RAFF

Raff drilled his fingers on the top of his desk, resisting the urge to place them on his temple and rub. His men were already peeved about the roll call-peeved but understanding- and he didn't think seeing their Alpha with a headache would do much for their confidence in him. Especially, since the roll call came on the heels of months of brooding and depression. But since he'd never had to lead a roll call, he hadn't expected the strain that using compulsion for hours on end would cause.

"That's the last one," Lincoln said, closing the door on James. The youngest member of the pack had held up well, much to his surprise and pleasure. Not that he had suspected James- he wasn't much more than a pup, but it was nice to learn that the youngest (and last) generation held him in high regard.

"I can literally feel your ego swelling right now."

"Good thing I have you to deflate it on the regular," Raff responded, giving in and massaging the bridge of his nose.

"You alright?"

"Remember when we were kids, and we fell out of the tree in the front yard? Knocked us out for a couple of hours, and your pops told us we would've been dead if we were human?"

Lincoln flipped the chair in front of the desk around and straddled it, his face scrunching at the memory. "Shit, man. I felt like throwing up for days, and my ears rang for a week. Is it that bad?"

"Almost, but not quite. My ears aren't ringing yet. So who was missing?"

"Logs show that Marcus and Nichols both checked out last week to go on a fishing trip, but they're due back in the next few days. Other than that, only Herrin is missing, and from what I've heard, he comes and goes at odd hours."

Raff remembered Nichols- he'd been the middling ranked wolf who'd caught on to Meribella's siren skills. He was definitely ambitious, but was he ambitious enough to get involved in a scheme to overthrow him? No, he shook his head, he wouldn't risk a coup when the majority of the pack is loyal. And I didn't get a dishonest vibe from. Herrin, on the other hand.

"What are you thinking?"

"I think we need to do some digging into Herrin's activities. I've never cared much for the man; he smells like a sewer most days. I've also had to deal with numerous accusations against him. He usually sticks to torturing the Fae women- Sonja refuses to clean his room- but right after the decree was issued to stay away from human women, he was caught with several. I had to compel him to leave them alone."

"And you're just now remembering this?" Lincoln sounded strained. "Why didn't you banish him? Pack sickness would've driven someone as low as him crazy in a week or two."

"Hell, maybe I should've, but our numbers were low, and I was looking at the man through the lens of grief. It can't be easy being told you can never father a child. Fuck." He jumped up from the table and punched a hole in the wall, sheetrock dust exploding around his fist. "He was driving me the night I ran Meribella off the road. What if I led him straight to her?"

"You don't know that. I don't know that, but what I do know is that if it is Herrin, then she's known all along who our traitor is. And she didn't tell you. Why?"

Lincoln's words made his chest restrict. He knew Meribella was keeping secrets, but what reason would she have to keep this hidden? Unless Herrin could reveal one of them? The phone on his table buzzed, her name flashing on the screen. He hadn't talked to her beyond a few text messages, messages that had been filled with heated suggestions that made him want to rush back to her, but catching her in the lies turned him cold.

"Get one of your boys from the border patrol to scout out further. Herrin won't be far from the lands. I want him in this house by nightfall."

"Done," Lincoln responded, hitting send on a text before Raff stopped speaking.

"Any word on the news from town? The reports of the odd light near her houseboat?" Lincoln wouldn't make eye contact and shuffled papers around on the desk. Very un-Lincoln like behavior. "Speak."

"You want me to sit, roll over, and beg too?" his Beta snapped, irritation flashing in his amber eyes.

"Sure, right after you tell me why you're avoiding my question."

"No one really saw what happened, but the word is that she fell overboard during the day. Lit up like a Christmas tree."

Good gods, the woman is going to drive me mad. Can't she stay safe for one damn day. Raff pushed back the curtain and peered into the front yard where his men were training. Sweat dripped down muscular forms of all heights and colors as they threw punches and shifted mid air. He believed in being able to fight in both forms, and his men excelled at it. It was the biggest advantage they had over Mac's men because his men would fight with no integrity.

A car barreling down the driveway caught his attention, but no one seemed alarmed so he turned back to Lincoln. "I'm guessing that's not the entire story. The last time you couldn't meet me in the eye it was because I found you after one of the nymphs tied you to the bed in a less than flattering position."

"Hey, I could've gotten out on my own, but she drugged me."

"You drank a flask of Fae wine. You deserved what you got."

"Whatever... look, I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but that big selkie dude was seen coming and going from the boat."

The wall earned another injury, this one slashes as he dragged his claws through the plaster. Get it together, Raff. You are not a jealous dick. You are not a jealous dick. Oh, hell yes I am! He stomped over to the desk and snatched up the phone. This was it. He was demanding answers. Opening the last text she sent him, he froze.

Meribella: We need to talk. I'm almost at your house.

Before he could process the words on the screen, raised voices in the yard-one of them very feminine-drew his attention. He and Lincoln shared a look and raced down the stairs and out the front door. The car he'd seen coming down the drive was parked in the grass, dust still billowing around it from coming to a screeching halt. Through the windshield, he could see Thorne in the passenger seat, eyes closed and skin strangely pale.

"Raff, would you please tell these men that I can be here," Meribella shouted, pushing one of his men out of her way. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something different about her.

"Stand down everyone," he responded before sending Lincoln a nonverbal message. Not that I'm upset about her being here, but can you find out how she managed to get on the property without me being notified.

With pleasure, Lincoln responded, shifting and racing towards the front of the property.

"Meribella, why-how are you here? I thought you couldn't leave the ocean. And-is that a damn puppy?" A small gray pup was curled up in her arms, but at his shout, it raised its head and blinked sleepily at him. "Is that a wolf?"

"Yes, it is. That's part of why I'm here. I need to tell you something."

He took her by the arm and guided her towards the house and away from prying ears. "Good, because I've decided it's time you come clean. I know you've not been telling me everything."

"You're right. I haven't, and I'm to fix that. I'm not saying I'll tell you everything, but I'm so tired of letting everyone else control me."

Raff inhaled sharply. "Meribella did something happen? Are you okay?"

Sparkling tears formed in her eyes, but they didn't fall. In just a couple of days, something had caused a coldness to seep into the once warm, seafoam eyes. "Yes. I-I killed someone."

He pulled her into his arms, jumping back when the wolf pup yelped its displeasure. A bright blue eye glared up at him as the animal snuggled against Meribella. She smiled softly and ran her hand over its head.

"Who?" he asked. He almost didn't care why. The bastard probably deserved it.

"One of your men. The traitor you're looking for."

a/n so this chapter feels a little like filler, but I needed everyone in the right place! As always, let me know if you catch any typos or grammar issues. I love reading y'all's comments- it's what keeps me writing! And click that star if you liked the chapter!