bChapter /bb250 /b

bChapter /bb250 /b

Hacker

While Tracker has been away, Hijack and I have taken turns watching over Sphinx. Neither of us expect that she will get into btrouble /bbe shees to the Academy, but sometimes troublees looking for you. Since all of us like to be proactive and cover all bour /bbase agreed that we’d monitor Sphinx when we could. Having been the ones who put the security system into her brother’s pack, it’s a lot easier for us to monitor what’s going on in that pack.

This morning, I’m watching her in warrior training. I smile. She’s good. Really good.

Until she isn’t.

I frown, turning up the volume on the security system. It doesn’t help. There are too many other warriors on the field talking band /bbgiving /binstructions. Sphinx and Alpha Connor, who is talking to her, are on the other side of the battlefield.

I watch her nod, see the look on her face like she knows she’s disappointing her brother. Having seen them in person, having Shakespeare basically threaten Hijack and I, knowing that we’re the ones helping to get his mate out of her situation, says a lot about the love this family shares. Sphinx is no different. She looks devastated.

I watch Alpha Connor pull her into a hug, still talking to her. I watch her nod again againt his chest and when he steps back, he continues talking to her until she gives him a small smile. Then he chucks her under the chin and moves on.

I continue to watch her until sparring is over, then I get back to work, waiting to hear the notification that she’s back at herputer. As soon

as I hear it, I turn to our chat.

Me: Good morning

Sphinx: Good morning to you

Me: What was that in sparring ss this morning?

Sphinx: What do you mean?

Me: I was watching you. You were incredible, until you weren’t/ What happened?

Sphinx: iYou /iwere watching me? That’s not creepy at all.

I’ve started to realize that distraction is her way of avoiding topics she doesn’t want to discuss.

Me: The Council gave us a directive to ensure that nothing happens that will keep you out of the Academy next year. We take that seriously. Stop avoiding the question.

When she doesn’t immediately respond, I growl at theputer. I wish I could see her. Is she upset or avoiding me? Did she walk away to use the bathroom, or did she leave so she doesn’t have to answer me?

Sphinx: It’s too much to write here.

I switch my earbuds and grab my phone, hitting video call. She answers with a huff.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. You have a weakness. Weaknesses can be exploited, especially ones that you’re trying bto /bbhide/b. bTalk /bbto /bbme/bb,/bb” /bI say.

She looks down, the shame that I saw on her face earlier returns and she grits her teeth.

“I nearly died in a battle a couple of years ago. I haven’t been able to get past it,” she says softly.

“Tell me what happened,” I say, keeping my voice soft.

She shakes her head, and I see the tears welling. Whatever happened to her may have happened two years ago, but she’s still feeling it like it was yesterday.

“Why were you in a battle at fifteen?” I ask her, trying to give her a starting point.

She swipes a tear off her cheek but still doesn’t look at me. “It was my brother–inw’s pack. We were attacked the night of Kennedy’s Luna ceremony. I knew my father and brother would have ordered me into a safe room, so I waited until they were outside before I joined them. I’d never been in a battle before and the moment I got outside, I realized I was in way over my head. But by then, it was toote. iI /iwas trying to find one of them when Connor realized I was in the battle. Then I saw my brother Yorick but before I could get to him…*

She cuts off and her body shakes with the sob she’s trying to keep inside.

“Take your time,” I purr at her. Damn, I’ve never wanted to hold someone like I want to hold her right now. I have a nearly desperate need to wrap my arms around her and rock her until she’s back to her strong, sharp–witted self.

She takes a deep breath. “He was a Beta from the attacking pack. I should have been able to take him but…”

“You were a pup. He was a grown man, an experienced fighter,” I say, keeping my voice steady. Inside, I’m anything but steady. I don’t have to know the rest of the story to know that she’s lucky to have survived. Why the fuck would a Beta go after a pup on a battlefield?

She nods. “Anyway, his wolf shed Dasha deeply. He wasing in for the kill. If Henry hadn’t gotten to me when he did …”

Her voice cuts off again and her body shakes as she fights her sobs.

So, that’s the bond between them. I’d seen the bond they share outside the Council chambers. Henry saved her life. She idolizes him and he feels even more protective of her because of what happened.

“Even with his intervention, I almost bled to death. My mother, for the first time in her life, lost it. My sister Kennedy was the one who had to sew me up. She said I nearly died several times. Everyone in my family and some of the other warriors in Quirin’s pack gave blood so I could get a transfusion.”

Fuck! She really did almost die if she needed a transfusion. I’ll look up the medical recordster, but right now, I need to help my partner.

“Look at me,” I say. She shakes her head, unwilling to look up. She swipes the back of her hand over her cheeks, but I can still see the tears dripping onto her desk.

“Look at me, Wendy,” I say gently.

She sniffs and when she looks up, her shattered look nearly breaks my heart. But I don’t let that show on my face.

“You didn’t die. You survived. Do you know why?”

“Because my sister is an incredible doctor–in–training?” she asks.

I smile at her. “I’m sure that’s part of it. But you survived because you’re strong, Wendy. You are stronger than you’re giving yourself credit

for.”

“I don’t feel strong,” she says softly.

“But you are. Look at you. You’re still out on that training field every day trying to push through. You’re here, helping your brother and his mate so they can be together. If it wasn’t for you, it might have taken us years to find out about Alpha Leo.”

bShe /bbshrugs/b. A blot /bof that was Yorick.

b“/bbStop /bbgiving /bcredit bfor /bbyour /bbwork /bbto /bother peopleb, /bSphinx. You are an incredible woman. If byou /bweren’tb, /bwe bwouldn’t /bhave told 1/2* bput /bbyou /bon our teamb. /bbDo /byou know how often that’s happened in the three years I’ve been hereb?/b”

bShe /blooks at me, giving me a ghost of a smile. This one is more real than the one she gave Connor earlier.

b“/bOnce?”

b“/bOnce,” I confirm.

She wipes her cheeks again and this time, they stay dry.

“Thanks, Hacker. I’ve never told anyone that story before,” she says frowning.

“How do you feel?” I ask.

“Better,” she says, nodding and this time I get a nearly full smile.

“Good. I’ll be watching you from now on. Get out of your head and listen to your brother. He’s a good fighter. Not as good as Yorick bwill /bbbe /bwhen he’s done with this year, or you will be when you’re done with your first–year next year. But for now, he’ll do.”

She snorts. “I probably shouldn’t mention that to him.”

“Probably not,” I say, hearing one of my r

“What’s that?” she asks.

go ioff/ii. /i

*Tracker’s back. We’re meeting with your brother, Cyra, and your family to go over the next steps in an hour. Hijack is ready to pull the trigger and buy out Alpha Christer’s debt.”

“That’s awesome!”

“Are you part of that meeting?” I ask her.

“I haven’t been invited to attend,” she says.

“Well, you’re invited now. You are part of the Tech Team, and this is a learning opportunity for you. Although, remember that this is Hijack’s work, it’s boring shit that you would never want to do,” I tell her, making herugh.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Okay then, I’ll see you soon.”

She nods, but just before I hang up, she stops me.

“Hacker?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks again. I really do feel better.”

い

“Anytime, my little Padawan,” I say, making her smile again before I hang up.

As soon as I hang iup/ii, /iI pull up her medical records. When I see the gashes on her body, the extensive number of stitches that bwere /bbrequired /bbto /bput her back together, I understand just how lucky she is to be alive. It’s no wonder she’s still holding bon /bto that fear.

bI /bbshould /bbtell /bthe bothers/bb. /bThis is a weakness that bwe /bbshould /ball be watching for. A weakness in bone /bof us to ba /bweaknes in all etes, bus bprotective /bof bWendy/b. bShe /bbsaid /bbshe’s /bnever told anyone what happened bbefore/bb, /bbbut /bshe told bme.Yeah/bb, /bI bpushed/bb, /bbbut /bshe cili told s

I bdecide /bbto /bkeep an beye /bon her in warrior training. If she doesn’t start to improve, I’ll have no choice but to tell the others. Hopefully, then she’ll listen bto /bwhat I said and start finding the strength inside herself that I see in her.

Raptor Pov

b“/bYou didn’t have to drive me to the Academy,” my mate says, as I pull her hand to my lips for a kiss. Damn, bI /bcan’t get enough bof /bbthis /bbwoman /bI’ve already had her three times this morning and I want her again.

“It gives me more time with you. Since I’m not working today, I’ll go sign the lease on that apartment after I hit the gym, Isay

After we’d marked each other, we’d talked to the Council about being mated and how we could make it work. As I expectedb, /bthey bwant /bbboth /bbof /bus to continue in our careers, so they agreed that I could move farther away from the elite fighter’s base and Jaelynn could move off bthe /bAcademy’s campus.

We’ve alternated over thest couple of days between thoroughly exploring each other’s bodies and finding a new ce to live. bRather /bbthan /bspending any time apart or rushing into buying something, we agreed on an apartment that we could lease for a year while we decide bon /b

something more permanent.

Since she is still in school and I still have work, we’re not nning to move her off campus until this weekend. Between now and then, bI’m /bstaying with her. We each have our own car, but I’m reluctant to leave her. Hopefully that will get easier with time since I won’t have ba /bbchoice /bwhen my squad is running operations.

I grab my bag out of the back of the car with the clothes I’ll need for the next couple of days and then take her hand as we walk into the Academy. I can smell the scent of young warriors and breakfasting from the dining hall.

“Raptor? What are you doing here?”

I turn, surprised to hear the familiar voice. “Steel? What am I doing here? What the fuck are you doing here?” I say, hugging my previousmander and pping him on the back just as he does with me,

“I’m the new instructor here at the Academy,” he says, grinning wickedly.

I burst outughing. These poor cadets don’t know what’s about to hit them.

“Honestly, that’s a good thing. You’ll make sure that whoever gets promoted to the elite squad is more than qualified,” I say, stepping back to put my arm around Jaelynn.

“Steel, meet my mate, Tracker.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Tracker? You must be new.”

“Yes sir. This is my second year.”

“She tracked the Wily Fox,” I say proudly. Now Steel’s eyes go wide.

“You did? We searched for that bastard for three years!”

“You didn’t have a Trackeri,/ii” /ishe says, smiling at him.

“Obviously. Congrattions you two,” he says.

“It was nice meeting you,” Jaelynn says to Steel, then turns to me. “I have to go, Kit.”

I turn, taking her mouth in a passionate, fiery kiss that promises more of what I gave her this morning. She returns the kiss with just as much

passion.

“Take care of my mate,” i growl at her.

“You take care of mine,” she growls back before turning and walking away. Even the way she walks is sexy as fuck.

“So, how’s my squad?” Steel asks, pulling my attention back to him.

“MY squad is good,” I say, making him grin. I took over the squad when Steel stepped down two years ago.

“Have you had breakfast yet? I’d love to hear about what’s been going on since I left,” he says.

“I can always eat,” I grin. “And I’d love to hear your impressions of who you think might be able to fill Lace’s position. She and her mate have decided to settle down and start having pups.”

“Ahh, I was wondering whose position needed to be filled on that squad,” he says as we begin walking and talking

Two hourster, I reluctantly say goodbye to my previous mentor as he walks out to sparring ss. It was good talking to him again. And now I feel much more confident that whoever he chooses as Lace’s recement will be perfect for our squad.