Parker's brows furrowed. She was confused. Daniel did not look surprised at Alice's revelation. Not that she was able to read his face when he put up his stone wall—and the wall was currently defending against any possible breach from external forces.

She was still reeling from Alice's discovery. Rather than make the knowledge public, the two women had thought it best to share the information with Daniel behind closed doors. They had found him in his office.

As soon as they sat down, Alice took a few calming breaths and began. "I know who the drug has been designed to target."

Alice's expression grew pensive, and she wrung her hands together. "I can't believe I didn't see it before."

Daniel raised his hands. "Don't blame yourself." He lowered his hands. "It won't do you any good. Just tell me what you've found."

Alice took a moment to compose herself. "We had three different groups: those who took it and didn't have any symptoms, those who had symptoms and became ill but then recovered, and the last group who became progressively sicker until they were terminal."

"As I am already aware," Daniel said. "What does this have to do with your discovery?"

"The group with no effects were all mature Werewolves whose parents were born Werewolves. The recovery group was the same, with the exception that the infected hadn't yet reached maturity." She paused and nibbled on her thumbnail. "I think the drug is deliberately targeting Werewolves who have been turned or who have a parent that was turned."

Alice shifted forward in her seat and explained in a rush. "Mature, pure Werewolves are immune to Wildfire and pure Werewolves that have yet to reach maturity can fight it. But, once Wildfire is introduced to a Werewolf with mixed genes, the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Parker cleared her throat. "So, this is a designer drug that is attacking Werewolves based on genetic purity." Her knowledge of biology was rusty, but she was sure that wasn't possible.

Daniel's eyes focused on Parker. "Thank you, Alice. I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone else just yet."

Alice stood, bowed to her alpha and left, leaving only silence behind.

"You already knew, didn't you?" she said.

Daniel took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. "I had my suspicions."

She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "And it's related to this thing you can't tell me?" She knew the answer but still needed the actual affirmation.

He nodded.

Her shoulders dropped and she shook her head. She thought they had gotten beyond the cloak and daggers stage. "Don't you think it would've been better to at least point Alice in the right direction?" She recalled the stress Alice had put herself through to find answers, answers that Daniel already had. A wave of anger surged through her body, and she stiffened. "She's been working tirelessly to put the puzzle together, and you had the answer the entire time."

Daniel placed his hands on his desk and leaned forward. "I don't need to explain myself, and I certainly don't answer to you."

She shot out of her seat and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't you think we've already learned the hard way what happens when key people are left in the dark? I would've thought you'd have learned that lesson by now."

Daniel's stonewall expression irritated her even further. She let out a disgusted noise and stormed out of his office slamming his door with as much force as she could. She needed to leave before she said anything she'd regret later.

Parker brooded all afternoon, angry with herself. She had deliberately picked a fight with Daniel and she had no idea why. As usual, her mind had another point of view.

Of course, you do. You were petrified that he would mention last night.

Not able to concentrate, and incapable of pretending to, she decided a walk would clear her mind. She grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the path that would take her into the forest.

She passed the main compound without being seen by the group of children who normally followed her on her daily walks and breathed a sigh of relief. While she enjoyed their company, today she needed the quiet solitude to think. The afternoon sun was warm despite the canopy high above her. She headed farther along the trail than normal and heard the sound of water gushing in the distance.

Parker veered off the path and spotted a small clearing through the trees. When she broke through to the clearing, the beauty of her surroundings took her breath away. Water cascaded down the rocky surface of the mountainside and into a small, but clear blue lake. She spotted a large flat rock on the lake's edge and headed toward it. I wonder how warm the water is? She took off her shoes, rolled up her jeans, and dipped her feet in the water. The water was cooler than she expected, but she grew accustomed to it. She leaned back and enjoyed the tranquility and beauty of the lake.

She was so engrossed in her own thoughts that splashing a short way off startled her. A portion of the lake was obscured from view. Whatever the sound was, it was coming from around the corner. Curious, she craned her head and was stunned by the sight of a huge black wolf. The wolf spotted her at the exact same moment.

Frack.

She knew without a doubt that this was Daniel's wolf.

Indecision had her rooted to the spot.

Should I leave before he emerges, or should I stay here and ignore him?

The wolf lazily made his way to the bank and emerged from the water. His fur glistened in the sun. Even wet, the wolf was massive. His muscles were well-defined against the fur plastered to his lean body.

A flurry of nerves shot through her middle as he drew close. Sleek and powerful, he radiated raw, unbridled energy. He halted. Expressionless, his amber eyes stared at her without blinking. It was the same look she had often seen on Daniel's face.

Well, they both have that look down pat.

The wolf took a step closer so they were face-to-face. He leaned in and gently nuzzled the side of her neck, wetting her in the process.

Parker was caught off guard and struggled to push him away. "Get off me, you great oaf. You're soaking, and you smell like a wet blanket."

His eyes alternated between green and amber and she could swear he grinned. The wolf violently shook his body, and water splattered in all directions.

She screamed and attempted to protect herself from the sudden deluge. Eventually, the wolf stopped, and she looked up to find him standing near her, tongue lolling out of his mouth with a definite wolfy grin plastered across his features.

Still cursing, she swatted at the now half-dry wolf and pouted as she attempted to wipe herself down. "Well, that was a shitty thing to do."

The wolf ignored her and nuzzled against her leg.

Still irritated, she swatted at him again. "Go find a stick to play with, you idiot. I need to get dry."

She sat down, dangled her feet in the water, and leaned back on her arms. The wolf, finding a comfortable position, lay down by her side. Parker closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun.

Once Parker awoke, the wolf got up from his position, sauntered to the water's edge, and dipped his nose to smell it. He looked back at her and leaped into the lake. This time, she anticipated what he was about to do and quickly scrambled backward, avoiding most of the water that splayed back onto the rock.

She called out half-heartedly, "Daniel, I swear to God, I'm going to kill you."

The wolf swam for a while and then sauntered back to shore. This time, he shook himself off from a distance. Then he ambled to a spot just behind where she sat and attempted to retrieve something from between two large boulders.

Curious at the obvious frustration exhibited by the wolf, she rose and went over to investigate. The wolf was unsuccessfully attempting to retrieve a pair of jeans that Daniel must have placed there before transforming.

She pulled the garment out from its hiding spot. "Well, that was a stupid place to put them."

The wolf sat down on his haunches and growled.

Her glance flickered between the wolf and the pair of black jeans in her hands. She was suddenly all too aware that Daniel needed to transform back first before getting dressed. Her face grew hot, and the heat spread throughout her body.

"Oh," was the only word she mustered. She folded his clothing and held it out for the wolf to take.

The wolf took the offering in his mouth and wandered into the nearby line of trees.

Parker returned to her previous position. She was peering into the water when a shadow blocked out the sun. Parker looked up to investigate, and only made out his well-formed shirtless torso as his face was obscured by the light. She gulped and tried not to stare—it was difficult pretending not to notice his perfectly sculptured upper body.

What would it be like to run her fingers across his toned chest and torso, to feel the outline of the scars scattered across his exposed front and back? His uncovered body was as tanned as the rest of him. Water from his still-wet hair dripped and ran down his torso, seeping into the top of the jeans sitting dangerously low on his hips.

Just how low does his tan go?

Without speaking, Daniel sat down beside her, and his legs joined hers in the water. He was close enough that she felt the heat of his skin.

Personal space. The man had no concept of it.

"I'm sorry if you think I am keeping things from you." His voice was low and sincere. "It's not my intention, and I was going to tell Alice, but she worked it out before I could."

Parker sighed. "I know. I overreacted a little bit."

Daniel faced her.

"Okay. A little more than a little."

A bird cried overhead, and they watched as an eagle circled them, and then flew northwards.

Daniel watched the bird disappear into the distance. "I remember the first time my pack saw a golden eagle after arriving in America. We'd been searching for months for somewhere to settle. Somewhere far away from civilization, but close enough that we could still keep an eye on it."

Her feet swished in the water, but she remained silent. He had never spoken about his past and would often leave if a conversation required him to take a trip down memory lane.

"One spring morning, not far from here, my father spotted a pair of golden eagles." Daniel paused to pick up a pebble and tossed it into the water. "As with wolves, they mate for life. He decided that this was an omen, and that this was where we should settle the pack."

She scanned their surroundings and smiled. "Well, he picked a perfect spot. The area is a mini paradise."

He laughed. "You wouldn't have thought so at the time. Remember, this was over one hundred and fifty years ago. There were no roads, no transportation, no under-floor heating, no air-conditioning, and virtually no Humans. It was all untamed wilderness."

She studied the area with new eyes, trying to imagine it when Daniel and his people first arrived. She couldn't fathom what it would be like being a living witness to history. "Do you miss it?"

He thought about the question before he answered. "Sometimes. We could be ourselves without having to constantly look over our shoulders."

Parker's brows edged upward. He's never spoken so freely about his past before.

She listened in awe as he described how the valley was developed by the pack, and the hardships they often faced.

Daniel absently reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Life was a lot simpler then. Our wolves roamed as they pleased. We had time to regroup and define who we were as a race, without the constraints of our past."

His touch, whilst innocent, had set fire to her nerve endings. It was an effort to keep her expression neutral and hide the physical effect that lingered even after he severed contact.

"My father taught me to protect the pack above all else. Often that involved holding back information so as not to cause panic." He paused and looked at her. "I suppose that's what I've been doing with you. It's hard to break out of something I've had to do my entire life, but I want you to know I am trying. It's just that I'm not used to trusting others."

Thrown by the revelations, and unsure how to respond, she fingered her necklace and searched for the right words. Without question, this was a conversation he's not had too often. The sincerity in his voice left her in no doubt of that. "Let's face it, you've had the equivalent of a few Human lifetimes to perfect the habit."

Daniel laughed and nudged her with his shoulder. "Well, let's see how you fare breaking a habit you've had for over two-hundred years."

Her stomach lurched. Daniel, Morgan, Clara, Bobby, and the rest of the Werewolves would still be around in another two-hundred years. She, however, would be but a memory. Parker took a deep breath and ignored the pain in her chest. "Well, lucky for you I'm Human, so that's not going to happen."

Daniel blinked and fixed his gaze on her. "Morgan mentioned that your cousin's grandfather was a Werewolf."

Parker nodded. She was about to reply, but felt something bite her ankle. "Ow!" She pulled her limb up to investigate. A large mosquito was happily sucking away at her leg.

Daniel flicked the offender off her skin and swung her legs over to rest across his. He reached for the drink bottle behind her, opened it, and poured water over the bite.

She winced "That's hot."

The water within the bottle had heated in the sun.

"I know. The hot water will clean the area and stop the itch."

After he was satisfied the bite was clean, he set the empty bottle down. Her legs still rested across his thighs, and he was gently holding them in place.

"You were about to say?" he said.

"What?" Her entire body was on high alert, her mind a jumbled mess.

His hand absently touched her calf. "Your cousin?"

"O-oh," she said. "Bobby never knew him. His grandmother claimed he died before Bobby's father was born. There was an old photo she carried around with her of the two of them. After she died, he inherited it. The photo came in handy. One of the packs recognized Bobby's grandfather. It turned out he left Chicago around the end of the 1940's and wasn't seen again."

Daniel continued to massage her bitten leg. Electric currents shot up her limb and through every nerve ending in her body.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This man has magic fingers.

She recalled her conversation with Jessica, and curiosity got the better of her. "What was your father like?"

Daniel let out a long breath and shook his head. "My father was driven. He demanded a very high standard from everyone. Apart from when he was with my mother, I don't think I ever saw him smile until the day Jessica was born."

While the words were spoken quietly, his tone spoke volumes. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "That must have been hard for you, having to live up to his standard, not able to walk your own path."

Daniel shrugged it off. "It goes with the territory. All alphas are brought up that way. We know nothing else."

"Is that the way you will bring up your children?"

He tensed at her question, a dark scowl flittering across his face for the briefest of moments. She recognized the emptiness and longing reflected in his eyes. Then, as was Daniel's way, his face put up a wall, leaving her doubtful of ever having seen it at all.

He glanced at the late afternoon sun, now hidden behind the trees. "We better head back. Morgan and Clara will be arriving soon."

This was her cue to rise. She attempted to extricate her legs from their position across his thighs. His arm still rested across them, and she tried to nudge it away to allow her some movement.

Daniel tore his gaze away from the sun and looked down at her. She watched as his eyes raked across her hair and face. The intensity of his stare made it hard for her to breathe.

Not even aware she was doing it, she leaned closer to the force of nature beside her. His eyes searched her face intently. He took an eternity to lower his head, only to halt a fraction of an inch from her mouth.

His eyes bored into hers, trying to see into her soul.

The delay, while only a second, was painful, then by mutual agreement, they closed the distance. Unlike their previous kiss, this one was gentle. His tongue was questioning, not demanding entrance. She trembled when she granted him entry and her lips met his. One kiss became two, then three.

Their kiss deepened and white-hot longing flared and burnt bright. Unable to help herself, she reached her arms up and entwined her fingers around his neck. She returned his passion until she had no idea where his lips ended and hers began.

A low moan, deep with desire caught her attention. When he pulled her closer and the sound repeated, she was startled to discover it had come from her.

***

Daniel pulled her closer. All that existed was this moment, and this woman in his arms. She tasted divine. Sweet and hot. He couldn't get enough of her. Hearing her moan only escalated his need. He trailed his lips along her cheekbones and nibbled on her ear. Parker trembled with longing as he nipped at her skin. He dipped his mouth lower and followed her jawline until he was kissing the side of her neck, sucking at her now heavy pulse. The sudden desire to mark her nearly overwhelmed him.

Startled, he froze. His wolf was holding him back. Indecision and doubt washed over him in waves.

She is not our mate, she doesn't even have the gene.

I know

We don't want to hurt her.

I know that, too.

He fought to get himself under control and pulled away. "Parker." He held her at arm's length and searched her face. Her eyes were still dilated, her lips red and swollen from his kisses, and her cheeks flushed with arousal. He wanted to finish what they had started, but his rational mind was taking control. He groaned. They couldn't do this. He couldn't do this. He needed to stop whatever this was before it got any more out of control. His chest tightened and a heavy weight pushed down on him. Hurting her wasn't an option, and if he continued down this path, that was the only possible outcome.

"We need to head back. It's getting late, and I have work to do before Morgan gets here." His voice came out gruff and strained as he watched the fire in her eyes flicker and die.

***

Daniel's words hit Parker like a bucket of iced water. She stood up, and they headed back to the village. Neither spoke, though both were deep in thought.

They had almost reached the compound when Daniel paused. "About what just happened—"

She held up her hands to stop him before he could continue. "Let's just forget it happened. We've both been under a lot of strain, and neither of us was thinking straight."

Daniel said nothing. He nodded in agreement, and they continued toward the compound.

She bit the inside of her lip. He was quick to agree with her suggestion. Too quick. Was it because he regretted kissing her? Was it that unpleasant he wanted to purge all memory of it? She blinked rapidly at the sudden sharp pain behind her eyes. While she had to admit it wasn't the smartest thing to do, their desire had been brewing under the surface for a while. Or, at least she thought it had.

When they reached the house, Daniel halted in the doorway, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Morgan and Clara are almost here. I have arranged for dinner to be served...for the four of us."

His eyes darted to the house and then back at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut and shuffled his feet as he rubbed the back of his neck. She frowned when he glanced back at the house. Perhaps he was rethinking her joining the alphas for dinner?

She sighed. The day couldn't possibly get any worse. "Whatever it is, just come out with it."

"No one will smell your scent on me," he said, "but... you may want to have a shower before Morgan and Clara arrive. They will definitely smell my scent on you, and I am not sure you'll want to have them asking any questions."

Her cheeks flushed, and a lump grew in her throat, making it hard for her to swallow. She was mortified and wished the earth would swallow her whole. Daniel was so embarrassed by her that he did not want anyone to know what had happened. She mustered all the dignity she could gather and made her way to her room before closing the door and fleeing to her bathroom.

What the hell was I thinking? Why did I let him kiss me again? Actually, better question—why did I kiss him back?

Ignoring the obvious answer, she escaped into the shower. There was no way she wanted any of the knowing stares that would come from the Brandenburg alphas. Clara would have a field day.

It took her a full half hour after dinner was put on the table to relax enough to join in the conversation. She chugged down the first glass of wine in record time, and looked up to find both the Brandenburg alphas watching her expectantly.

"Sorry. What did you say?"

Clara eyed her before repeating the question. "Liebe, I was just making sure you were eating and sleeping properly. I know what you get like when you're in front of a computer." Clara frowned. "You are looking too skinny. I'm sure you've lost weight."

Morgan placed a hand over his mate's. "Clara, my dear, leave the poor girl alone." He turned to Parker. "I understand you are making progress in tracking down the culprits behind this?"

She smiled weakly and nodded. "We're at the end of the money trail and are now tracking down who ultimately owns the account." She was more relaxed with where the conversation was going. "I think we're close. It's just that there's been some odd information and data we're bumping up against."

She poured herself another glass of wine, sat back, and narrowed her eyes at her companions. "Now, is someone going to tell me about who this Werewolf is that you all obviously know, and why it's such a big secret?"

Daniel, Morgan, and Clara glanced at each other, as if working out where to begin. Clara's concerned expression turned toward her.

That can't be good.

Morgan took the lead. "His name is Matheo Dumas, a beta from one of the packs that was left behind when we came to America."

Alarm bells went off in her ever-vigilant mind. "Dumas? Isn't that Simon's last name?" Her eyes flew to Daniel.

Daniel nodded. "Yes, Matheo is Simon's uncle."

Morgan leaned forward and placed his arms on the table. "A long time ago, the pack was ruled by Alexander Lauzon, an extremely violent and malevolent alpha. He believed in the purity of the wolf, and didn't tolerate what he termed mixed breeding. When the Werewolf race began to find their mates in Humans, he was enraged. He purged countless innocent Werewolves who had been turned or born to mixed-race parents."

Her brows rose. She was finding the information hard to absorb. "But, surely his pack didn't go along with that?"

Clara leaned toward her and gently placed a hand over Parker's. "They were either as mad as he was, or terrified for their own families, and kept quiet."

Daniel took over the conversation. "Two of Alexander's most powerful betas at the time were brothers, Matheo and David Dumas." He glanced down at his hands and took a deep breath.

She sensed this was a memory he would rather not relive.

"Matheo was one of Alexander's acolytes, an absolute believer in the purity of the wolf lineage. David, on the other hand, was the complete opposite."

Morgan nodded. "Alexander was obsessed with the idea that Humans were to always remain in complete ignorance of our existence. If there was even a hint of a Human knowing about us, they were to be eliminated quickly and violently. Alexander would often slaughter the Human's entire family."

Parker, not liking the direction this conversation was leading, had lost her appetite and pushed her half-eaten plate away.

"One day, it came to Alexander's attention that a family passing through the Bordeaux region in France on their way south to Italy may have seen one of the pack members transform. David was sent to investigate and eliminate the entire family."

Daniel poured a much-needed stronger drink than wine for each of them. He handed Parker a glass of single malt. "It didn't take him long to find the family in question, they hadn't traveled too far. You can imagine his surprise when he discovered his mate in the eldest daughter."

He poured another shot and handed it to Morgan. "Knowing he couldn't return to his pack, David fled with his mate, Margaret, and sought refuge with my father and our pack."

Morgan accepted the glass, downed it, and looked across at Parker with a reassuring smile. "Alpha Nicholas granted them asylum, and they were welcomed into the pack. When Alexander heard, he became infuriated. The fact that one of his trusted betas had mated with a Human pushed him over the edge."

"He began attacking other packs indiscriminately until he found out who had taken them in," Daniel said. "Eventually, he made his way to my father, demanding that we release David and Margaret. My father denied his request, and as expected, Alexander challenged him."

"If he had taken more care in training, rather than killing innocents, things might have turned out differently," Clara said.

Morgan shrugged. "Be that as it may, he was no match for Nicolas. During the battle, Nicholas gave Alexander ample opportunities to concede. In the end, his death was merciful and swift—the type of death Alexander had denied so many before him."

Daniel continued. "His daughter, Elise, and his heir apparent, was there at the time of her father's death. She was as brutal and nefarious as he was, and swore she would avenge him. Elise left vowing to remove all impure Werewolves from the face of the earth."

"I heard on their way back to their pack lands, she deliberately revealed herself to Humans just so that she could kill them," Clara said.

She what?

Parker swung her head around to face Clara, her eyes wide with shock. "How could anyone be so cruel and vindictive?"

Clara threw her a weak smile, but her eyes were full of pain. "There are stories about that pack that would stop you from ever sleeping again."

They sat in silence, and Parker stared at her hands. How could she process that level of pure evil?

Clara sighed. "Around the time of Alexander's death, plans were already in place to migrate to the new world. We thought nothing of it, knowing we were leaving them behind." She looked pensive as she glanced at Morgan. "You know, when the packs hear the Sandulf's are in the country, there will be panic."

Her stomach dropped. "I'm sorry. What name did you say?"

Clara's forehead crinkled at her sudden outburst. "Sandulf. Simon's father's old pack is Unum Sandulf. It translates to One Pure Wolf."

She recalled the terabytes of information she had poured through over the past few days. Names and notes she'd scribbled down flashed through her head, and she remembered the odd pieces that had not seemed to fit in with the rest.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" She jumped up from the table."Wait here, I'll be right back."