19. Mai

Our bedroom was dim, the only light coming from a lone bedside lamp. It cast long shadows across the room, flickering every now and then like a shy firefly. I was wrapped up in a soft robe. Ryan, naked, his muscular form sprawled across the bed, was watching me.

Ryan had fucked me again in the shower. It had been hot and delicious, and I had the feeling that we still weren't done. There was something I had to do first, though.

I pulled out my phone. My fingers danced across the screen, bringing up Sofia's number. With a deep breath, I pressed "call."

The familiar ringtone echoed around the room until Sofia's warm voice filled the air. "Hey, you." Her tone was light, playful, the same Sofia I had known for years.

"Hey, Sofia," I responded, my voice mirroring her own. "How are you, girl?"

"Oh, you know me. I bounce back quick."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to hap—"

"Don't be silly, Mai," Sofia interrupted. "This wasn't your fault. This was Seth, and I gotta say, me and Jase were over the fucking moon when Derek told us you and Ryan killed him. He deserved what he got."

I paused, a swirl of emotions in my chest. I hadn't realized how guilty I'd felt that Sofia and Jase got injured by my ex-boyfriend.

"How's the Alpha life treating you?" she asked, and I could almost see the impish grin that was likely on her face.

"Derek told you."

"Yeah, Derek told me. You're doing the right thing, Mai. You gotta know I have your back. So, how's it been?"

"Challenging, so far. I'm not sure when it gets to be all spa days and massages, but I can't wait."

Sofia giggled. She knew as well as I did that being the Pack Alpha left little time for treats like that.

"Well, when it does happen, I'm your spa buddy. Deal?"

"Deal. So, how is the patient life treating you? Has Jase morphed into a nurse yet?"

"Jase? A nurse? More like a clumsy bull in a glass factory. He got sacked when he dropped my soup twice. Once all over my knees!"

I laughed. "Tell him I said to get his act together," I said, my voice lighter than it had been in days.

"I will. He needs a little scolding from his Alpha."

I smiled at her way of telling me that Jase was backing me and Ryan, too.

"Mai, have you heard anything over there about a drug called ripple?"

My stomach sank. It was too much to hope that it hadn't reached Three Rivers.

"What happened?" I asked.

"A werewolf was brought into Thomas's surgery today. It was … it was bad, Mai. He was hooked on ripple. Thomas doesn't know if he's going to make it."

"It's here in Bridgetown, too. We need to shut the suppliers down, but we don't know how it's getting in yet. It's all too new."

"Mai, the man, from what he was saying, I think ripple's been here for a while."

"What do you mean?"

"He said he first tried it six months ago. Has been taking it ever since. Small doses at first but building up as he stopped hitting the highs. He made it sound like there's an underground network that was getting set up, and now that they are, they're really starting to push this drug."

That was not good. If the network was already set up, it made our job of dismantling it all much harder. Whoever was running this must have known the Packs would push back as soon as we found out ripple was infiltrating our territory. They would have planned for it. I wondered what the Packs in the conclave cities had done. Whatever they'd tried, it obviously hadn't worked.

"Derek and Mason are looking into it. I'll pass the information along. Don't do anything stupid, alright? Don't try to track down the suppliers. These people will be dangerous and well organized."

Sofia laughed. "Don't worry. I have no delusions of being a renegade drugbuster. Not yet, anyway."

"How about a renegade spymaster?"

"A what now?"

"I need your help."

"Who do we need to kill? Just tell me, and I'll be there."

Goddess, did I love this girl.

"I said spymaster, not expert assassin!" I laughed.

"Yeah, well, close enough! What do you need?"

"Do you think you can use your contacts? You know a lot of people from Bottley Bar. They come in and chat with you. They trust you. Can you try to quietly get in touch with some of them? Find out what Brock and Hayley are up to? What they might be planning?"

"Hell yeah, I'm in! Jase, too. He's just itching to get some action, and he knows a lot of folk from his delivery job."

"Thank you. I can't tell you how much it means to me. Just be careful, okay? Don't take any unnecessary risks. Information, that's all," I said, a warning tinge to my words.

"I'm always careful, Mai. You just make sure that hunk of a werewolf has your back, too, alright?" she replied, her tone equally serious.

"Thank you, Sofia." My voice was whisper soft. I'd really missed Sofia when I disappeared from Three Rivers. Now that I was back, I wanted to spend more time with her. But fuckheads like Seth and Brock kept getting in the way. As soon as we got the Three Rivers back, I needed to make time for my best friend.

"Everything okay?" Ryan asked as I ended the call.

I knew with his werewolf hearing that he had heard every word, but it was sweet of him to ask.

I nodded. "Have you heard anything more about Arabella?"

"No, but I'm sure she's being taken care of."

"I know; it's just I can't stop thinking about her. Did you see the photos of her on the apartment walls? She looked so happy, so carefree. Full of life. Now, she's just a shell who can only think about her next hit."

Ryan reached out and traced his fingers along the palm of my hand. "It'll be okay. If she doesn't start to improve, I'll get in touch with my contacts down south who have seen this before. We'll find a way to help her."

"I just don't want to see any of our friends or family in that state."

"You won't. We'll shut it down."

"Promise?"

"I promise. How"s the pain in your arm?"

"Why?" I asked.

"Just wondering if you need a distraction."

Mmm. "What sort of distraction?"

Ryan, his eyes dark, leaned over me, then brought his lips down to meet mine. The kiss was electric, sending pulses of desire shooting through me. I wrapped my arms around him, drawing him even closer.

"I definitely need distracting," I murmured against his mouth.

"Good, coz I'm not nearly done with you."