Page 4 of Let's Talk One True Mate

“Lots going on, Chief,” Timber said. “Most everybody’s out at Trevor’s place, trying to save Trent, but we’ve been directed to continue operations. We’ve got multiple reports of missingfoxenand a mystery of a hidden, abandoned,foxenvillage. Canyon and I are about to head up Crimson Bluff for investigations.”

Burton spoke like he hadn’t heard a word Timber said. “I feel… I feel that we’re on the verge of another attack by Khain and I can’t fail this time. We have females again. There’s young. Track and Treena, and Kendra. They must be protected at any cost.”

Burton moved close to a shelf and inspected the multiple security chests and lockboxes it held. He touched one lightly, then another, then a third. He tapped the lid, then lay his hand on it.

“I want you two to tell me everything that’s been going on with the One True Mates,” he said.

“We’re on it. What exactly do you want to know?” Timber said.

Burton closed his eyes, his hand still on the box. Again he spoke like he hadn’t heard a word. “I know you two know everything.”

Timber didn’t dare to talk to Canyon in privateruhi.Some Citlali were able to overhear privateruhiconversations—and Burton was one of them. Problem was, Timber, Canyon, and Jaggar were up to something not quite authorized, and Burton had his hand right on it.

Burton spoke again, looking sharply at Timber, his eyes dark and luminous. “You grilled me about when I… about when Leilani took me back in time to … to get Eventine.” He took a deep breath, then tapped the box several times. “What did you do with that information? Write it down perhaps?”

Timber couldn’t keep himself from grinning. “I sure didn’t.”

Burton raised his eyebrows. “Canyon did then,” he said quietly.

“Come on Chief,” Timber said, more than ready to have this conversation. He, Canyon, and Jaggar had been wanting to come clean for years. “We can’t figure out why Rhen would restrict us from recording our history. That’s a sure-fire way to repeat stupid mistakes.”

Burton regarded Timber for a moment, then said, “It wasn’t Rhen, it was a council of Citlali who made that decision centuries ago. Their reasons were extensive.”

Canyon flashed Timber a shit-eating grin.Extensive,he parroted.

Timber grinned back. He and Canyon had no problem defying Citlali instructions, if need be, but they’d never liked the idea that they were defying Rhen.

Burton pulled his hand away from the box. He walked around Timber’s desk, then around Canyon’s, eyeing them and their pile of equipment.

“Listen to me,” he said. “Nobody's getting in trouble for anything. I'm not interested in discipline or punishment. I'm interested in our future. All I care about is keeping the young safe and the families together.”

He stopped between the two desks, crossing his arms. “Maybe it was a stupid decision those Citlali made. Rhen knows I’ve made enough stupid decisions, thinking I had her blessing. I was wrong again and again, and I fault no one for anything... no one but Khain, and the traitor wolf, Grey Deatherage. So tell me everything that’s happened since Ella was found. Leave nothing out—let me decide what’s important and what’s not.”

“We’re the right wolves for the job,” Timber said. He looked at Canyon. “How much time do we have?”

I’d say an hour.

“I think we can do it in an hour,” Timber said, knowing damn well they’d be there for as long as it took. He pulled a chair close and offered it to Burton, who sighed and settled heavily into the chair.

1-Trevor and Ella♦♦

Timber stayed standing, walking around the room while he spoke. “It’s been about a year since the day Ella and Trevor met.”

Canyon grunted and began opening multiple folders and files on his computer, saying,Shit started the day before.

Timber snapped his fingers and pointed at Canyon. “Sure did. Khain came to the Ula the day before, looking for Ella downtown.” Timber paced around the desks. “I remember it pretty good. We were here in the bunker. Mac was bitching to Wade about Trevor’s leadership, like he had been since Wade transferred Trevor from New York and put him in charge of the KSRT, two years before. Just to stir shit up, Mac decided it was time to bring back the rut.”

Burton shook his head, smiling slightly.

“Wade insisted he talk to Trevor about it.”

Canyon snickered and opened a video file. He cast it as one image to the wall of monitors, then pressed play. Burton swung his chair around to watch. The video was from a security camera in the duty room. It showed Mac in uniform talking to Wade, who was also in uniform. Both males were tall, with wide shoulders and thick chests. Wade looked about sixty, with neat silver hair and beard. Mac was in his 30s, with short, dirty-blond hair and a clean-shaven face. Mac spoke with his hands, hisexpression moving from irritated to angry to contemptuous, and back to irritated. Canyon turned up the volume.

“He’s never here,” Mac shouted. “He’s always running in the woods or he’s out at his house. He doesn’t know shit about Serenity, he doesn’t know shit about ruts, and he doesn’t know shit about Khain. The KSRT got along fine without a Lieutenant for years!”

Wade listened calmly, then said, “Things change, Mac. You have to learn some flexibility. Trevor is the boss of the KSRT, and he’s your direct supervisor, whether you like it or not. Bring him into this conversation or we’re done with it.”

Mac fumed for a moment, then backed away. “I’ll bring him into it,” he said, and stalked out the door.

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