40. Mai

Anxiety gnawed at me as I sat in my car, parked inconspicuously a little down the street from Reynold's. I could feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my fingertips, the tension of the situation looming over me like a tangible thing. Jem had taken Ryan and Derek to meet with Michael. Jem would need both Shaw brothers if things went south. They were supposed to be back in time to check out the meeting between Brock and Tristan.

Jem's meeting with Michael was at noon. It was one-fifty now. Ryan promised he'd call as soon as the meet was over, and they were on their way back. I'd waited until one-fifteen, then persuaded the others that someone had to be here to check out Brock. Despite Ryan's instructions not to leave the house, Sofia, Jase, and Wally hadn't taken much persuading, to be honest. They all loved Jem and knew how important this was.

Unease snaked its way around my stomach. My eyes kept straying to my phone, set on the dashboard. Each time, the screen remained blank; a fresh wave of worry washed over me. I pushed the unease away for the umpteenth time. I had to focus. I was here to do a job, and I had to make sure things didn't go wrong at this end. Our plan was simple: listen in to the meeting between Brock and Tristan and report back. I wasn't going to be seen, and I wasn't going to engage, not unless it was absolutely necessary.

Brock had booked a table on the rooftop terrace. My car was angled so I had a clear view of the glass elevator that led up there, its ascent and descent marked by a soft, golden glow. You could only access the elevator from the inside of the building, so we kept an eye on the front entrance opening and closing as people ventured in for an early meal or a few drinks. Sofia and Jase, their car parked around the back, were the fail-safe. They could see the rear door into the restaurant and could tag Brock if he slipped out the back again. If he did, they were going to follow him, nothing more. We needed to know where he went after this meeting.

Sofia and Jase knew the manageress of Reynold's. She'd dated a guy on Jase's football team. They'd been able to persuade her to part with the table number that Brock and Tristan would be sitting at. Apparently, whoever made the booking had specially requested that table. Sofia checked it out—it was in the back of the terrace and out of sight of the road. Someone had been here before and knew which table to ask for.

Jase had gone inside armed with a tiny listening device I'd found inside the safe room. Given that Derek and Ryan had hacked my entire life, I figured it was only fair if I helped myself to their tech. We couldn't hack into the diner's security feed, as cool as that might be, as none of us had a clue how to do that. The bug would have to do.

Jase had returned from his mission and slipped into the backseat of my car with Wally. Sofia had seated herself with me in the front.

"Fucking hell, you should have seen me!" Jase beamed. "I was soooo smooth. I picked a spot close to their table, pretended to tie my shoelace, and bam, baby! Dropped the bug on the underside of the table. It was a work of art, really, how easily it went."

I'd glanced at Sofia, and she'd grimaced. "He wants to be here. He's trustworthy, and it's not like we had any other options."

That was all true. Still.

"Aw, come on, Sof! Admit it. I did a fuck of a good job."

"Stop saying fuck!" Sofia and I had said at the same time.

Sofia had turned to face him. "You did do a good job, Jase. Now, tone down the jabbering five-year-old."

I hadn't gone into the restaurant, conscious of the fact that if Brock were to catch my scent in there, it could compromise our whole plan. As much as I wanted to ensure the bug was placed perfectly, the risk of being discovered was too high. So, I'd stayed put, occupying my anxious mind with what I could do on my end—keep watch and listen.

After that, Sofia and Jase had gone back to Sofia's car to wait for Brock's arrival.

"You don't need to be here, you know."

Wally looked sideways at me. "Why? Because I'm relatively new to the Pack?"

I shrugged.

"Do you know how many Packs I've belonged to over the years?"

I shook my head.

"Six. And not one of them made me feel safe. Not one. I'm a gay werewolf, Mai. And I somehow managed to find some of the most homophobic, asshole Alphas this country had to offer. I've always had to hide the real me. What Jem has built here, in the Three Rivers, is special. For the first time in my life, I feel safe to be who I am. To follow my heart. There is nothing that would stop me from being in this car with you right now. I will protect this Pack. I will protect your brother with my life. And if that means I get to wear a trench coat, then I'm all in!"

After Ryan had called him this morning, told Wally what was going on, and asked if he could come round to help babysit me, Wally had turned up at the Shaws' place wearing a full-length black leather trench coat. With his dark skin and piercing eyes, he looked bad-ass in it. Not that I was going to tell him that; it would only encourage him.

A flash of movement in my rear-view mirror caught my attention. It was Brock, pulling into the parking lot in his black SUV. He stepped out, a picture of casual confidence in jeans and a white and blue striped shirt, and started toward the restaurant. I ducked, bending under the wheel to make myself as small as possible. After a moment, I sneaked a peak. Brock sauntered in the front door without a glance in my direction, and I breathed out in relief.

I picked up the walkie-talkie I'd also swiped from the safe room. "Guys, do you copy?"

"Team Trench Coat, we copy loud and clear, over."

Team Trench Coat? I guess I wasn't the only one to notice.

"The target is in the building, over."

"Copy that, out."

Forty minutes later, there was still no Tristan. No news from Ryan or Jem, either. I had a really bad feeling about this.

"I don't like this," Wally whispered next to me.

"Me, either. If Tristan was coming, he'd be here by now."

I held up the walk-talkie. "You guys still there?"

After a moment, the walkie-talkie hissed. "Still here, though I think we're on the verge of going to sleep."

"Any movement back there? Could Brock have slipped out the back?"

"Nope. Nothing apart from a waitress having a smoke."

Shit.

"You want me to go in there, suss it out?" Wally asked.

I looked at the restaurant door. The sign above it announcing that it was Reynold's Sushi and Meat Bar was slick and understated. It was crafted in matte black lettering against a brushed steel backdrop. Its modern, clean lines seemed to promise an experience as refined as the font itself.

"No, it's too dangerous. We regroup back at the house and come up with a new plan."

Just then, the walkie-talkie crackled. "Hey, are you listening in to Brock? His phone's ringing."

I picked up the earpiece that would let me listen in on what Brock was saying and popped it in my ear just as Brock answered.

"Yeah?"

There was a muffled voice on the other end. I couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Sure thing. She's here."

Who was there? I hadn't seen any women on their own enter the diner since we'd arrived. Did he mean a waitress?

"Of course, man. She's all yours. Just like we agreed."

Maybe he was talking about a car?

"You've got five minutes. Then I'm leaving."

I got on the radio. "Sof, how trustworthy is Maria-Anne? Is there a chance we've been set up?"

Silence. I frowned, radioing Sofia again, but she didn't respond.

Chills shot down my spine.

"Come in, Sofia! Jase? Do you copy?"

Nothing.

Fuck!

I threw the door open and jumped out. I had to get to Sofia and Jase.

"Mai!" Wally yelled at me. "Get back in the car."

I had taken two steps away from the car when another voice stopped me.

"Ah, there you are."

I spun around, my legs suddenly shaking.

Behind me, Seth stood next to my car. He looked the same as I remembered, his wavy blond hair falling around his face, and his familiar grin sent fear coursing through my body.

Before I could say anything, he opened the driver's door, punched Wally in the head, and dragged him out of the car.

I leaped, aiming straight for Seth. He lunged under me, a glint of something black and metal in his hand. Pain buzzed through my arm, and my vision swam. I hit the ground hard as the world around me blurred, and then everything went dark.