A dull ache throbbed in the back of my head—because I'd hardly fucking slept.

But here I was sitting in my office, on a Monday morning. Sunday having come and gone with no contact from Sage.

Blinking, I tried to push those nagging doubts that had prevented me from sleeping to the back of my mind and focus on work. But my eyes kept drifting to the time as I flicked through my emails.

She would be here in ten minutes.

Ten minutes and I would know if everything was good between us.

I hardly recognised the person I'd become, sat here waiting for a woman, but she wasn't just any woman and what was more worrying, this change had happened in less than a week.

Picking up my phone, and scrolling through my messages, I hovered over her last message. Since last night I had resisted the urge to text again. Which was fucking hard to do after my conversation with Gunner about a rogue blue-eyed wolf that may or may not know something about the recent suicides.

Leaning back in my chair I ran my hand through my hair, going over and over our last conversation. She had asked for space, and I had to respect that, even though everything inside me told me I should stop what I was doing and go find her.

My wolf grumbled. I know, pal. I fucking know.

I needed to concentrate and distract myself. The packs would start nagging me for answers soon and I needed something concrete to work with. Something to shift the emphasis from this rogue.

But why?

I didn't believe there was a cat-in-hells chance that Sage was this blue-eyed rogue wolf.

There was no fucking way she would lower herself to be involved with any of those shifty bastards. I was sure of it.

Then why couldn't I shift this gut feeling that something wasn't right?

Was I blind where Sage Dufrene was concerned?

Fucked if I knew.

I just knew I wanted her. More than I had ever wanted anything. End of.

My phone vibrated.

It was Zander; he was almost here. He had arrived late last night in a foul mood, so we didn't talk, just went running together, our wolves letting loose through the woods, which was fine by me.

But now I wanted answers—I had hoped we could chat this morning before I came to the office, but he was out cold, probably jet-lagged.

I was jarred out of my thoughts by a knock on my door.

Sage.

Sitting up straight, my heart began going like the clappers. Taking a deep breath, I put my phone down.

Look relaxed. DO NOT look desperate.

"Come." I had no control over the cheesy grin plastered on my face as I stood up.

What the Fuck?

My smile dropped; replaced by confusion. It wasn't Sage. My wolf growled.

It was some blonde piece I'd never seen before, standing there smiling at me.

"Good Morning Mr Stone," she said, pushing her chest out. My eyes flicked to her left, peering around her. Surely Sage must be behind her.

She cleared her throat. "Mr Stone," she said again.

I blinked and stared at this stranger in my office. "Err, yeah. Sorry, I was expecting someone else. Do I know you Miss?"

She shook her head and her blonde curls fell forward. "No Sir, the agency sent me. A replacement assistant to fill in short-term?"

It was like fucking deja vu. "Replacement?"

"Yes Sir. The lady who was here, filling in. I believe she had to withdraw her availability and give notice. So, the agency sent their apologies and I will happily fill the position."

She must have seen my confusion. "Why?" I stupidly asked.

She continued. "I'm sorry Sir, I don't know the reason, but I believe they have emailed you." She gestured towards my laptop.

I couldn't stop my face frowning or breathing heavily through my nose. Pulling my laptop closer I tilted the screen and skimmed down the emails. Yes, there was one from the agency. I opened it to find an apology with no other explanation.

Fuck!

I rubbed my hand across my forehead, dread settled in my gut—this wasn't good.

Fuck!

I heard the blonde speak again, forcing my attention back to her.

"My name is Penelope Simms, or Penny for short if you would prefer?" She smiled again.

No, I fucking wouldn't prefer.

"Yes, fine. Okay. If you dial Ellen on extension 203 and she will happily show you around and get you set up, yeah."

Yep, definitely deja-fucking-vu. Apart from the fact I wasn't attracted to this woman in any way, shape or form.

Where the fuck was Sage?

And why hadn't she called to tell me herself she wouldn't be here this morning?

The answer slapped me in the face—Charles Du-Ponte, her grandfather. He must have had a hand in this.

I decided I wouldn't wait around any longer. If she wasn't coming here, then I was sure as fuck going to track her down—stalker or not. I wanted to know what the fuck was going on.

I watched my supposedly new assistant leave my office, as I grabbed my jacket, phone and keys. I didn't give a shit it was barely 9 am, I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

Heading towards my door, I was stopped. A bulking frame blocked the door—my brother.

I internally sighed, he could wait. "Make yourself at home, you know where everything is. I need to head out and sort something, yeah."

He shook his head. "Whatever it is can wait, Hunter, we need to talk."

I may as well have been standing in front of Dad, They were so alike, even sharing the same mannerisms. And here he was giving me that look, the one that said he wouldn't 'no' for an answer—just like Dad.

Fuck!

"Make it quick, I've got places I need to be," I said turning to throw my jacket on the nearest chair.

He gave a quick flick of his head. And followed me inside my office.

"Is that your new assistant?" he asked. "Sage is it?" He turned to look at whatshername, now sat at her desk... Sage's desk.

I shook my head, "No, Sage hasn't turned up this morning, that's her replacement."

He arched his brows before nodding his acknowledgement. "Right... yeah." He turned and shouted over to whatshername. "Get me a coffee sweetheart, black and stronger the better, yeah."

She was up out of her chair quick smart, looking towards me as I flicked my head. "The kitchen is down the corridor on your right," I said.

"Yes Sir, right away. Can I get you anything Mr Stone?"

"No, not for me, won't be stopping long; I have somewhere I need to be."

Zander closed my office door and walked towards my desk and plonked his arse down in my fucking chair.

Cheeky bastard.

We hadn't seen each other for at least three months and although I wouldn't admit it openly, it was great to see him. Not his nagging and constant reminders of how I should run things here in the UK, but just him being around. We would run together, like last night and although we were very competitive, we were close, and I always knew he had my back.

I watched him make himself comfortable. "What's with all this?" I pointed towards his recent addition—a beard.

He rubbed his hand over his face. "You like it? Andrea loves it. She thinks it looks sexy, so I ain't complaining."

Andrea was his wife. They only got married just before he headed off to the States. "What are you feeding it... it looks a bit full on?"

He laughed. "Yeah, it grows like fucking grass."

"Makes you look more like Dad." We both fell quiet.

"Yeah?" he said as his eyes drifted off for a second.

I needed to rescue this, it wasn't good for us to sit here and think about Dad. "Yeah, it's better though, it hides more of your face... and let's face facts not everyone can be as pretty as me."

He laughed again. "Cheeky bastard."

There was a knock on the door and in came ... honestly what the fuck was her name again? with my brother's coffee.

"Cheers sweetheart," he said as she placed it in front of him.

"Anything else Sir?" She looked at me with that hopeful look. The look I fucking hated.

"Nah, we good Miss..."

"Miss Simms or just Penny, Sir."

"Thank you, Miss Simms. I'm sure Ellen will be down in any second." She nodded her head and turned to leave.

As the door closed, I turned back towards my brother.

"So where is this Sage?" he asked.

That's what I wanted to know. I shrugged. "That's the question I want an answer to, she didn't tip up this morning, and the agency sent in a replacement who you just met."

That perked him up. "Ah, okay, well that's good then—so you and her, it's over then, it's done, finished?"

My chest tightened and my jaw clenched.

"No. We're not done," I said.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That might not be a good idea Hunter."

I was sick and tired of this shit, firstly Ruth and now my brother.

"Well, I think I'm old enough and big enough to make my own decisions Zander." I controlled my anger. "Now do you want to tell me what the fuck is going on—because Ruth wouldn't. And frankly, I'm getting fucked off being kept in the dark... all this cloak and dagger shit, yeah."

He sighed as he rubbed his hand across his beard—just like Dad used to do.

"Her grandfather, Du-Ponte and our Dad used to be close and when our Grandfather passed everything down to Dad, Du-Ponte was his closest advisor. To Uncle John too. But something happened, which I'm not privy to. And you were just a kid so I doubt you would remember." He stopped to take a sip of his coffee.

He continued. "From what I know, they had some huge disagreement, which ended their friendship. Uncle John also got caught up in the crossfire and he pissed off to America with his two lads and Du-Ponte went his own way. But Dad always thought he was in the background, plotting, waiting for the day he could jump in and take over Wolfe Industries. He's a nasty piece of work, people and wolves disappear when they drop out of favour. Him and Dad crossed paths a few times over the years."

I listened intently. Fuck, if he knew about me and Sage, I could safely assume he wouldn't be happy.

"Okay, but what has this to do with me seeing Sage?"

"For starters, he wouldn't like it and secondly perhaps he planted her here, to keep an eye on you. It's rumoured he's still pissed and wants our family out so he can run Wolfe Industries himself—his way."

Flexing the muscles in my arms, I cracked my knuckles. "A plant? What do you mean... like a fucking spy?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, that's what I want to find out."

"And if that the case, why ain't she here now, spying on me."

Count to ten Hunter.

"I don't know that either."

"You don't know much." The vein in my temple throbbed. "Seriously, how bad can he be? I never heard you or Dad mention his name. I knew him and Uncle John had fallen out years ago, he told me as much at the funeral."

Zander's eyes tightened, his face reddening. "Du-Ponte's been off grid for a few years, after the death of his daughter, but something's going on. He's been in America and from what I hear, he's built a relationship with our cousins and you remember Victor at our Dad's funeral? Well, he said he wants back in—thinks he should be heading up the US and Mexican operations. He's not happy with me pissing in his pond. Sticking my nose in where it ain't wanted."

"Cheeky bastard."

Zander relaxed a little, leaning back in his chair. "Don't stress it, it's under control. I've got a handle on the packs out there and they trust me."

I remembered what Sage had told me, the fire. "After the death of his daughter—you mean the fire? Yeah, I know her parents died in a fire."

He looked at me a little weirdly. "They didn't die in a fire, Hunter."

"What?"

"Rumours are, he killed his daughter. She had wanted out of his clutches, and she took something that belonged to him as leverage, but when he caught up with her, he had her and her husband killed. The fire was just a cover-up to make it look like an accident."

Fucking hell. "How do you know?"

"Dad had someone on the inside. A wolf reached out to Dad to try and stop it, but it was too late."

"Why reach out to Dad? I'm not following."

"Dad, knew Sage's mother, Hannah. She had come to him for help, to get her out of the country. It was Dad who sorted everything." He took another drink of his coffee. "And I would hazard a guess another reason to hate our family."

Fuck. I leaned forward resting my elbows on my knees rubbing my hands together.

"The only survivor was his granddaughter... Sage. And he's kept her close to him all these years, more or less hidden away, but there have been rumours." He paused.

My head shot up. "Rumours?"

"Yeah, rumours that she's different."

What the fuck?

A cold sharp pain sliced down my spine. "Different how?" I asked, my voice sounding tight.

"I couldn't tell you. But this... whatever you have going on—it has to end Hunter. Now!"

I knew he was waiting for me to respond and normally I would have hit the roof. But I knew I needed to play this one cool.

"I mean it's not like you were together long or anything, nothing serious?" He looked at me questioningly trying to get a read on me.

His words cut through me and my wolf growled. Zander picked up on that—he always could sense what was going on with me and him indoors.

He looked at me intensely, but I wouldn't look away.

"What is she to you, Hunter?"

Fuck. Sweat prickled over the back of my neck.

"But it's nothing serious, yeah?" he repeated.

I wanted to say it was... serious for me and not just a quick fuck, but I held my tongue. Play it safe Hunter.

He continued pressing on, grilling me like some kind of school kid who'd got himself into trouble. "Ruth said she had never seen you like this before; said you were looking at her like she was your everything."

I scoffed. Fucking Ruth. I would have words with her later. "Ruth doesn't know shit."

"So, we're all good then, you ain't gonna see her again?"

I clenched my jaw. I needed to see Sage, speak with her.

He eyed me carefully. "We're all good then?"

"Yeah, we're good."

He nodded his head as he lifted his coffee to take a drink—his eyes never left mine. "Onto business, tell me about the deaths happening in London."

I looked at the time, there was no way I could track her down at the minute. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," he said.

I started at the beginning.