that this man is betraying our team and can't fathom it.

I turn to the rest of the pack, assessing them. After hearing what Linnea saw in her vision, it became suddenly clear to me that someone in my team was also working alongside Varun and the commander. They would need an informant in our ranks to pull anything off. I scan the eyes in front of me, glittering in the moonlight, and try to peer into each, determining who the traitor might be.

I have information about the mission. Sensitive information, I project to them. The commander has betrayed us.

I try to watch them all to catalog their reactions or see if someone is acting too much or not enough, but it's impossible. These are highly trained operatives, excellent liars, and ruthless manipulators. My connection to them as their alpha gives me a leg-up in reading them, but it's not impossible that one of them is getting their betrayal past me.

The commander has given our position to Varun. He's likely sending rogues this way as we speak. We need to prepare.

Is that why you made us take our clothes off?Percy projects, somehow managing to imbue his goofy tone into the thought. I turn, piercing him with a glare. He shrinks back a little but moves his head from side to side like he's trying to get me to play with him.

It can't be Percy, right? How could a guy like him betray his pack? His team? This betrayal would result in the deaths of pack-mates. Is Percy capable of that? Looking at him, thinking of him, it doesn't seem possible. But the nice, goofy guy persona may be the perfect cover for a traitor.

It's freezing out here, comes Eva, and I can practically hear her rolling her eyes. She's always had a bit of an attitude but never outrightly disobeyed me. I stare at her, her bright blue eyes sharp and practically looking right through me. Can we get dressed?

Pacing back and forth in front of them, I think through my options. I'm no closer to knowing who the traitor is, but they know about the commander now. If there is a traitor amongst our ranks, they'll go back to the commander as soon as they can and tell him I'm aware of the betrayal.

After hesitating, I nod at Eva, allowing her to go first back to camp to protect her modesty. Moments later, when we're sure she's had time to shift and get back into her cabin, we follow. Bigby and I hang back, and I can feel the worry heavy in his mind.

How do you know? He projects to me, separate from the rest of the group. I glance at him. I can't even entertain the notion that he would betray me—surely I would know. I would feel that betrayal in my bones. He's my best friend, my second-in-command. Second only to Linnea, his betrayal would wreck me the most.

I can't tell you just yet,I respond. But I'm sure. As sure as I can be. You know I wouldn't take this lightly.

I can practically hear Bigby's head whirring, and I know it won't be long until he puts the pieces together. Linnea's screams, the resulting knowledge I now have. Knowing him, Bigby probably has a deep database in his head all about having visions and the history of the practice.

But I can't ask him about it yet. I won't risk revealing Linnea's involvement until I'm sure there's no traitor lurking around, waiting to take advantage of my new blood-bond.

You know you can talk to me,Bigby sends as we reach the edge of the woods and shift back to our human forms. I think of Byron's boxers somewhere in the woods, ripping in half from his transformation. We're all so used to seeing each other naked at this point that it's second nature.

Yeah, Man, I trust you, I send back. I just need to figure this out before I share anything. Need to stay safe.

Protect Linnea, you mean.

I shoot him a look, and he shrugs, a slow grin spreading across his face.

Listen, he says. Yesterday, you were doubled over in pain from the need. Now you're running around, light on your feet. It's not hard to see what's happened here.

Sure, I send.

So, what? Are you gonna accept that she's your mate? You've consummated now, so the blood-bond is fully in place.

I'm aware of that, thank you.

I'm just saying—it's silly for you two to try and run from this. You're literally fighting fate. And Linnea would know a thing or two about that, wouldn't she?

We reach the middle of the clearing, and I glance at him, rolling my eyes at the victorious look there. Of course, he's already figured it out.

Don't tell anyone, I send, checking the area. Our team members have all returned to their cabins, hopefully getting some rest so we're ready when Varun's guys arrive.

You know I won't, Bigby sends, But you have to be careful. Unresolved visions, if they compound, can—"

Bigby stops suddenly when I turn, catching sight of the door to my cabin opening. Linnea is standing there, her arms wrapped around herself, staring out at me. When she realizes neither of us is wearing anything, I see her blush and cover her eyes.

I take a step in her direction without thinking, then stop myself, realizing I've just completely cut Bigby off.

He waves his hand, chuckling to himself.

Go, he sends, I can fill you in tomorrow.

I nod at him once, then turn and walk in the direction of my mate.