In the Company of Wolves (SWAT, #3)(48)

“Have you figured out how this is all going to end?” Cooper asked, turning to look at him. “At some point, the Albanians or this pack alpha you told me about are going to figure out you’re the one tipping off the cops. We can’t keep doing this much longer.”

“We won’t have to,” Becker said. “Jayna and I have the Albanians and omegas distrusting each other. In a few days, their whole organization will collapse from the inside. We just need to keep the pressure on until then.”

“Be careful.” Cooper opened the door. “Tell Jayna it was nice meeting her.”

“I will,” Becker promised.

“Cooper left already?” Jayna asked as Becker closed the door.

He turned to give her a smile. “Yeah. He was beat. You want something to drink?”

“Sure.”

Becker grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge, then joined her on the couch.

“I overheard you and Cooper talking before,” she said. “What did he mean when he asked you if I was ‘the one’ for you? He seemed to imply it was more than just your standard romantic attraction.”

Becker stared at her, the bottle of water halfway to his mouth. He thought she knew more about being a werewolf than he did. “You don’t know about The One?”

“The one what?”

He stared down at the bottle of water, trying to get his thoughts straight. “This is going to be complicated, but according to werewolf legend, there’s supposed to be one true mate out there in the world for every werewolf. When they meet, there’s this automatic connection between them.” He grinned. “Kind of like how we felt that spark the first time we met.”

Jayna looked dubious. “You make it sound like we’re magically meant to be together.”

“Is it so hard to believe that people as unique and special as werewolves are meant to find that one perfect person who accepts us for what we are?”

“Yes, it is that hard to believe,” she said. “I prefer to think that the way I feel about you is purely because of the person you are, not because of any werewolf magic.”

Becker tried not to let his disappointment show. After what had happened to Jayna, it wasn’t surprising she didn’t believe in magic and happily ever after.

Jayna must have picked up on his mood because her expression softened and she leaned in to kiss him. He slipped a hand in her hair and kissed her back, telling himself that it didn’t matter why she felt the things she did for him, as long as she felt them. He had her, and that was all that mattered.

“Do you think we need to head back to the loft yet or can we stay here a while longer?” she asked, her blue eyes turning green.

They’d already been gone a few hours, but…

“I think we have a little bit of time.” He grinned. “Do you have something in mind you want to do?”

She nodded with just a hint of that shyness he found so damn cute. “I was thinking we could make out again before we go. Just a quickie, you know?”

“Yeah, I do know,” he growled. “Though I don’t think there’ll be anything quick about it.”

*

Jayna hugged Eric tightly as they rode through the dark streets toward the loft. Today would go down as one of the best days ever—and not just because she adored making love with him, although that was definitely incredible. She simply loved being with him. Even if she wasn’t too sure about the whole magical werewolf-connection thing, it didn’t mean she couldn’t recognize there was something special going on between them. To her, though, it was simply good, old-fashioned chemistry.

It was well past eight o’clock by the time they got back to the loft, and she immediately headed for the stairs to check on Megan. Eric trotted up behind her, but they barely made it halfway before they ran into Liam coming down with Moe and Joseph right behind him. Liam had a pissed-off look on his face.

“Where the hell have you been and why weren’t you answering your phone?” he demanded.

The hair on the back of Jayna’s neck stood up. “What’s wrong?” She glanced at Moe and Joseph. They both looked nervous as hell. “Where are Megan and Chris?”

Liam opened his mouth to answer, but Joseph was faster.

“Kostandin sent them out on a job.”

“What kind of job?” Eric asked.

Joseph started to answer, but Liam silenced him with a glare. “Kos sent them after one of the SWAT werewolves, along with half a dozen Albanian soldiers.”

It took a moment for Liam’s words to sink in, and when they finally did, Jayna couldn’t breathe. She almost reached for Eric’s hand to steady herself but caught herself at the last minute and grabbed the railing instead. While she was off having sex with Eric, two of her pack mates had been sent out to take down an alpha who was way out of their league. Oh God, what had she done?

“How could you send Megan and Chris after one of those SWAT werewolves?” she demanded, her fangs and claws coming out. “She’s not strong enough and neither is Chris.”

Liam opened his mouth to say something, but this time Eric was the one who cut him off.

“Where did they go, and when did they leave?”

For a moment, Jayna thought Liam would refuse to tell them just out of spite. But the look on Eric’s face must have changed his mind.