“Yes, ma’am.” Slade draped his wet shirt over his shoulder.
As he approached, his inner wolf howled and if it not for being in human form, his tail would have betrayed him and wagged like a happy pup. What the fuck is wrong with me? Just yesterday over video cam, Dr. Warner said he’d improved to the point where he was ready for a mission. He?
?d still be re-evaluated in a few weeks, but the need to go rage wolf had vanished. Even without his little wolf around.
Cricket turned. Her smile warmed his heart, and her big brown eyes sparkled in mischief. “Hey.”
Such disrespect, but damn, he didn’t care. He lifted a brow, doing his damn best to appear aloof. “Welcome back.”
Rylee narrowed her eyes at Cricket. “Protocol.”
“Sorry, ma’am.” She bowed her head to Slade. “Hello, sir.”
“Better. Don’t forget Slade is a prince and in time will be a team commander.”
Cricket’s face slackened, and she paled. Was she disappointed he’d be in charge of missions? Of her?
Rylee said, “Come. We need to talk immediately.”
Slade shot Cricket a smug smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Cricket and he followed Rylee to the elevator, down to the underground headquarters.
Slade suppressed a growl. Was Rylee going to tell him Cricket would no longer live with him? Hated to pull his royal card, but if necessary, he would insist she remain at his side and under his command. No more seducing men assignments. Fuck. Why was she still in his system?
The soft blue lights of the base soothed his nerves and kept his possessive wolf at bay. They entered Rylee’s private chambers, and she gestured for them to sit.
She addressed Cricket. “You will work at the lab for a few days to help with the DNA analysis of what little evidence we have on Project Three Lost Sheep.”
Cricket giggled. “Not a fitting name, is it, ma’am?”
Rylee pointed her chin at him. “I asked Slade to name our operation.”
Cricket raised a brow, as if she never considered he had a sense of humor. “Sheep? Really?”
“I’m counting on keeping it to only three missing weres, and the name will not raise suspicions amongst our uninformed kind.”
“Actually, it should be four not three sheep if we count Raulf the missing German alpha.”
“Trust me, as someone recovering from a tragic loss, I have a gut feeling Raulf either killed himself or covered his tracks and remained wolf. There are vast forests, especially in Eastern Europe where he could go undetected for years without being found by his pack.”
Rylee nodded. “Our new Russian team member, Lev Volkov knows those forests, but, unfortunately, is not well enough to search.”
The Chernobyl werewolf had survived lethal bullets from a Wolfsbane rifle while combating the werewolves who had massacred his pack. A bullet to his spine had paralyzed him from the waist down. A crippled werewolf. He’d never met Lev, but heard rumors about his mutant powers.
Cricket blinked. “I’ve been meaning to visit Lev. I heard he took a few steps.”
“Dr. Becker’s surgery and therapy is working, but it’s Lev’s determination to walk that makes me believe he will not only walk, but run and fight again,” said Rylee.
Slade might pay his respect to the injured werewolf, as well, though he didn’t like Cricket’s sudden concern. Had he been more than a team member? The once lone alpha may not have any qualms about bedding a runt. Damn. I want her, but I must stay away from her. My primary duty is to the team, to honor my fallen kin.
Cricket laughed. “Last I heard, from Dominic and Mia, Lev flirts with every hot she-wolf nurse and physical therapist.”
“I’m sure before we know it, he’ll return to being the fastest and strongest lycan,” agreed Rylee.
He kept his manner calm and collected. “Since Cricket will work in the lab, will Jesper stay at my place?”
Rylee tilted her head as if she’d heard wrong. “No. Jesper will return to his base quarters. You wanted Cricket to accompany you, didn’t you?”