Parker's hand trembled as she held the photo. Her other hand flew to her mouth, and she felt sick to her stomach.

Jesus, she's just a baby.

She cleared her throat to dislodge a lump that refused to budge. Even if she wanted to, she was not sure she could speak. For the better part of the last hour, Daniel had brought her up-to-date on the mounting deaths across the country. With each horrific case, her dismay escalated.

She wasn't alone. The other Werewolves let out low growls as Daniel relayed the facts of each death, though he kept a stoic face. The story of Wildfire and its effects bombarded her brain, and a volley of questions popped into her mind. One question rose above the rest.

How was this possible?

Her analytical mind swept through the possibilities. Werewolves' metabolisms were so resilient that it took a large quantity of any narcotic for their bodies to experience the slightest of highs. It was impossible for a Werewolf to become addicted to any drug. Binging on alcohol was easier and cheaper than spending over five hundred dollars to get a three minute buzz.

Werewolves don't get ill.

Their natural healing abilities fought illnesses and diseases that Humans fall prey to every day. Bobby was a testimony to this. Her cousin, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child, had been sentenced to a life of insulin shots. Once he survived the long and painful change, his new-found healing abilities repaired his pancreas and ensured his body produced the appropriate amount of insulin.

She glanced down at the table. Photos of dead Werewolves were scattered across the polished wood. Each one was more tragic than the previous. The pictures were evidence that someone, or something, was tampering with nature in a gruesome and terrifying way.

Why?

Her gaze fixed on the image of a young girl not more than seventeen years old, and her heart broke. The girl's body, disfigured by large, dark sores, lay crumpled by a dumpster, as if she were garbage.

Parker closed her eyes and cleared her mind. Even though she knew the answer, she had to ask. "Do you have any idea who might be behind this?"

Daniel replied for the others in the room. "No."

"Do you have a cure or are you close to one?"

"No."

"Do you know who else might be infected right now?"

Daniel rubbed his forehead and sighed. He stared straight at her and let out a low growl. "Are you able to help us or not?"

It was fleeting, but she saw it. For the briefest of moments, a flash of anguish and concern washed across Daniel's face. She quashed her compassion for his pain. Even with the stone-cold expression that took nothing away from the incredible specimen of male beauty, he was still the same person who had threatened to ruin her and tear her to pieces if she ever stepped foot on his territory.

She had turned down several lucrative jobs because they might have required her to travel through Colorado. While her rational mind realized he would never carry out his threat, the part of her that understood Werewolves' capabilities did not want to push her luck.

Parker glanced around the room. The others looked at her for an answer.

As if I had a choice?

Daniel Locke would not get the upper hand. She lifted her chin. "Of course, I can. You wouldn't have gotten me involved if you didn't think so."

Daniel's brows bumped together in a scowl. "Ms. Johnson, I think you are under the illusion I am requesting your services. It is Alpha Morgan and the Alliance who want your help. I am charged with ensuring your safety." He paused, and she flinched under his unrelenting stare. "And to minimize the damage that your involvement will undoubtedly result in."

She narrowed her eyes. And there you have it.

That insufferable man she had the misfortune of dealing with three years ago was back. The haughty, arrogant, and unreasonable individual that made her life a nightmare during the abduction incident was present and accounted for.

Her frayed nerves changed into hot, livid heat. She would not take this sort of crap from Locke—no matter how gorgeous or powerful he was.

She tossed the photo on the table and clenched her fists. "Mr. Locke, you seem to forget that at no point was I supplied with the full details about the situation three years ago. You decided what information you deemed fit to give me. Which, by the way, was nothing." Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. "Had I been aware of the full circumstances, I would've been better prepared, and you would've gotten the information you needed that much sooner."

Her fists twitched. Never before had she had such an overwhelming desire to physically assault another person.

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. "Had you done your job, we wouldn't have lost a good man." His voice was low with barely restrained hostility. "Not to mention, someone I love wouldn't carry the scars of your incompetency with her for the rest of her life."

Her chest tightened at the memory. Doing her best to ignore it, she was about to throw a retort back at Daniel when Morgan's voice boomed. "I have heard enough!"

She stopped short and snapped her head around to face Morgan and the others, who looked on with shock.

Morgan glared from one to the other. "You two are acting like immature cubs. You both need to forget what happened in the past and focus on the situation at hand."

Parker's shoulders slumped. She was humiliated. Daniel had destroyed her composure and civility in an instant.

She sat down and drummed her fingers on the armrest. "He started it," she said under her breath.

Morgan frowned at her as if she was a petulant child. "You know I heard that."

An uneasy silence descended over the room. Clara hovered beside Morgan, the older woman's expression commanding her to see sense.

Parker groaned inwardly—she had made a right spectacle of herself. Her anger evaporated as quickly as it began, and she let out a deep breath. "Of course, I'll help Mr. Locke and his team. I'm just surprised that you didn't reach out sooner."

Now that her rational mind was back in control, she stood and took charge of the meeting. "Okay, we need to come up with a strategy to deal with this situation. I have some suggestions on how we should proceed."

Morgan and Clara visibly relaxed.

Parker pointed to the empty bottle of Wildfire that lay in the middle of the table. "From what you're telling me, we're dealing with someone who exists only in the digital world."

They nodded. Werewolves understood an enemy they could see, an enemy they could identify and physically attack. Online they were in uncharted waters. They did not understand where to start, or how.

"Our first priority has to be finding any more victims. Once my team has tracked—"

A low growl cut her off.

"You won't involve any other Humans in this," Daniel said. "We need to keep the investigation contained, otherwise we risk not only exposure, but allowing whoever is doing this to have advanced knowledge that we are on to them. Are we clear?"

Parker clenched her fists and counted to ten before proceeding. She wouldn't let the man rile her. Instead, she would focus on the tragic photos splayed across the table. With a clipped tone, she outlined what they needed to do to minimize the exposure to the outside world and track down those responsible. This was her arena, and she excelled in it, no matter what Daniel Locke thought.

"If the attacks are limited to the few main cities they've already hit, we'll need to use the local packs to investigate each possible victim we find. Statistically speaking, Alpha Rossi will have the largest area to cover, so he may need help from a nearby pack." She glanced at Daniel. "The pack in Toronto isn't affected yet, so they may be able to provide additional trackers."

She was surprised at how quickly Daniel agreed with her assessment. As expected, however, their agreement did not continue, and they butted heads on more than one aspect of the plan before they finished. Two hours later, they had agreed on a strategy.

Morgan rose and stretched his neck from side to side. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I think some sleep is in order before Parker and Daniel head to Nederland."

She heard the bones pop as she snapped her neck around. "Where, what, now?"

Morgan tilted his head and frowned. "Did I not mention that earlier?" He shrugged and smiled down on her. "You will perform your magic to find who is behind this from Colorado."

She recovered from her initial shock. This was not going to happen. "You have got to be joking. I have everything I need in Portland."

Morgan listened to her rant but refused to budge. "The Alliance Council believes it would be safer for you to be under Alpha Locke's protection. Once we know who's behind this, you'll be free to go home."

She opened and closed her mouth in a fish-like motion, but the words wouldn't come out. Flabbergasted at the bombshell Morgan had dropped, she glanced across at Daniel. From his rigid stance, he was not thrilled about the arrangement either.

She found her voice but refrained from saying anything more. At two thirty in the morning, she, along with everyone else, was tired and ready to retire. She would plead her case in the morning. No way was she was going with Daniel anywhere, let alone Nederland, Colorado. She would make Morgan see reason without an audience.

She yawned, bade good night, and kissed Clara before she headed for the door. She was both emotionally and physically drained. All she wanted was to collapse in bed. Just as she reached the door, Parker turned back and held out her hand to Daniel. "Truce?" They may not see eye-to-eye, but she could empathize with the tragedy Daniel and the others faced.

Daniel's eyes widened—her unexpected move appeared to throw him.

A flash of fear pushed through her exhaustion. Would he really refuse to work with her?

A moment later, he recovered and placed his large hand around her outstretched one. Holding it longer than necessary, he looked down at her with an unreadable expression. "Truce."

***

Daniel lay in the dark and stared up at the ceiling. Sleep had eluded him, and he found his mind playing over the events of the evening. He had occasionally encountered someone who challenged his authority over the years. As Alpha Commander, he was adept in dispensing with them in a quick and efficient manner. Most sane people would shy away from any suggestion of a confrontation with him, knowing it could be a death sentence.

He was baffled at how this little Human not only defied him, but pushed back and challenged him, and did so with fire and courage in her expressive blue eyes. He did not know whether to be concerned for her sanity or impressed by her bravery. From the moment she walked into the room, she had unnerved him, and he had been blindsided by her lack of scent. Not once had he ever met someone like her.

He was used to being able to gauge a Human's emotions. They had so little control over their bodies' reactions to what they were thinking or feeling. The greater the emotion, the easier for him to read them. Except for Parker.

From her horrified expression, Parker was affected by the photos, but once the initial shock had worn off, she schooled her features and erected a wall. It confused him. She should not have the ability to control her body's emotions so tightly that it failed to produce a physical reaction and scent.

I'll speak to Morgan about it in the morning.

His wolf stirred, letting him know in no uncertain terms to be quiet and go to sleep.

His mind was conflicted. He struggled to understand how he had let a Human ruffle him. He did not trust her. No matter that he could get lost in those eyes that exploded with sparks when they locked with his and refused to back down; or how soft and small her hand felt in his. He couldn't trust her. How could he, after she was responsible not only for the death of one of his men, but the irreparable damage inflicted on an innocent child?

She was right you know... His wolf yawned, trying to find a better position.

"About what?"

We didn't tell her everything.

He declined to comment, knowing his wolf spoke the truth.

We like her.

"No, we don't. She's Human, argumentative, and disrespectful."

Don't care. Sleep now.

He grunted at his wolf and promised he would find out everything about her from Morgan.

After all, this is war. Know thy enemy.

He sighed as he drifted offto sleep. His mind emptied of all but a set of almond-shapedbright blue eyes, fanned by thick dark lashes.