1. Mai

Chapter one

Mai

" H e's late," Ryan growled, his deep voice barely above a whisper.

I drummed my fingers on the worn wooden table, my gaze darting between Ryan and the entrance of Bottley Bar. It felt good to be back here, despite the reason why. My best friend, Sofia, had made this place into a safe haven for Shifters and humans alike. It was a space where people could socialize, share gossip, and connect with friends. I'd already overheard a group of four Shifters arrange to take some meals to Mrs. Adlow, a human who, according to their worried voices, had fallen while gardening and broken her arm. Under Oliver, the old Alpha, Shifters and humans never mixed. It was good to know that when my brother, Jem, took over, he changed that.

I glanced around at the rest of the Bar. Being a coffee shop during the day and a bar in the evening, the furniture had to fit both clienteles. Not easy to pull off, but Sofia had done it with style. The mismatched armchairs and loveseats, upholstered in warm shades of burgundy and forest green, were arranged in cozy clusters around low coffee tables. The tables, made of rich, dark wood, bore the marks of countless cups and glasses, but they gave each table character, a lived-in feel that made this place feel more like a home away from home rather than a sterile shop.

Along one wall, a sturdy wooden bar stood sentinel, its surface worn smooth by years of use. Behind it stood an impressive array of liquor bottles, their amber and crystal hues promising a myriad of flavors and possibilities. Shelves to the left of the bar were lined with an eclectic mix of books and board games, inviting patrons to linger and explore. Potted plants, lush and verdant, were scattered throughout the space, adding a touch of nature that our wolf sides yearned for.

The morning crowd hummed around us, a mix of humans and Shifters, each absorbed in their own world, unaware of the tension knotting between me and Ryan.

I leaned back, my gaze coming back to the door. "I'm pretty sure Ronnie operates on his own time."

Ryan's jaw clenched. He hated waiting, hated not being in control. And he especially hated dealing with Ronnie Bishop.

As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on Sofia behind the bar. She was hard to miss; her curly red hair was a fiery beacon. She moved with an effortless grace, serving customers with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes today. I knew that smile; it was the one she wore when her mind was miles away, probably worrying about her brother, Jase.

Sofia caught my eye and gave a subtle nod, her way of letting me know she was there if we needed her. She had been through hell and back with us, and I was fucking lucky to have her as my friend. Sofia turned to hand a tray of drinks to Julie, one of the waitresses who worked here .

Ryan leaned back in his chair, his gaze flickering between the door, the room, and me. That was Ryan—always assessing for threats. Anyone who walked into the bar and didn't already know who he was, would have had no trouble in clocking him as the most dangerous person in here. It wasn't just his physical presence—though that certainly was impressive with his six-foot two frame, taut muscles honed from hours upon hours of training and fighting, dark hair, and smouldering blue eyes that could pin you in place with one look—no, it was the way he emanated strength and menace. When Ryan walked into a place, everyone knew it. A deep inner instinct put you on alert, urged you to run because you were in the presence of an apex predator at his peak. It didn't help that he'd been on edge since Ronnie Bishop's call this morning. Ryan did not like Ronnie, a human leader of a bike gang. Ronnie dealt in information and the last time we met, Ryan had been appalled at how much Ronnie knew about our Shifter world and what was going on in the local Packs. He also didn't like the way Ronnie looked at me, although Ronnie seemed to be much more focused on Shya, the daughter of the Bridgetown Pack Alphas. I understood his need to shield me from everything, especially with his wolf urging him to protect me at all costs. Our mate bond was still so new, and it didn't help that I'd recently been kidnapped by my ex, Seth, and had a sociopathic werewolf, Carl, try to kill me. But I didn't want Ryan—or the Pack—to see me as weak. That I couldn't handle myself and had to rely on my mate all the time. I was stepping into some pretty big fucking shoes. This Pack had been Jem's. Everyone was looking at me to see if I could live up to the Parker name.

The bell above the door jingled, snapping me out of my thoughts. Ronnie Bishop sauntered in, his presence shifting the atmosphere of the room. Sofia's gaze flicked towards him, a flash of recognition—and something else, maybe caution—crossing her features before she turned her attention back to the customers.

I watched as Ronnie made his way through the bar, his eyes locked on ours. There was an air of confidence about him that bordered on arrogance, the kind that came from knowing too much and fearing too little. Ryan's posture stiffened, his protectiveness over me flaring up like a warning signal.

"It's go time," I whispered.

Ronnie's eyes found mine as he approached, a smirk playing on his lips.

Ryan leaned forward and put his arms on the table. His muscles bulged, and the green sheen that flared in his eyes whenever he was angry, flashed in warning. He was pissed and was letting Ronnie know about it.

Ronnie slid into the chair opposite us. "Mai, Ryan," he greeted, his voice smooth as silk. "Thanks for meeting me on such short notice."

I forced a smile. "You said it was important."

"It is. I'm here to call in my favor. I'm being framed."

Ryan frowned. "Really? You mean there are some things you don't do?"

Ronnie's eyes darkened. "Actually yes. I don't deal in ripple. But someone is making it look like I do."

The word sent a shiver down my spine. Ripple: the drug that had been wreaking havoc in the Shifter community. First down south and in the conclave cities—those joint human and Shifter cities—and now up north. There were no big cities up here but we had human-only and Shifter-only towns and those, like ours and Bridgetown, where the two mixed together. Ripple was the first drug that affected Shifters and it was spreading like wildfire.

Ryan scoffed. "And you expect us to believe that?"

"Yeah, I do." Ronnie said, glaring at Ryan. "I got no reason to lie. I won't touch the stuff and don't let anyone under me touch it either. My guys know the rules. We deal in pretty much everything else, but we don't go near ripple."

"I didn't see you as a person with a line. Let me guess, it's not so much the drug as you being worried the Packs will come after you?"

Ronnie's face stayed relaxed. "You can think what you want, Ryan. I didn't come here looking for your approval. You're right, though. I know the Alphas up here are getting real antsy about this stuff. They're looking hard at where it's coming from and who's involved. And it's not just them. My contacts say the Wolf Council is interested and is snooping around. I ain't a fool. I know how the Council deals with anyone they deem a threat."

He wasn't wrong. The Wolf Council was our governing body, overseeing all werewolf Packs in North America. Although they gave the Packs a lot of freedom, they were ultimately responsible for maintaining order among the Packs, enforcing laws, and keeping the peace between Shifters and humans. They feared a war between our species above all else and were known to be ruthless in shutting down any threat to the Packs, the Council, or the current status quo between us and humans.

I studied him, trying to gauge his sincerity. "Why come to us?"

"Because you owe me a favor," Ronnie reminded us. "And I need someone with your... connections to help me clear my name. If a Pack clears me, it might hold off the Council from declaring war on me and my businesses."

Ryan and I exchanged a glance. Ronnie was right, we did owe him. He'd given us vital information a few days ago about Tristan's planned attack on the Bridgetown Alphas, Michael and Camille. We'd used this information to stop the attack and prevent Tristan from taking over the Bridgetown Pack. It meant we now had a friendly Pack on our borders, and not one that was working with Brock to destroy us. Plus, we were running our own investigation into ripple. I'd seen first-hand the effects ripple had on Shifters. Last week, we'd gone with Michael to meet one of his Pack, Arabella, who'd started taking the drug. In less than two weeks, she'd gone from a vibrant, happy, ambitious young woman to a shell of a creature; sunken eyes, shallow skin, thinking only of her next hit, and completely unable to Shift to her wolf form. It was devastating for her and her sister, Noreen. If this was replicated throughout our communities, Shifters would be decimated within two years.

Helping Ronnie was a no-brainer. Following this thread could give us another lead and direct us to the real suppliers behind the ripple crisis. It was an opportunity we couldn't ignore.

"What do you need from us?" I asked.

Ronnie leaned back, his gaze calculating. "Find out who's framing me. I have my suspicions, but I need proof. I'll deal with it from there."

I nodded. "Okay. In the meantime, I have another favor to ask."

Ryan tensed. He was not happy about this, but he knew me well enough to know I was going to ask Ronnie for this. We had to use every resource we had, even if that meant owing Ronnie even more.

"Yeah?" Ronnie raised an eyebrow .

"My brother Jem. Brock called three days ago. Said Jem was alive, and that Brock is the only person who knows where he is. He wants… something important in return for the information." I wasn't about to tell Ronnie all of our secrets. Knowing him, he'd find out himself soon, anyway. "We have four days to give it to him."

"And you want me to find Jem first?"

"I want to know if Brock is telling the truth. Is Jem still alive? Or is it all bullshit?"

Ryan tapped a finger against the table. "Brock will call back. Probably in the next couple of days. When he does, he'll expect us to ask for proof of life. We need to know if whatever proof he gives us is the real deal or not. And we need to know where Brock is keeping Jem so we can get to him before we have to hand over the thing he wants."

My heart skipped a beat. Brock's claim that my brother was alive had been haunting me since we heard it. Ryan's brothers were all trying to find Jem, as well as track down the source of the drugs coming into our territory. Having Ronnie use his contacts and resources as well gave us the best chance of finding Jem. If he was alive. I had to keep reminding myself that Brock's claim was probably bullshit, but the tiny spark of hope that it had ignited was proving hard to ignore.

Ronnie rubbed a hand over his jaw. "Brock hates you." He looked at Ryan. "He's consumed by his hatred. Right now, all he wants is revenge. You killed his dad, and he needs to make you pay. Even if you give him what he wants, he'll probably kill Jem anyway."

"All the more reason for us to find Jem, if he is alive, before the timer runs out."

Ronnie nodded. "Understood. I'll see what I can do." He stood, his chair scraping against the floor. "I'll be in touch. "

As he left, the tension in the air eased slightly, but it was far from gone. Ryan ran a hand through his hair, his expression dark.

"I don't trust him," he said flatly.

"I know," I replied, my mind racing. "But he's a resource we can't afford to ignore."

Ryan's blue eyes met mine, filled with a mix of frustration and resolve. "I'd do anything for you. For this Pack. If Jem is alive, we'll find him," he said. "I promise."