After a quick glance, Dad nodded. “I must say, he does sound like an excellent choice. He seems like a shifter who will serve you well.”
“I think so, too. I trust him, and right now, that’s what we need.” I paused for a moment before bringing up the other matter weighing on my mind. “There’s something else that’s been bothering me. Last night, Liza saw, or at least thought she saw, someone lurking in the woods behind the estate, but security found no obvious sighting or scent. It doesn’t sit right with me, especially since she’s been so stressed lately.”
“Have you considered that it might be her imagination playing tricks on her?” Dad asked gently.
Rage snapped at my blood, but I couldn’t deny the same thing had gone through my mind that morning. “Of course, but I know Liza. She’s not inclined to seeing things that aren’t there. I’m going to do a scout of my own. I know these woods. It’s been my playground since I can remember. I’ll know if there is anything amiss.”
“Okay, son. Let me know if you find anything suspicious.”
I ventured into the woods near the estate, determined to uncover any signs of danger that may be lurking there. I shifted into my wolf form, where my senses would be heightened, and prowled through the forest, noting the familiar sights, sounds, and scents that surrounded me. My hearing was alive with the sounds of birdsong and the rustling of leaves beneath my feet. The scents of damp earth and lush foliage filled my nostrils. I was starting to think Dad was right. She’d been dealing with a lot right now, so maybe Liza’s imagination had manifested a boogeyman. Everything seemed to be as it should…
Until I reached the spot where Liza had claimed to have seen the shadowy figure.
I spent a good bit of time rooting around, and there, intertwined in the undergrowth, I discovered a piece of fabric caught on one of the trees. After shifting back to my human form, I extracted the fabric and examined the scrap more closely, noting that it appeared to be from a blanket. Bringingthe fabric to my nose, I inhaled deeply, detecting a faint but unmistakable scent. It was Liza’s, though subtly different. The discovery left me both puzzled and alarmed.
I raced back to the house, my instincts screaming at me to check on her. I didn’t want to alarm her—I’d only just soothed and relaxed her tense, worried body this morning. I almost thought better of it since I knew she was busy, but my concern for her wellbeing outweighed inconveniencing her. I found her where I’d expected her to be, safe in her office.
I stood at the door, listening to her voice as she spoke on the phone with her customers, expertly scheduling around their needs to ensure they would still receive their meals on time, reassuring them she would still provide a first-class service.
As proud as I was of her, my concern only grew. I gripped the fabric in my hands, wanting to ask her about it, but knowing how stressed she’d been made me hesitate.
Liza’s voice brought me out of my tangled concerns. “Is everything okay?” I glanced up to find her looking at me, one hand over the mouthpiece of the phone.
“Uh, yeah,” I stammered, quickly shoving the fabric into my jeans pocket. “I just wanted to see how you were doing and let you know I hired Isaiah.”
“That’s great news. I liked him, too.” She looked at me, lips pursing and brows furrowing. “Are you sure that’s all? You’re worried about something,”
Shit. The mating bond. She’d obviously felt the spike of my concern. “Sorry, babe. I was just thinking about Isaiah’s first job. I’ve asked him to check if anyone else in town has connections to Castro. It eats at me that I can’t trust people I’ve known all my life.”
Liza stared at me for a long moment. “It’s horrible to think of anyone else double-crossing us like that. I hope he finds there’s no one else.” She gave me a tight smile. “If that’s all...”She gestured at the phone and waved me away with a shooing motion. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
I hated lying to her, but I didn’t want to worry her any more than she already was. “Of course.” I forced a grin and left her office, but as I walked to my office, the nagging feeling that something was amiss refused to leave me.
As I overlooked the speech I’d written for tonight’s pack meeting, I found myself absently rubbing the fabric between my fingers, contemplating its significance. The scent, so similar to Liza’s, haunted me. Cecily’s betrayal and death were still fresh in my mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were overlooking something crucial. I couldn’t let my guard down, not when Liza’s safety was at stake.
“Ty?” Liza said from the office door. She gave me an odd look when I whipped my hand out of my pocket like a child with his hand in the cookie jar. “I thought I’d help you get ready for the announcement about Cecily at tonight’s pack meeting.”
“Thanks.” I hesitated before admitting I was nervous. “This is my first meeting as the new alpha, and I’m more than sure the topic won’t be well-received.”
“Everything will be fine,” she reassured me, her steady gaze instilling confidence. “You’re doing a great job, Ty.”
“I know you looked at this the other night, but I’ve made some changes. Would you mind reading this over again?” I turned my computer screen toward her.
She scanned the contents, then looked at me over the screen. “I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s perfect.”
Her approval meant more than anyone else’s, and with renewed confidence, I prepared for the meeting that would test our resolve and push us to face the pack’s reaction to Cecily’s involvement with Castro.
Later that evening, I waited for Liza in the foyer. At the sound of footsteps on the stairs, I looked up. She was dressedimpeccably, radiating elegance and grace. Her tailored white suit accentuated her slender frame, perfectly representing her Arctic wolf heritage, and the blue shirt she wore underneath brought out the color of those incredible eyes. When she smiled at me, my heart flip-flopped, reminding me of how incredibly fortunate I was to have Liza as my fated mate.
How the hell did I get so lucky?
“Are you ready?” I offered her my arm.
“Always.” She smiled and looped her arm through mine.
Together, we made our way to the backyard, where hundreds of chairs and a stage with a podium and microphone had been set up. We ascended the steps to the stage together, all eyes on us, no doubt curious to hear what we had to say.
I stepped up to the podium, squinting against the spotlight. This was my first official address as alpha. A lot was expected of me, and I didn’t want to fuck it up.
