Without waiting for a response, Larissa strode toward the door.She needed to get out of this house, away from the lingering warmth of Malcolm’s touch, the memory of his mouth on her.
As she stepped outside, the heat of the New Mexico afternoon hit her.She welcomed it, letting the discomfort ground her.
Malcolm followed, locking the door behind him.
CHAPTER 19
THE SCENT OF HOME-COOKEDmeals and the soft patter of small feet greeted Larissa as she stepped into Nick and Sarah’s new house.Since she’d last been there, the couple had hung family photos on the wall of the entryway, snapshots of happiness that made something twist in Larissa’s chest.
She pushed the feeling aside even as she paused to examine the pictures.
Malcolm brushed past her as he entered, his scent momentarily overwhelming her senses.Larissa gritted her teeth, forcing herself to ignore the way her body responded to his proximity.
Nick’s brow furrowed as he took in their serious expressions.“What’s going on?”he asked, his alpha authority evident even in those simple words.
“We need to talk,” Malcolm said.“It’s about Hannah and Gregory.”
Nick nodded sharply.“Living room,” he said, leading the way.
“Hannah’s been talking to some of the younger pack members,” Larissa began once they were all seated, her voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface.“Still sowing discord, questioning your leadership, our fitness to take over.”
Nick’s jaw clenched.“And Gregory?”
“We haven’t seen him directly,” Malcolm said, leaning forward, his muscled forearms resting on his knees.Larissa forced her eyes away from the sight.“But given their history, it’s a safe bet he’s involved.”
Nick was quiet for a few seconds, his eyes distant as he processed the information.Larissa could almost see the gears turning in his head.
“We need to bring in the others,” he said finally.“Sarah, Anders, Conall, Quinton.They were instrumental in overthrowing Vincent.We should consult them for this too.”
Larissa nodded, relief washing over her.More people meant more resources, more eyes and ears.
As Nick made the calls, Larissa found her gaze drawn to more framed photos, these sitting on the mantelpiece.Nick and Sarah, both radiating joy as they posed with their son, Javier.The whole pack gathered for a full-moon run, faces flushed and happy.
A pang of longing shot through Larissa.She had always put the pack first, had never allowed herself to want the kind of happiness these photos depicted.But now, faced with these tangible reminders of what she was missing, she couldn’t help but wonder…
The sound of small feet pattering down the hallway broke Larissa from her reverie.Sarah appeared in the doorway, Javier balanced on her hip.The child’s eyes lit up at the sight of visitors.
“Auntie ’Rissa!”he shouted, wriggling to be put down.Sarah complied with a soft laugh, and Javier raced over to Larissa, arms outstretched.
Larissa scooped him up, inhaling his sweet scent.For an instant, the weight of their current situation lifted, replaced by the simple joy of holding a child who loved her unconditionally.
“Hey there, little wolf,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his dark hair.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Malcolm watching her, an unreadable expression on his face.Their eyes met briefly, and Larissa’s breath stuttered in her chest.She glanced away quickly, shifting her attention to Javier’s babbling about his new toy car.
The arrival of the others provided a welcome distraction.Anders was first, his pragmatic nature evident in the notebook and pen he immediately pulled out.Conall and Quinton arrived together, their twin bond obvious in the way they moved in sync, finishing each other’s sentences as they greeted everyone.
Once they were all settled, Larissa and Malcolm recounted everything they knew.Larissa kept her voice calm and factual, laying out Hannah’s manipulations and their suspicions about Gregory’s involvement.Malcolm added his own observations, an undercurrent of anger in his tone that Larissa had to admit was justified.
As they spoke, Larissa watched the others’ reactions.Conall’s face darkened with each word, his hands clenching into fists.Quinton placed a calming hand on his twin’s shoulder, his own expression one of calculated fury.Anders scribbled furiously in his notebook, his brow furrowed in concentration.Sarah’s arms tightened around Javier, her maternal instincts clearly on high alert.
When they finished, Nick looked around the room.“Suggestions?”he asked simply.
Larissa leaned forward, her mind racing.“We need evidence,” she said, already formulating a plan.“Concrete proof of what Hannah and Gregory are up to.If we can catch them in the act, record their manipulations, we can expose them to the whole pack.”
Malcolm nodded, adding, “We should also use our own network.The pack members we know we can trust.Have them counter Hannah and Gregory’s misinformation, spread the truth.”
“Surveillance,” Anders chimed in, not looking up from his notebook.“We set up watches on Hannah and Gregory.Track their movements, their meetings.Build a complete picture of their activities.”
