Figuring it Out
571 Words
Chapter 8
Cole
Everything in Cole burned to tell Alyssa the truth about who he was, what he was.
Every instinct screamed to claim her, to mark her, to make her his in every way Zodiak demanded.
The wolf inside him paced restlessly, furious with the delay.
But Cole knew better.
He had to be careful with her.
Slow and delicate, if he wasn’t he would lose her.
He could see it, the shadows she carried just beneath her surface.
Demons she didn’t speak about but wore like armor.
He ached to know what haunted her, to tear those ghosts away and replace them with safety, with peace.
To make her forget her past, and know nothing but protection in his arms.
But that would have to wait.
For now, he had a day and a half to survive until their date and he needed answers before then.
Someone had tried to kill her.
Someone dangerous.
Even though he was dead, he doubted that was the end of her troubles.
Cole didn’t believe in coincidences.
And if Alyssa was being hunted, he needed to know who and why before it was too late.
He weighed his options, his mind already shifting into tactical mode.
The best place to start was obvious.
He would go back to the alley.
Before heading out, Cole pulled out his phone and called Luna Willow.
When she answered, he wasted no time, filling her in on everything since their last call.
"I need backup," Cole said, his voice low and steady. "Send our best warrior. Someone you trust completely."
There was a pause on the line, but Willow's answer came firm.
"You’ll have them within the hour."
"Good," Cole said. "I’ll meet up with Lucian too. We need to find out who’s behind this—and fast."
He hung up, slipping the phone back into his jacket.
Cole pulled out his phone, thumb hovering only a second before hitting Lucian’s number.
The line barely rang once before his beta answered.
"Boss," Lucian said, sharp and ready.
Cole leaned against his truck, rain dripping from the hood of his jacket.
"I found her," he said without preamble. "My mate."
Silence crackled on the line for a heartbeat.
"She knows?" Lucian asked cautiously.
Cole shook his head, frustration knotting in his chest.
"No. She’s human. Completely unaware of our world."
Lucian exhaled, slow and low.
"That complicates things."
"It gets worse," Cole said. "Last night someone tried to attack her. Alley off Eighth Street. Human male, armed. It wasn’t a random mugging, Lucian. It was targeted. Planned."
Lucian’s voice hardened.
"Is she safe?"
"For now," Cole said. "But I don't trust coincidence. I think whoever sent him knows something or worse, they're trying to flush her out."
“I don’t understand why they don’t take care of her themselves." He raked a hand through his damp hair, jaw tight.
"We need to find out who and why. Fast. And we need to make sure she’s protected without tipping her off to what we are."
Lucian didn’t hesitate.
"Tell me where to meet you."
"Alley where it happened.” Cole said quickly
"Understood," Lucian said, voice clipped and serious.
"I’ll be there in fifteen."
The call ended, the cold silence of the rain closing in again.
Cole shoved the phone into his pocket, his mind already racing ahead.
They had to figure out who was behind this and fast.
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