Nederland, Colorado

Parker glanced around to make sure they couldn't be overheard. Alice had pulled her and Daniel out of the makeshift hospital to give them an update on her findings. From the dark circles under the doctor's eyes, she could very well believe Alice hadn't slept since the first death under her care.

Alice's mouth set in a grim line as they discussed the impasse in her analysis. She clutched the medical clipboard tightly against her chest. "None of this makes sense. There is a pattern, but I just can't see it." She sighed. "The drug is attacking from a cellular level and directly targeting the Werewolf gene within our DNA."

Parker cringed when Daniel's already staunch stance turned to stone. She felt his rage bubbling just below the surface. While she understood his frustration at their slow progress, anger wasn't going to get them to a solution any faster.

Before Alice retreated from her alpha's current mood, Parker reached out and touched her arm. "What pattern are you seeing, Alice?"

Alice's eyes darted to Daniel and then back to Parker. "It's strange, but some Werewolves have taken the drug with no apparent side effects. Others, like Gail, have symptoms and develop the physical manifestation with the sores, but their body is fighting it, and they are healing, albeit at a slow pace. Then there's the third group where the drug attacks the body to the point it shuts down and nothing seems to help."

Daniel unclenched his fists, but his still rigid shoulders spoke volumes. "Does the time they've been on the drug affect the progress?"

Alice shook her head. "No, it doesn't seem to. We have some that have been on it nearly two months, others only two weeks. Both are getting worse, but it's early days yet. If we can work out why it is affecting the patients differently, we may be able to determine how to fight it."

"What are your current projections?"

Alice pulled the clipboard away from her chest and glanced at her notes. "My guess is that of the twenty-three we have here, we are going to lose half over the next few weeks. There are four like Gail who we need to keep under observation to make sure that their symptoms recede. The remaining we can probably send home after a quarantine period."

"I'll make arrangements for quarantine quarters." Daniel turned to Parker. "I understand that Gail is assisting with identifying the man who introduced her to the drug?"

Parker nodded. "We managed to get hold of the CCTV from the club. She's with Jay and Zeke now. Hopefully, we have some footage of him."

"Keep me informed. Now, if you'll excuse me, the council is waiting for an update."

She and Alice watched as he headed toward the compound.

"There's a rumor Daniel is still on your case about working around the clock," Alice said.

Parker rolled her eyes and snorted. "Christ, isn't anything sacred around here?"

Alice flinched and Parker immediately regretted her outburst. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It just frustrates me that everyone knows everything."

"You have to remember we have no secrets," Alice said. She paused and tilted her head. "Though speaking of secrets... how do you mask your scent?"

Parker froze. In the years since she had discovered the ability, no one had come out and asked her the question. She knew they wondered—it was evident on their faces when they first met her. But no one, not even Morgan or Clara, had ever asked her point blank.

Until now.

She avoided the subject. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alice waved her off. "Don't get me wrong, I am not condemning you. For a Human, having everyone know what you feel when you feel it is a very unsettling experience." She smiled. "Don't forget, I was Human once. I can remember how frustrating it became when everyone knew if I was happy or sad or angry." She grinned. "Or even horny."

Parker shifted uncomfortably. She could feel her face heat up. "I am not saying I mask my scent, but if I did, that's nobody's business but my own."

Alice took a step back. "I am only asking because I think that's why you and Daniel bicker. He's used to being in command, knowing exactly what people are thinking and feeling. With you, he has no idea what's going on." Alice hesitated and bit her bottom lip before continuing. "You know, Simon is running a pool on who will attack whom first. The question is, what form of attack will it be?"

Parker muttered under her breath as she stalked into Tech House. "That traitor." Simon had the audacity to take bets on whose temper would give way first? "Just wait until I get my hands on him, that flip-flop-wearing hippy."

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed Gail sitting with Jay and Zeke, and pushed down her irritation with Simon. Gail had already gone through enough. She did not need more drama added to her already fragile emotions. When Gail's mouth twitched upwards at something Zeke said, Parker could have hugged the two boys. Gail had been so terrified, it was hard to make any sense of what she was saying. Both her trainees had taken it upon themselves to help Gail relax in their company and not take flight every time someone wanted to speak to her.

Not long after Parker initially questioned her, Gail's condition had worsened. They were convinced that she too would suffer the same fate as the others. When her body fought back, no one was more surprised than Alice. While the teenager was still a little weak, they were convinced she would make a full recovery.

She left Gail with Zeke and Jay to review the footage from the nightclub and resumed her work on tracking the money trail to the culprits. As she checked the progress of her routines, images of the victims who weren't as lucky as Gail flashed in front of her eyes. She picked up a pen and threw it across the room.

The sooner I find the bastards, the sooner the killing stops, and I can go home.

After another failed attempt to break through the firewall Parker pinched the bridge of her nose. I need to focus. Much to her disgust, her thoughts kept drifting to Daniel.

She was startled when Zeke jumped out of his chair. "We found him!"

Finally, a break. She reached for her phone. "I'll let Daniel know."

They crowded around the monitor.

"Let me see," Daniel said.

Parker moved to allow him room, and she nodded for Zeke to replay the footage.

Gail, nervous now that Daniel had joined them, pointed to the screen. Zeke zoomed in on the area, and the grainy image sharpened to provide a better picture of the Werewolf.

Daniel stiffened as the image became clearer. His eyes narrowed to slits, and his jaw clenched as he continued to stare at the screen. "Are you sure that's the man who gave you the drug?"

"Yes."

Daniel towered over Gail. "Are you positive?"

Gail shrank into herself. "Y...Yes. That's him."

All eyes turned to Daniel. His face was taut, and he clenched his fists. He was barely containing his fury as he slowly and evenly said through his clenched jaw, "I know him."

Parker's brows knitted. She couldn't have heard correctly, could she?

Daniel's lips pursed with suppressed fury, and he continued to glare at the grainy image. Muscles rippled down his face as he resolutely fought to keep tight control of his emotions. She knew him well enough to know his wolf was fighting for dominance, begging to escape and tear the form on the monitor to shreds.

His voice tore from his throat in a deep, menacing snarl. "I know him. Or, at least, I knew him."

Parker glanced around. The omegas and Gail had become frightened by his instant reaction to seeing the image. Each one had adopted a submissive position, in case he lashed out.

She reached for him and placed her hand on his arm, careful to keep her touch light so as not to anger him, or magnify his repressed rage. Daniel's eyes looked to hers and, for a moment, she was unnerved by the storm that was raging within him. Their gaze locked, the battle within him subsided, and she felt his tension ease.

She shook her head at him and nodded toward the intimidated Werewolves. Daniel's eyes followed, but it took him a moment to focus.

Daniel cleared his throat. "I want a copy sent to every Alliance alpha. And get a copy to Alice, too. I want to know how many of her patients recognize him."

She nodded.

Daniel hesitated as if he wanted to say something further.Thinking better of it, heabruptly turned onhis heels and stalked out of the building.