Chapter 21

Marcus paces around the meeting room behind the library, feeling uneasy. There is still no word of Nicole, despite his staff's best searching. Everything they investigate turns up only the news that Nicole is dead, plain and simple.

She isn't, Marcus can almost swear to it. He doesn't know how he knows – despite their other supernatural gifts, werewolves aren't psychic – but he just knows. Or, more accurately, his wolf knows. Marcus still isn't sure what to make of that.

Alone in the meeting room, Marcus is able to pace to his heart's content. It's hard, sometimes, with so many eyes on all the Alpha family at all times. It's difficult to express oneself, because an Alpha's potential heir has to always be focused, calm, and in control.

Or at least, to look that way.

Marcus is anything but focused, calm, and in control. Nicole lives in his thoughts almost constantly. He dreams about her at night, and he thinks about her all day. Even during his most important meetings, he can feel his concentration being tugged in her direction.

Maddening, what this woman has done to him. He barely knows her, for god's sake. Yet his wolf is drawn to her. He is drawn to her.

He's waiting, now, for Liam to come in with the latest report. Liam is starting to judge Marcus's inexplicable focus on this ex-doctor he's only met a handful of times, Marcus can tell. Well, perhaps "judge" isn't the right term; it's more that Liam is getting concerned.

Marcus can't blame him. Marcus himself is getting concerned. He should be focused on Alpha family matters, on working to secure the position of official heir. There isn't a lot of time left before the Alpha will need to make a decision, and Marcus isn't anywhere near ready to be appointed.

If he can't get things together soon, Daisy or Joel will be appointed, instead. And Marcus is deeply worried about what that will mean for the future of his pack. His community.

Dating Lydia is going…fine. That's the best Marcus can say about it, really. Lydia is fine. She's polite, kind, stylish, and well-mannered. She's well-educated and is involved in over a dozen charities, and is the chairwoman of at least six of them.

Lydia is the perfect companion for society events, and she'd make an excellent Luna. She was born to be a politician's wife, really. She'd enjoy it, would be good at it, and everyone responds well to her.

So, why can't Marcus click with her? She's lovely, and she clearly likes him a great deal. Life with her would be so easy as to be almost effortless. Love is not necessary for an Alpha's marriage – mutual respect and compatibility is more the rule.

But damn it all, he just can't stop thinking about Nicole.

There's a discreet, soft knock at the door, and Liam pokes his head inside.

"Boss?" he asks. "Can we talk?"

"Yes," Marcus says, stopping his pacing and sitting on the edge of the table with a sigh. His father would snap at him if he saw Marcus perched on a 500-year-old antique table like a schoolboy, but his father isn't here, and Liam doesn't tattle.

Liam enters the room properly and closes the door firmly behind him.

"Boss," he says, hesitant but firm. It's clear that he knows Marcus isn't going to like whatever it is he has to say, and Marcus braces himself.

"Go on," Marcus says. "Really, Liam. I'm not going to bite your head off, I promise. Out with it."

Liam sighs, sounding a little relieved.

"It's this Nicole," he says. "I'm sorry, Marcus, but I really think she's gone. Even if she's not dead – you know that I'm inclined to believe your instincts on this – she's just…not here. We can't find her."

Marcus starts to interrupt, but Liam holds up a hand.

"Please, just hear me out. If we can't find her, it means two things. One, she really doesn't want to be found. And two, she must have some very, very powerful friends who are helping to keep her hidden.

"What I'm saying is, if we haven't found her by now, we probably won't be able to. And you also need to consider, Marcus, whether or not you should find her, if she's so hell-bent on remaining unfound."

Marcus is surprised by that, and he knows Liam can read the shock on his face. Liam nods and carries on.

"Something funny is going on here, Marcus. I know that you can feel it, too. There's something odd about these circumstances around Nicole, that drug charge she went to prison for, the loss of her medical license."

Marcus nods reluctantly, and Liam goes on.

"I mean, look at her family for god's sake. Their daughter is supposedly dead, and they haven't even held a memorial. They all got promotions immediately after her death – that timing sure was suspicious – and Charles is swanning around like the cat that caught the canary.

"If Nicole is hiding, she's in trouble. Real, big trouble – trouble big enough that some other major player has stepped in on her behalf to shield her. And we need to think about if you should respect her desire to remain hidden. You might do her more harm than good if you interfere."

Marcus is quiet for a long moment before he speaks, his voice low and rough and filled with despair.

"Liam, if she's in that kind of trouble, I want to help her."

"I know," Liam says with sympathy. "But she either can't or won't seek your help, and forcing it on her might put her in further danger. If you care about her, you won't want that."

"I know," Marcus sighs. "But what if she hasn't come to me for help because she doesn't think I would be there for her? What if I – what if I do what everyone expects, marry Lydia, forget Nicole, and disaster falls anyway? Something I could have prevented?"

"You can't control that," Liam says. "You just can't.

"Look, I'll make you a deal: I'll keep looking, discreetly and quietly, but you have to keep every single thread of this under wraps. You need to proceed as if you've completely forgotten her – and yes, that means proceeding on with Lydia."

They both fall silent for a long moment.

"We'll work this out in the end," Liam says at last. "We will, Marcus. But you're too obvious right now. You're mooning about, getting distracted in meetings, glaring at Charles at odd times. People are talking. You've got to get a grip, man – for your sake, and for her's."

"You're right," Marcus says, lifting a hand to scrub across his face. "I know you're right. Okay, Liam. We'll do it your way. For now."

"Good," Liam looks relieved, like he'd expected Marcus to argue with him. "And now, there's something else that needs your attention. Your father has hired a witch doctor as his primary physician."

"He's what?" Marcus drops his hand and looks up to stare at Liam in disbelief. "Liam, you must be joking. Father is a sensible man; he wouldn't fall for that kind of flim-flam nonsense."

"I'm serious as a heart attack," Liam says, then winces. "Sorry, poor choice of words. But yes, I'm serious. Her name is Evelyn, apparently, and she's both a medical doctor and a witch doctor. Your father feels that modern medicine isn't doing enough, and he wants to try magic."

"Magic isn't real," Marcus argues.

"Says the werewolf," Liam counters ruefully. "Look, I'm just letting you know. I've tried to vet her, but I can't find out much. It's like she just materialized out of thin air. But she comes highly recommended by people your father deeply trusts – Andrea, for one – and he won't be dissuaded."

Marcus runs a distracted hand through his hair and hops off the table to resume his pacing.

"I don't have time for this," he says. "As if we don't have enough to do, now we have to keep an eye on this witch doctor person – wait." He looks at Liam again. "Did you say a medical doctor and a witch doctor? Who appeared out of nowhere? And was recommended by powerful friends of my father?"

Liam nods. "I can see you're wondering what I'm wondering," he says. "Nicole vanishes, and this Evelyn appears days later, right in the Alpha stronghold?"

"I need to meet her," Marcus says. "Now."