I put my elbow on the table, resting my head against my hand. “So if he did bite the guy at the service station, then Sebastian probably did the guy a favor in the long run.”
Adam raised a brow. “Sebastian?”
I filled them both in on our trip to the hospital, and my brother leaned back in his chair brooding. “Nero wants Fonthill out of the picture too?”
“He’s a liability now,” I said. “Sasha’s meeting with Sebastian now to get more info, but if the cops catch up with him, he could expose Nero.”
“And werewolves in general,” Jason said. “Wait, she is meeting with Sebastian? Alone?”
“I know you can say her name.” I clenched my jaw and glared over at him. “And she’s not working with him, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“It’s a logical assumption.” Jason shrugged. “You’re not even mildly concerned?”
“Fuck you, Jason.” I shot up from my chair. “I would’ve gone with her if I had any doubts about her loyalty. She had some more questions about Nero, and he’s the only one who can answer them. End of story.”
“Enough.” Adam gave us a long stare until we each relaxed. “I know you’re a doctor, Jason, but contrary to popular belief that doesn’t make you smarter than everyone else.”
I tried not to gloat, or at least not to let it show, but then my brother focused his attention on me. “And you know damned well each member of this Pack has every right to doubt Sasha’s intentions.”
“Do you think she’s conspiring with Sebastian?” I searched Adam’s eyes waiting for him to answer.
He kept his gaze level with mine. “I trust your judgment.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
Adam crossed his arms, his face becoming a familiar mask that our father used to wear. The Alpha. “It’s the best I can give you right now.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sasha
I got out of the cab in the lot behind Lulou’s Restaurant. I was a few minutes early, but I planned to get inside and take a look around before Sebastian arrived anyway. I headed for the entrance when a familiar scent stopped me.
Blood.
My muscles tensed as the hair at the back of my neck stood on end. I spun around, scanning the cars. The sky began to color with the setting sun, casting shadows that made it tough see. My vision would improve once the sun set completely, but until then, I felt vulnerable. I slid my right hand inside my bolero jacket, keeping my fingers on the butt of my Glock, ready to draw if necessary.
I jogged silently between cars, taking cover while I searched the area. Using my animal senses, I tracked the scent, wishing I could see if I was stumbling into a trap. Forget X-ray vision, being able to see the future would definitely be my choice of superhero abilities.
Since I was anything but a superhero, I continued on with caution. Three rows over from where I started, I saw something move inside a black Mercedes. The car was parked in the far corner spot, with the driver’s side window down. I took a cursory glance across the rest of the parking lot to be sure no one else was around, then pulled out my gun.
With the barrel pointed toward the sky, I gripped the Glock with both hands and took a deep breath before approaching the vehicle. Adrenaline burned through my veins as I scrambled for the driver’s side, pointing my gun at the man’s forehead.
His hands shot up at the same moment I recognized him.
“Sebastian.” I lowered my weapon and frowned when I realized he was the source of the blood I smelled. “What the hell?”
He’d been doctoring his wounds before I’d ambushed him. I could see his medical kit on the passenger seat. He had new stitches just over his eyebrow, his lower lip was swollen and still bleeding, not to mention his left eye was already darkening with a nasty bruise.
“Did you get hit by a truck?”
He shot me a less than amused glare. “Your bounty hunter paid me a visit.”
“When?” I jammed the Glock back into my shoulder holster.
“About an hour ago.” He placed an alcohol-soaked wipe onto his split lip without so much as a wince, then stuffed the bloodstained fabric into a plastic bag.
“Severino is aware his dog has gone rabid. He claims he’s sending backup.” He checked his face in the rearview mirror. “Until then, my mission is to keep the animal from exposing us all.”
“Did you find out if he bit the gas station guy?”
Sebastian’s dark eyes met mine. “Twice.”
“Oh, shit.” I shook my head. “So he really is losing it.” I thought of Aren’s mauled and eaten employee, my missing underwear, and the dead attendant, and realized “losing it” was probably an understatement. Fonthill had lost sight of his original mission to kill me and collect the bounty. I didn’t want to know what he had planned next.
“Wolves are aggressive anyway, and this one is angry.” He shrugged his shoulders in an unnaturally fluid movement, but for Sebastian everything was smooth—he was the epitome of a male jaguar. “He knows he’s dying, his friends are all dead, and he blames Nero for the experiments.”
“Maybe we can track him. I could take him out with one shot if we find him.”
The corner of Sebastian’s mouth smirked. “Fonthill is a trained Green Beret, Carina. If he does not want to be found, he won’t be.”
“Don’t call me Carina.” I fought the urge to punch his sore lip. “And you already found him once today. Let’s retrace your steps.”
Sebastian swiped the bag of medical waste off the passenger seat and hit the button to put the window up between us. Apparently we were done talking. Asshole.
I walked to the rear of the car, leaning against the trunk while I waited for him to get out. He slammed the door, rocking the entire vehicle.
“He found me.”
That was all he said. Sebastian walked toward the restaurant and I followed, counting all the ways the pompous bastard pissed me off. When I got to the door, Sebastian held it open for me.
At least he still had his manners.
Once we were seated with menus and drinks I lowered my voice. “Should I ask why you didn’t kill him when he found you?”
He didn’t glance up from his menu. “No.”
I reached across and lowered his menu for him. “Well, I’m asking anyway.”
A muscle in his cheek clenched as his eyes narrowed. “He tackled me in the parking structure outside my hotel. I didn’t catch his scent until it was too late.”
The tone of his voice made it clear that his pride was wounded worse than his face. I dropped the subject when the waitress returned to take our orders. After handing over the menus, Sebastian sipped his drink as silence blanketed us.
I needed to be cautious. It only took one misstep with Sebastian for him to clam up. His loyalties were in a constant state of flux between his father and Nero, me, sometimes Lana, and his own interests—which even I had no idea about.
The waitress finally returned with our food, and I couldn’t stand it any longer. While Sebastian poked at his salad, I cleared my throat, and he met my gaze. “I need to talk to you about Brightwood Academy.”
His hand froze for a split second before he recovered with a shrug and forked his food again. “I have never heard of such a place.”
“‘Hidden talent counts for nothing.’” I paused, watching his face. “Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus”
“I am aware of who spoke the phrase.”
I wanted to stab him with my butter knife. “I’m sure you are. Because it’s on Nero’s letterhead and on the freaking building. It’s also on Brightwood’s donor list.”
He shrugged. “Coincidence.”
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes, struggling to keep from raising my voice. “Don’t insult my intelligence.”