Accidentally Wolf (41 page)

“Only in a picture and it was not very clear.” She nodded, her eyebrows scrunched together, as if trying to remember back. “About five years ago he was killing several anti-paranormal political figures. And as you said before, shifter killings are bad press for us. Our council, here in America, forwarded on what they had about him to all the group leaders so we could keep an eye out for him and take him out if we had the chance. I never saw him or heard
he came to Chicago. Then two years later we received word from our council that he had been killed.”

“Obviously not since we pulled these pictures off home surveillance dated yesterday at one of his victim
’
s homes,” Harris drawled as he continued writing furiously. The sound of his pen scratching against the paper was quite noticeable. “Tell us what you know.”

“He
’
s average height, black hair, brown eyes, and rumor has it he was born a panther.”

“So stronger than most.”

“Explain that.” I really wasn
’
t sure what he meant.

“Shifters who were born that way tend to be stronger, faster, more powerful, and have a few extra abilities here and there than ones that were turned,” Harris clarified. And that
’
s how the guy could mask his scent probably. Good to know. “But not always. A kid who was born that way is still weaker than a shifter who was turned ten years ago or whatnot.”

“Got it.” I looked at Simone then, realizing this next part would be hard for her. “If you inform your council that he
’
s really alive, am I going to have a bunch of idiots going after him, getting themselves killed or getting in my team
’
s way?”

“Our council,” she drawled, glancing at Harris.

“What?”

“The council here is the Shifter Council, our leading authority. All shifters. The council over in Europe is the head for the vampires. Our laws are to report threats immediately to our council or hierarchy.”

“Look, I don
’
t mean to start a fight when you
’
ve been so helpful.” I sighed as I scrubbed my hands over my face. “But I adhere to the laws of the United States government where we live. And the laws in place by the state of Illinois and Chicago. If none of those laws are in conflict with the ways or rules of being a shifter, then yes, I
’
ll adhere to them. Like you respect the rules of the house you
’
re visiting.

“That being said. This is an official FBI investigation and no one
’
s council supersedes that. You guys have rules like joining a club. That doesn
’
t overrule or become more important than American law. I
’
m not against sharing information as long as it
’
s a heads up and they stay out of it.”

“Jesus, Chief,” Harris hissed, looking pissed.

“What?” I asked, annoyed at the interruption and confused at the look he was giving me.

“Condescending much? Rules of a club? We
’
re our own people with our own laws.”

“Seriously, Harris?” I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. “I
’
ll admit that maybe I
’
m not phrasing it right or being snippy because I
’
m tired, but I stand by what I
’
m saying. We are Americans. Plain and simple. You used to be a cop for god sakes. If I thought anyone would be on my side, it would be you.”

“I get that and I do agree to a point, but it ain
’
t no goddamn club I was forced in to. I
’
m part cat. That
’
s who I am. And there are American laws that I have to follow that humans don
’
t.
That
’
s
what I
’
m saying. Our hierarchy and laws are recognized by the US government and, within limits, are totally legal, like an Alpha keeping their people in line. I didn’t join the fucking 4-H club.”

I went to yell but then shut my mouth. I thought about that a minute. “You
’
re right. I
’
m sorry. I didn
’
t mean it as harsh as it came out. Simone mentioned Engle, and I thought I was going to have to deal with more shit that human laws mean nothing to shifters or paranormals. And she also said the Shifter Council was
our
leading authority. Ever since I
’
ve come in to this world, it
’
s like their laws are against the laws I swore to uphold. And I
’
m getting tired of that.”

“That
’
s not what we
’
re talking about, Chief.” Harris took a deep breath and calmed down. “I
’
m sorry your first introduction in to our ways was Engle. He
’
s fucked up in the head but that
’
s like saying one bad apple ruins the bushel. If anything, our council, our laws, go deeper and are harsher than the government
’
s laws. Engle
’
s just twisting that.”

“Okay,” I sighed, plopping back down in my seat. “Then tell me how we would handle this as shifters policing one of our own, and, if it doesn
’
t conflict with the FBI regulations, then let
’
s do it.”

“Just like that?” Simone asked, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow in shock.

“Just like what?” I wasn
’
t sure I would want to know what she meant, but I didn
’
t feel like guessing either.

“You just change your beliefs and adhere to our ways.”

“No, my beliefs are the same. I
’
m just being a little less bitchy about how I
’
m handling this. I was wrong to be so condescending, and I didn
’
t say I
’
d follow the way shifters do things. I said I
’
d listen and see if the two sides can work together in this. I won
’
t break FBI protocol for anything or anyone.”

“You will make a wonderful Alpha of the wolves.” She gave me a wide smile, nodding her approval.

Now who the fuck said I wanted that or was going to be? And how did we get to that topic again? I wanted to bang my head on the desk, but that wouldn
’
t get us anywhere and would just give me a headache. Instead, I asked her to explain to me how she would want to go about talking with our council.

And ignoring the whole Alpha thing. I had more than enough on my plate already.

Chapter 15

After I listened to their normal protocol, I realized several things. One, no matter how hard I tried, shit just kept getting more and more complicated. Two, I wasn
’
t ever going to be a politician. This dancing around, having to deal with red tape, and walking carefully so I didn
’
t hurt anyone
’
s egos so wasn
’
t my shtick. I
’
d share info but then I expected people to stay out of my way so I could do my damn job.

Was that
really
too much to ask?

Then I smiled. I didn
’
t have to play this game. That
’
s why I had a boss who was great at dealing with people in Washington, heads of departments, and inter-paranormal relations. I called Monroe and filled him in. He said he
’
d handle it and keep the council people out of my way.

Fabulous.

After that, the other leader of the local clan came in and verified everything Simone had said. The day was starting to look up even with my lack of sleep.

My team was pulling everything we could, contacting every agency to get what they had on this Black Vengeance. It was nine in the morning when I looked up and swore.

“I forgot,” I admitted sheepishly as I walked across the main area where my team
’
s cubicles were where I found Alena and Zeno patiently waiting for me.

“That
’
s alright, Chief Thomas,” Alena replied gently as she extended her hand. “You look as if you haven
’
t been to bed yet, and, with the bustle of this office, I assume there is a new development in the case.”

“Yes, and we
’
ve ruled out any wolves.” I shook her hand and did the same to Zeno. “I am so sorry I wasted your time coming down here when I don
’
t need to rule you out anymore.”

“Never you mind.” He chuckled, raising my hand to his lips when I was about to pull away after shaking with him. “We went out for breakfast and stopped by. We didn
’
t have to drive several states away to come here.”

“Thank you for being so understanding,” I sighed with relief.

“Is there anything we can do to assist in anyway? Our offer of help still stands.” The more time I spent with Alena, the more I liked her. She seemed to have as little patience for bullshit as I did.

“Have you ever heard of an assassin by the name of Black Vengeance?” I wasn
’
t sure it was smart to ask, but, at this point, we were coming up with little information and I was willing to take the gamble.

“Yes, and, if that
’
s who your killer is, then I suggest you and your team watch your back
s
,” Alena answered, her face becoming so serious that I knew I would heed her warning. “He
’
s over four hundred years old and deadly.”

“Wait, shifters can live that long?” That was news to me.

“Yes, those of us born as a shifter are immortal,” she answered with a tight smile. I had a feeling I wouldn
’
t like what came next. “As are certain ones turned depending on the strand of lycanthrope they become.”

“No, don
’
t,” I whispered, shaking my head and backing away from her.

“I
’
m sorry, Sera, but the siren/wolf strand of shifter is immortal,” she whispered gently. I kept shaking my head as tears burned in my eyes. It wasn
’
t smart because I started to get woozy. I reached out for the wall to steady myself but kept missing. I lost my footing and was going to go down, but strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

“Breathe, Chief,” Harris whispered gently as he caught me and helped me sit down in a chair. “Whatever it is we can handle it, okay? Just calm down before you pass out.”

“I
’
m immortal, Mike,” I gasped, trying my best not to hyperventilate.

“I know that
’
s a lot to process but I
’
m a little jealous.” He chuckled. “I might get to live longer than a human, but to be immortal would be wicked cool.”

“I guess,” I mumbled, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly. “First I find out I
’
m a siren after making Riley one of my minions, then shit with Tristan, and now I
’
m immortal? It
’
s just too much.”

“No it
’
s not,” he stated firmly, taking my face between his hands and forcing me to look at him when I started to get wound up again. “You can do this. Push it away until later because we have a job to do. Come on, Chief, you can handle this.”

“Right, right. I can,” I agreed, nodding my head. I was a little embarrassed. I
’
d never broken down on the job before like this. Sure, I
’
d blown a gasket but not almost passed out from my personal stuff,
which I didn
’
t normally allow while on the clock.

“Better?” Harris
’
s eyes were so gentle, so understanding, that I liked him just a little bit more
,
right then
,
for not being judgmental.

“Yeah, I
’
m solid,” I answered, clearing my throat. I glanced around and saw everyone in the office was staring at me with looks of concern. That was the only reason I didn
’
t snap at them. “Okay, get back to it people. Melt down
’
s over.”

A few chuckled, but they all started working again. Harris backed off and I stood back up. Zeno and Alena both looked guilty and sad as they looked at me as if this was their fault instead of just being the ones who delivered the bad news.