No matter how wrong it was, Lev missed being away from Rachel. Even if she lay in the living room, steps away from the closed office door. “I’m sorry, again, my friend. My intention was to show my gratitude, not cause you distress.”
Becker gestured for him to sit and then poured them both a glass of brandy. “I take it you didn’t tell Commander Rylee you were making a surprise visit?”
He took the glass. “No. If she knew, she’d have more than a few words with me.”
“Only Rylee and Selene know about Rachel.”
“You have a brave daughter. It is not every day I meet a human who survived both Boko Haram terrorists and Ebola.”
Becker sighed. “And the scars of a father who abandoned her and her mother to join werewolf society.”
The ordeal of almost losing his only child had aged Becker. His hair and beard were now more white than gray. His face bore additional wrinkles than the last time Lev saw him. As though he too had suffered from Ebola.
“I, for one, am grateful you saved my life. I owe you a life debt.” He lifted the glass. “To our health and to Rachel’s.”
Becker drained his. “Good news is her boss no longer wants her stationed in West Africa. The militant, a man only known as Yusuf, wishes to behead her. We tried to keep all her contact information from the media.
“You should have sent a werewolf team.”
“Our Navy Seal team did fine without werewolf involvement.” He shook his head. “Anyway, I didn’t know what was going on until after her rescue.”
“So this terrorist, Yusuf, where is he?”
“In hiding. He’s not the big fish, but he’s the one who means to murder Rachel.”
“How is her recovery coming?”
“Slow. I told Rylee I’d be back in another month, but it depends.”
“My bite can help speed her recovery.”
“Damn it. She’s got Stallo’s blood. I can’t let you, or any werewolf become addicted to her blood.”
“I have control.”
He snorted. “Like Dominic had with Mia?”
The werewolf enforcer had chosen Mia, a human as a mate, but in the end because she was Stallo’s descendant the pack allowed their union. “They are married and accepted.”
“Power to them, but not for my daughter. She must never know of your kind.”
His heart clenched. “I understand.”
Becker relaxed. “Selene says you are completely back to normal.” He laughed. “That is, your normal. Super strength and speed.”
“Thanks to you, Dr. Becker.”
“Please, it’s Howard.”
“Very well, Howard.”
“Are you returning to Russia?”
“No. I will temporarily move to LIA headquarters until I find my own place.”
“So you decided to join Team Greywolf?”
“Yes, but I still enjoy being a lone wolf. Rylee understands my need for privacy.” Away from their tactless jokes about his Chernobyl origins. One more crack about his glow in the dark cock and he would break necks.