Ravensong (Green Creek 2)

I glanced over my shoulder. He’d thankfully found a sweater hanging on a rack near the door, though it pulled tight against his chest. I didn’t let my gaze linger. “Fine.”

He nodded but didn’t say anything else.

“Are you guys having a moment?” Robbie asked from somewhere behind him. “Maybe you could let me in so I don’t have to stand here awkwardly while you work through it.”

Mark’s lips twitched.

I walked into the office, and he did the same. Robbie followed, closing the door behind us. The room was soundproofed to protect from any prying ears such as those belonging to the Omega upstairs. Joe and Ox stood near the far wall in front of a large mounted screen. Robbie hooked up his phone to a cable that somehow allowed us to video-conference through the TV. I still had my old flip phone from before we left to follow Richard Collins. Robbie sighed every time he saw it.

“Mark,” Ox said, “I want you to stay silent. Not out of sight. But just watch.”

He nodded slowly. “For?”

“Anything she’s not telling us.”

I blinked. “You think she knows more than she’s saying?”

“She says a lot,” Joe said. “For someone who doesn’t say anything at all.”

“People in power usually do,” Robbie muttered, tapping on his phone. “And not that I don’t appreciate the invite to the head honcho meeting, but why am I here?”

“Because she knows you,” Joe said. “And I think she still trusts you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I think that ended the moment I chose Ox over her. And not like that,” he added hastily, eyes going wide as he looked at Joe. “I’m so over Ox. Not that I was ever into Ox. It was Stockholm syndrome or something. I’ve got my eye on something different.”

“Uh-huh,” Joe said dryly. “And by something different, you mean my brother.”

Robbie swallowed thickly. “I’m going to shut up now.”

Joe grinned, razor-sharp. “Good plan.”

Ox reached over and switched the screen on. It lit up a bright blue as Robbie continued to tap his phone. He looked back up at his Alphas and said, “Ready?”

Joe nodded.

The screen went dark and beeped once, twice, three times.

And then Michelle Hughes appeared.

She was beautiful, in a cold, aloof way. She was somewhere around my age, though she looked younger. Her hair was dark and rested artfully on her shoulders, her makeup minimal. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. I don’t know if it ever did.

“Alpha Bennett,” she said. “Alpha Matheson. How lovely it is to see you again. And so soon after our last meeting.”

“Alpha Hughes,” Joe said evenly. “Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. I know it’s late in Maine.”

She waved him away. “I’ll always make time for you. You know that.”

Robbie coughed. It sounded sarcastic.

Her eyes flickered over to him. “Robbie. You’re looking well.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am. Doing just fine.”

“That’s good. Your pack seems to be treating you well.”

Your pack.

“They are,” he said, puffing out his chest proudly. “They’re good Alphas.”