Chapter 12

Leo recovered first.

He dropped my hand and walked toward the bench.

“Hey guys,” he said brightly, waving a hand limply at Hunter and Maya. “We were about to head back to the office. Shall we debrief my trip and the new member initiation ceremony plans in 10 minutes?”

Hunter didn’t respond.

Maya cleared her throat and piped up, eyes bright.

“I promise I won’t tell anyone about you two.”

She looked pleased with herself. Probably relieved at the thought of me being interested in anyone besides Hunter. And probably eager to do me a “favor” and make sure she was back in my good books after her outburst.

Leo looked toward Hunter, who still hadn’t moved or spoken.

“Oh, Kara and I are just friends,” he said, addressing Maya. “We’ve just known each other a long time. She’s always been clumsy, too.” He smirked, playfully punching my upper arm.

Maya raised her eyebrows. She didn’t look convinced.

“Oh, okay, I just thought—” she started. Hunter cut across her.

“Kara, I need to see you in my office about your intelligence report.”

I nodded and followed him along the path back toward the building. He held his arms at an awkward angle and I kept my distance. The air between us felt charged and frosty.

I didn’t think he could care much, though. For one thing, he’d been friends with both of us long enough to know that Leo and my bantering manner didn’t mean anything. That there had never been anything between us.

But even if there was, what right did he have to care?

I hadn’t been into his office in a few days.

I blinked as I followed him into the room.

There were now several sea-green throw pillows and a blanket folded on the arm of the gray leather sofa that had formerly been bare.

An abstract watercolor painting hung on the wall behind his desk.

A sea-glass paperweight sat under a new lamp.

Clearly Maya’s doing.

I tried to remember how many times over the years I’d suggested he add some more homey touches or design elements to either his office or the Alpha suite, to make the space more comfortable. Probably hundreds. He’d ignored or rebuffed me every time.

I guessed everything was different when Maya asked.

Maya entered the office just behind us and sat on the sofa. She looked at-ease and comfortable there.

Not right now, though.

“Maya, I have classified information to report.” I said calmly. “I’m afraid you don’t have the clearance to listen to this meeting. Can you go work on the next phase of the ceremony preparations, please?”

She pouted, and looked at Hunter. I wondered if he was going to let her stay.

“She’s right, Maya. I do need you to leave.”

She blinked, looking surprised, but slowly stood and left the office, closing the door behind her.

“What have you found?” Hunter asked quietly.

I’d been continuing to investigate the Gamma team since my visit to the compound and review of the footage.

“I’ve been reviewing their tactics and talking with command staff about protocols for shift changes and patrols. I also reviewed all the watchtower positions to make sure every section of road on our land has a clear line of sight to it. We’ve made some changes that should mean there’s full coverage with visuals and patrols.”

He leaned forward, nodding.

“But I haven’t been able to figure out who told the rogues that we would be on that road. Or why they were targeting Maya. I know someone who works in this building must have been involved, since they wouldn’t otherwise know where we’d be. But I wonder if someone on Gamma team had something to do with it as well. It seems too coincidental that there would have been that big a gap in their patrol coverage at shift change that they wouldn’t have spotted the rogues.”

“What makes you think that?”

“For one thing, we weren’t there exactly on the hour. Shift change should have been 45 minutes after we passed by. And to be honest I just have a feeling there’s something going on.”

He nodded slowly.

“Does it have anything to do with the officer you had punished?”

“I don’t think so,” I replied. “I suspect he’s just a drunk and lazy. The Captain assured me he’s on probation. I didn’t get the sense he was smart enough to be involved in something like this.”

“So we’re looking for someone more cunning.”

“Definitely. And we have to figure out who from this office was involved. I’ve been reviewing our security footage as well for anyone making suspicious phone calls or visibly texting around that time, but haven’t spotted anything.”

“I can pull the phone records for you,” he said quickly. “Would that help?”

“Definitely, thanks.”

“And any insight on why they would have targeted Maya?”

“Not yet. There aren’t many sources of information on rogues for me to discern many details about her background or their motivations. Have you asked her if she knows why they would have been after her?”

He shook his head.

“Good work,” he said after a short pause. “Keep at it and let me know what else you find.”

For a moment, it had felt like it used to between us. When we were working together for the good of the pack, both doing our jobs well.

Then I stood to leave. His expression darkened again.

“I need you to be more mindful of your behavior on pack grounds,” he said. “That scene with Leo was unprofessional.”

I clenched my jaw. An old friend catching me when I almost fell was hardly a “scene.”

More importantly, it didn’t even begin to compare with how he and Maya had been behaving.

I tried to hold my tongue, but it was just too unfair.

“And your constant communication with Maya isn’t an overstep of boundaries?” I retorted sharply. “You do know everyone is gossiping about whether or not you’re sleeping with her.”

He recoiled back in his chair, looking as surprised as if I’d slapped him.

I could hear the tension under his voice when he replied.

“From now on, the tasks you do to assist me will be passed to Maya instead. There will no longer be any need to overstep your normal duties as Chief Delta.”

My heart ached.

To hear everything I did for him—had been doing for him for years—boiled down to such casual words. As if it all meant nothing.

He was throwing away years of me showing how much I loved him through my every action. Every time I anticipated his needs because I knew him better than just about anyone else in the world.

“Why?” I asked. I was disappointed to realize that my voice was plaintive, almost whiny. I couldn’t help it.

His voice stayed restrained and cold as he answered.

“I don’t want others to misunderstand anymore.”

As if everything we had was nothing more than a misunderstanding. And all that mattered was what other people thought.

“You mean you don’t want Maya to misunderstand anymore?”