LAYLA'S POV
Rafe's "goodnight, softie" is still warm in my chest when I meet Gears at 6 AM the next morning and he lays out something that turns the warmth to ice.
"Second layer." He spreads pages across the workbench. "Underneath the rerouted contracts - payments flowing through a shell company. Three intermediary registrations deep." He taps the last page. "The holding entity traces back to Black Viper's legal address."
I stare at the paper trail. Iron Howl money going directly to the rival pack. Not mismanagement. Treason.
"How much?"
"Enough to gut us if it continues another year."
I photograph every page. My hands are steady. My face gives nothing away.
"When you're ready to use it," Gears says, "tell me first. I want to be in the room."
"You will be."
I walk back to the main
