“There!” I shouted. “It’s Howard, by the balloons!”
Four guards rushed in the direction I pointed while the remaining two whisked us outside to waiting vehicles. My heart hammered wildly as tears streamed down my face. Ava pressed a water bottle to my lips, forcing me to drink.
“Breathe, Carrie. Just breathe,” she whispered, holding my hand.
Fifteen minutes later, the other guards returned empty-handed. Howard had vanished.
When we arrived at the pack house, Draven, Ryan, Joseph, Kyle, and Luke were already there with Investigator Magnus and several police officers.
Draven rushed to me, gathering me in his arms. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”
“He was there,” I sobbed against his chest. “Watching us the whole time.”
“You’re safe now,” he murmured, his arms tightening protectively around me.
Magnus approached us. “We’re combing the area and analyzing security footage. Can you tell me exactly what happened?”
I recounted everything, from the hospital visit to the message and sighting.
“What I don’t understand is how he got my number,” I said. “It was changed after Liam’s kidnapping.”
“Most likely the informant within your company,” Magnus replied thoughtfully. “But here’s what’s strange,I checked traffic cameras around the hospital and found no vehicles following you. No unusual activity at all.”
“So what, he just happened to be at the mall?” Ryan asked skeptically.
Magnus shook his head. “Men like Howard don’t take casual strolls in public places while being hunted. Every move is calculated.” He turned to me. “It’s almost as if he knew you’d be there. Luna Caroline, where did you get your current phone?”
“It’s a company phone,” I explained. “Set up with my email and contacts.”
“And who physically handed you this device?” Magnus pressed.
“The IT department delivers them already configured,” I replied, a sinking feeling forming in my stomach.
“Alpha Draven, would it be possible to have someone examine her phone?” Magnus asked.
Within an hour, Leo from IT was inspecting my device in our living room.
“Investigator Magnus was right,” Leo announced, showing his screen to the detective. “There’s spyware embedded in Luna Caroline’s phone. Someone could track her location, read her messages, even activate the microphone remotely.”
“How did it get there?” Draven demanded, his face darkening with rage.
“This type of software requires physical access to the device,” Leo explained. “It can’t be installed remotely.”
“That narrows our search considerably,” Magnus noted. “We’re looking for someone in your IT department, Alpha Draven.”
Draven’s violet eyes flashed dangerously as he pulled out his phone to call Arthur. Whoever was feeding Howard information was watching us very closely and they were right under our noses.
Howard’s POV
This musty apartment reeked of desperation and cheap air freshener. I hated being trapped in this pathetic excuse for a hideout, but since those damn Alpha Council investigators had tracked down my previous safe house, I had little choice but to accept whatever shelter I could find.
My inside contact at Thorne Enterprises had hastily arranged this dump-a far cry from the luxury I was accustomed to, but it would have to serve as my den while I regrouped and planned my revenge.
My wolf paced restlessly within me. “We should be hunting, not hiding like cowards.”
“Patience,” I whispered back. “Our revenge isn’t finished.”
At least today brought some entertainment. Following that pathetic Luna Caroline had been exhilarating. She’d been so deliciously on edge, her pregnant body awkward and vulnerable. That IT guy’s idea to install spyware on company devices was proving invaluable. I could track my targets from this very couch, watching their movements like a wolf stalking prey.
The only annoyance was Caroline’s reluctance to leave that fortress they called home. Five months pregnant with quadruplets, she waddled around with that massive belly, rarely venturing outside where I could get to her.
“Evil One, brought your lunch!” Kai barged in without knocking, his irritating voice echoing through the small space. The kid was a nuisance, but I’d grown accustomed to his strange nickname for me.
I eyed the greasy paper bag with suspicion. “Is it edible today? Yesterday’s slop nearly made me sick.”
“Only the best for the boss!” He tossed the bag toward me with a smirk. “Got it from that place you mentioned.”
“Sit down.” I motioned to the worn armchair across from me. “We need to talk strategy.”
Kai flopped down, immediately propping his dirty boots on my coffee table. The disrespect was maddening, but I needed his connections. My wolf snarled inside me, wanting to teach this pup respect.
“What’s up?” Kai asked, picking at his teeth with a fingernail.
“I need someone to snatch a pup from the hospital nursery,” I said, savoring the mental image of Draven and Caroline’s desperation. “That bitch will deliver her litter in about two months. Werewolf pregnancies are faster than humans, and she’s already showing like she’s about to pop. When those pups arrive, we’re taking one.”
Kai’s eyes widened, a smile spreading across his face. “Damn, Evil One. Getting more twisted every day.” He nodded slowly. “I can set that up. What kind of person you need?”
“A female who can pass as a nurse. Someone who won’t panic under pressure.” I outlined my requirements, watching his reaction. “She grabs the pup and brings it to me. You’ll be my eyes in the hospital, blending with visitors, making sure everything goes according to plan.”
“Got it! I know just the chick. Always broke, will do anything for cash.” Kai always knew someone willing to do the dirty work.
“Perfect. Bring her to me, but don’t promise more than five thousand. Understand?” My financial resources were dwindling fast.
The only money I still had access to was from Linda’s account that I’d emptied and funneled through a patsy. Not even three hundred thousand, but it was all I had left after the police froze everything else. Between paying Kai and my informant at Thorne Enterprises, cash was tight.
My phone vibrated with a message from my spy at the company,
“They found the monitoring software. The spyware on phones and computers is gone.”
Shit! This complicates everything. I typed back rapidly,
“What happened?”
His response came quickly,
“They did a full sweep of all electronics. Everything’s been cleared. Worse, I’ve got a new supervisor checking all department work. He knows his stuff.”
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