“Sir, Cricket has proven herself to the team. I assure you, her past won’t interfere with the mission.”
“If anything, I admire her more.”
“Sir, I think it’s best not to discuss this with her.”
“Of course.” He felt remorse knowing Jesper had never wanted to share information about a pack member’s past. “If Rylee finds out you snooped, tell her I forced you. I’ll take the punishment.”
“That won’t be necessary sir.”
“Oh?”
“I asked Rylee, and she okayed it.”
Heat burned his face. Shit. So much for trusting Jesper. Of course, he’d ask his alpha. Was Rylee pissed he’d gone behind her back for intel on his little wolf? And why did she allow it? “Talk later.”
Slade put away his phone and returned to the café. Despite lycan law, her parents’ forbidden love had been true. He too felt drawn to a low ranked lycan, the lowest of the low, a runt. Last night as they romped in the woods and slept in their wolf forms, he felt so complete. Was he making the same mistake her father had, loving an omega? Was she following her mother's example? No. It was only lust. He must treat her as a team member. Nothing more.
He walked in while Cricket paid the cashier.
She smiled. “Call went well?”
“Yeah. Just tying up some loose ends.”
Cricket raised a questioning brow. “Cool. We better get back to biz.”
She must know he hid the truth, but had the good sense not to pursue it. “Agreed.”
They took off on the Harley, heading for Santa Cruz. The sooner this mission ended the sooner he could take time off and perhaps even visit his territory. Think about his duty and the reality of his future.
In less than thirty minutes, they arrived at the small travel agency, Adventure Work and Travel. Odd, this would be the last place Randi visited before he disappeared. They dismounted and took off their helmets. Cricket fingered back a curl from her forehead. “Looks like they just opened.”
“I’m surprised it’s still in business.”
“No kidding. Who goes to a travel agency when you can scan the internet for the best deals?”
“Not everybody likes sitting in front of a bright screen,” said Slade.
Cricket turned to him. “I’ll do all the talking.”
“No problem.”
She stopped before opening the door and gave him a sidelong glance. “Ever since we left the café you seem different.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know. More chill, or rather less alpha.”
Shit. That obvious? The entire ride, he brooded about how she’d been abused by her alpha siblings. Not to mention his mixed emotions about how he felt about her. He chuckled. “I’m doing my best to ac
t like a normal human, remember?”
“Good job, then.”
They entered the agency, and an older woman with long gray hair wearing a hippie tie-dyed dress looked up from a small television. She smiled and took off her round granny-style glasses. “How can I help you?”
“I wondered if you remember seeing this man?” Cricket took out a photo of Randi. The one without his motorcycle gear. Shaved.
She barely glanced at the photo. “Why?”