“Please, call me, Rachel.”
“Very well, Rachel. I’m Cricket.”
“I’ve heard the name…” Lev directed a frown at Rachel conveying she keep her mouth shut. “Actually, not a name I expected from a lycan, I mean…unless…you’re human.”
Cricket showed off her small fangs. “All werewolf, Doc. Beta, in fact.”
Rachel got the clear impression she’d somehow insulted Cricket. “Yes, of course.”
“Rylee will see you now. This way.”
They followed Cricket to the very end of the hall, but Lev gently pulled her back. “Rachel, remember what I said about showing respect to Rylee.”
“I got it, like she’s the queen of England.” Don’t piss off the alpha queen.
“The queen of England will not bite your ear off if you step out of bounds.”
Cricket giggled as if enjoying his stress. Or maybe she looked forward to a possible romance rival being maimed.
They entered the large office. Behind a long mahogany desk stood a statuesque blonde-haired woman, her hair up in a bun with highlights of deep silver. She looked about mid-40s. But something about her seemed older, wiser. Maybe lycans aged slower. The head of the LIA was stunningly attractive. Glamorous in a black suit. Red stilettos. Despite her Hollywood movie star appearance, she radiated unchallenged authority. Rachel’s knees weakened in her presence. Rachel focused on the surroundings.
The office could belong to a normal executive as well. Only decorated with wolf paintings on the wall and next to her desk stood a wooden sculpture of a wolf and three cubs. A large water bowl, like the kind for a pet Great Dane lay near the bar. Did she have a dog or was it there in case she shifted and needed water? Would her wolf be as big as Lev’s wolf?
Cricket bowed and slowly rose. “Ma’am. Dr. Rachel Becker.”
Rachel was pleased Cricket used her title and didn’t introduce her as their new human acquisition. A genetic anomaly. She kept her head bowed. Rylee stood, walked up to Lev and Rachel heard her sniff twice. He bowed, looked up and sniffed her once. Interesting. Must be some type of alpha wolf greeting.
Rylee turned her attention to her. “Welcome Rachel, I’m Rylee, head of the Lycan Intelligence Agency Pack. Please, look up. I promise I won’t bite.”
Not yet. Rachel sighed and glanced at her, but not full eye contact. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Rylee apprised her. “I must say you don’t look at all like your father.”
“I take after my mother’s side.”
“But you have your father’s whiskey eyes.” She inhaled. “Becker’s similar scent. And based on his analysis of your DNA, you have the Stallo gene marker. The shifter mutation.”
Her skin chilled. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lev stiffen. Maybe he just stood more at attention. No. Mention of my DNA appears to have upset him.
Rylee shot him a glance. “Lev, Cricket, leave us alone.”
“Ma’am, should I not stay…she doesn’t know the etiquette of our kind.”
“That’s an order,” Rylee snapped. “Rachel is not the f
irst human I’ve brought into our pack.” She threw him a fanged smile and her tone softened. “Newbie humans don’t get reprimanded for not understanding our rules.”
Lev threw Rachel a concerned look. So, he did care. “Yes, ma’am.” He said something to Rylee in Russian.
She answered in Russian, and he nodded as if appeased. Rachel swallowed. Had Rylee eased Lev’s fear about using her for a breeding or cloning program? And how the hell would they eventually reprimand her if she broke some wolfish social taboo?
Cricket turned to Lev. “Why don’t you join Slade and me for a run in the woods?”
“Good idea,” encouraged Rylee. “You can probably use a day in wolf form. When you feel refreshed, return to the forensics lab and describe the abductors and tattoo to our sketch artist.”
Rachel gave Lev a helpless shrug. Not that she wanted to cling to him, but for now he was the only familiar face. That is until she demanded, or rather, requested to visit her father.
As if reading her thoughts, Lev smiled, baring long fangs. “I’m certain Rachel is anxious to see her father.”