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As we walked, I tried to take her words to heart. Maybe Cameron was as afraid of commitment as I was. Afraid of it, but also craving it? That thought didn’t sit well with me. It questioned my thoughts about why I’d stayed a lone wolf for this long. Introspection wasn’t my strong suit.

At the door, I glanced in the window and saw JC still talking to Cameron. In the corner of my eye, I saw Sophia wipe at her eyes. Maybe she’d upset herself with our talk? I reached out awkwardly and patted her shoulder.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m going to go freshen up. I’m sure he won’t be much longer.”

She hurried off to find a bathroom before I could say more. I didn’t want to stand out here, waiting. I wanted—no, needed —to see Cameron. I tapped my knuckles on the door.

“Come in,” JC called.

When I stepped into the room, the first thing I saw was Cameron. Our eyes locked, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my lips. A burning heat surged through me at the sight of her. The memory of her skin gliding across mine filled my mind. My wolf growled in satisfaction.

“Hey there,” I said, keeping my voice low. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” Cameron said as she smiled back at me. I could have sworn I saw a flicker of desire in her eyes.

Despite everything she’d gone through, she still looked beautiful. Her hair was a mess, but it was free of mud. The nurses had scrubbed her skin clean. Her eyes were bright and lively. Rather than looking broken and drained, she appeared poised.

Her smile faltered a bit, and something like anxiety flashed in her eyes. Uncertainty, maybe? She was probably thinking about our fight and how I’d left the same way I’d been a few minutes ago. I wished I could go back in time and change that, but like Sophia said, there were no time machines.

“Nate, have a seat,” JC said. “I was about to start telling Cameron all that’s happened since she made that initial call to me.”

I rolled a stool over to the other side of the bed, then sat and took her hand. The heat of her speared right through me. Gently, I ran my thumb along the back of her hand. To my relief and delight, she didn’t pull away. If anything, she clutched my hand even tighter.

“So,” JC said, and from the tone of his voice, I could tell some pretty important things were about to come out. “We’ve found Rick Masters. He’s in custody.”

Cameron and I both gaped at him.

“I’m sorry?” Cameron said.

I was less tactful in my response. “You’re shitting me.”

“I shit you not,” JC responded. “The human police took him in. We put the word out that he’d shot a cop. That got him thrown in jail within an hour.”

“I’m sensing a but coming,” I said, a bitter note to my voice.

“A big one,” JC said with a nod. “Lincoln Masters flipped out. Called his high-priced lawyers and had his baby boy released on bail within the hour. The guy spent less than forty-five minutes behind bars.”

“That’s bullshit,” I grumbled. “He tried to kill Ollie. He tried to kidnap Cameron. How the hell can he get out of jail that fast?”

“It’s the benefit of being rich and powerful,” Cameron said bitterly.

“I saw it a lot as a reporter. The same stuff that gets an average person thrown in prison for decades ends up being probation or a fine for a millionaire most of the time.” She glanced at me and smiled timidly. “It is bullshit, though.”

“She’s right about that,” JC said. “Some of my enforcers informed me that Rick is holed up at his daddy’s lavish mansion. We have bigger problems to deal with than Rick getting out of jail.”

I wasn’t dumb. I’d seen enough shit to know when it was about to roll downhill.

“He’s lying about something, isn’t he?” I asked through gritted teeth.

JC pointed at me, running his other hand across his beard. “Exactly. He’s spinning some fairly wild tales.”

Cameron sighed. “Do I even want to know?”

“Probably not,” JC said. “He’s claiming that he’d been trying to break things off with you for a few weeks.

Apparently, you’re nothing but a gold digger who wanted to baby-trap him to get yourself some well-manicured claws on his money.

Rick is telling anyone in the pack who will listen that you stole one of his credit cards and used that to pay off this Lenny Nash to try and turn you, so that you’d have a better chance of having a baby with Rick.

” JC glanced at me. “Not only that, but he’s claiming that Cameron paid off you and Ollie to help make it all happen.

He’s even saying you all were in on it to begin with, and that Nate’s the lone wolf who’s been killing women all over Toronto to set the stage. ”

“Are you fucking serious?” I clenched my fists. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Indeed. Until today, I’d never actually met Ollie face to face.

” JC waved a hand through the air. “Toronto-Ottawa is a big pack. But from what I’ve garnered in short interactions and what others have said, Ollie is trustworthy as hell.

Nothing about him appears shady. Cameron’s story lines up with Ollie’s, and I get the sense that she’s honest. You,” JC said, pointing to me again, and I braced myself for what he might say, “are a good man who’s had a rough life.

You don’t strike me as a cold-blooded murderer, nor do you seem the type who would bend over backward for nothing but money. ”

A sigh eased out from my chest. He didn’t think the worst of me. That was something, at least.

“From what our guy is saying, ol’ Ricky boy is only a poor victim,” JC said. “And his daddy is pushing his story as well.”

“Why do I get the feeling you aren’t friends with Lincoln or Rick Masters?” I asked.

JC made a derisive sound. “The Masters have been trying to build their power in the pack forever. It’s an open secret that Lincoln campaigned against me becoming alpha a few years back. Guess who he thought would make the perfect leader of the Toronto-Ottawa pack?”

“Rick?” Cameron sputtered. She pulled her hand free of mine and pressed her palms to the side of her head as if her brain might explode. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” JC said. “To say I have a strained relationship with the Masters family is an understatement. The problem is, Lincoln holds incredible power in the pack. He’s the only person beneath me in the pecking order.

He’s one of the elders, and a lot of the other elders are either on his side or in his pocket.

My worry—and that worry has only escalated since hearing Cameron’s story—is that he’s preparing to stage a coup,” he said, his eyes growing dark and angry.

I leaned forward. “What? That’s…” I paused, trying to think of what to say. “Well, damn, that’s not possible. The strongest alpha in the pack is the alpha. That’s how it works.”

“Unless someone decides you’re not the strongest anymore,” JC said, a dangerous growl in his voice.

“If Lincoln can get enough elders and enough of the lower-level alpha-born shifters in the pack on his side, along with his financial backing, he very well could depose me. Shove me aside and install Rick or himself as the de facto alpha of Toronto-Ottawa.”

“Holy shit,” Cameron muttered. “But I’ll be part of that pack, right? If he’s alpha, then…” She looked at her lap.

Rick would have all the power to force her to do whatever he wanted.

It would either be that or become a lone wolf like me.

The biggest problem was that Rick knew her family.

If Cameron tried to run, then he could threaten her mother and brother.

That prick would use them as leverage in a heartbeat.

I could sense her growing panic. Her scent had changed, and my wolf urged me to take her hand again and comfort her.

I slid my hand onto the bed, and to my relief and joy, she absently slipped her fingers between mine.

The feel of her skin on mine was enough to calm my wolf. Cameron sighed contentedly at my touch.

JC glanced down at our hands and raised an eyebrow in question. “That’s something else we need to talk about.”

Cameron flinched and made to pull her hand from mine, but at the last second, she relaxed, leaving our fingers intertwined.

“If there is something going on between you, it needs to be kept quiet,” JC explained.

“Nate and I discussed this earlier. I’m not sure this will all blow over, but until we know how this will turn out, I need you two to act like friends and nothing more.

The next few days will be difficult enough, but having a newly turned shifter in a relationship with a lone wolf is not a good idea.

I don’t give a fuck, but others will. It could be used to undermine my authority.

It’s dumb as hell, but I know how tough pack politics can be. ”

“ Could this blow over?” Cameron asked.

JC chewed at the inside of his cheek for a moment before answering. “Doubtful, honestly. Something is coming, I just don’t know what. My gut says Rick’s little freak-out with the gun today has escalated things, and if Lincoln is gonna try something, it’ll happen soon.”

Cameron’s hand was warmer than it had been a few moments before. I could sense her emotions in a way I could barely comprehend, her stress and worry. When I looked at her face, I saw exactly that.

“What’s going to happen?” she asked a little breathlessly, clearly getting overwhelmed by it all.

“Calm down, Cameron,” JC said, noticing the color rising in her cheeks.

“I’m calling a council meeting. I’ll bring in the highest-ranking elders of the pack.

We’ll do a thorough investigation. Once the truth is uncovered, even the elders in Lincoln’s pocket won’t have a leg to stand on.

We need proof, though. Would you both be willing to testify?

Give your sides of the story when the time comes? ”

I opened my mouth to ask a question, but JC stopped me before I could. “Before you answer, you need to know that the two of you will have to make yourselves scarce until that happens. I have zero doubt that Lincoln will do his best to ensure our star witnesses disappear .”

“I can’t just vanish,” Cameron protested. “What about my family, my job? It was bad enough when Ollie wanted me hidden for a few days. This sounds like I’ll have to be away for much longer. What if?—”

“Hang on,” JC cut her off. “I don’t want you worrying about your mom and brother.

Obviously, since they’re human, they aren’t official pack members.

It’s highly doubtful Lincoln or Rick would go after them.

At least not yet ,” he added grudgingly.

“I’ll have some men watching over them, though.

They’ll stay out of sight, so your mother and brother won’t feel like they’re being encroached on.

I get the idea your mom is questioning things, and I don’t want to add fuel to her suspicions.

“As for your job, I think we can use Ollie’s police connections to keep your editor in line. He can spin some sort of line.”

“He probably won’t get too upset,” Cameron admitted. “If he knows there’s something dangerous going on, then he’ll be more likely to let me slide on assignments. He’s a good guy.”

She was calming down. Her fingers still gripped mine, but JC’s promises were sinking in and putting her at ease.

“I doubt this will take more than a week,” JC said. “All I need is for you two to hide until I call for you. That way, Lincoln and Rick won’t have the chance to silence you before you testify in front of the court of elders.”

“I’ll do whatever I need to do,” I said, then looked at Cameron.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Okay. I’ll do it.” Her face hardened, and I could see the steel in her eyes. “Rick and his father need to answer for what they’ve done. Those poor women.” She shook her head sadly. “Justice needs to be served.”

“Right,” JC agreed.

“There’s one thing I was wondering about, though,” Cameron said.

“Was there… I don’t know… something wrong with Rick when he was taken into custody?

He was acting strange. Not like himself.

I also noticed it that day when he accosted me on the street outside my friend’s apartment. It’s like he’s going crazy.”

“Not sure,” JC said. “Lincoln has kept Rick hidden away since he posted bail. He’s even balked at my direct order to see him. As alpha, I could force his hand, but I don’t want to use up too much political capital before the trial.”

Packs . All one big political machine. A political machine that dated back centuries. Would the old prejudices stand firm?

“Is there really any point in me testifying?” I asked. “I’m a lone wolf. Barely better than a feral in the eyes of most shifters.”

JC wasn’t fazed by my question. “If it comes to that, I’ll do what I can to mitigate things.

I’m working on changing a lot of the old ways, and I’ve ruffled feathers in the process.

That’s probably how Lincoln managed to get some elders on his side.

But some things are worth fighting for.” He winked at me.

I’d be damned if I didn’t like this guy. For the first time in my life, I’d met an alpha I could see myself following.