Alec was a troublemaker. Even with that on mind, I'd decided that Anthony was wrong about my nephew being involved in the murders. But as Adrian had pointed out: that didn't mean Alec couldn't have contacted Ace Darrel.

At this point, I didn't know what to think.

"I see no reason why Alec would do that," I finally replied.

"Since when does that boy need a reason to do anything?" Jasper questioned and I sulked as I couldn't disagree with him on this one. "He does whatever pleases him at the moment and whatever pleases him is usually causing trouble for others. Besides, he knows about that human mate of yours and he probably knows where the boy works."

"He enjoys creating disturbances, yes, but I doubt he'd want to be the cause of the damage Ace could inflict," Keri surprised me and the other shifters in the room by standing up for my nephew.

"Who else would know about the existence of the Hunters and where your Beta's human works?" Her cousin wasn't backing down. "You are not accusing one of us, are you?" He hissed.

"Of course she isn't!" Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, Kelly."

"Don't tell me to shut up."

"I'm the eldest sibling and you shall listen to me!"

"Enough!" Keri's raised voice interrupted Kelly and Jasper's bickering. "We are here to try and find a solution to our problem, not to listen to a brother and sister fight."

"You are biased," Jasper accused. "You are protecting the mongrel because I was the one to accuse him and because he is your best friend's nephew."

Anthony and I both opened our mouths to come to Keri's defense, but it proved unnecessary.

"I assure you, cousin," the Alpha's voice was a low growl, "I don't care who is related to whom. If someone is putting my pack in danger, I'll deal with them, no matter which family they belong to. Even if they are a part of my family."

"Are you accusing me of something?"

Callum's wrinkles increased as he narrowed his eyes at Jasper.

"This is the second time you bring up the possibility of someone accusing you; guilty conscious maybe?"

"I... Why..." Jasper moved his gaze from Callum's distrustful face to Keri's surprised one and then back to the Detective. "Why would I have a guilty conscious? As I said, Keri is biased to me and my suggestions. That's all."

"Yet she included you in her Council." Callum shook his head. "If you were one of my subordinates, I'd fire you."

"Let's get back to the matter at hand," Adrian prompted. "We'll take Anthony and Jasper's concerns under consideration and look into a possible connection between Alec and Ace. I suggest you check on members of your pack though..."

"Outrageous!" Jasper got to his feet. "There's no way any of us would invite such a dangerous man here."

"I trust my pack," Keri added. "We don't always share the same opinion on everything, but we stand by one another."

"It's good to see you two finally agree on something, but you can't let sentiment get in the way. I strongly insist that you look into the Bullets." Adrian's face was blank. "We will too."

My phone vibrated and I took it out of my pocket. I couldn't help the unease that was creeping inside me as I typed what I hoped Riley would see as a reassuring text.

Could the Sentinel be right?

Could it be that one of us betrayed us?

Keri was right though: we always stood by each other.

It felt unnatural to question my pack; it made me feel guilty I distrusted them.

I put the phone pack into my jeans, taking it out every half hour, writing pretty much the same thing each time.

In the end, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed a break from worrying about Ace, and Alec, and the possibility that one of us might be working against us. I tried to concentrate on all the things my pack had been through together, on all the sorrows and happy moments we'd shared.

None of that helped and the last text I sent to my mate told him I was coming to get him.

BONUS - Sasha's POV

"So, what are you thinking?" I asked as I slumped on the passenger seat and bucked myself up. Adrian turned the key in the ignition and looked at the back view mirror before driving off.

"They are right: the sooner Ace is out of town, the better off we'd be. We'll have to find a way - a legal way - to make him leave."

"Legal." I rolled my eyes. "Of course."

"You realize that you are working in a law enforcement department, right, Sasha?"

"I know. I'm just saying that bending the rules..."

"Is not our way."
"Is not your way," I corrected him. "Other Sentinels do it."

"People could get hurt, Sasha," he uttered quietly.

"And when we follow the rules they don't?" I rotated in my seat to take a better look at my brooding partner.

"Sometimes I wonder why you even joined us," he muttered, taking a left turn.

"Because of you. How many times do I have to repeat that?"

"You knew I wouldn't return your feelings. You knew I'd be different after..." Adrian gulped. "Peter."

"I wanted to be there for you. And I didn't know you'd be this different from the guy you used to be, the one who made my heart skip a beat. I occasionally see a glimpse of that guy..." I smiled. "Even though I'm no longer in love with you, I'd like to see more of that man, Ian. Of you being happy."

"I am happy," he insisted, his frown contradicting his words.

"Not the way you used to be with Peter."

His right hand let go of the steering wheel and he rubbed his forehead.

"Getting rid of Ace won't be easy."

I sighed at the way he changed the topic, but I couldn't blame him for wishing to do so. Not after what had happened with Peter.

"Especially if we are only going for legal ways," I noted.

He gave me a sideways warning glare and I raised my hands, adding:

"Which we are."

"He never backs down from a case so the first thing we should do is determine on whether he is only working on one case here, in Woodville."

"So, whether he's only working on the murder case or doing that and trying to find dirt on the Bullets?"

"Exactly." He nodded.

"Maybe we could shuffle around some documents about his Hunter's permit and tell him we've lost them and need him to provide copies to the Meadowfield office; that would slow him down."

Adrian didn't seem sold on my proposal.

"What?" I asked. "It's legal-ish and as I said: it will give us some time to investigate Ace without him in town."

"I don't like the idea." He shook his head.

"My, my, I could never tell by that huge grin on your face," I mocked. That didn't go well with my partner either and he frowned once again.

I sighed.

"Liven up a little, will you?"

"We are working, Sasha."

"So? We can't joke around?"

"When a waitress messes around, she might break a glass; when a librarian messes around, a book might get stolen; when we mess around, people die."

"No, when we mess up, people die, not when we mess around. Just go and get laid; you are too stressed, Ian."

He didn't comment so I went on:

"Seriously, when was the last time you..."

"Work, Sasha."

I sighed again and crossing my arms over my chest, I turned in my seat again, facing the front window.

"Fine, work," I muttered.

"Reggie is looking into Ace's phone records. If someone employed that Hunter and he didn't pick up the case on his own, then maybe we'd find out whether he is here just because of the murder or also because of the Bullets."

"Yeah, his employer and the person who told him about Rhys going to the Milk & Cream could be the same. Do you think someone from the Bullets could've betrayed the pack?"

"It's a possibility."

I stretched and rubbed my neck.

"Do you think it could be that boy, Alec?"

"Reggie looked into him a week ago when Anthony suggested he could have something to do with the murders. Even though we haven't found a connection between him and the crimes, Alec could still be the one who called Ace here. He knows about Rhys and Riley... And from what we've gathered so far, he's not exactly fond of the Bullets." Adrian drove silently for a minute or two with a thoughtful expression on his face. "I think it might be time to talk with him."

I perked up.

This should be fun.

"As in official questioning or undercover?"

"Undercover." He stated without hesitation. "The boy obviously has a problem with authority."

Ian snuck a glance at me and a semblance of a playful smirk showed up on his face.

"Wipe that smile off your face, Sash; it will be better if I handle this one."
I pouted.

"Why should you get the fun job? I mean, yeah, I always tell you to have some fun, but with you it will be just a job, without the fun part."

"Because you are a Dayer and there's no way he won't be able to tell that. Alec might be more open to a human as he thinks us lesser."

"Lower his defenses, you mean?"

Adrian nodded.

"Lucky bastard," I muttered, realizing my partner had a point.

"I'll just talk to him, Sasha."

I laughed.

"You think a boy like that would want to just talk, Ian?"

"I'm not sleeping with a suspect."

"I'm not telling you to sleep with him... Although he is hot." I bit my lip. "He has a very pureblooded look, don't you think? The pale eyes and hair, the slim built and bone structure... I would've never guessed that he is a half just by looking at him."

"Skinny, messed-up blonds aren't my thing, Sasha, even if he wasn't a suspect."

"I know, I know. You want a big, reliable guy you could go home to and snuggle with after a hard day's work."

"I'm not sure I could live with anyone again, Sasha." His voice was barely audible.

"Except if he is small, hairy and barks enthusiastically when you return home?"

A smile bloomed on Adrian's face and I mentally patted myself on the back. Mentioning Bear - Ian's tiny Norwich Terrier - was a sure way to cheer my partner up.

"So, undercover." I brought us even further away from memories of Peter and the time he and Ian shared an apartment.

"You will have to at least flirt to get Alec talking, you know that, right?" I went on.

He gulped and nodded.

"You remember how to flirt, right?" I teased and my partner rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Sasha, I remember how to flirt." He sounded almost convinced in his own words.

"Well, get some liquid courage, just in case."

"I'll be on a job." He pointed out.

"At a club. People drink at clubs."

My partner raised one thick, dark eyebrow at me. Or maybe it was two eyebrows; I couldn't tell by looking at him sideways.

"Our info tells us that the boy frequents Deviant; you should go there, Ian. It's the perfect place to meet without it being obvious you are looking for him. Order a few drinks, flirt a bit and see if you can find out anything useful. Or at least get a firsthand impression of the boy."

"Sounds reasonable," he muttered slowly.

"And if you do end up going beyond flirting, hey, I won't blame you." I grinned.

"Sasha."

Warning one.

"And I won't tell. But I expect you to tell me all the details."

"Sasha..." His voice rose.

Warning two.

"Well, seducing him might help with our investigation."

Adrian pulled over and turned the engine off.

"Time for a talk." He announced sternly.

"For a lecture, you mean." I chuckled.

Guess we were done with the warnings.

*****

A/N: So, obviously Riley will be in the next chapter. Yay!

Did you enjoy being in Sasha's head?

If so, please support the chapter with a VOTE.

What do you think of Ian?

And what of Sasha's plan for him to flirt with Alec? How do you think that would go?

PS: I accidentally outlined a book about Adrian's past. Why accidentally?

Well, I was just thinking about Adrian and started asking questions about him and ended up with the outline of a book I've never intended to write. Yes, Sasha and Peter are in it as well as the old Adrian Sasha fell for.

Anyway, would any of you be interested in reading it?

If I do write it, I'll be posting it as a side project so I won't be putting WATA/Sentiments & Reason on hold to upload Adrian's book.