Secrets Never Die

Lucian

Lucian

Lucian, Coles’ beta and best friend since childhood, moved toward the far end of the alley, scanning the shadows beneath the fire escape.

Silence lingered until his voice broke it.

"You know I met Mari in a parking lot, right?"

Cole glanced over, brow raised.

"I didn’t know that."

Lucian gave a faint smile, still crouched near the wall.

"She was yelling at some guy who tried to overcharge her for brake work for her car. She didn't back down. I just stood there, watching her drag a full-grown man into the dirt with words alone, it was quite impressive."

Cole huffed quietly.

"That sounds just like her."

Lucian nodded.

"She knew what I was two weeks in. Didn’t flinch. She thought I was joking at first, and thought it was a costume. Once she figured out it was real she asked a million questions and by the end she was more intrigued than anything.”

His tone turned more serious.

"Alyssa’s not that kind of women, is she?"

Cole didn’t answer right away. His eyes stayed on the alley’s entrance.

"I do not believe she is. But, we haven’t known each other long. I still can’t get the picture of her face out of my mind, from that night in the alleyway. She was terrified.”

Lucian leaned back against the brick.

"So are you going to tell her what you are?"

Cole’s jaw tightened.

"When she’s ready. If she’s ready, then yes."

Before Lucian could reply, something caught his eye just beneath a rusted stairwell.

A flash of silver, barely visible in the shadows but, the moons glow caught it just right for Lucian to notice it.

He crouched again, reaching under the metal grating.

A broken cufflink.

Polished and sharp-edged.

Etched with a small, stylized “S.”

Lucian turned it over in his palm, brow narrowing.

"This isn’t cheap. Not something a street-level thug wears."

Cole stepped closer, eyes locking on the engraving.

"This is Slater Corp."

Lucian looked up, voice lowering.

"That logo, Aiden and his team wear these and they are custom pieces. I’ve seen them worn at fundraisers in the past.

Cole’s expression hardened.

"Lucas doesn’t send Aiden or his team out to do dirty work unless it's personal for him."

The rain tapped louder now, like the city was leaning in to listen.

Lucian slipped the cufflink into a plastic evidence pouch and tucked it into his jacket.

"We’ve got a name, now we figure out why someone was after Alyssa, and how she’s affiliated with Slater Corp.” Lucian stated.

Cole’s voice dropped to a growl.

"He’s already too close. Isn’t there a fundraiser coming up in a couple of weeks?” Cole growled.

“That may be the perfect time to get close and confront them face-to-face”, Lucian stated.

Cole gave a low growl and sharpened his gaze.

“Let Mari and a couple, and I mean only a couple of the warriors, know we are going to a fundraiser, and to make sure their mates join, so we don’t draw too much attention to ourselves.”

The hunt had begun.