4

I remained perfectly still behind the tree trunk, hoping desperately that I hadn't compromised my cover. To an onlooker, I might appear as a huge creep, but my intent was to keep an eye on my best friend's sister to ensure her safety on the road, steering clear of a fate worse than an IED.

This situation looked terrible, and I knew better than to make a move. Even the slightest twitch could alert Miley, and I'd be caught red-handed. That would undoubtedly result in more unworthy mate remarks from Amy.

Goes to show what she knows, I fumed. I could be a great mate if I wanted to be one.

Miley thoughtfully pursed her lips before turning back to her friend with a shrug. "Must have been a squirrel or something."

"You have some sharp senses."

"Amy, I'm a wolf."

Amy giggled. "Uh, duh. We're both wolves. But I don't have nearly as much sensitivity as you do. It's like you were a spy in another life."

Close enough.

Miley chuckled. "I think it's just from watching my cousins growing up."

That wasn't quite accurate. Miley had been by Leon's side for years after their parents were killed. She had been at his beck and call, doing everything with her brother short of going to the bathroom and taking showers. Cousins growing up weren't part of the picture—none of us had them.

She was probably referring to the black ops.

"Did you have a big family?" Amy inquired.

Miley nodded. "Yeah, roots everywhere."

That had a hint of truth, considering our missions took us to various locations. While our missions were relatively small, we could find ourselves camping with up to fifteen additional soldiers at times.

That was back in my active days. Unsure about the four years post-retirement, I kept a close eye on the woman announced as my mate, hoping it was just a ruse by the alpha, as Miley and I together would spell nothing but trouble.

"My brother is around, north," Miley continued. "I don't hear from him much."

Unfortunately, that remained mostly accurate. Leon avoided putting loved ones in danger, limiting communication to coded postcards or encrypted emails that required a team of cryptologists to decipher. The messages usually boiled down to something like, "Hey, what's up? Miss you. Alright, take care."

Ass, I thought. You could be kinder to your sister, you know.

When the girls reached the end of the rocky path, I moved on to the next tree, attempting to appear casual in case anyone was watching. No one lingered around from the meeting, but I couldn't be certain. If needed, I could use Jerrey as an excuse.

Miley paused, clicking the heels of her sneakers together. "Well, at least this means I get a new path."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I don't have to worry about Alonso. He doesn't mean anything to me."

Yet something in her tone hinted that it was partly a lie. Having spent years in the black ops, I had learned to recognize the myriad ways people could conceal the truth. Miley's rigid stance and stiff upper back indicated she wasn't entirely honest with her friend.

However, Amy remained oblivious to Miley's past. Their walks were devoid of black ops discussions for the safety of the pack. Except for the alphas, Jerrey, and myself, no one knew Miley had been in the black ops. The same applied to me. Even Ginny was unaware of my past; she only knew about my involvement in some illegal activities around town.

Amy huffed and waved nonchalantly. "See? No harm done, right?"

There was no way both of them were that bad at lying.

Staring at the back of Miley's head, I observed the way her hair danced in the breeze. She appeared to be assessing her friend, perhaps trying to gauge how much deception she could get away with this time.

Best to keep it simple, love, I thought. Don't let the lie turn into another lie.

Miley shrugged. "Right. No harm done. On to the next mate."

"Since when do you date?" Amy chuckled. "You don't even leave the pack."

"Hey, I go places when you aren't looking."

Amy veered off the path toward the woods. "Want to go for a quick swim? I'm feeling grimy after that weird meeting."

Without waiting for a response, Amy took off running, giggling, with Miley in pursuit. Given the circumstances, I knew I had to keep a close eye on Miley in case Berna entertained ideas about investigating the supernatural scene. One whiff of this pack might draw him in this direction—or maybe he wouldn't care. There was no way to know.

At the end of the day, I had to cover my bases. Walking briskly onto the path, I headed in the direction the girls had taken. As I reached the trees separating the path from the ocean, I noticed a couple of things on the bushes up ahead: two shirts, two pairs of pants, and some shoes with the socks stuffed in.

I rubbed the back of my neck. Leon had said to protect her at all costs. If the cost involved seeing her a bit naked, well, I'd take one for the team.