Page 4 of His Undercover Wolf

“Okay…this bullshit started five days before the Matilda release date was announced around fifteen years ago.” Cillian wrote down ’15 years—Matilda.’ “That was the first time our stocks spiked, and when we first alerted the authorities.”

“List who started with the company a little before that time,” I instructed.

Cillian shook his head. “We have been focusing on those hired a year or so before Matilda, and I think we’re wrong. We need to include everyone we hired in establishing the company up until Matilda was released. The only thing we can be somewhat sure of is…it probably isn’t someone employed after Matilda.”

“I hate that it could be someone who has been with us since the beginning.”

“I agree which is why I’ve supported your decision to leave their names out of investigations, but the time has come that we have to include everyone.”

“I know you’re right, but it hurts to think it could be one of our long-standing, trusted employees.”

“I feel the same but it’s time we started suspecting everyone…Except us of course.”

I laughed. “You’re an idiot to even think we could suspect each other. It’s not likely we would sabotage our own company and risk going to jail.”

“Hey, little less of the idiot, thanks. There are plenty of executives in this country who are caught taking part in sabotage of the companies they own, or work for, and participating in unethical practices.”

“This is true. Okay…names.”

We listed the names of all the executive staff we’d employed from the beginning.

As I’d confessed to my best friend, it hurt to think it may be one of the men, or women, in whom Cillian and I had placed our trust.

Chapter Three

Otsana

I reached to press the buttonon the remote control that operated the garage door but decided against doing so. The full moon was high overhead causing my skin to prickle and setting every nerve ending on edge. My anxiety was high, and I needed a run. Often, after a long stressful day, I needed down time and a run through the state park nearby to bring me back into balance, so I was able to get a few hours’ sleep. Contrary to myth and belief, the wolf in me didn’t need a full moon to come out to play.

The pack I was part of—Les Vengeurs, originating in France, and wasled by my brother—Aodhan. He was Alpha now my father had stepped back due to severe arthritis. Our pack had originated in the eleventh century when a curse had been placed on one of our female ancestors after she refused to acquiesce to the advances of a warlock. In a fit of rage, he had cast a spell, turning her into a wolf/human hybrid.

Over the years, some had chosen to mate and reproduce while some, not wanting to subject others to their same fate, had remained single and in rare cases even remained celibate.

Although our pack wasn’t the largest in the vicinity of Langer Falls, we were by far the strongest. Our power had come about several centuries earlier when hybrids had mated with other hybrids instead of pure humans which weakened their bloodlines.

My brother had married another hybrid as was expected, a lovely young woman called Calliope. She was a cop he’d met in the course of his job. She had moved to Langer Falls from the Midwest years earlier. Calliope was the product of two hybrids making her bloodlines desirable for mating, but it had been Aodhan who had captured her heart. Any children birthed by the pair would have strong wolf dominant blood in their veins and ensure the pack remained strong into the future.

I sat in the car, the motor still running while I was daydreaming…or maybe more aptly nightdreaming since darkness had fallen, about the family I loved with all my heart. The hierarchy of the pack were all young, most in their late twenties or early thirties, with me being one of the oldest at age thirty-six. Only Peader who had been sweet on me for years, but for whom I felt no attraction was older at forty-three. He was Beta to my brother like his father before him had been for my father.

Over the past couple of years the older pack members had moved on to take life a little easier when their ageing joints had started to protest. Some had moved to warmer climates, others, like my parents had stayed in the area, ready and willing to offer advice when needed. Many young teenagers, on learning who they were, had set off in search of a mate and in the case of males, to start their own packs. We all managed to stay in touch via technology, and if any encountered trouble, our pack didn’t hesitate to rush to their aid. The unusual youth of our pack was also a reason for our strength.

Apart from Peader, the active senior males and the men my brother depended on the most were Faolan, Kaden, Owen, Sawyer, and Atlas. Active senior females who supported the men without question were me as Alpha, Calliope as Beta, Ireland, Undine, Zarina, Xanthia, and Quintessa. The rest of the pack, dominated by males because that’s how the chips fell, numbered one hundred and ninety-three in total and ranged in age from two-years-old to mid-fifties. It was a cohesive pack, and squabbles were rare.

Taking the phone from my purse, I hit speed dial for Zarina, my closest friend.

“Otsana, calling for a run?”

“Are you busy working?”

“No, I just finished my shift at the hospital and was about to call you. My anxiety is off the charts, and I’ve had a shit evening which is why I was so late finishing. We were battling to save the life of a young boy who ran out in front of a car. The hospital is fucking crazy; we always have more accidents when there is a full moon. I swear to fuck being wolves in this insane world is the least of our problems.”

I laughed. Zarina had always been one for theatrical dramatics.

“Vincents Peak?” she asked.

“My thinking exactly. We can run up to the falls and take a swim in the waterfall pool. It’s warm out so the cooling water will be welcome after some exercise.”

“I’ll meet you in the parking lot in ten minutes.”

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