Sarah spoke up next, her voice soft but firm.“We need to address this openly,” she said.“Call a pack meeting.Get ahead of their secret manipulations by bringing everything into the light.”
Quinton exchanged a look with his brother before speaking.“Conall and I can increase our patrols,” he suggested.“Keep a closer eye on any suspicious activities.”
Larissa glanced around the room, pride flowing through her.This was her pack, coming together in the face of a threat.Despite their different approaches, they were united in their goal to protect what was theirs.
“Good,” Nick said.“We’ll do all of it.Larissa, you and Malcolm will coordinate the evidence gathering and the network of trusted pack members.”
Larissa and Malcolm glanced at each other, then nodded.
With a glance at Anders, Nick said, “I want you on surveillance.Set up whatever you need.”
“Of course,” Anders said.
“Sarah, help me prepare for the pack meeting?”Nick asked.
His mate nodded.
“Conall, Quinton, you know what to do,” Nick continued.
Good, Larissa thought.They had a plan.They would protect their pack.
Her gaze met Malcolm’s across the room, and for a moment, all the tension between them faded away.They were in this together, for the good of the pack.And despite everything, a flutter of excitement danced over her at the thought of working closely with him.
No, she reminded herself sternly.The pack comes first.Always.
As she followed Malcolm out into the cool desert night, Larissa steeled herself for what was to come.They had a job to do, a pack to protect.And if working with Malcolm meant constantly battling her growing feelings for him, well… That was a challenge she would just have to face.
For the pack.
Always for the pack.
CHAPTER 20
THE FIRST RAYS OFsunlight were just beginning to paint the desert sky in hues of pink and gold when Malcolm made his way to Anders’s apartment above one of the still-empty storefronts downtown.
The door was already unlocked for him, and he made his way up the stairs into the room, prepared to offer Anders one of the coffees he’d stopped by the diner to pick up.But before he could say anything, Malcolm’s attention was immediately drawn to the two figures standing in the combined living and dining room—Larissa and Anders, huddled over what looked like a pile of high-tech equipment on the table.
Malcolm’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of Larissa.She glanced up as he approached, her gaze meeting his for a heartbeat before skittering away.
“Morning,” Malcolm said, his voice gruff with more than just sleep, holding out the disposable tray of Styrofoam cups.“What’ve we got here?”
Anders glanced up from the device he was fiddling with and took one of the coffees.“Body-worn surveillance equipment,” he explained, holding up what looked like an ordinary watch.“Audio and video recording capabilities, GPS tracking, the works.”
Malcolm whistled low, impressed.“Where’d you get all this?”
A small smirk played at the corners of Anders’s mouth.“Let’s just say I have some connections from my time away from the pack.Don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Larissa rolled her eyes, but Malcolm saw the hint of a smile on her lips.“I suggested our cell phones would work just as well to record anything.But I think Anders is excited about a chance to put his fancy equipment to use.”
“It’s great to know we have access to stuff like this,” Malcolm said before turning to Anders.“Walk us through how these work?”
For the next half hour, Anders explained the intricacies of the surveillance equipment.Malcolm listened intently, but he couldn’t help being distracted by Larissa’s presence beside him.Every time their arms brushed as they leaned in to examine a device, her touch seared through him.
God, I want her.
He shook his head.
Stop it.Pay attention.
