CHAPTERONE
Rider Scott’s phone rang.He picked up his cell from the table in his motel room and checked the ID. “It’s about time he called,” Rider mumbled.
General Armand, the head of the Pack, had given Rider the assignment of keeping an eye on Richard Delancey, the head of Harrison Industries. Other than finding dirt on the owner, Rider was uncertain exactly what the general wanted him to uncover. He’d waited for his instructions in this crappy motel room in the small town of Ames, Canada for days and was not happy about the lack of direction. Hopefully, now he would get some answers.
“Yes, General.” Rider forced his voice to remain respectful and calm.
“Sorry to keep you in the dark, but I wanted to gather more information before I gave you the details of your assignment. I just emailed you my findings.”
Why had it taken him so long? He claimed he was going to use the services of Mick McLaughlin’s firm to gather the information since his company consisted of a bunch of super hackers.Whatever.
Time was important, but so was good intel. Rider wasn’t going to remind the general that he had a company to run—a training course for werewolves wanting to improve their shooting and fighting skills. Thankfully, the men working for Rider were talented and could handle the day-to-day work on their own for a while. “I’ll read it right away.”
“Just a heads up. I’m sending some backup.”
The general must have found out something that necessitated such prompt action. Rider had assumed he’d be the one to uncover evidence of illegal activities at the pharmaceutical company first and then request the support. “What did you learn?”
“In the last ten days alone, three young men in a fifty-mile radius of Ames have died of overdoses—fentanyl laced cocaine to be exact.”
His shoulders sagged. So that was why Rider had been chosen for this job. After his older brother had died of an overdose years ago, stopping illegal drugs had become his mission—or maybe he should say, his obsession. “And you think this has something to do with Harrison Industries?”
That was a dumb question, but it needed to be asked for the sake of clarity. The general had implied the pharmaceutical company was possibly involved in some sketchy activity. Rider was there to prove the company, and its leader, had some skeletons in their closet.
Recently, one of their board members, Dr. Gregory Elkhart, had been arrested for experimenting on both men and women for the purpose of enhancing werewolves. Illegal drugs hadn’t been mentioned, however.
“It’s a possibility,” the general said. “I might be prejudiced since Richard Delancey is Paul Statler’s half-brother, but my report includes a brief background on what those two hooligans were like growing up.”
Rider wasn’t sure how the activities of wild teenage boys played a role in their future, but the few times he’d worked for the general, the man’s gut instinct had been spot on. Not only that, Paul Statler, and his evil werewolf Colter clan, had been a thorn in the general’s side for years, until he finally took the leader down. The problem was that another leader would replace Statler sooner rather than later.
“When will my backup arrive?” Not that he couldn’t handle the surveillance himself, but it would be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of.
“He should be arriving any time now.”
“What can you tell me about him?”
The general paused. “I think it will be better if he tells you himself.”
Rider knew that pressing the issue wouldn’t be wise. “No problem.”
“Keep me up-to-date on anything you learn.”
“Yes, sir,” Rider said and then disconnected.
Before his backup arrived, Rider wanted to check out the intel sent by General Armand. He tapped his laptop to wake it up. Sure enough, an email from the general was in his inbox. Just as he opened it, someone knocked on his door, spiking his pulse for a moment.
What was wrong with him? Rider normally had the nerves of steel. Was it because a werewolf signature was at the door? Reason intruded. Most likely it was his backup. The general wasn’t kidding when he said the person would be arriving shortly.
When Rider looked through the peephole, every muscle in his body locked up.Are you shitting me?
“Open up, Rider. I can sense you’re in there.”
That comment came from his former business partner who’d caused Rider to lose a huge business opportunity two years ago. He pulled open the door and faced the man who, at one time, had been his best friend—before he became his worst nightmare. “What are you doing here?”
“General Armand should have called you.”
“You’re my backup?” Rider had hoped Grayson was there to make amends.If Rider hadn’t already agreed to take the job, he’d walk away now.
“Yes. May I come in?”