Page 59 of Assisting the Alpha
Jet nods. “I know.”
“Suspects are a different matter, though. Maybe.” I look at my second-in-command, who is far more aware of the legalities of the contract. “Ideas?”
Raj shifts in his seat. “There might be something. Let me touch base with Wren from the mayor’s office. If anyone knows of a loophole, it’ll be her.”
“Are we sure we can trust her?” Skye asks. “The coven have had this contract for years despite extreme bias towards other species.”
“They are most likely paying someone off,” Cal says.
Raj nods. “I agree; however, Wren joined the mayor’s team a year ago after transferring from another city and was the key instigator in opening up the bidding for the task force contract renewal.”
It’s a risk, but perhaps one worth taking. Whatever we do has to be above board. “Do it. The side quest is only approved if it’s legal, even if it’s tenuous.”
We spend the next couple of hours in the conference room going over every aspect of tonight’s mission. It’s nearing mid-afternoon by the time we have the details nailed down. Ayo and Cal stop in the kitchen to make us all more coffee and tea while the rest of us head to our desks to tackle what we need to do before tonight.
Step one: Check nothing urgent has come up while we’ve been talking. My email inbox has more unread emails than I want to deal with right now, so I quickly scan the list for anyone I can’t put off until tomorrow.
There’s one from the mayor’s office. From Wren, actually. “Raj, are you copied in on this email?”
“The one from Wren? Yep, just about to open it.”
Good, I can pass that off to him. I open an email from Dante, who I still haven’t met yet. He’s suggesting we meet. It’s friendly enough and not urgent, so I mark that one to come back to.
Before I can open anything else, Raj’s scent fills with absolute panic a moment before he rushes from the room.
I stand immediately. “Raj?”
Jet and Skye shoot to their feet, ready to take on whatever they need to. Kit, of course, has wheeled themself over to Raj’s computer.
Kit’s face goes pale. “Oh, shit.”
“What?” I bark. The three of us crowd around Kit to read over their shoulder.
It’s the email from Wren. I hadn’t checked the time stamp—it was sent before Raj contacted her this afternoon—and is about our eligibility for the contract. How our bid isn’t valid unless we’re a registered supe group. A registered pack.
White-hot anger surges through me. “What the actual FUCK?!”
Jet, Kit, and Skye manage to back up a moment before my shift overtakes me, tearing my clothes to shreds as my wolf demands an outlet for our rage. Has all our hard work been for nothing? The very people who could be murdering their own put in charge of Birchester’s supernatural policing, just because we’re not a fuckingpack?
I snarl and shove Raj’s desk with my shoulder, unbalancing everything and toppling the whole thing over with a crash, computer and all.
Ayo, Cal, and Raj rush into the room as the others back up to the corners. I know they won’t leave me just as they know I won’t hurt them. I pace the room, snarling at the stupid computer with its stupid email. It’s lived its last day. Good fucking riddance.
Ayo plants himself in my path and opens his arms to me. I don’t hesitate. I trot over to him and nuzzle him, careful not to push too hard and hurt him. He wraps his arms around my neck and hugs me, stroking my fur and rubbing behind my ears in the spot he knows I like.
Too soon for my liking, he pulls back. “Raj told me about the email.”
I growl, baring my teeth.
Ayo taps me on the nose. “Nope, none of that. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to shift back and tell me why beinga pack with these people who would follow you to hell and back is a bad thing.”
My heart is still pounding, my chest painfully tight. I’m not sure I can shift back right now.
I look around the room at my team, all of whom are grim-faced but still fucking here. Raj is the only one who knows the full story, yet all of them respect how I feel about ever having a pack again.
I focus on my boyfriend again, this adorable sorcerer full of so much happiness despite everything life has thrown at him. I would do anything for this man.
I shift back and tug Ayo into my arms, holding him tight and trembling as I bury my face in his neck. He holds me just as tightly.
