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I explained, “She went after your woman who just happens to have a connection to possible partial Fairies? I mean sure, I know their names. I train with them, but Ariena doesn’t.

She’s not exactly the worker bee who is going to track these names down.

She couldn’t have counted on you seeing her.

My instincts say something more is here.

Like the list is a bonus, but I don’t know why. ”

Kade assured me, “That’s good enough for me. I’ll protect her.” I warned, “Watch your six too, cousin.” He nodded, “I will.” I’d be making moves to make sure someone else did as well. I popped him back to our pack. He left and I went in search of who I needed.

I found my dad in his office. He said, “Your mom told me Kade brought you in on certain things.” I snorted, “I pushed him and I still didn’t get to meet his woman.

You need to do what you do and cover Kade’s six.

” He put his papers down and sat back in chair studying me. He pulled our bond close to him.

He said, “You genuinely think Ariena is going after his woman and him?” Oden chimed in, “The bond says the woman in question is Kade’s mate.” Sure, but why the hell couldn’t I meet her then? Oden retorted, “Why can’t we meet our mate? These are questions I cannot answer.” He was still in a mood.

I told my dad, “I don’t buy that Ariena just happened upon Kade’s woman. It’s too coincidental. Ariena is purposeful. The longer we went on this, the less it felt like that’s how it went down. I think the hitch in Ariena’s plan was Kade seeing her.” That could not have been her plan.

My dad nodded, “As it happens, I now own the business she works for.” I laughed, “Damn. It’s still yours and mom’s world and we all live in it.” He hummed, “I’ll be talking with the local pack about security and as with all our businesses Ariena won’t get in.” I nodded and gave him a hug.

I left and shifted. I found Lomax out on my run and felt bad. I’d ditched them. I was surprised Cheyenne didn’t come out to run with him. When we got back and shifted, I apologized, “Sorry, man. My cousin needed me.” Lomax dismissed me, “It’s ok. Family comes first.”

Cheyenne called, “Alexander!” She ran over and gave me a hug. I greeted, “Hey, sorry about earlier.” She giggled, “Make it up to me in the gym.” Oden grumbled, “Maybe we could hang out with them and our mate if you would just meet her.” I asked him, “And how am I supposed to do that?”

I’d tried to buy tickets to her recitals but by the time I got off the online queue the tickets were sold out. It’s not like they sold them on a secondary market for me to buy. Oden grunted, “Ask our uncle Gunner to get us the ticket.” Then he’d ask why.

Oden sighed, “So?” It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about it. I really had. It wasn’t like I possessed the hacking skills to get the damn ticket myself. I’d knew because I’d tried. I’d gone to a damn class in the Hackura realm on hacking, but I still didn’t get a god damn ticket.

Cheyenne nudged me, “Where did you go?” New York. Oden huffed, “I wish.” Me too. I told her, “Just thinking over some things.” She urged, “Then let’s get on the mats. You always do your best thinking there.” She wasn’t wrong. I walked into the gym with her and stepped into the ring.

Lomax called, “Hey Fowler, do you have some time for me?” I was a little worried since he hadn’t seemed thrilled they were visiting. Fowler agreed, “Yeah, man. Let’s go.” I exhaled and sparred with Cheyenne. I went through the motions.

Oden said, “We could spar with mate if you’d meet her.” I replied, “Tell me how to meet her. I’ve been trying. We try to get tickets to her dances.” He admitted, “I don’t know. Just go to New York.” I replied, “I can’t just go to meet her. I need a reason to give everyone else.”

He asked, “And what would the reason be if you got a ticket?” I argued, “You know what it would be.” I dodged a punch and landed one.

I saw Cheyenne wince and felt bad. Oden asked, “Who cares? We don’t pull punches.

We are helping our friend. If we go to mate’s dance to talk to her about coming home to see Jase, then we can just go to New York and do that. ”

There was something that stopped me with that though. A scent reached me that I knew, and I turned. I told Cheyenne, “Let’s break. I love those cookies. Do you want one?” She replied, “Nah, I’m good.” I shrugged my shoulder and grabbed some of Karina’s cookies. Damn. They were so good.

I ate it and calmed down. I told Oden, “We’ll get a ticket or something. She’ll come home one day. Everything is fine.” He agreed, “You’re right. I’m just impatient.” I chuckled, “Me too, buddy.” Cheyenne pouted, “You really are out of it this visit.”

I admitted, “I’ve got a lot on my mind.” She grinned saying, “I’m a good listener.” Gage and Phil appeared. Phil said, “I am also an excellent listener.” Plus, he and Gage knew it was likely Melanie on my mind. Gage said, “Me too. As it is, we need our Alpha.”

Cheyenne sighed, “Everyone is taking you away from me this visit.” I asked, “How long are you staying?” She admitted, “We leave tomorrow afternoon. Lomax has things he needs to get back for.” I winced saying, “I’ll make it up to you next time.”

She beamed, “I know you will. You could always visit our pack.” Gage replied, “Sure he can. With all his spare time.” She giggled and touched his shoulder before cutting a glance at me. Were they a thing? Oden hummed, “Good for them.” I agreed.

She sighed then walked over to Lomax and I went into my office in the gym. I asked, “What’s up guys?” Phil nudged Gage saying, “He asks what’s up as if he did not disappear earlier.” I reasoned, “You could’ve linked me.” Phil snorted, “You are supposed to tell me things.”

I tapped my chin, “I think I did.” Phil grumbled, “What did Kade need?” I replied, “My help.” Gage grumbled, “You’re not going to tell us what for.” I agreed, “I’m not. My parents know more than I do, and they are all over the problem.”

Phil waved dismissively, “Know that it pains me not to have answers, but I’m changing the subject.

You have your I’m pouting over Melanie face on.

Not to be buzzkill, but if Cheyenne ever figures out that’s what that face is life will NOT be worth living.

” I frowned, “I thought she liked Gage based on that touching less than sixty seconds ago.”

Gage groaned, “I told you he was helpless, Phil.” Phil hummed, “Not helpless, just clueless. She wanted you to be jealous. Which you were not, hence her pout.” I waved him off, “We are just friends.” Gage laughed, “Good one.” I replied, “We are.”

Phil sighed, “To you.” I confirmed, “Yes, to me. Which makes us just friends. Chey has never made a move.” Gage admitted, “That’s true, but that woman wants you.

There is no denying that.” I argued, “There is absolutely an argument that she wants me. She doesn’t.

We are just friends. I want Melanie.” Gage grinned, “Lovely. We got to the Melanie of it all. Can we tell people that yet?”

I growled, “No.” Phil told me, “You know we agree she’s yours.” Gage nodded, “Definitely. I personally can’t wait to see the Luna spar with you. It will be show stopping. Speaking of fighting.” I growled, “Were we?” My pants were getting tight thinking of sparring with Melanie.

Oden purred, “We could show off for mate and pin her under us. I bet she’d feel amazing.” I shouted, “You are NOT helping.” He purred back at me, undeterred. Gage said, “I heard rumblings of a great fighter.” He stopped talking.

I rubbed my temples, “Was that the end of that sentence?” He replied, “I’m trying to get in better with the contacts because the chatter shut down. I passed it on your Uncle Gunner, but it was like they sensed me there. It was very annoying.”

I jolted, “You mean a good fighter in the Undergrounds? The real ones.” He agreed, “I do. I got into a chatroom for all of thirty seconds before it was shut down. There was someone they called a sure thing. A Female fighter.”

I asked, “Did you get anything else?” He hummed, “Said fight is a Werewolf. Possibly unshifted.” I shouted, “A PUP?!” He nodded. I snarled, “How fucking dare they! Did you pull missing pups from packs?”

Phil jumped in, “We both did. No one matches. I looked over the messages before it all got shut down and your Uncle is trying to recover it all but they crashed it hard.” I had no idea what that meant but if anyone could uncover it, it was Uncle Gunner.

I asked, “How can you narrow down the age?” Gage said, “We both got the sense this she wolf was close to sixteen.” I snorted, “So, what? They think it’s perfectly fine to have unshifted pups fighting?

” He said, “Well, not like a pup pup. She’s almost shifting age.

” I growled because not only was I fuming Oden was furious.

He snarled, “How dare they do this!” I said, “I’ll go talk to EJ about this.” Phil handed me what they had. I popped to my older brother. He said, “Fancy seeing you here.” I sat the file down. He flipped it open and snarled, “Son of a bitch!” I agreed, “I feel that sentiment wholeheartedly.”

He grabbed my hand and popped to Uncle Gunner.

He was heads down typing and cursing. I asked, “Uncle Gunner?” He held up his hand, “Just a second.” He typed some more then shouted, “GOT YOU FUCKER!” I asked, “You got in the chatroom?” He snorted, “They shut down the chat, but I got some more of the logs.”

We came around and read the screen. I rubbed my face saying, “This is bad.” EJ said, “We knew the Undergrounds were.” I snarled, “But pups?!” Uncle Gunner said, “She’s almost sixteen.

” I growled, “And? We don’t know how long she’s been fighting.

Someone able to beat up older people should flag for us. How do we NOT know who she is?”

Uncle Gunner admitted, “I don’t know. With the level of training she has to have, we should.” Exactly. I ground out, “Do we have anything?” He replied, “Well, I have a tip for an old Underground site.”