40

Maya takes a bite of her cake, appearing to be thinking over my words. “Maybe. If a man did that to me, I would spit on his grave and dance on it. But that’s just me. Look, whatever decision you make, just think it through first. It wouldn’t be the worst decision to pretend to be Erik’s mate. You’d finally be free from everything.”

“But I won’t be able to do my job. I’ll have to leave my career behind. I’ll have to fully step into wolf society, which I don’t want to do.”

She taps her fork on the edge of my cup. “I get that. I wouldn’t be able to leave my job for anything. Just do what you think is best. You don’t have to over analyze everything. Which reminds me, I have to get going.” She shoves the remaining cake in her mouth and gets up. “I’ll see you this weekend. We have a team-building exercise at the institute. Something about how going skiing with each other is going to help us work in the lab together better. I swear, these people are nuts. Just do your job, get the money, and move on. I’ve never understood this team-building nonsense. It’s a waste of time when I could be working.”

My lips twitch as I watch my friend complain. I know she’s going to have the time of her life. She loves skiing. But she also loves her job.

I wait for Maya to leave before taking out the file that Erik sent to me. In it is everything about the two missing teenagers. Friends for years, nothing about them stands out. They’re absolutely ordinary.

I stare at the photograph in the manila folder. It’s of a circle in red paint, inside of which the kids’ wallets and phones were neatly piled.

I slam the file close. It’s just like with the other victims. Their belongings had also been left behind, on a small cross drawn in blood.

I frown, racking my brain.

Why leave those things in plain sight? Why not hide the evidence of the kidnapping? Unless they’re being arrogant. They want us to know.

Opening the folder again, I move the picture aside and focus my attention on the faces of the two victims. They can’t be older than fifteen. Young, confident, they walked through the woods to reach the other side, where the business district in their area is located. Young shifters like this would have shifted into their wolf forms rather than walked. If they were captured and rendered unconscious, they would have shifted back. The wolves here wear the special clothing that disappears when they shift. That is how their belongings must have been taken from them.

I can understand why Erik came to me with this case. So far, his intelligence unit has been investigating from a shifter’s point of view. I studied under humans. I know that motivations can differ. If we are dealing with humans here, I may be able to help. But there is no way humans would have been able to overpower Harold. And two young juveniles? Impossible.

Tranquilizers don’t work on us. Even our own kind hasn’t been able to create something that can knock us out, so how could humans?

At least, that’s the general consensus.

Wolf shifters don’t believe in the concept of autopsies. They find the whole ordeal disrespectful, which is why none was conducted for Harold. But a preliminary exam report showed clear signs of torture when he was found.

And then there was the clear look of madness in his eyes. He had been rabid in his last moments, and his attacks had been on his own body. As if he had been trying to get rid of something.

That was a year ago.

I know this is personal for Erik, but I also know that he is concerned about these recent kidnappings. There had been no reported abductions of this nature before Harold’s.

Erik tasked two members of his intelligence unit to investigate the matter of Harold’s kidnapping after Harold was found. Both investigators were found dead in their homes, their hearts torn out and placed in their hands.

I’ve been following this investigation off the record, making sure to remain discreet. I do not want to get involved officially. Even now, I don’t think it’s a good idea. But the manipulative bastard is dangling the carrot that is my son’s guaranteed safety in front of me. I know he knows I’ll bite.

There’s nothing in this world more important to me than Finn. No matter where I go or how much time passes, I would be a fool to think that my son will ever truly be safe. It is only a matter of time before somebody or other sees him and recognizes him. As Finn grows up, he resembles Cedric more and more. There is nothing I can do about it.

Yet, Cedric never even had the chance to touch me on a full moon night. Even if somebody has suspicions, they would have no reason to believe that Finn is his son. And if I go along with Erik’s plan, the chances of even that much will disappear.

I lean back in my chair, looking at the ceiling.

I already know what I will do. Erik is willing to keep Finn safe. After seeing that even children are at risk of being kidnapped now, how can I sit still when I have a child of my own?

I guess it’s time to stop dancing around the subject.

 

  

Unlike the Eastern Wolf Kingdom’s palace or the castle in the Northern Wolf Kingdom, Erik’s home is more like a sprawling mansion on the outskirts of the city. It is surrounded by forest, acres and acres of it. The Veil is at the edge of the forest, near the ocean that borders it. No human or shifter is allowed there.

The comforts of the human world are so different. Even the staff in Erik’s home behaves differently than what I was once accustomed to. Erik is in a meeting, and the butler takes me to the palace gardens so that Finn can run around.

“The king had a sudden visitor. He asked me to make sure you stay in the gardens. Please don’t wander around.”

His words surprise me. The other times I’ve visited here, I have never received such a stern warning.

“Right.” I don’t really mind. Besides, Finn likes the gardens. My son zips past me, bursting from his human form. I watch him scamper about, a small, dark wolf, and I can’t help but smile. He sprints back to me, nipping at my heels, and I know he wants me to transform, as well.

I shake my head. “I can’t. You go play, but stay where I can see you.”

He huffs in agreement, and I head over to the gazebo where I can keep an eye on him.

It’s winter, but the flowers are in full bloom. The Human Wolf Kingdom has contracts with witches who live among the humans, and they regulate the temperature of the palace and its grounds. I consider this a useless luxury, and when I once pointed it out, Erik just shrugged casually and told me that being king should have some perks. But I don’t believe he is as carefree as he likes his people to believe. I find him to be sharp, astute, and highly manipulative.

I’ve always been sensitive to people’s moods. I’ve had to be, to survive. From what I know, before his older brother’s disappearance, Erik was the commander of the kingdom’s army. However, when Griffin vanished, Erik stepped up to the throne, and he has done quite well. But he hasn’t stopped looking for his brother. Even now, after all these years, he still believes that Griffin is alive somewhere out there. When Erik mentions him, which is incredibly rare, there’s a deep sadness in his eyes, a desolate yearning and despair that make my own heart ache.

Erik’s offer is tempting, even the part where his protection will extend to me if I agree to be his mate. But if I mate him, I’ll become visible. Bella and Vivian will find out about me. I don’t think either of them will like this outcome, and they will go to any length to sabotage me. If they can taint Finn’s image using my unknown origins, I don’t think I’ll be able to bear it.

I watch the small wolf run through the rose bushes, and I struggle to draw a breath. I know I’m overthinking. Over the years, Erik has let me know that he is aware of my past. I never told him who I was, but it shouldn’t surprise me that he knew. And now—

Wait. Where is Finn?

I can no longer hear the delighted howls of my son. I get to my feet and look around. I can’t see him, either.