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He looked properly abashed, so I didn’t press the issue. Instead, I took the drink, murmuring my thanks as I took a small sip. To my surprise, it was quite nice, and I gave him a raised brow.
We drifted away from the bar as some other wolves made their way over to place a drink order. He led us to the living room; there were a few empty chairs in the corner and we sat. It was a bit quieter and I exhaled, relieved for the space. I leaned in close, sipping my drink again. “Has Ryan been in touch with you?”
Eli frowned and shook his head. “No. I haven’t heard anything,” he replied, staring into his cup.
I sighed and sat back. “Damn.” We’d been hitting dead end after dead end over the past two days, and my frustration was mounting. I had hoped Ryan would get in touch with us and give ussomethingto work off of — even something small would be fine. His silence was starting to make me nervous, though.Did we make a mistake when we let him go?
Eli grumbled, looking up as some other people joined us in the living room. Thankfully, they didn’t seem interested in talking with us, so when Eli nodded his head towards the entrance, I nodded. I didn’t want to be social, but I definitely didn’t want anyone to overhear us.
Thankfully,Eli seemed just as disinterested in socializing as I was. As we headed toward the kitchen, I realized the glass slider between the kitchen and the patio was open. Several people were dancing out on the wooden porch, and I realized that one of the couples was none other than Fiona and Nic. I bit my lip and gave Eli a sideways look. The alpha was barely concealing his scowl, sipping at his drink instead.
Also out on the makeshift dance floor was Remus, bending down as he swayed lazily, a little boy toddling as he held on to Remus’ hands.It must be one of his kids.After all, I had donesomeresearch on the pack and the alpha, so I knew he had twins. It made it easy to guess who the dark-haired woman standing next to him was, the other little boy cradled in her arms as she danced with him: that had to be Luna, the pack alpha’s mate.
Kids weren’t something I ever saw for myself, but those two made a cute enough picture that I almost smiled. To spare myself the surge of feelings, I turned back to Eli. “So, when do you have to go back to London?” I asked casually as if I weren’t scoping out his family just now.
He shrugged. “I have no set date. My father is the pack alpha, not me. Until he steps down or dies, I’m not bound to the city.”
I hummed thoughtfully. That was good for this case, at least; I wouldn’t suddenly lose my new partner in solving crimes. “Are you planning on living in Austin, then?”
Eli shrugged a second time. “I’m not sure if I’m committed to living here,” he admitted, looking back at me. He raised his brows. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the summers are absolutelydreadful.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I have most definitely noticed.” I spent my formative years in Alaska and most of my life in the Pacific Northwest. The southern heat and, oh, ancestors, thehumidity? Absolutely brutal. “And yet here you are.”
“And yet, here I am,” Eli agreed, nodding. “Longbow Investments is setting up a satellite office here in the American South, and it is my responsibility, so I’ll at least be around long enough to make sure it’s doing well.” He hummed. “That said, I do have responsibilities in London. I have freedom, but I can’t stay away forever.”
“Makes sense,” I replied casually.
Eli hadn’t taken his eyes off me. “Have you given any thought to my offer? About joining the pack?”
It was my turn to frown into my drink. “No,” I admitted. “The only thing I’ve been thinking about lately is the case.”
Truthfully, I wasn’t sure if I was even ready to consider the offer. It was generous of him, but there was a lot more to consider outside of relocating — and relocating halfway across the world? That was no small feat. But there would also be the fact that I’d know no one, not just in the pack but the entire country. I’d have to reintegrate myself into a pack, and after so long as a lone wolf, I wasn’t sure I knew how.
If I was really, really honest with myself, I wasn’t sure Iwantedto integrate into a pack, either. I’d already gone through the heartbreak of losing one, and ancestors forbid anything happened to the Longbow pack; I wasn’t sure I could….
“Well, the offer stands,” Eli murmured, as if it were a casual invitation to dinner. “I don’t go back on my word.”
“Thanks,” I said. I didn’t want to be rude. But I didn’t want to linger on this, either. “So, have you been in Austin for a winter?”
“Briefly, yes,” he hummed. “If you could call it winter.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s nothing like Alaska.” I teased. “What’s winter like where you grew up?”
Eli snorted, the corner of his mouth ticking up. “It’s dark. The sun rises late and sets early. The clouds seem constant. And it’s unbearably damp.”
I lifted a brow. “Do you have an issue with water or something?”
“No, I—”
Eli cut himself off abruptly as someone started making their way toward us. A woman who appeared to be about my age in a chili pepper red cocktail dress. The fabric clung to every inch of her hips as she swayed her way over, her boobs on full display with the lowcut neckline. I raised both brows even higher. She was probably the sort of woman who could wrap a man around her pinky finger, but it seemed rather… excessive to me. “Know her?” I asked, leaning over to whisper to the alpha.
His face was drawn. “You could call her my most recent life lesson…” he whispered, pressing his lips together.
Before he could say anything else, the woman arrived, pressing right up into Eli’s space like I didn’t even exist. “I didn’t think I’d see you here. Eli, I think you still owe me a dance,” she purred, flattening a hand over his chest. Jealousy flared up in my chest.Iris, you have no claim on him!But even my wolf growled softly, her ears rolling back at the sight.
Eli offered her a flat smile, gently prying her hand away from his clothing. “I don’t care to dance, thank you,” he replied, taking a step back to get some space. “Hannah, this is Iris. Iris, this is Hannah.”
Hannah finally looked at me, eyes flicking up and down the length of my torso. Her nose wrinkled as if I was something the cat dragged in, and she turned back to Eli, reaching forward to tug on his arm. “My father told me to come over and say hello,” she said, turning back towards the larger crowd. She nodded at a dark-haired man, and I saw a quick flash of recognition flash over Eli’s face before she started talking again. “He issoimpressed by the plan you two worked out the other day. He just can’t stop talking about it! He’ssohappy the alpha recommended you,” she babbled. It took all of my power not to roll my eyes. “This will be so good for both of our families!”
