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“It’s nice to meet you, too. And, please, call me Nora.” I can’t refuse when he offers a hand to shake. Luckily, he gives me a quick, firm pump and then lets go. I still catch a single odd thought.I hope I don’t regret this.
Rook shuts the doorto the office about the same time as Alpha Toth says, “Please have a seat.”
He waves to a set of wingback chairs in front of his desk and moves to sit back down in his own chair. Rook encourages me to sit in one of the guest chairs and takes the other. There’s a grave tension in the air. “I’m sorry,” I say, my heart kicking up with anxiety. “What’s this about? Was I not supposed to come here? Wulf said it would be all right.”
Rook chuckles. “You’re not in trouble, Nora.”
Alpha Toth is still wearing a grim face, so I’m skeptical of Rook’s reassurances. Not that I don’t want to believe I’m safe with Wulf’s brother—he obviously thought I would be, or he wouldn’t have let me go off with him—but my track record with underworlders isn’t the best.
“I’m not being kidnapped, am I?” I ask. “Or being forced into a mate bonding of some kind?”
Both men’s jaws fall open when they realize I’m serious.
“Of course not,” Alpha Toth sputters. “Why on earth would you assume something like that?”
“Um, because that’s usually what happens when I find myself unexpectedly alone with strange underworlders.”
Neither man has a response to that.
“Well…” Alpha Toth continues to gape at me, openmouthed like a fish, unsure how to proceed. He clears his throat and shakes off his shock. “I assure you, you are safe here on my lands. We mean you no harm. In fact…”
He shoots Rook an unsure look and grimaces when Rook nods. “Miss Jacobs,” Alpha Toth begins, “the pack needs your help.”
That is so not what I’m expecting that I sit back, blinking at both men. “I’m sorry, what?”
Toth and Rook exchange another glance. The alpha rakes a hand through his hair and then meets my eyes with a grim look of determination. “One of my wolves, Maya Forsythe, was one of the underworlders you rescued last month.”
I nod, remembering the name, and can’t help my smile. “That’s right. Maya said she was part of the Huron River pack.”
“My third in command, actually.”
My eyebrows hit the ceiling. I knew wolves weren’t a sexist lot—their hierarchy is purely based on dominance—but I hadn’t realized Maya was such a strong wolf. Though, she’d been weak at the time from all the magic and silver used to keep her subdued. “Awesome. I like her. Tell herhellofor me.”
My comment breaks the tension, and Alpha Toth chuckles. “I’m sure she’ll find you before you leave here today. She’s been wanting to thank you personally.”
I nod. “I’ll make sure I find her, then, but…what does she have to do with me now?” Maybe it’s rude to cut straight to the chase, but I can’t help it. I hate not knowing what’s going on.
Alpha Toth sighs. “She told me about you. She mentioned you were an extraordinary human, though she didn’t know exactly how you’re different. But she knows you have strong power and unique gifts. I’m hoping…that since you used those gifts to find Maya and the others, you might be able to use those gifts to help me with a different problem as well.”
I sit up in my chair. “Are you missing more pack members?”
“Money, actually.” He grimaces. “Someone in my pack is ripping me off.”
The anger in his expression tells me this isn’t about the actual missing money. He’s glaring when he looks at me again, but he’s not glaring at me. He’s just pissed. Supremely pissed. “Miss Jacobs, if this is something you can help with, I’d like to hire you to find the wolf or wolves who would dare betray their pack.”
I’m stunned. I can’t believe he’s asking for my help. I know I’ve garnered a bit of a reputation in the underworld, but I had no idea it was as some kind of supernatural detective. “Mr. Toth—Alpha Toth…I don’t know what to say.”
“What are these powers you have? Is this something you could help me with?”
I think about it. I’d have to mentally vet the pack members somehow, which would be difficult without admitting what I can do, but not impossible. And I might be able to pick up imprints if they have some kind of accounting office.
I don’t necessarily want to get involved in pack business—that could be hazardous to my health. But it felt good last time to be able to use my gifts to help people. And Maya and Wulf, and even Rook, all seem like very good people. Wulf is a great boss, he’s loyal to Terrance, and he offered to help me, even though he hates coming home. Of course I’d want to help his pack.
“I might be able to help,” I finally say. “But it’s not a guarantee.”
“What are your gifts?” Alpha Toth asks, leaning forward in his chair. His eyes are hopeful. “What powers do you have? How can you help?”
I cringe. “I like to keep my gifts to myself as much as possible. I’d become a target if people knew what I can do, but just know that they’re a sort of psychic-based set of gifts. It’s not an exact science, but it can be helpful. If we could handle this very discreetly, I wouldn’t mind doing what I can for you. I’m talkingit-can’t-leave-this-room, secret. I’m not exactly Supergirl. If your pack were to find out I was investigating them, and getting all up in their business, well, that could get ugly very quickly.”
