Chapter 20

T ori slinks back to my room at around ten the next morning, looking like the cat who got the cream.

"Good night?" I ask with a sly grin as I wiggle my eyebrows.

She laughs and nods, her cheeks heating in a blush. My mouth drops open at the sight. Tori never blushes.

"Oh my God, you like him!" I accuse as a large grin spreads across my face.

Tori groans and face-plants on my bed, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at me.

"Yeah, and if you tell anyone, I'll turn you into a frog," she threatens half-heartedly.

"So tell me all the details," I demand, needing to know what had kept my friend's attention all night.

"We didn't sleep together, if that's what you're asking. We just stayed up and talked all night… Okay, maybe a lot of kissing, but we didn't move past third base," she tells me with a laugh, the blush spreading farther across her cheeks.

We spend the next hour giggling and gossiping like schoolgirls as we get ready for the day. I love spending time with Tori like this, and I can't remember the last time we did.

"So, Ari…" I turn from the dresser where I'm brushing my hair to look at her, raising my eyebrow. I know that tone of voice, it means she wants something. "I know we were going to spend the day together, but do you mind if I spend some time with Mark?"

My heart sinks a little. I was hoping to spend the day with her. I arranged for Nurse Beth to come to the compound so I could have some time off with Tori. But looking at her face, I find I can't tell her no. She looks so excited. I smile and nod.

"Oh, all right then. But I'll see you this evening, right?" I say, trying to keep my tone light.

"Of course! What are you going to do with yourself?" she queries, and I know she feels guilty from her uncertain tone.

I think about it, a whole day to myself. "Don't worry about me. Enjoy yourself."

I get a sense of déjà vu as I sit in the coffee shop, waiting to meet Eric. Just after Tori left to see Mark, I was pondering what to do with my unexpected free time when I received a phone call from him. He sounded pretty rough and had practically begged me to meet him. I'm still mad at him, but being the bleeding heart I am, I caved and agreed to see him.

I take a sip ofmy latte as I glance around the shop. It's a Sunday morning, so it's reasonably busy. The hum of conversation in the air and the chink of china cups settles me with its normalcy. I like coming here, or at least I did before everything kicked off with the packs. I like watching the humans go on with their day-to-day lives, oblivious to everything that's going on around them.

The bell above the door chimes to announce someone has entered the coffee shop, and I glance up. Someone is hurrying towards me and throws themselves into the chair opposite me. I raise my eyebrows in question until I realise that the person is Eric. He looks appalling. His usually neat hair is all messed up, and he has a couple of days' worth of stubble on his usually clean-shaven face. But the thing that shocks me the most is how pale and gaunt he looks. Dark circles mar the underside of his eyes, and he looks like he hasn't slept in a week.

"Eric, what's happened to you? Are you all right?" I ask, concern lacing my voice as I place my hand on top of his. What on earth has happened to make him look like this?

He sighs and rubs his hand across his face, looking like he's going to just fall asleep where he's sitting.

"I'm fine, Ari, it's you I'm worried about," he replies as his eyes run over me hungrily.

"What do you mean? I'm fine, I'm staying with a local pack that's keeping me safe," I tell him, confused at his fear for my well-being. "What's happened to you?" I question again. I may be pissed off at him, but I still care for him.

"Look, it doesn't matter about me. There are some really dangerous people looking for you." His voice has increased in volume with his frustration, and I glance around the room to make sure no one is obviously listening.

"You told me this before and nothing has happened—"

"No, Ari, listen to me. Something is about to happen, something bad. You need to leave the pack and run," he urges, leaning out of his chair and grasping my hand like it's his lifeline.

I snort at his comment. I'm not running, not after I've built a life for myself here and am just starting to feel like I fit in. There is movement around me, but I'm focusing only on our conversation.

"I'm not running anywhere. What do you know about the pack? You need to tell me—" I'm cut off as a shadow crosses the table.

I look up and see two tall men in suits. They both look like they've walked off a fashion runway. The one closest to me smiles, and it's the kind of smile I would expect if a crocodile could grin, the one that makes you want to run.

"Ariana Blake. We're from ASP. You're going to need to come with us."

I'm in deep shit.

My eyes run over the small interrogation room I'm currently sitting in. It's like every cop movie I have ever seen, and if it weren't me who was in trouble, I would find it amusing. At least I'm not in cuffs. I look around the sparse room. A two-way mirror fills one side of the room, and the table and chair I'm sitting at are plain. A recording device sits at one end of the table. I lean back against my chair and try to think of a way out of this. The issue is that I don't know why I have been brought in. Is this the threat Eric came to warn me about?

The sound of the door opening brings me out of my thoughts. The two men from the coffee bar walk in, their black suits accentuating their forms. One is a little taller than the other, but other than that, the two could be related. Both have black hair, although the taller one has stubble and his hair is longer. The shorter of the two is clean-shaven, and although his eyes are grey like his partner's, his are softer. They both sit on the opposite side of the table, and the taller of the two clears his throat.

"I am Ryan Cross, and this is Aiden Cross. We are agents for ASP, and we have some questions for you," Ryan tells me, his eyes running over me as he speaks.

I nod in response to what he is saying. Same surname. I'm right—they are related somehow. If I know what is good for me, I will keep my mouth shut and just respectfully answer their questions and be out of here in no time.

"You are a hard woman to get a hold of. I have been trying to find you at your workplace and your apartment for a while now. Your roommate told me you moved out," Ryan tells me.

Well, that explains who has been coming to the apartment. Tori's instincts reckoned they didn't mean me harm, so this should be interesting.

"So which one of you is the good cop?" I ask. Apparently, I don't know what's good for me. I nod toward Aiden. "I reckon you're the good cop," I drawl before looking to Ryan, who has a slight smile across his handsome face. "Because you have bad written all over you," I say as I lean back in my chair.

"Please don't mistake us for human police, Miss Blake. We don't follow the same rules as them and are not restricted by human squeamishness. We will do what we need to do, to get the answers we need." He finishes on a slight growl, his smile still in place.

I am not impressed by his show of dominance, but he has just confirmed he is shifter. Their scents are off, and I can't quite tell what they are, but now I know what Agent Ryan is—wolf. Which means that's what Aiden is too. Although, that doesn't feel completely right. Frowning, I look across at Aiden, who has yet to say anything. I lean forward and take a sniff, not embarrassed in the slightest, before leaning back in my seat once I pick up his scent and look between the two of them.

"Bird? How can you be a bird shifter when he is a wolf? You're related, right?" I ask, briefly forgetting my current position.

It should be impossible for them to be related if they are from different shifter species. Some shifters choose to mate with a different race, but they have never been able to produce offspring, interbreeding doesn't allow reproduction. The two agents look at each other with a smile like they are sharing a joke with each other.

"Cousins," Aiden confirms, speaking for the first time since he entered the room, his voice soft and quiet.

"But that's impossible," I argue. They must be lying, although I should be able to tell if they are lying.

"You would know about impossible," Ryan says, before leaning towards me, his eyes predatory. "For example, a Shadowborn being born and surviving under the radar for twenty-four years, six of those years right under our nose here in the U.S.A."

Shit.

I raise my eyebrow and pray they don't hear my heart rate spike or see the bead of sweat that's threatening to roll down the back of my neck. They can't know for sure, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here with them like this. They would have killed me on the spot.

"That is impossible, Agent Cross. I've heard there hasn't been one of those in over one hundred years, plus they don't tend to live long. I don't fancy meeting one, to be honest. I hear they're pretty nasty," I say with a shrug, trying to keep my tone light.

"We have been informed that you're a Shadowborn. Do you know a Marcus Oswald?" Ryan challenges, and my blood goes cold.

Bloody Marcus. For fuck's sake, I knew I should have killed him. However, he may have given me an out.

"I wouldn't believe anything that scumbag says. He challenged me while I was a guest at Moon River Pack. I won and chose to spare him." I see both their eyebrows go up when I mention I spared Marcus. "He was then banished from the pack for challenging a guest. I haven't seen him since. He's sore I got him kicked out and is now out to get me." The two shifters exchange looks. They can sense I'm telling the truth, every single word ringing true. "I can't believe the bastard came running to you guys." I shake my head, disgusted he ratted me out.

"He didn't come to us. He's been selling the information to anyone with a bit of money. We picked the information up from one of our usuals who'd overheard a conversation between him and a member of the Shadow Pack."

I freeze at the mention of my old pack. Their sharp eyes pick up the movement, but neither of them points it out. He just simply continues.

"One of their members has been skulking around the city causing problems. We would have brought him in, but he always seems to disappear every time we turn up. Remind me, Ariana, you were from Shadow Pack originally, right?" he asks, his nostrils flaring as he scents my fear.

What was Marcus doing talking to Shadow Pack, and why were they still here? It's not like them to hang around. They're usually all action. The fact that they are holding back makes me more nervous.

"If you're in danger, we can offer you protection," Aiden offers. Definitely good cop.

I find this odd. If they think I'm Shadowborn, why are they offering me protection? I'm getting confused, and frankly, it's giving me a headache.

"Look, boys, what's going on? Why am I here?" I ask, trying to keep my tone even.

"We want to hire you. We need someone with your…abilities," Ryan answers, and I lean back in shock.

ASP wants a Shadowborn. I don't even want to think about what they would use those powers for, but ASP doesn't have the best reputation. Ryan was right when he said they weren't the human police. They govern themselves and make their own laws. They're known more for ‘shoot now, talk later,' and their justice is brutal, even for shifters.

"I'm not Shadowborn," I proclaim.

"Liar," Ryan retorts. Damn shifter senses!

"Do you have any proof?" I counter, knowing they don't, as they would have used it against me already.

Both agents look at each other, and I know they have nothing against me. I smile and push up from the table.

"It's been wild, boys, but I have a busy afternoon ahead of me, and I need to get going." Both agents stand with me, Ryan with a pissed off look on his face and Aiden seeming like he wants to say something else. A thought occurs to me. "Oh, my friend from the coffee bar?"

"We sent your friend on his way. We don't want to involve humans in our business," he says, confirming my suspicions that even ASP doesn't know what Eric is. Hell, if ASP doesn't even know what he is, there's no way I was going to, so this makes me feel a little better. A hand stops my path to the door when it lands on my shoulder .

"Will you consider our offer?" Ryan inquires, his hand tightening on my shoulder.

"I'm sure a Shadowborn would love to join your team. Shame that's not me," I tell him, giving him a simple smile.

Ryan growls at me and stalks from the room. What did he expect? That I would jump on his offer? I've been hiding who I am all my life. It's the only reason I'm still alive today. I shake my head at him and go to walk away. Aiden stops my exit with a gentle hand on my elbow, lowering his voice to the point where I have to strain my ears to hear him.

"Protect your pack. Something is coming."

My eyes widen at his warning. I don't bother to explain that I'm only a guest and I don't belong with the pack. I nod and hurry out of the room. I need to get back and speak with the alpha.

"Ari, the offer of protection is still there. Shadowborn or not," he calls out.

I smile at him gratefully over my shoulder, hoping he can tell how appreciative I am at the warning.

"I'll keep that in mind!" I call back before hurrying out of the building. He may be wrong, but Eric said something about the pack earlier as well. I need to warn them. Too much has been happening around the city for this to be a coincidence.