L

    "Trying to pass a message? What makes you think so?" Ramsey asked.

    "My gut feeling and the fact that these killings are not as random as we want to think they are. Based on my findings, they are specifically targeted at families. Not one of the victims was a random person or individual. It''s always families."

    "I agree with you that the attack pattern is consistent, but it couldn''t have been werewolves or any supernatural creatures. There are strictws guiding us. We cannot attack humans even if we want to. And just like my wife said, the signature is wrong. It''s too controlled for a natural werewolf, but too savage for a Lycan."

    "What about a hybrid?" Delia suggested. "Someone who''s part werewolf but also something else?"

    I felt Nymeris stir uneasily at the suggestion. "What makes you think of hybrids?"

    "Just curiosity," Delia said with that same practised smile. "I''ve read ounts of various supernatural creatures interbreeding throughout history. The offspring tend to have... unusual characteristics."

    "Those arergely myths and folklore," Kyren said, joining our conversation. "True supernatural hybrids are extremely rare and usually don''t survive to adulthood."

    "Usually," Delia repeated thoughtfully. "But not always."

    Something about the way she said it made me ufortable.

    After we returned home with promises of a follow-up meeting the next day, I found myself trying to bring up Delia in a conversation with Ramsey.

    We were in our bedroom, both of us changing out of our clothes from the police station visit, and I was attempting to bring up my concerns about Delia without sounding paranoid or overly suspicious.

    "So," I said carefully, pulling on afortable sweater, "what did you think of Delia?"

    Ramsey paused in unbuttoning his shirt, looking at me. "You mean Dr. Delia Pier?"

    "Yes. She seemed very... interested in our investigation."

    "That''s one way to put it," Ramsey said dryly. "What''s your real question, L?"

    I took a deep breath, deciding to be direct. "Did she strike you as suspicious? Her behaviour at the crime scene, the way she inserted herself into every conversation, how she seemed to know more about supernatural dynamics than a human academic should?"

    To my surprise, Ramsey nodded immediately. "Absolutely. Everything about her felt wrong."

    "Really?" I felt relief that he''d picked up on the same things I had. "I was worried I was being overly paranoid."

    "Your instincts about people are usually spot-on," Ramsey said, sitting on the edge of the bed to face me. "What specifically bothered you?"

    "The way she looked at the crime scene. She wasn''t even interested in what we knew or her personal findings; it felt like she was trying to get our opinion. You know situations where a child does something and expects some feedback on that thing they did."

    "I noticed that too. And her knowledge of supernatural territorial markings was far more detailed than any human researcher should possess."

    "Plus the way she..." I hesitated, not wanting to sound petty.

    "The way she threw herself at every male in our group?" Ramsey finished with amusement. "Trust me, I noticed. Though I have to give Kyren credit for being oblivious to her advances."

    "I don''t think he was oblivious. Kyren doesn''t like her; I know that much. He was only trying to tolerate her, but I''m proud you handled her so well, too, without giving her much information about your real identity. She wanted to know your rank." I said, moving to sit beside him on the bed.

    "She''s slick, I''d give her that. Kyren, on the other hand, is not someone who would easily let any woman into his bed. I''m willing to bet the guy is still a virgin…"

    "Ramsey!" Iughed, hitting him yfully.

    "I''m not joking, L," he smiled. "Hollow Kin males are a disciplined bunch. They don''t have many women in their pack, so they don''t know how to treat them, I assure you. Also, there was nothing to handle. I''m mated to you—end of discussion." He pulled me closer, pressing a kiss to my temple. "No other woman exists for me, L. You know that."

    Before I could respond, his phone rang. He nced at the caller ID and sighed.

    "It''s Lenny. Probably to whine about how I came here and deserted him."

    I smiled. "Go ahead and take it," I said, standing up. "I''ll go downstairs and see if I can find something to snack on. The babies are demanding food again."

    Ramsey nodded, already answering the call as I slipped out of the bedroom.

    I made my way down to the kitchen, expecting to find it empty, but stopped short when I saw Kyren standing at the stove. He was shirtless, his well-defined torso on full disy as he worked over what appeared to be a perfectly seared steak. The sight was so unexpected that I just stood there for a moment, taking in the scene.

    When he noticed me, he looked up briefly, gave me a casual nce, and continued with his cooking.

    "If you wanted a steak, you could have just asked, and I''d have had a chef prepare it for you," I said, trying to inject some lightness into the moment.

    Kyren scoffed, not looking up from his work. "Do you always trust other people with the food you eat?"

    The question caught me off guard. "I... yes? Should I not?"

    "Your life must be so easy," he said with what might have been amusement.

    "You fear poisoning?" I asked.

    He smiled. "That''s how my father was killed. That''s how my mother died, and my brother too. That''s how many people in our world die. The easiest way to kill a Lycan is to poison it. Didn''t your husband tell you?"

    I felt my stomach drop at the casual way he mentioned his losses. "We''ve never been in a situation where we had to worry about being poisoned."

    Kyren smirked, finally looking at me directly. "Then Ramsey has a lot of people who are loyal to him. That''s rare in positions of power."

    We fell into silence after that. I sat on a kitchen stool near the ind, making myself asfortable as possible.

    As the aroma from his steak wafted up to me, I found myself suddenly craving the steak he was preparing, but I didn''t know how to ask for some without seeming like a beggar. Instead, I started eating grapes from a bowl on the counter, trying to satisfy the babies'' demands.

    When Kyren finished cooking, he sliced the steak and ced portions on two tes. He passed one toward me, but just as I reached for it, he pulled it back.

    "Would you make me godfather to one of your sons?" he asked suddenly. "The one who will be born second?"

    I looked up at him in amazement. "That''s... very specific."

    He smirked. "Deal?"

    I sighed, considering the request. "No deal. A lot of people have already indicated interest, and I can''t deny Lenny, who''s Ramsey''s best friend—"

    "The whore?" Kyren rolled his eyes and finally handed me the te. "Should you let someone with no morals be your child''s godfather?"

    "Lenny is a good man, Kyren," I said firmly, taking a piece of the meat and chewing. The steak was perfectly cooked—juicy and delicious, seasoned with herbs I couldn''t identify. "This is incredible, by the way. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

    Kyren took a bite of his steak. "Lenny has always had promiscuous tendencies. He was the first one among us to lose his virginity. He was only eleven and did it with an omega in their pack house."

    I nearly choked on my food. "Wait, you know Lenny?"

    Kyren smirked, enjoying my surprise. "We all grew up together, but had to pursue different paths. Though none of them knew I was Hollow Kin-bred. I wonder what Lenny would say when he sees me."

    "Hollow Kin Lycans are different from ordinary Lycans?"

    "We''re more spiritual than other Lycans," Kyren exined, setting down his fork. "We worship the Moon and the elementals. Every Hollow Kin, by the age of ten, must attain a spiritual realm that allows them to see things an ordinary Lycan wouldn''t."

    "Like how you could tell exactly how many weeks pregnant I am and how you specifically wanted to be godfather to my second son?"

    He nodded. "He takes after you, L. Your second son. He''s going to give you much more trouble than his brother. The first one will easily lean toward politics and leadership."

    My excitement built at this glimpse into my children''s futures. "Tell me more! What else can you see?"

    Kyren looked at me from where he stood and shook his head firmly. "Divination is a dangerous thing, L. You should never go seeking it, just like you should never seek out death or love. They wille to you when they''re ready."

    I was tempted to press him for more information, but something in his tone warned me to heed his advice. Instead, I changed the subject to something that had been nagging at me all afternoon.

    "What do you think about Delia?"

    "She''s a half-breed," Kyren said without hesitation. "And just a word of warning—she wants your husband. In fact, her main intention is to sleep with him."