His eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re kidding me, right? Hayden, you just saw what I did.” The blond beta slapped his palms against the roof and stood up. “Don’t you think it was suspicious?” He jutted out an arm and motioned toward the alleyway below. “Falco can’t even control himself in front of a human. He…”
Asher stopped abruptly, his face creasing into sudden understanding. The way he looked at Hayden would make anyone feel ashamed about themselves. “I get it,” he murmured, deeply disenchanted. “Come on, I should probably get you home before Cole notices.”
It took Hayden a few seconds to register that Asher was already walking toward the edge of the roof. She leaped off her feet and hurried toward him.
“Asher,” she called out softly, not liking how he seemed to have come to a silent conclusion about her. Reaching out, she curled a hand around his elbow and held him back. “I didn’t say I didn’t believe you. It just seems unreliable.”
He turned to look down at her, his features hard. “It is unreliable, but Falco is an Alpha. If we don’t speak up now and stop him, he may put his whole pack in danger.” Asher exhaled through his nose, pulling his arm free from Hayden’s hold. “But I understand if you don’t want to tell Cole. After all, you’d be revealing the fact that you snuck out against his orders just to see me.”
Hayden watched him jump down from the roof, landing silently on the concrete below. His words and his reaction made it seem as if she would willingly sacrifice the life of others just so she wouldn’t have to tell Cole about tonight.
She didn’t want anyone else to get hurt on her account, but she also wanted to avoid bringing Cole into this. If he found out about her betrayal, he would be beyond angry, beyond hurt.
Hayden jumped down after him, persistently following close behind him. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt, Asher. I just don’t want to tell Cole unless we’re completely positive that it’s Falco. Cole would be furious I snuck out after he deliberately told me not to. I don’t want to break his trust.”
Asher whirled around with a grim laugh. He placed his palms on her shoulders and shook her once. “But you are breaking his trust. Right now.” His restricting hold gradually turned gentle and he seemed to lose his harshness. “Being with me tonight means you’re going against his word. You’re completely disrespecting his orders and his position as Alpha.”
The words were harsh, but so true. Still, Hayden didn’t like his bluntness.
“You’re doing the same thing to your father,” Hayden responded icily, wanting to hurt him as much as he had unintentionally hurt her.
But as soon as the words hung in the air, she chastised herself. Asher wasn’t the one to blame. She was the one responsible for her own actions.
“I don’t worship my father like you worship Cole,” Asher reasoned bitterly and took his hands from her shoulders. “I don’t want to fight with you, Hayden. I really do understand why you don’t want to tell Cole about tonight. I’d prefer if my father didn’t find out either.”
They lapsed into silence as they walked down the street that led to their pack homes.
Hayden watched his back, conflicted. Considering what happened with Devan and Joseph, it would have been ideal to keep her relationship platonic with Asher. Not only would it spare her the endless stress of being found out by Cole, but it would also save them the despair in the end.
Nevertheless, she liked being close with Asher and spending time with him. He was obviously interested in her as well. If Cole persistently reminded Hayden there was nothing between them, then she couldn’t feel guilty for seeing Asher in a romantic light.
“I don’t worship him,” Hayden addressed Asher’s turned back. “I respect him as my Alpha, but I also like meeting with you. If he finds out, I lose both of you.”
Asher stopped in front of the large weeping willow that stood a few feet from Cole’s territory. He turned to her, the glow from the moon highlighting the small, pleased smile across his face.
“I know that, Hayden,” the beta answered smoothly. “I didn’t mean to make you feel as if you had to choose between your pack and me. But maybe someday we can figure something out that doesn’t require so much secrecy.”
She nodded in agreement, but inwardly, she grimly accepted that Cole would never agree to something that would benefit Asher.
A soft hand touched her jaw, luring Hayden out from her thoughts. She looked up, feeling her chest tighten as he bent down and tenderly brushed his lips across her cheek.
“We have to do this again,” Hayden found herself requesting when he pulled back. “Or, at least we can meet by the territory line again.” She wasn’t too fond of stakeouts, especially if they resulted in what happened tonight.
“We’ll plan on it,” he responded pleasantly. With one last stroke to her jaw, Asher brushed past Hayden and back toward his own house.
She looked after him, overwhelmed with uncertainty. Was she really doing the right thing by keeping Falco’s assault a secret from Cole? Even if Falco seemed out of control tonight, Hayden couldn’t see the Alpha killing his pack omega. He couldn’t be the killer, but Asher and Red Donovan certainly thought so.
“I really do hope you aren’t doing anything stupid with pretty-boy.”
Hayden gawked at Blake who had all but materialized from behind a tree. His eyes were half-lidded with sleep and his hair was in complete disarray. He leaned heavily against the tree trunk, his face slack with exhaustion and his mouth open, ready to begin snoring. Dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers, he appeared as if he were simply sleepwalking.
At her shocked silence, Blake snorted. “You know stupid things, like mating with him and making litters of your own.”
“Litters?” she repeated dubiously. Her cheeks burned with both anger and humiliation. “I don’t need you to tell me not to do anything stupid. I already know that.”
“Hey,” he exclaimed in mock offense. “I’m your big brother. It’s my duty to slap away leering predators like Asher and to remind you not to get blinded by the power of his dimples.” At her deadpanned expression, he shrugged. “It can happen.”
Hayden offered him one last unimpressed stare before she began taking off her shoes and stuffing them into her backpack. “Why are you even out here?” she demanded. His presence made Hayden leery that the rest of the pack knew of her absence and were currently waiting inside to confront her.
Blake sighed and hugged the tree. Laying his cheek against the bark, he assessed her in sleepy amusement. “I had to take a piss, but Fergus plugged the toilet downstairs. So, on my way to the toilet, I noticed a cold draft coming from underneath the crack of your door. And low and behold, after inviting myself into your room, I noticed you were gone.”
He thrust a thumbs-up toward Hayden. “Good plan, by the way,” he drawled sarcastically. “Next time you might just want to escape through the back door. Cole’s a heavy sleeper, but he’s sensitive about his tools going missing. I’d get the screen up on your window as soon as possible and get his screwdriver back before morning.”
The more he babbled on, the more Hayden was reminded of why she loved Blake so much. “Cole doesn’t even do anything handy around the house,” she argued unnecessarily. “He always makes us do things.”
Eyebrows furrowed in scornful agreement. “True, but he’s anal about things being put in their place. I swear he admires his polished toolset every day before he goes to work. One screwdriver out of place will set him off.”
Hayden’s smile vanished when she realized she hadn’t asked Blake the most pressing question. “And?” she prodded softly. “Are you going to tell Cole about this?”
Blake looked as if he were considering the immoral implications of blackmailing her in return for his silence. Then he just shrugged carelessly and buried his face further into the trunk.
“No, I already knew about your weekly meetings with Asher. I am in charge during the day and I’ve noticed your disappearance. Just know Cole
will be beyond furious when he finds out.” He closed one eye and peered at her closely. “I thought there was something going on with you and Cole.”
Hayden narrowed her eyes, inhaling deeply to calm herself. Had she made her attractions to Cole that obvious? She didn’t think she had, especially considering she just recently recognized the extent to her feelings herself. But not only had Fergus noticed something, but every member of the pack had commented on it.
She stepped on the lawn in a threatening manner. “Do all of you have secret seminars about us?” she asked icily. Poking a finger into Blake’s chest, she pushed at him, emphasizing her point. “There is nothing between Cole and me. Alright?”
His eyes widened and he waved his hands in surrender. “Ok,” he conceded passively. He followed her retreat with his eyes, a sudden smirk blossoming in mischief. “Or you’re just in denial. It doesn’t suit you, Hayden.”
As she retreated to the pack house, a sudden wave of melancholy washed through her. She wasn’t in denial. She had seen the connection she shared with Cole just as everyone else had. Cole was the one who had firmly rebuffed any sort of affection for her. He had claimed it was just his duty as her Alpha and she had felt mortified for even thinking something was there to begin with.
_______________
The pancake was already swollen with syrupy goodness, but Hayden continued to rub it through the rivulets of syrup and butter anyway. She kept her gaze on her breakfast, ignoring the rest of the pack as they conversed around the table. Across from her, Fergus and Blake were having a contest to see who could eat the most pancakes, effectively reducing the amount of intake for the rest of the pack.
Even Devan and Nathan were speaking quietly with one another. The other female looked more alive than she had all week. Hayden felt immensely jealous of her. She had all but switched places with the other woman. Seeing Asher behind everyone’s back made Hayden feel disjointed from the rest of the pack. It’s no wonder Devan had carried a chip on her shoulder for so long.
Addie suddenly jumped up from her chair when the phone rang shrilly. She answered it cheerfully, the pillar in the kitchen veiling her expression from the observing pack.
“Cole,” she addressed, popping back into sight. All the liveliness in her voice had vanished as she handed the phone to Cole. “It’s Adolf.”
Hayden’s forked paused and she watched Cole retreat from the room. She looked up and across at Blake, who had turned just as silent as the rest of them. Hearing from Adolf this early in the morning could never mean a good thing. There couldn’t be another murder, there couldn’t be.
After a few seconds of hushed conversation, Cole walked silently back into the room, the phone no longer in his hold. “Red Donovan has been attacked,” he addressed the pack solemnly, paying special attention to Hayden. “We caught the perpetrator responsible for the murders and for Red’s attack.”
She held her breath. Surely, it couldn’t be…
“It was Falco.”
Hayden dropped her fork and placed a hand over her mouth to quell the nausea. Across from her, Devan gasped, looking horrified to learn her ex-boyfriend’s father had a hand in the killings. However, she wasn’t feeling nearly as traumatized as Hayden, who would have had the power to stop the attack on Red before it had happened.
“Hayden and Blake will come with me. We need to meet with the others and discuss the consequences of Falco’s crimes.” Cole approached a shell-shocked Hayden, curling a hand around her elbow. “You will be fine.”
With ridiculous ease, Cole forced Hayden into a standing position and escorted her shaken form out of the kitchen. She let him lead, too disorientated to function by herself just yet.
“Is he dead?” she asked numbly. All she could remember was how easily Falco manhandled Shane’s grandfather. The human would have never stood a chance.
“Red has been air-lifted to the hospital. His condition is critical.” The pad of his thumb moved in gentle circles at her elbow, an action he knew would soothe her. Unbeknownst to him, he was only causing her more distress. “You name is cleared. Things will settle down now that Falco is caught.”
She had nothing to respond to that. Shane must have been devastated. He’d be even more so if he found out Hayden had known beforehand that Falco was a danger to the rest of the town. It was because of her own selfishness that Red Donovan had been attacked.
“Where are we meeting at?” Blake ventured as he walked at Cole’s right.
“Falco’s property.”
14. Chapter Fourteen
Leaves were raining steadily down from their branches as Hayden crossed into Falco’s territory. If it had been any other time, the vibrant yellows and the flaming reds of the mature trees would have awed her. Instead, Falco and his undamaged pride was what Hayden found herself focusing on.
The disgraced Alpha was sitting calmly in the middle of his pack members, with the rest of the Alphas and their betas closing the gap around the circle. Falco didn’t let their intimidating immediacy get to him, as his chin was lifted defiantly and he detained an air of indifference as the stares grew penetrating.
Cole made room for them around the circle and Hayden cast a wary gaze around at the spectators. She’d never seen so many werewolves gathered in one place before.
Across the circle, Joseph stood in front of his pack. His face was weary and he seemed to draw strength from the white-haired female next to him. Judging by their interlocked fingers, Hayden assumed the woman was Sasha, Joseph’s declared mate and Devan’s direct replacement.
There were only a couple of other females around the group. Their expressions ranged from pained betrayal to palpable disbelief. Not only were the females affected by Falco’s treachery, the males were also struggling to appear strong before the others. Their expansive shoulders were tense, on edge and ready in case they were forced to pounce and defend their pack members.
Further down the way, Hayden spotted Asher. She quickly looked away, her shame too great for her to meet his eyes properly.
Last night, he tried to convince her that they should go to the Alphas about Falco. She should have listened. She should have put the potential victims before her own fears. Now Red Donovan, the grandfather of a good friend, was in critical condition because of her selfishness.
Joseph released his hold on Sasha’s hand and stepped into the center of the gathered werewolves. “I think we all know why we’re here. Falco has violated our traditions.” He was being exceptionally formal with his father. Considering his noticeable disappointment and shame, the last thing he wanted to do was address his father endearingly in front of the other werewolves. “In the end, the evidence from all the murders leads to you.”
A heavy stillness spread across the observers as Falco continued to remain silent. Even the wind died down, as if nature had already foreseen the events about to happen. Hayden didn’t know what to expect. The man didn’t seem to be fighting against the accusations and his face didn’t give anything away. There wasn’t a shred of guilt or innocence.
“After the attack on Red Donovan, members from the pack were ordered to search your rooms. They found this.” Joseph held up a syringe and a small glass jar of clear liquid. As the sun caught the long needle, it reflected brightly, exaggerating its size.
“What is it?” someone asked from Falco’s pack. Everyone seemed to follow the man’s curiosity by squinting at the serum in confusion.
“It seems to be a rogue creation.” Joseph pulled the attached label off the vial and read it aloud. “To mask scent, inject two milliliters. Dosage is effective up to an hour.” The beta crumbled the small label and tossed it down to Falco. Shaking his head, the son looked down at his father, his emotions in turmoil. “I don’t understand how you could do this to me, to your family, to your pack.”
Hayden watched the balled-up instructions roll across the ground, abandoned. The drug explained how Falco was able to get around without plastering his scent on the victims and the crime s
cenes. Rather clever and remarkable, but in the same way, it was disquieting. Blake and Joseph had been right in assuming Nicolas and his rogues were experimenting with chemicals. It begged the question as to what else they could possibly come up with next.
Adolf took a step forward, drawing the attention of everyone present. “We didn’t want to suspect you, Falco, even if the deceased human, Robert Warden, was directly connected to you.”
Adolf was all about the spectacle as he paused for the dramatic effect. He seemed to preen under the unwavering attention. “But after we witnessed your attack on Red Donovan this morning, we were forced to reexamine your dependability. No one here likes humans, retired Hunters especially, but werewolves are supposed to be the superior creatures.”
“An Alpha should have complete control over their wolf,” Joseph continued from where Adolf left off. “They’re allowed a few slipups, but never in such a case where they all but demolish a defenseless human. I had to literally restrain you from Red before you snapped out of it. The wounds across his body were suspiciously similar to the wounds across Robert’s and Ian’s corpses. Someone who lacks control did this.”
Hayden heaved a heavy sigh, relieved she hadn’t been present when Falco attacked Red. All she could think about was Shane and his devastation. The human always admired his grandfather; it would have been hard on him to see his hero broken and bleeding on the streets.
Shane hadn’t needed to go through that, especially when he had placed his innocent conviction in the werewolves around him.
Glancing up at Cole, Hayden noticed the Alpha was frowning thoughtfully. Sensing her scrutiny, he wrapped a secure arm around her waist, keeping his sharp gaze on the scene in front of him.
Adolf’s long, silver hair obscured his face as he looked down his nose at Falco. “Why so silent?” the Alpha pressed. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Adolf glanced around at the observers. “Will you not give us an answer as to why you committed the acts that you have? Why, after so many years, have you decide to lose control now? Or maybe you can humor us and explain why you murdered your own omega.”
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