Chapter 47

I braced myself for the gossip when I got into the office the next morning.

After James had left yesterday, the other deltas had been suspiciously quiet. I knew they were waiting for me to leave to start speculating on James, and me, and my family.

I was surprised to find that no one seemed to be talking about me. Maybe I got away with it?

But no. While there was no feeling of eyes on me—that sense where you walk into a room and realize everyone’s been talking about you—there were whispers. All the deltas were talking about something.

But it wasn’t about me.

I exhaled in relief, but the tension returned as quickly as it left. The name I kept hearing was Maya’s, and whatever they were saying about her couldn’t be good for me.

I walked into the break room and put the kettle on to make a cup of tea. I tried to look casual, but everyone stopped talking when I walked in anyway.

I was hoping they’d just keep talking, but no luck with that. The room had gone silent as soon as I entered. I’d have to ask.

“What’s up this morning?” I asked finally. I tried to make my voice sound casual, but it didn’t work. I could hear the tremor there.

Elle and Laila looked at each other, then back at me.

Elle cleared her throat.

“Maya has been promoted to Chief Delta.”

I felt my jaw fall open, and volcanic anger swell up in my chest. Fury didn’t begin to describe it.

He seriously had the nerve to find a fated mate, fall in love with her, ask me to carry on like nothing happened, get me pregnant, put me through hell in every way.

Then give someone else my job?

I practically ran to Hunter’s office.

I there the door open so hard it hit the interior wall with a bang.

Hunter was blinking up at me from the other side of his desk.

I wasn’t about to entertain any attempts to play dumb. Not with this.

“You’re giving away my job? After everything else?” My voice was harsh and raspy, but steady. Intimidating.

“No, I—” he paused, half standing, then sitting back down when he saw the expression on my face. “Sit. Calm down,” he continued. My blood was magma. “I mean—just let me explain.”

I didn’t sit, just continued glaring at him.

“You’re still Chief Delta. I’m not giving her your job, just a promotion. You’ll be dual Chief Deltas.”

It was hard to imagine anything I wanted less than sharing the role with her.

“But why? What do you gain? What does she gain? She obviously can’t do the job. Why even put her in that position?”

“Well, you’re going to be impressed. Her plan for the next phase of the investigation into the rogues was genius. It reminded me of something you would come up with. Take a look at the summary document.”

I scanned the page he held out to me quickly.

My first thought was that it was genius.

My second was that it seemed familiar.

I slowed down, and read more slowly. My skin felt tingly, like there were pinpricks all over it.

Ire swelled like magma.

It was my plan.

It was one of the files I’d synced to my new tablet, so I could work on it when I went to the Gamma camp next.

And of course, I hadn’t figured out how to lock the tablet.

I was angry with myself as well, for trusting anyone. Sure, it had been in my locked drawer, but it wouldn’t have been that hard to get the key out of the ring on my purse while I was in the bathroom or something.

The door opened again and Maya walked in. Her nostrils flared and for a moment it seemed like she was going to begin yelling at Hunter, or at me, for being alone in here together.

Then she saw my face.

“So you’re just helping yourself to my work now?” She blinked slowly.

“Wha—what are you talking about?” She was trying to sound light and casual, but it didn’t work.

“You know exactly what you did. That plan was on my new tablet, and I haven’t figured out how to secure it yet. You must have gotten the key out of my purse and gone into my drawer to get at the tablet.”

“That’s a little over the top,” Hunter said hesitantly. “It’s a serious accusation.”

The other deltas were congregating around the outside of the office, looking in. Hunter continued, glancing up at the crowd. Now he knew that other people were listening.

“You’re just suggesting that because you’re biased against Kara,” he said loudly. He grabbed Maya’s hand.

I deflated. The anger gave way to sadness.

It wasn’t new, really. Since the ball everything between them was out in the open. But on purpose, here, in front of my colleagues, just after my work had been plagiarized, it felt even worse. I’d been a secret for years. He was proud to show everyone Maya was his.

I put my chin up and stalked from the office.

If I didn’t have anything else, I needed to make sure I maintained my dignity, at least.

Besides, the pack school was opening the next day, and I still had a lot of work to do.

I looked around the room. Leo was hanging around again—I’d just seen him in the break room chatting with Laila. I needed some support from friends, as well as some actual help with the setup.

“Hey Elle, could you find Leo and come over here?” I asked.

It took a few minutes—longer than I thought it should—but they eventually came over to my desk.

“Hey, I could really use some help with the final walkthrough of the school building and finalizing the itinerary for tomorrow. Could you two drive over with me and help out a bit?”

My voice came out excited, but maybe a little pleading. I really needed them.

They looked at each other then back at me. The seconds stretched out.

“What?” I asked finally.

“I’m sorry, Kara,” Elle said finally. “We have an assignment from Maya we need to work on.”

Leo looked down at his feet.

“An assignment from Maya?” I asked stupidly.

“Yeah,” Leo said, “she asked for help with something and the way things are going, we figured we shouldn’t say no. Better to get in her good books now if she’s on the way up and you’re—”

Elle leaned over and elbowed Leo in the stomach. He grunted and looked back down.

I had to give them credit, I thought bitterly as I walked out into the cold sunshine toward my car by myself. At least they were making the most of the situation. I guessed they might as well gain Maya’s favor if they could. As much as it stung, after having been friends with them for years. Leo was right. Maya was on the way up, and I was on the way out.