C5

"You should think about your future, Evan," I said, my voice as sharp as a silver-laced blade. "Unless you're looking for a permanent mark on your record that effectively ends your medical career before it starts."

I watched him blink, the arrogance in his scent momentarily replaced by a sharp spike of panic. I wasn't the submissive partner he thought he could manipulate anymore.

"Jack, what is wrong with you?" Evan’s voice wavered. "Since when do you care more about a delivery boy than me? I'm your partner!"

"Is that a fact?" I crossed my arms, leaning back against the precinct desk. "Do you really want me to start listing the things I care about right now, Evan? Because we can start with exactly what you were doing in that Audi an hour ago."

Evan’s face went pale for a split second before he forced a nervous laugh, trying to play it off with that same hollow charm. "What are you talking about? Who got our lead doctor so riled up? Just tell me, Jack, and I'll handle them for you. I'm the only one who looks out for you!"

I felt a surge of cold fury. This was the man who had just promised to let my mother die, yet here he was, still trying to play the protective Alpha. His acting was flawless; if I hadn't been standing in that parking garage, I might have actually believed he cared.

"Save it," I said, turning away. "I’m leaving."

"Wait, I'll drive you!" Evan scrambled after me, but he was intercepted by a veteran Enforcer.

"Not so fast, Dr. Mercer," the Enforcer growled. "We still have the matter of the assault. You're not going anywhere until you settle with Gregory."

"It’s just money!" Evan snarled. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a thick roll of bills, and threw them directly at Gregory’s feet. "There! Take it and buy yourself some better scrounging gear. Now stay away from my mate."

The lobby went silent. The casual disrespect of the gesture—throwing money at a pack member like he was a stray—made every wolf in the room stiffen.

"The Northern Territory doesn't run on bribes, Mercer," the Enforcer said, picking up the cash and shoving it back into Evan's chest. "Follow the procedure. Now."

Evan groaned, rubbing his temples. "Fine! Just hurry it up. Jack, wait for me in the truck. I'll be out in ten minutes."

I didn't answer. I walked out of the heavy glass doors without looking back.

I was halfway to my truck when I saw two figures standing by a black SUV with a shredded tire. Silas Crowe was gesturing wildly at the wheel, his voice hoarse from grieving.

"Alpha, it’s completely blown," Silas groaned. "I can try to find a rogue-run taxi, but at this hour in Grimford? We’ll be waiting until sunrise."

"It's fine, Silas," Ronan’s voice was a low, calm rumble. "We'll wait."

I pulled my truck alongside them and rolled down the window. "Need a lift to the Blackridge Estate?"

Silas looked at me like I’d just handed him a fated mate bond. "Dr. Quinn! You're a lifesaver. Alpha, look—an actual ride!"

Ronan’s eyes met mine through the window. He didn't say anything at first, just gave a slow, appreciative nod before walking around to the passenger side.

Watching a man who stood six-foot-three try to fold himself into the cab of my truck was an exercise in physics. I cleared my throat, pointing to the lever. "Seat adjustment is on the left. You might need all the room you can get."

"I'll manage," Ronan said, his voice vibrating through the small space. Even with the seat pushed back, his knees were dangerously close to the dashboard, and his scent—that intoxicating mix of cedar and mountain air—instantly filled the cabin, making the air feel thick.

"Where am I dropping you first?" I asked, putting the truck in gear.

"Linxi Sector for me," Silas chimed in from the back. "I need to get word to the rest of the kin about the funeral arrangements. Just call me Silas, by the way. After today, 'Mr. Crowe' feels too formal."

I nodded, pulling out of the precinct lot. "You've seen the updated DNA reports, haven't you?" I asked, looking toward Ronan.

The rogue case was tearing Grimford apart. This latest victim, Silas’s cousin, was the fourth this year, but the timing was all wrong. The others were months apart. This one was barely a week since the last kill.

"I've seen them," Ronan said, his profile sharp against the passing streetlights. "The shift in DNA suggests we aren't looking at a single hunter anymore. It’s either a copycat or a pack of rogues trying to bait us into a territorial war."

"It’s a provocation," I added, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Every bite mark is a signature. He wants the Blackridge Enforcers to know he’s not afraid of the new Alpha."

"He should be," Ronan replied. His voice was quiet, but it held a predatory promise that made my pulse quicken.

We dropped Silas off at the gates of the Linxi Sector. Once he was gone, the silence in the truck became heavy, charged with a tension I couldn't quite name.

"Captain Blackridge, about the Estate—"

"I’m not your captain, Jack."

I glanced at him, startled. He was watching me, his obsidian eyes reflecting the dashboard lights.

"Just call me Ronan."

"Ronan?" I hesitated. It felt too intimate, too weighted. "I think I'll stick with Mr. Blackridge for now. We aren't exactly on a first-name basis."

I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. A smile?

"As you wish," he said.

"Besides," I added, trying to lighten the mood as I turned toward the Northern Territory lines. "You share a name with an Elder I know. It would feel strange."