“I’m not joking, though. Once you and Cameron have had a night to process what’s going on, you can talk. I think you’ll find things look different in the morning. For both of you.”

“Did you give up the detective gig to become a self-help guru?” I snapped, taking a sip of my drink.

“It’s always been part of me,” Ollie said. “You’ve just been too hard-headed to notice.”

“I’ll give it a shot,” I said. “I doubt tomorrow is going to be a great time to talk, though. We’ve got that hearing with JC and the elders.”

Ollie grimaced. “Shit. That is tomorrow.” He gulped down some of his beer.

“Screw it—either way, you’ll have had some time to think about it all, and once the hearing is over, that will be one less thing to worry about.

Then, you and Miss Torres can sit down and discuss what’s going on between you. ”

I shook my head in bewilderment. “You make it sound easy.”

“Enough talk about relationships and women. Let’s get to something more light-hearted.”

“Like what ?”

“Like what the Maple Leafs’ chances are at making the playoffs. I think this may be their year to win their division. Might have an outside shot at the Stanley Cup.”

I burst out laughing. “Christ, you are the most Canadian motherfucker I know.”

“You’re Canadian, too.”

“Yeah, but not like you. You might as well use maple syrup as deodorant. I bet you love poutine , too, don’t you?”

“I’ll have you know that fries, gravy, and cheese curds are the food of the gods.”

“The food of a coronary, more like it.”

Over the next hour, we talked about sports, movies, and his work.

Ollie was one of the only people on earth I could call a real friend .

I’d kept him close, but also far enough away that if something happened, I could cut and run without feeling like shit about it.

Sometimes we’d go months or even years without talking.

That was probably going to change soon, though.

If I really did get accepted into his pack, I’d need to get used to socializing like this. And to my surprise, I liked it.

An hour later, I stood. “I’ve got to hit the hay. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“Fair enough,” Ollie said, rising from his seat and tossing some bills on the table. “I got your drinks.”

“What a pal,” I said. “I didn’t even have to ask.”

“You’re buying the next round, though,” Ollie added, pointing an accusing finger at me.

“Sure thing.”

Outside, the cool night air chilled my skin. I wasn’t even close to being drunk. My body metabolized the alcohol too fast, but I did have a nice little euphoria pulsing through my system.

“See you tomorrow?” Ollie asked.

“Yeah. I’m gonna find a motel or something. Crash for a few hours.”

Ollie wrapped me in a hug, patting my back. I shocked myself by hugging him back.

“Stay safe,” Ollie said, releasing me a moment later.

“Always,” I responded.

Ollie snorted a laugh. “Now we both know that’s a lie, but whatever. Bye.”

“See you.”

I watched Ollie get into his car and drive off. For a few moments, I stood on the curb, enjoying the light breeze, then shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and walked north along the sidewalk. I was pretty sure I’d seen a hotel somewhere near here last time.

Even with my senses slightly dulled from the alcohol, I caught the distant sound of footsteps. It wasn’t that late, and there were still plenty of people out and about, but what really piqued my interest was that the footfalls stopped whenever mine did.

As I waited for the light to change, I yawned and surreptitiously glanced back, making it look like I was drunk. Sure enough, two hulking figures stood about twenty meters behind me, tucked into the shadows of a building. Not good.

Was this ever going to be over ?

As soon as the light changed, I crossed the street, making sure to catch my right toe behind my left heel and stumble, barely righting myself before tumbling to the ground. Hopefully, if the guys following me thought I was hammered, they’d be less prepared.

A block down, I spotted an alleyway between two buildings. A good spot to lay a trap. Behind me, the men were still keeping their distance. That was good. It would give me a couple seconds to prepare myself.

Leaning my left shoulder against the brick of the building, I walked along, making it look like the wall was all that held me up as I walked. As soon as I reached the alley, I ducked left and rushed between the buildings.

My pursuers immediately broke into a run.

Spinning, I readied myself, grabbing a heavy steel trashcan lid and lifting it over my head.

When a burly guy with a shaved head and a thick beard rounded the corner, I didn’t hesitate.

I brought the lid down on his skull with all my strength, and he went down, face slamming into the pavement.

His friend, shocked by the sudden and unexpected violence, froze for a half-instant.

That was all I needed. I smacked the man in the throat with the side of my hand, an inch or two below his Adam’s apple.

His eyes went comically wide, his hands instinctively going to his neck.

While he gasped for air, I shoved him back against the wall, his head bouncing off the bricks.

Shoving my forearm into his chest, I waited until he recovered before grabbing his free hand and twisting it behind his back.

The guy let out a moan of pain and spun, trying to relieve the pain in his wrist. Dumb move on his part.

I crushed his face and chest against the wall, then yanked his arm up, nearly pulling his shoulder free from its socket.

He squirmed in my grip. “Stop! Stop! Stop! ”

I eased the pressure enough to let him think, but not enough for him to get away. “Who are you?” I growled, my lips inches from his ear, though I already knew.

“Ah! Fuck. Let me go. That hurts,” he hissed.

Just to be a dick, I lifted his arm higher, drawing a ragged scream from his mouth before lowering the hand to where I’d had it a moment before.

“You see, friend,” I said, “ I’m in charge right now. You don’t get to make demands. Now, who the fuck are you?”

“Phone,” he gasped. “Pocket.”

Glancing down, I saw the outline of a cell phone in the guy’s pants. I used my free hand to dig it out. It showed a call in progress. Someone was on the line, waiting while these two pricks tried to jump me.

“Hello?” I said into the phone.

“Filthy fucking lone wolf,” Rick growled from the other end of the line.

“Hey, Ricky. How are you doing?”

Rick made some inarticulate sound that was somewhere between a growl and a snarl.

“I’m gonna peel the skin from your body.

Make a rug from your pelt. How does that sound?

” he asked, his breath coming in quick gasps.

His voice was off, slightly slurred. Almost as though his canines were too large and there was too much saliva in his mouth.

Christ, he sounded like he was going feral.

“Make a rug,” he went on in that same manic tone. “Then Cameron will get on her knees, using your fur as cushioning, and suck my?—”

I snarled. “Are we going to discuss something, or are you going to keep blustering like the rich jackass you are?”

“Discuss something?” Rick said. “We’ll discuss how I’m going to rip your fucking guts out. How I’m going to cut your goddamn dick off. How I’m gonna?—”

“I guess not. Ricky, does dear Daddy know you’re doing this right now? I’m pretty sure ordering two guys to attack someone is probably a violation of whatever parole you’re on right now. That would not be good. Papa Lincoln might have to spank his baby boy.”

“Don’t worry about my father, you lone piece of shit,” Rick growled.

Again, I was struck by how wrong his voice sounded. Was he going fucking feral? That made no sense. How? He was in a pack. He had family. There was no reason for him to go feral. But his mannerisms and behavior lined up.

“Cameron will be mine,” Rick continued. “Do you hear me? She might have had a little fun with your little cock, but she’ll see the light soon. You were a plaything. A fling. That’s fine. I’ve got plans for her.”

“Whatever plan you have isn’t happening. That goes for your plans for Cameron and the pack as well.”

I spiked the phone into the pavement, the device shattering into a bunch of little pieces.

“Can you let me go?” the guy groaned. “My arm fucking hurts.”

I’d almost forgotten about the scumbag who’d tried to jump me. I was still holding his wrist twisted behind his back.

“You think that hurts?” I slammed my elbow into the side of his head. He slumped to the ground in a heap. “Tell me how your head feels when you wake up,” I growled before striding away.

It wasn’t until I was checking into a hotel a few blocks from the attack that I realized what I’d said to Rick on the phone. My pack . I’d called JC’s pack mine , as though I was already a member. In all my life, I’d never associated myself with a pack. Had never wanted to.

Huh. Things were changing rapidly, and I wasn’t sure it was a bad thing.

In fact, it was good. I could sleep easy tonight, knowing the pack was watching out for Cameron.

Although I’d have preferred being the one watching her, I knew Ollie was right.

We needed a night apart to get our heads straight.

Climbing into bed, I set my alarm and rolled over. Before sleep pulled me under, I had one last thought. A mental image of me standing with Cameron, JC holding his arms open to greet us as pack members.