1. LEVIATHAN

Chapter 1

LEVIATHAN

There's something in my office that doesn't belong. My nostrils flare as a sweet scent rouses me from my sleep, thoughts of empty meadows and howling winds morphing into the mountain of case files spread across my lap. Most of them have crashed to the floor as I sit up, groaning at the odd position I fell asleep in. Maybe choosing to be a private investigator wasn't the smartest occupation but it's the only one I could stomach with my inquisitive mind.

That scent is still here. A wolf?

"Mr. Lev?"

Bingo.

The ability to smell magic and connect it with someone's designation is a trick I've practiced far longer than I'd like to admit. Years of comparisons and reading gave me an ace up my sleeve that has saved me more times than I count. Except for the one time I actually need it. My own damn scent reeks of the forest, this earthy smell that I can't place.

And telling someone that I can sniff out designations except for my own doesn't seem like the best course of action.

My attention flits to the entrance of my office, watching as a petite woman moves into my sacred space. It's not sacred but it's the only space I can truly be myself. What that is—I have no idea. I just know that within these four walls, no one can judge me. "What are you doing here, Gloria? I thought I told you to be a good little Omega and stay with your Alpha." A week ago, I found her shivering and incoherent, rescued from the clutches of hell—her words, not mine. Since then, despite how many times I tell the little werewolf girl to stay home, she wanders in here asking to help.

I've met with her Alpha and he's just happy she's alive.

So am I.

I just… don't want her in my space.

"You did but he's at work and I got bored. Did you sleep here again? Mr. Lev, you really need to take some time off and-"

A growl tears from my throat faster than I can stop it, her eyes widening. She wraps her arms around her chest and wildly looks around before settling. I hate that she feels comfortable around me. Gloria steps in a little closer, edging a small stack of papers out of the way. She's going to ignore anything I tell her so I might as well as give her something to do.

With a quick stretch, I push the rest of the papers to the floor and cross the room to her. "Gloria, you can sort through the-"

"Mr. Lev, I've already sorted through all the papers. Twice. What's going on?"

I keep my head down as I change course and shuffle toward the bathroom. Gloria is too innocent for me to share my casework with her. Granted, she's part of the very case I'm looking into but I don't want her to relive the nightmares. Gloria has spoken with the police countless times, recounting stories about being kidnapped and threatened for her Omega essence.

How that works? No fucking clue. But there's enough magic in this world that if the wrong person had the key, they could figure it out. The next step is trying to figure out what they're doing with Omega essence. It's one of the purest and rarest forms of energy but being able to extract it from a wolf is impossible.

An Omega without their essence is like taking a human's soul—they are nothing without it.

"Mr. Lev?"

"Just brushing my teeth, Gloria." I'm a terrible liar but I need a minute to gather my thoughts, tell her another lie, and then pick up where I left off last night. Because Gloria is one of five Omega wolves that have been taken in the last three months and she's the only one to have escaped. What very few people know is that the other four aren't holed up in some warehouse being tortured.

They're dead.

The police couldn't get to them in time.

Neither could I.

Another was taken three nights ago right from her house and there's been no leads or clues.

For all my charms, I'm still fucking useless.

I flip the bathroom switch on and a heavy sigh filters into the tiled space at what stares back at me in the mirror. I want to be proud of the man who's made it this far, paid for his degree, and found a career he can get lost in. Unfortunately, that's such a small part of my existence that it pales in comparison to everything wrong .

While everyone else in this world has been blessed by Mother Nature, I stand here, confused, and a little jaded. I am a creature, much like Gloria but I have no idea what my designation is. From the thin black pupils set in the middle of bright yellow irises to the forked tongue, most believe I am a reptilian shifter of some sort. While I can't shift, I'm at least grateful that I'm not waltzing around this Earth with a tail.

I'm still cataloging my features, trying to make some sense of them when the mirror image slowly fades into nothingness. The wall behind me is visible aside from my clothing, defeat spreading through my chest.

My shoulders fall and the image reappears, reminding me yet again that I have entirely no idea what I am. There's no one to ask; my parents are long gone, and I don't exactly make friends in my line of work. Either I'm stepping on everyone's toes or I'm making enemies by doing their work better than them. The few police officers at the precinct who don't hate my existence are just wary of my lack of designation.

Most people find out what they are by their early 20s. I'm just past 30 and no one has been able to give me a straight answer. It doesn't help that I skimp out on all the ‘super cool things' I can do—Gloria's words, not mine.

Unfortunately, a creature without a designation is nothing better than a wild animal. I have no roots, no book to live by, and must figure out my abilities the hard way—through trial and error.

Which is a lot more difficult than it seems.

In a world of creatures, there are just some that don't exist. They're part of folklore and legend, years of stories twisted by storytellers' imaginations and warped for future generations. I'm pretty sure I'm one of those but there's no way to figure out that kind of information without inciting a riot. So, I'm stuck here, falling into whatever shoe fits—vampire, werecreature, whatever suits the public's fancy.

I turn on the faucet and wash my face before brushing my teeth. My unruly brown curls need to be dealt with but that's an issue for another time. After I find that sixth Omega. I'm determined to find her alive and figure out who the fuck is taking one of the weakest creatures in the food chain.

The moment I step back into my office, I remember Gloria is waiting there for me. "Mr. Lev, are you okay? You look a little sick. I don't know. It was a bit warm in here so I turned on the air." She shoots me a bright smile and I hope for all the world she doesn't experience another terrible thing in her life. Unfortunately for me, it's now too cold in my office, one of many things that I can add to the ‘I don't know what I am' pile.

Extreme temperatures? Perfect. Literally any other temperature? I'm either too hot or too cold. People just think I'm odd. I'll let them continue with that.

"Feeling peachy, Gloria. Go home. There's nothing for you to do here today." There's never anything for her to do here but I'm not leaving her in my office while I'm gone. I have no idea who will walk in here looking for me and leaving this girl here is the worst idea. "I'll be at the precinct, anyway." I stroll past her, rustling her hair before grabbing a coat and sniffing it. It's clean enough.

"Didn't one of the detectives tell you not to go there anymore?"

Gloria hears way too much for her own good. "It'll be fine. I won't even ask any questions." I don't plan on speaking with anyone once I step inside. I'll just grab a seat and sit against the wall before disappearing into the background.

Literally.

So long as I don't move, no one will see me.

It's one of my favorite games—hide and seek. And I'm the fucking best at it.