"Are you sure Marcus didn't have any leads that we could follow?" Sarai asked.

She and Ruhn had been walking around the Central Business District for five days, following one small lead after another, and still, they'd found nothing of interest. Sarai was beginning to think they'd hit another dead end. She ran her fingers through the ends of her loose hair with a sigh.

"Nothing," Ruhn replied. "He doesn't know how that drug got in his system and he doesn't think anyone he knows would've done something like that to him. The only slight lead he gave me was that he occasionally smokes mirthroot at Crown Royale."

Sarai raised her brows, surprised. "How does an athletic coach get into Crown Royale? I think it'd even take you close to a few weeks to make a reservation and get inside."

"You would be right. That's why we're investigating every other lead that we possibly can."

"Are we going to investigate Crown Royale?"

The corners of Ruhn's mouth tilted up. "I'm in the process of getting us a spot sometime in the next month or two."

Sarai grinned. "Nathalie will be livid when she hears."

"We won't be going to have fun. Just to investigate. That means no drugs and no drinking."

"I can investigate and eat ridiculously fancy appetizers at the same time," Sarai pointed out. "And we will have to blend in a little, or any possible suspects will notice us and grow suspicious."

"I suppose you're right."

"Oh, shit. What am I supposed to wear?"

Ruhn knit his brows. "Something nice?"

Sarai flashed him an incredulous look. "Nice? Look at me, Danaan. Do I scream 'nice'? I either dress like an assassin or a hooker. Sometimes a mix of the two."

"Maybe you could borrow something of Bryce's? She has an assortment of fancy things."

"Her ass is also much bigger than mine, so anything she wears won't look right on me."

Ruhn's gaze fell briefly and Sarai rolled her eyes. "We'll figure something out," he promised. "But we don't have to worry about that right now."

"All right, but we do need to worry about making progress today. I have to report to Sabine tomorrow, and if I don't have something new to tell her..." Sarai trailed off, her throat bobbing. "Well, she'll either replace me on this investigation or you won't hear from me for a few days."

"She'll punish you for not making progress?" Ruhn asked. "That's not fair. You don't control when leads appear, or if they do or don't yield any results."

"Sabine seems to believe otherwise."

"Take another Wolf with you."

"That won't help. If anything, it'll just make things worse. Rafe won't stand up to Sabine. Danika will stand up too much and make life a living Hel for us both. Nathalie will get herself into trouble right along with me. Connor will flip his shit and wind up in even worse trouble than me." Sarai shook her head and sighed once more. "No, it's better if I just face her alone."

"What if I came with you?" Sarai blinked, her gaze sliding to Ruhn. "Sabine couldn't touch me without causing a shitload of problems for herself," he explained. "And if I'm with you, maybe she'll think twice before messing with you too."

"While you were there, but as soon as you left, I'd be in even more trouble than before," Sarai pointed out. "And I'm not just talking about a whipping this time. I'd probably be tied down in the square and beaten into a bloody pulp by Sabine. I'd rather not deal with another broken jaw."

"Another?"

Sarai crossed her arms as they continued walking. "When she told me I was joining Blood Moon, I tried to protest. I yelled at her and swore that the Devils wouldn't let her touch me. I was as good as one of their own already. Sabine said no one would ever choose me, so that's why she had to place me somewhere. I told her she was just upset that Danika chose me, chose the Devils, and would never choose her."

"That didn't go over well?" Ruhn guessed.

"No. She took me out into the square and, without even tying me down, proceeded to just...tear into me. I tried to fight back but there's something in my instincts that makes it almost impossible to fight against the Prime, even if she isn't the Prime yet. She broke my jaw. It took weeks for me to heal."

Sarai shook her head angrily. "I hate that I let her suppress my instincts. I hate wanting to grovel to powerful voices. I hate wanting to please someone who I don't even care about. Honestly, I just hate being a Wolf."

"If all Sabine did was suppress your instincts, that means they're still in there somewhere," Ruhn began slowly. "I bet you can uncover them.

Sarai thought for a moment. "Maybe, but I can't do that overnight. We need to uncover something in this investigation first."

"There's a lightseeker dealer who operates in an alley up ahead. He might know something that can help us."

"Well, let's go see."

◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ☾☽ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

Sarai stood outside of Sabine's office doors, waiting impatiently for admittance. It wasn't that she had anything new to report. She just wanted to get this meeting over as soon as possible. Sarai began toying with the end of her braid and bit down on her lower lip.

Speaking with the lightseeker dealer the night before had yielded nothing, much to her and Ruhn's dismay. Afterwards, Ruhn had once again tried to persuade her to let him meet Sabine with her, but Sarai refused. His presence would help in the moment, but as soon as he left, Sabine would skin her alive. And Sarai much preferred her skin attached to her body.

At last, admittance was granted and Sarai entered the office. Sabine sat at her desk, with two of her own Wolves behind her. For a very, very brief moment, Sarai almost wished Rafe had come along. At least then she wouldn't be alone, but for some reason, he wasn't answering her calls or texts.

"Well?" Sabine urged. "Have you learned anything useful yet?"

"Not yet," Sarai admitted. There was no point in lying. Odds were Sabine had hired spies to do some investigating of their own, or to watch her and Ruhn's progress.

"Although we do have one lead we're following," she added. "The lion shifter responsible for the attacks near Asphodel Meadows said he used to smoke mirthroot at Crown Royale. We're going to investigate the club and his dealer sometime in the next few months."

"Months?" Sabine raised an eyebrow.

"You know it's difficult to get into Crown Royale."

"Yes, I imagine it's especially hard, given Ruhn Danaan's reputation." Sarai clenched her jaw, biting back a sharp retort. Her tension didn't escape Sabine's notice. "Don't tell me you've developed a friendship with the bastard," she scoffed. "The two of you have a longstanding rivalry."

"Maybe we've developed an understanding during our investigation. After all, it's easier to uncover things when we're working together, as opposed to when we're always fighting."

Sabine leaned forward, watching Sarai through shrewd blue eyes. "An understanding does not entail loyalty, such as the loyalty he has shown to you. I trust you will remember your place, although he clearly doesn't remember his."

"I have no control over Ruhn's actions. It's not my fault he wasn't a fan of your ways."

"He threatened your pack on your behalf," Sabine snarled.

"How do you know?"

"I have eyes and ears all over this city. Rafe Fenix was a fool, thinking he could hide your secrets from me."

"Hide my secrets?" Sarai stared at Sabine, confusion tumbling through her.

"I've been lenient with him up until now. But trying to hide something of this magnitude? That I can't allow."

"What did he hide from you?" Sarai demanded. "What secret is he hiding?"

"Take another look at your Fae," Sabine spat. "And remember where your loyalty lies. If you fail to do so, I'll remove you from this case and ensure that you never leave the Den again."

"Wait," Sarai insisted as Sabine's Wolves moved towards her. "Where is Rafe? Why wasn't he able to come with me today?" Sabine merely smiled. "What did you do?"

"He chose you over me. He is now facing the consequences."

The Wolves grabbed Sarai's arms. "What consequences?" She hollered. "What have you done to him?"

The Wolves dragged her to the door and out in the hallway. Sarai continued to struggle, even as they hauled her down several flights of stairs. They kicked open the front doors and threw her into the street. Sarai picked herself up just as the doors slammed shut. She raised her middle finger, then turned and ran to Rafe's apartment.

Her thoughts spun faster with every footstep. What secret had he kept for her? Was it simply that he told the pack not to inform Sabine about Ruhn's threats? Did he know something else that he wasn't sharing? Had Sabine punished him? Had she punished the rest of the pack? Holly and Salem? Lucas, Cassia, and Willow?

Sarai reached the apartment building and rang the buzzer. She was admitted a second later. The Wolf at the desk rose, but Sarai ignored him and ran up the stairs. She reached Rafe's apartment and barged in, not even bothering to knock.

"Get out," a dark voice growled. Rafe stood in a far doorway, his nails already shifted into talons.

"What did Sabine do?" Sarai asked. "She said you kept a secret for me and she punished you for it. What secret? What did she do?"

"Get out," Rafe repeated, not answering her questions.

His hand flexed at his side. Sarai tilted her head, eyeing him warily. There was something...defensive in his movements. Something primal, even for a Wolf. She peered past him, realizing that the door he barred was his bedroom door. There was a shadowy figure on the bed, but it was unmoving.

"What did Sabine do?" Sarai insisted. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing that bitch does to me can hurt," Rafe snarled. "Now get the fuck out!" He pointed at the door with a clawed finger.

Nothing she does to him... Sarai's breath caught at the realization. "She didn't do anything to you, did she? She hurt someone else." A muscle in Rafe's jaw twitched. "Who? Who did Sabine hurt?"

"Who do you think?"

Dread pooled in Sarai's stomach. "Holly," she guessed. "I..."

"Yes, Holly," Rafe hissed. "Sabine knew I'd take any punishment she gave me without so much as flinching, but she wanted this one to hurt. She wanted me to get the message. So, do you know what she did?"

Sarai didn't speak, and Rafe continued. "Last night, she dragged us both to that fucking dais. She put a bloody fucking whip in my hand. Sabine told me that if I didn't, she would slit her throat and let me watch her die. So I did it. And she didn't let me stop. Not until I'd delivered 100 blows. 100 fucking blows. To my own mate."

"Mate?" Sarai breathed. "Does...does Holly know?"

"Of course she knows. We've always known. We just tried to keep it hidden from the rest of you because we knew that someday, something like this would happen. And it did." Rafe pointed at the door. "Now, get out."

"Rafe, I..."

"I fucking tried to protect you, and it has cost me more than I thought possible. Leave, before I tear your fucking throat out!" He took a step forward, teeth bared as his fangs descended. Sarai backed towards the door and left without another protest.

Guilt swirled through her with a passion she hadn't thought possible. She hated Rafe. He'd never done anything for her. And now, the one time he'd tried to help her, it had cost him and Holly so much. Sarai reached the street and began to run. She didn't stop, even when sweat poured down her back and her breaths came in short gasps.