Page 52 of Crossed Fates

I wanted to ask him the same damn thing, but I knew better than to engage an alpha in a game of wits. He’d win purely because he designed the rules, not me.

Rather than try, I considered Vex and his conversation. Then I frowned, recalling something I’d tried to tell Alaric yesterday and failed to because of his aggression outburst. “The hybrid, Vex, sent a shifter to deliver information to the boss. The shifter’s name was Neo. Bitten breed. Short, scrawny little thing for a wolf, but definitely a wolf nonetheless. Sound familiar?”

Hawk frowned. “No, but I’ll put out a search for all Neos in the region, see what photos I can gather for you to review.”

I nodded. “He’ll be easily recognizable.”

“Good.” He tapped the files. “This is sensitive content. Alaric’s strong; however, he may need a moment to process it.” His blue eyes held mine. “Don’t go easy on him, Makayla. But don’t go hard on him either.”

A chill graced my spine. “Alpha Hawk…”

“I know you’re going to tell me that your kind don’t do fated mates and that you’re going back to your home realm,” he said softly, his expression knowing. “But I think fate works in mysterious ways.”

He stood, then leaned against the counter beside me, his sapphire eyes reminding me so much of Alaric’s.

“Two lone wolves,” he mused. “Both forced into a situation where they have to work together, doing what they do best—tracking down assholes who deserve punishment. That’s not a coincidence, Makayla. Nor is it a coincidence that Alaric’s here now. He was always meant to lead this pack. I only wish it hadn’t required me to lose a son for my other one to finally realize his destiny.”

I swallowed, unsure of what to say to that.

“But as I said, fate works in mysterious ways.” His smile was sad. “Guide him, Makayla. You’re here for a reason, too. Together you’ll figure this out.” He pushed away from the counter, heading toward the hallway, then paused to say, “And I’ll have Jude tell Nathan you’re safe. If you were my wolf, I’d be worried.”

Jude? As in the head of E.V.I.E. Jude?I wondered.

But Hawk was already on his way out, leaving me to throw wordless questions at his back.

I looked down at my ring, debating using it to flash home to demand some of those answers from Nathan. However, if I did that, he wouldn’t just let me turn around and head back.

And now wasn’t the time to leave Alaric alone.

He needed my help with this case.

I looked at the files, somewhat mollified by the distraction, and flipped the page.Let’s see what you know.

Makayla

By the time Alaric returned,I’d already read through all the files.

And the answer as to what they knew? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I glared at the documents, offended by how little they told me. “All these reports tell me is the alphas died by silver poisoning that they’d likely imbibed. A guess based on the fact that the enforcers who’d accompanied them to the city were all fine—and none of them had attended the main lunch meal. Which means they know jack all about anything. And the supposed surveillance? It’s just a few photos, Alaric. How the hell am I supposed to find anything useful in photos?”

Alaric grunted and set a bag down beside me. “That’s why I have Jude sending me over visual footage from the restaurant and the hotel. I want to see everyone that walked in and out of that place in a seventy-two-hour period. I also want to talk to Paul since he was the enforcer who’d accompanied my brother to the meeting.”

I nodded. “Good. You should have Jude pull street footage as well.”

“He’s on that, too.” Alaric sounded tired. “We’ll have everything in a few hours. He’s shipping me a tablet since I left all my toys at home.” He braced his forearms on the counter beside me, his head falling forward on a sigh I felt all the way to my soul.

I frowned at his defeated pose, then sniffed the air around him. A subtle perfume wafted off his bare skin, the scent decidedly female.

And not from his mother.

I wasn’t sure how I knew that, maybe because the fragrance smelledyoungortoo fruityto be matronly.

“Did you take a side trip on the way back?” I asked conversationally as I looked at the bag near the bottom of my stool. “Decide I needed another woman’s clothes rather than your mother’s?”

He looked at me sideways, his dark hair falling into his blue eyes. “Careful, Makayla. You almost sound jealous.”

“I’m not.”I totally am and I hate it.