“Yes, let me guess. He’s become one of your kind.”
Lev snorted. “No.” He lowered his head as if preparing her for bad news. “Dr. Becker was shot protecting data about you.”
Rachel rocked slightly. “Shot? Is he…dead?” She couldn’t breathe. She gulped, trying to clear the emotional constriction. Get air into her lungs. She focused on Lev’s penetrating eyes. Clear blue. Tranquil. Her pulse returned to normal.
“No. He’s recovering and will be happy to see you.”
“Where? What hospital?”
“In Montana. At our Lycan Intelligence Agency headquarters hospital and research center. State of the art facility. He could not be in better care.”
She whispered, “Lycan Intelligence Agency.”
“LIA.”
“CIA for werewolves?”
Lev laughed. “Accurate description, only we are global and not tied to one nation.”
Madam Montfort’s warning of danger and her near abduction reinforced the off the wall idea she was so important. “What possible information about me was he protecting?”
“First, do you agree to keep our secret by allowing me to mark you?”
Her free will returned, though she sensed he could easily compel her to agree. He must want her to voluntarily choose. To be marked. Her eyes widened. “The claw marks on my father’s arms.”
“Left by three witnesses to his oath.”
Anxious to get to the bottom of her father’s mysterious work, she nodded. “I agree.”
“You will sign the contract once we return to headquarters. Since it’s just me, my leader gave me permission to mark you with the three claw slashes to identify you as one of our humans.”
She put up her palm. “Whoa, whoa, hold on. What do you mean one of our humans? As in you are not?” No way was this werewolf stuff real, even baring the evidence when her abductor turned from wolf to human. Unless, in all the commotion, she might have really seen a wolf or dog, and then the shock of the torn body somehow caused temporary insanity.
“Do you agree?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Unfortunately, for your own good, no.”
“Does Howard agree?”
“Your father insisted I bring you in.”
“Fine. Since it has nothing to do with national security, I agree. Scouts honor not to tell.”
“Good, I will tell you and then mark you.”
Claws. “Is it about what psychic Madam Montfort said about you being the wolf stalking me?”
“Who?”
She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Wait, you are not going to have to kill a little known medium who saw you in a vision?”
“Don’t worry; she’s no threat to us. She has no hard evidence and no one would believe her. Regardless, do not tell anyone else about her.”
“What if she continues to talk?”
“If need be, I can compel her not to.”