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Chapter1
Becca Marsters hated birthdays. She especially hated her birthday. When you were one of three, birthdays were suddenly the event of the season and everyone always made such a fuss. That was the one good thing about being separated from her triplet sisters; birthdays could come and go and no one was the wiser.
Not today.
Today, like every other day, Becca’s running shoes beat the isolated path in a strong rhythm as she wound through the woods on her daily run. She didn’t listen to music through her earbuds as she ran, but instead, focused on the slap of her rubber soles, the feel of the cool morning air on her skin, and the smell of the salt air as she followed deer trails on the island she grew up on.
The island and the house had been an idyllic, enchanted, even magical place, where she and her sisters had been happy. Her family had been intact, and her mother had still been alive. Before everything changed and her world fell apart.
She’d been forced to leave. They all had.Separately.She hadn’t planned on ever seeing this island again. Now it was once more her home along with all the memories—good and bad. And she didn't live here alone.
Her colleague and friend, Marcie lived with her. She smiled as the word friend whispered through her mind. Becca didn’t have friends. Didn’t trust anyone enough to let them close. Not since Emerich had taught her the consequences of letting someone in. He’d hurt her badly, betrayed her in the worst way. Now, she preferred to work and live on her own. She didn’t want anyone around when she and Emerich met up again.
When she made him pay.
Her pace quickened as she thought about him, adding more power to her arms and legs. Her sister Genie would fight her. She always acted like she was the older sister and knew best, but just because she came out six minutes before her, that didn't make her in charge. Ever since Becca reunited with her sisters and joined the CTA (Counter-Terrorism Agency), she’d had to adjust to following orders and playing by the rules. And having people around.
All the time.
It was definitely an adjustment. For a long time, Emerich had her convinced the CTA and her dad deserved to be punished for what they’d done to them as children, using them all as guinea pigs in their twisted experiments. Now, under Cameron’s leadership, they’ve been working to right the wrongs and the CTA’s mistakes in ways she could be proud of. She caught herself smiling again as she thought of Cameron and quickly quashed it.
She couldn’t go there. Her track record with relationships was dismal and downright dangerous. The quickest way to destroy her life and everything she’d built here and with the CTA would be to start thinking of Josh Cameron as more than a boss. No matter how cute he was or how he affected her in ways she hadn't felt in a very long time.
The trail took her down to the water. She ran next to the Sound, watching the lapping of the waves against the rocks, pushing thoughts of Cameron out of her mind. Her father’s estate now belonged to her, Genie, and Cat and encompassed one hundred acres, a good third of the island located on the Puget Sound across from Seattle. It was a different world out here—simple, peaceful,safe.
Sometimes she would close her eyes and fool herself into thinking she was the only soul on the island. She would pretend she had nothing to fear and her ugly past was buried deep behind her. But then she’d remember Emerich.
That man was only biding his time before coming after them all again, and the time was coming soon. He would never give up. That’s why they needed to stay close, to plan… To be diligent.
Jayne Michaels and Chet Daniels, also part of the team, lived in a cottage in town, and her sister Genie and her husband, Kyle, were making plans to remodel their dad’s fishing cabin on the far side of the property. Genie would go to the cabin with their dad all the time when she was young. Loved it then, as she did now. And if Genie had her way, Cat and her family would move here too and the Marsters triplets would be back together again.
These morning runs were the only time Becca was by herself anymore. No wonder she was in such great shape. The path widened as she followed it back up and around, away from the water, and through an old grove of large pine trees. The forest was thick with ferns and other greenery and relatively untouched. Moss spread up the trunks of the towering trees. The canopy was so dense in some places, even the sunlight couldn’t break through, leaving her path in deep, cool shadows.
She followed the bend, circling a tall oak tree growing in the middle of the path that marked the halfway point of her five-mile run. It was the same path she took every day, except today, as she passed the far side of the tree, a large wolf stood in the middle of the trail before her. He peered up at her, dipping his head, his nose quivering as he growled deep in his throat.
Becca stopped abruptly. Her hand fluttered to her chest as she sucked in a deep breath. Dark piercing eyes surrounded by tuffs of gray and white hair focused on her. He almost looked as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
Didn’t wolves usually travel in packs? The house had been empty for a long time. Ever since Emerich had killed her dad. Had the wildlife moved in? As she kept her eyes on the beast, she took a slow step back. After they’d returned to the island to set up shop for the reboot of the Counter Terrorism Agency, Cameron did a security sweep, but she bet he hadn’t thought to check for wolves.
She glanced into the thick foliage surrounding her, wondering how many more wolves were hiding, watching them now. Or was this another gift from Emerich? She looked up, searching the trees for a camera, anything that would betray his presence but saw nothing.
“Where are your friends?” her voice sounded louder than she’d expected.
The wolf’s gaze held hers for a long moment.
He wasn’t afraid of her.
Her heart raced in her chest.Stay calm. She steadied her breathing. Could wolves sense fear? Could he smell it coming out of her pores?
She’d faced bigger monsters than him.
In the distance, she heard a low buzz. She looked up, searching the branches of the trees, suddenly certain the sound came from a drone.
Emerich! Why couldn’t he leave her alone?
“Go. Scat,” she yelled, lunging forward and throwing out her arms.
The wolf turned and ran, disappearing into the woods.
