“Why should we tellyou?” The younger male walked towards his Alpha, stopping a footbehind him. “You could be anyone. Simply claiming to be Heather’scousin and yet having a Vampire for a friend. Seems fishy to me.Considering how much you all hate Vampires.”
The model was going totell me how much my family hated Vampires. Cutting off a bemusedlaugh, I slid my dagger back into its holster and took a few stepsinto the room.
“My name is DanielleRenaud, and I am the niece of Sofia Renaud who recruited a guycalled Brendan, who is a member of your Pack, t’help my cousin,Heather Ryan. Brendan helping her was the last bit of informationwe received from Heather. It’s been over three weeks. I’m here—Imean, we’re here looking for her.”
“She is who she saysshe is.” Graham reached into his pocket and retrieved a small cardand held it out to Carter.
The Alpha didn’tglance down. Instead, the younger man plucked the card fromGraham’s fingers and looked at the piece of plastic.
“Could be fake.”
“It’s not,” Grahamreplied. “Plus, Heather’s scent is on her, and Brendan’s on him asthey have been staying in her home.”
“Using their stuff.”The younger male moved past his Alpha.
“Heather’s clothes area little too tight for me,” Nathan explained.
I mimicked theWerewolf’s steps, wanting to keep as much distance between them alland Nathan. I stopped a breath away from him, only having to liftmy head slightly to meet his gaze.
“Nice photo.” He gaveme a toothy grin. Flecks of silver danced in his brown eyes as hehanded my driver’s license back to me.
“Thanks.” I slid thecard into my jacket pocket, before angling a look at the doctor. “Iwould have given it t’you if you would have asked.”
“My apologies.” Hedidn’t look very sorry.
“Now, would you kindlytell me where my cousin is?”
“Italy,” the Alphareplied.
Shit. Italy? What? Whythe hell would she go to Italy?
My brow furrowed. Itook a few steps back, so I was able to look at the burly male.“Did she happen t’mention why?”
“Surely, you couldcall and ask her yourself?” The young male studied me.
“Heather doesn’t own amobile.”
He snorted. “Whodoesn’t own a mobile nowadays?”
“It’s the truth.” Thefully clothed male finally spoke. “She didn’t have one, butconsidering the circumstances, we acquired one for her so she cankeep in touch.”
“Circumstances?” Iquipped my eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”
“Other than the factthat you have a Leech for a friend?”
“Owen,” the clothedmale warned. “She received a letter from Sofia with a plane ticketinside.”
I sighed. “Sonaturally, she is doing as she is told.”
Great. I finally foundher, and now, she was in another country following instructions todo what, exactly? God knows what my aunt had said to get her to goover there.
“She’s gone to lookfor Marie.” The clothed male seemed to have read my mind. “Shebelieves our taken Pack members may be on their way there.”
“What?”
“Elle?”
Owen growled low inhis throat, unfolding his arms.
I scowled at himbefore turning to Nathan who had stepped further into the room.
“Marie is Luca’smother, right?”
“Aye, and one ofMarko’s Bloodlings.”
His brow furrowed.“So, she’s still hunting for Marko.”
She was doing what shewas told to do. What we had been trained to do.
“If your Pack havebeen taken there, then why haven’t you gone after them?”
“None of yourbusiness.”
“Owen,” the clothedmale warned again, stepping toward the model. “Pack politics.”
“It’s a hunch.” Cartersuddenly sounded somewhat defeated. “Heather isn’t sure, but shebelieves the fact that Sofia sent a ticket… so on so forth.”
“We don’t know forsure.”
“Hence your new punchbag?” I nodded toward Michael.
“And why Brendan hasbeen allowed to go across and stay with her. Why we provided herwith a phone.”
The clothed maleseemed so out of place in this room. Despite being dressed in jeansand a forest green sweater, he looked a little like the male whohad caught Nathan the other night. That air of a businessman abouthim. Yet, he seemed reserved, not to mention a hell of a lot calmerthan everyone else in this room. His hair was more of a chestnutbrown, and like his Alpha’s, fell to just under his ear. Lightstubble covered his strong jawline, and his eyes, though tired,were a warm mix of hazel with dashes of gold.
“You’re using herto—”
“We’re not using her,”Carter snapped. “She was going regardless, and she offered to keepher eyes and ears open.”
So not only was mycousin hunting for Marko, but she was trying to rescue kidnappedWerewolves. What the hell was going on?
“Dante, you need t’seesomething.” Graham reached behind his back and pulled a manilafolder out of the back of his trousers.
“Hey, that’s mine.”Nathan stopped by my side, unable to go any further when Owenstepped in his path. “I thought I’d lost it.”
This time, a dry laughdid escape me. “You certainly have some hidden talents,Doctor.”
He ignored my commentand handed Nathan’s folder to Dante, the clothed, guy, who openedit immediately and began reading.
“Is it a souvenirfolder from all your victims?” Liquid silver pooled into Owen’seyes now that he and Nathan stood toe to toe.
The comment causedNathan’s spine to go rigid. His face now back to the shade of whiteI was accustomed to, he locked eyes with the Werewolf, any sign ofhis earlier nerves gone.
“It’s my autopsy.” Thewords were punctuated slowly through clenched teeth. “And everylittle detail on what the Leeches did t’turn me into one ofthem.”
“He wasn’t turned,” Istated, not even sure if they would understand what I meant, buthopefully, and considering everything they had been throughrecently and having Heather around, they’d get it.
“No, he was verycarefully created,” Dante commented and looked up at me. “Thisisn’t normal even for them.”
He said it as a fact,but the slight crease at the top of his nose was indication enoughhe wasn’t sure.
“No. That’s anotherreason why we needed Heather. She would be the only one who couldexplain this, and what it might mean.” Taking Nathan’s hand, Itugged him away from Owen. “Graham explained what happened, theLeeches taking Brendan and Heather, the Infecteds—”
“The fire.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”Owen sneered as he started to circle me and Nathan.
“I had nothing to dowith that.” Nathan directed the comment at Dante.
“You expect us tobelieve you, Leech?”
“Do you judge everyindividual for the mistakes of their species?” He let go of my
