I lowered my head before looking back at him.
"No, sadly, I am not joking, Dr Simms."
He stared at me, shocked, and needed a few seconds to gather his thoughts.
"What made you make this decision, Dr Laurie? Are you moving out of the pack?"
My instincts urged me to nod, but I stopped myself at the last moment. He was another person I didn't want to lie to, and I was sure he would understand my situation after the ceremony. But, just like with Lily, I couldn't be honest with him yet. I was afraid that revealing my knowledge of Kevin and Zoe's dirty games would jeopardise my plans, so I held back the truth.
"Dr Simms, you know that I am Kevin Jackson's partner," I began, but he just stared at me blankly.
"His succession ceremony will take place in eleven days, and from then
