Harper’s Moon, Wyatt’s diner, was packed by the time Uri and I got there. Church just let out. At least that’s the explanation I heard one of those waiting for a table give to another party.

Perfect. A distracted staff works in my favor. I need to establish probable cause for a search warrant. Working within the confines of the law makes my life difficult at times, but in this case, I have to make sure every “t” is crossed and “i” dotted. Running with Mya is no longer a possibility. Uri’s revelation about the fate of the Ammon pack’s alpha limits my options. That leaves me with only one.

Todd needs to be out of the picture. Permanently.

Short of killing him, only confinement to shifter prison will accomplish that. Dealing Ambrosia to humans will be enough to earn him a death sentence or life behind bars, but the word of an angel of death won’t be enough to convict Todd.

I need hard evidence.

With the buzzer the hostess gave to alert me when our table’s ready, I return to my rental car. Uri’s leaning against it and studying the exterior of the diner with the same intense focus I’m starting to associate with him. I’ll bet he already has a theory as to whether this rundown place is a supply point for Ambrosia.

I move to where he’s standing. “What do you think?”

“I think we’re going to fail.”

That’s not the response I expect. Or want. “You don’t think we’ll find anything to justify a warrant?”

Uri shrugs. “Maybe. Maybe not. That’s not what I was talking about.”

My patience is already short. I want to be with Mya. Instead, I’m here. I don’t have time or the energy to play games. “Then what are you talking about?”

“Our first case as partners.” Uri turns to me. “We’re going to fail, and Ben Tanner’s killer is going to get away with murder.”

To be honest, I hadn’t given Ben’s case much thought since talking to the angel of death assigned to kill Mya. I won’t share that truth. Uri doesn’t need the confirmation of my distracted mind. “Ben’s case is on standstill until you talk to the coroner. Besides, we planned to come out here and interview Wyatt anyway on Monday. We’re a day early.”

“True, but your focus isn’t on solving Ben’s case.” Uri makes a frustrated sound. “It’s on eliminating your rival so you can claim his mate.”

I haven’t discussed Mya or Todd with Uri beyond the little display with Ella back at the Black Widow. He knows about their situation and my connection to Mya, but that’s it. I hadn’t planned on sharing more insight either.

Arms crossed over my chest, I face Uri, letting him see the annoyance in my expression over his accusation. “My focus is on bringing criminals to justice whether they’re the ones I’m looking for or the ones I find along the way. Yours should be too.”

“Fair point.” Uri nods. “But Todd’s a flunky, not the brains behind this operation or Ben’s murder.” Uri’s eyes narrow slightly. His voice lowers. “Wyatt Silverman is. We need to focus on him, not your rival. If we don’t, Wyatt will slip away, taking any evidence you might be able to use against Todd.”

“Are you implying both cases are connected?” I hadn’t seen anything suggesting that.

“No, but Wyatt is a suspect in Ben’s murder. His diner is also supposedly the supply point for Ambrosia. Wyatt’s the common factor. Not Todd. You keep focusing on Todd, and we’ll miss the clues needed to take out Wyatt.”

“Fair point.” I echo Uri’s words. “But Todd’s involved too. Even if he is a lackey. We’re going to make damn sure he goes down with his uncle.”

“Just because you want him to be guilty, doesn’t mean he is. Stupid isn’t a punishable crime.”

The buzzer vibrates, saving me from this conversation. I won’t fabricate evidence, but I will find a tie between Todd and Ambrosia. Once I do, he’ll be out of Mya’s life, legally, and I won’t have to look Peyton and Rey in the eye and tell them I killed their father, even if he is a piece of shit.

“Table’s ready.” I wave the flashing, buzzing disc in Uri’s face. “Good thing too. I’m starved.”

Uri walks silently next to me, but I sense his displeasure. So does my wolf. We’ve only been partners with Uri a few days, but we’ve accustomed ourselves to Uri’s mannerisms and stance. I doubt I’ve experienced Uri’s every mood, but this is one I’ve encountered multiple times, from our first meeting to the one with Ella when he brought up Mya.

I flick my gaze to Uri. “You’ve got a problem with me and Mya, don’t you?”

“Not Mya specifically. I think females are a distraction and a weakness. If you get attached to one and she gets herself killed, then you might as well join her. You’re worthless.”

“Losing a mate isn’t the end.” Though I have to admit there were days it felt like that. “After Anna died, I joined Shifter Affairs. Did a hell of a lot of good in those years too.”

“I thought we weren’t allowed to talk about Anna Tanner.”

I stop walking. The buzzing disc in my hand sends vibrations up my arm, but Uri’s words hit me square in the chest. He’s right. We weren’t allowed to talk about my dead breeding partner. We can now. Saying Anna’s name doesn’t kill me. I understand what that means. I’m healing. Really healing. Not just telling myself I’m fine so I don’t pull the trigger of my Glock.

Uri stops walking too. He looks over his shoulder and raises a brow. “Well? Is it still a sore topic?”

“No. Things are different now.” Anna would be happy for me too.

Shaking his head, Uri snorts. “’Cause you found your true mate, huh?”

“Yeah. Come talk to me when you find yours. Otherwise, keep your opinions to yourself.” I stride forward. Time to end this conversation. I’m done sharing emotional shit with Uri. We’re not that good of friends. Even if we were, we wouldn’t be talking about our feelings. We’d be talking about important things, like how to protect our women or make them happy. “We’ll order, then eat. After I’m done, I’ll slip into the back while you order a dessert and coffee.”

Uri grunts, then walks past me. “I don’t drink coffee. I’ll order more soda.”

“No coffee?” Grateful Uri’s taking my cue to drop the subject, I laugh. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Many things.”

Uri’s serious tone draws my gaze to him. His neutral expression doesn’t give anything away. His tense posture does, though. My choices are obvious. Ask or let it go. I’d prefer the latter, but some guys do like to talk about stuff. Not many but some. I have a hard time picturing Uri as one of those oversharing types, but I have to ask. I’d be a shitty partner if I didn’t. When I think about it that way, Uri’s concern toward my life makes sense. We’re both feeling out our boundaries with each other. Oh yeah, a partnership is a lot like a relationship.

“Care to share?”

“No.” Uri opens the diner’s door, putting an end to the conversation. Good thing too. While I’d listen, I can’t say I’d enjoy myself.

I follow Uri into the diner and join him at the counter. In my peripheral vision, I catch sight of Todd sitting with a similar-looking shifter male. Wyatt, if I had to guess. They’re arguing, but their low voices and the background noise of conversation and the clicking of silverware makes it hard to pick out words. One catches my attention, however. Mya. They’re talking about my true mate.

Breathing slowly, I keep my attention on the hostess, who’s smiling and motioning for us to follow her. She leads us deeper into the restaurant. I’ll never overhear anything back here.

“Can we get one of those booths along the windows?” A waitress was clearing one as we walked by.

The hostess’s eyes pinch and her mouth tightens, then her smile returns. Obviously, my suggestion doesn’t fit her plans. Too bad.

“It’s not quite clean. We have window seats near the back too.” She motions toward them with the menus she’s carrying.

“We don’t mind waiting.” It’ll give me an excuse to stand in the aisle closer to Wyatt and Todd.

“Of course.” Her fake grin fades. She pivots and leads us to the front.

“It’s quieter back there.” Uri’s knowing look tells me he understands the reason behind my request and doesn’t approve.

“View’s better up here.”

Todd slides his gaze to me as we approach. The frustration flaring his nostrils and creasing his brow deepens. He leans closer to Wyatt and says something. I pick up on the words “agent” and “harassing” before Todd slides from of the booth and hightails it out of the diner.

Silently cursing, I take the laminated one-page menu from the waitress and claim the side of the booth giving me a view of Wyatt’s back. Wyatt doesn’t turn. He continues eating his meal.

So much for eavesdropping. Back to the original plan.

A few minutes into our meal of eggs, pancakes, and bacon, Wyatt stands and makes his way to our table. He inclines his head at first Uri, then me. It’s the proper way to address us, even if I have more seniority with Shifter Affairs. Uri’s a Royal. I’m not.

“What brings me the pleasure of having two SA agents in my establishment?” Wyatt asks the question to Uri.

“Food,” I answer.

“You’ve come to the right place.” Wyatt’s smile is as fake as his welcoming tone. He grabs a chair from a nearby table and sets it at the head of the booth. “May I join you?”

“Sure,” Uri mumbles while chewing.

Wyatt turns to me. “My nephew told me you were out to see him.”

“Yep. I was.” I turn my attention to my pancakes, cutting a bite, then dragging the piece through the syrup on the dish before shoving it into my mouth.

Wyatt’s fake, pleasant façade vanishes. Pure hatred replaces it, darkening his eyes and twisting his mouth. “And that you told him I was accusing him of not paying off his debts to me. I take offense to lies, Agent Lyall. Personal offense.”

I snatch a bacon strip from my dish and eat it. Only after I swallow do I raise my gaze to Wyatt’s. The man would take my head if he got the chance. I can see the truth in his twisted gaze. This isn’t about insult. It stems from protection. Wyatt would kill for Todd. My wolf lends me the insight. It’s a protective vibe Wyatt gives off. Not unusual when you think about it. According to what I’ve learned about the Silverman family, Todd is the only breeding member.

Keeping my expression as blank as possible, I nod in acknowledgment. “And I take offense to obtuseness, Mr. Silverman. Your nephew, it seems, was either blessed with the stupid gene at birth or his mama dropped him on his head a few too many times.”

The corner of Wyatt’s mouth rises in a lopsided smirk. I don’t wait for him to make some smart-ass comment back; I pick up my coffee and lean against the booth cushion. “Todd fed the conversation after I asked why he was in a bad mood. As an agent, I was only doing my job by following the conversation where it led. Not my problem your nephew can’t keep his mouth shut.”

Wyatt, smiling, nods. “True, but I don’t like anyone, especially our distinguished law enforcement, to think I’m a bad person. I’m not. Trust me on that. I follow our traditional laws and guidelines closely.”

Meaning Wyatt’s a follower of the old ways, maybe even a Purist. That segment of our society is dangerous. They want to return to the age when shifters lived in secret, dominating their women and killing everyone and anyone who threatened them. The only law they abide by is their own. That way of thinking won’t work in today’s world where humans are our neighbors and friends.

“So Todd doesn’t owe you money?” Uri asks.

The tightness returns to Wyatt’s mouth. “That’s none of your business.”

“Then I’ll remind Todd that slander is a punishable offense in our society.” I set the coffee mug down and pull out my phone. “Actually, I can do better than that. Todd can be incarcerated in our brand-spanking new jail, pending a trial during the next new moon.” The official day our species’ court is in session.

“No.” Wyatt bites out the word. “That won’t be necessary.”

“It’s a standard practice approved by our Council, Mr. Silverman. The elders who sit on it despise liars. They view them as weak and therefore expendable.” Uri butters a slice of toast, then fists the handle of a steak knife. Holding it as if it were a dagger, he stabs the bread, then meticulously cuts the crust off his toast. “As a Royal who’s related to the second eldest sitting member, I’m honor bound to uphold their laws. If your nephew is a liar, he should pay the consequences of his actions.”

Wyatt follows Uri’s exaggerated movements with his eyes, then works his jaw. “As I said, that won’t be necessary. My nephew isn’t lying. He does owe me money. He failed to uphold his end of a bargain. Now he has to repay me for my kindness.”

“He doesn’t think he should owe you anything.” At least that’s what I gathered from his annoyance over having to pay Wyatt.

“Doesn’t he?” Wyatt raises a brow, but the grin twisting his mouth suggests he’s heard the argument before. “I’m surprised he told a stranger about his failings as a male.”

“Failings as a male?” My raised brow is genuine. I’m not sure where Wyatt’s going with this. If he’s referring to Todd’s job, there’s nothing shameful about being a laborer. Todd’s shame should come from being an abuser.

“Yes. Todd finally grew the balls necessary to claim a female worthy of our family’s strength, but he can’t control her, in bed or out. Until he can bring her to heel, he has to pay me for the house I gifted him.”

Uri tilts his head to the side as I’ve seen him do multiple times while interviewing people. “Didn’t the elders of your group explain what her obligations to your nephew are?”

“These younger men are weak. Influenced by the people in this town.” Wyatt turns toward Uri, preventing me from seeing his expression. The inflection to his voice is clear enough for me to imagine the pleading expression on Wyatt’s face. “Todd didn’t want to have to discipline her in front of his friends so he opted not to present her as his breeding partner. It’s not technically required by law.”

“Discipline her how?” The growl to my question betrays my feelings toward Todd and Mya. Dammit, I know better than to let my opinions show, but this topic is personal.

Wyatt balls his hand into a fist. “You know what I mean, Agent Lyall. Don’t play dumb.”

I glance from Wyatt’s white-knuckled fist to his smug face. “Rumor has it that’s not the only reason.”

Uri’s booted foot presses down hard on mine. I don’t need the reminder. I’m not about to give away Mya’s secret. Leading Wyatt into revealing as much as possible about Todd and Mya’s bond is my goal. If it takes dangling bait in front of Wyatt, that’s what I’ll do.

“Proof becomes irrelevant after so long, Agent Lyall.” Wyatt flexes his hands, cracking his knuckles. “And as time wanes, so does my patience. Soon, I’ll take the steps necessary to force Mya into submission if Todd doesn’t step up.”

Tightening the grip on my fork, I fight the urge to shove it in Wyatt’s neck. “How exactly will you do that? She’s not yours.”

“Our forefathers were wise, Agent Lyall. They also wrote many laws, some of which are no longer followed. They’re still on the books, though. Given the right situation, they can be enforced.” Wyatt stands and returns the chair to the table behind him. His mouth twists into a depraved smirk. “I’m just waiting for the right set of circumstances to present themselves so I can use these laws to my advantage. It’s only a matter of time before I can.”

Every protective instinct I possess flares. Wyatt is not only dangerous, he’s smart. The fact that he’s sitting on some kind of plan involving Mya turns him into as much of a rival as Todd is to me. Both need to be eliminated.

“Good luck with that.” Uri slides from the booth. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the toilet. This food is giving me the shits already.”

Wyatt doesn’t respond to Uri’s insult. Wyatt’s gaze remains firmly locked to me. He’s testing me, looking to see what my goal is toward Todd. I must’ve given my interest away somehow. Maybe my expression or tone of voice. I don’t know, but I do understand the dangers of my slip. No way will I allow it to hurt Mya.

I raise a brow. “How exactly does your fascination with our ancient laws affect me? This clearly sounds like a family issue between yourself, your nephew, and his partner.”

A slow smile creeps across Wyatt’s face. He drops his gaze. “You are correct. It is. I merely wanted you not to worry about my nephew causing trouble. I’ll keep him in line as is expected of me as the eldest family member.”

“Then kindly remind him even speeding tickets put him in the spotlight. Once he’s there, I get involved.”

“I will.” Wyatt motions toward our partially eaten meals. “This is on the house, of course. And I’ll speak with our cook about serving food that gives my customers the shits.”

“I’m sure Uri will be glad to hear that.”

Wyatt nods, then heads toward the back of the diner. Where the kitchen is located. Where Uri went to look for evidence. Shit. I slide from my seat, ready to go after Wyatt, then freeze.

Uri’s got a waitress cornered. With one hand on her hip and another planted on the wall above her head, he appears as if he’s shopping for his next bed mate. At least from a quick glance anyway. In reality, there’s too much space between their bodies for Uri to be interested in this woman sexually. Even the hand Uri has on the woman hints at his disinterest. While his palm is touching her body, his fingertips aren’t.

Smirking, Wyatt glances at them as he walks by. Obviously, he doesn’t see what I do. Uri’s faking his interest. Why?

After a couple of minutes, the human female slips under Uri’s arm. With a smile on her face, she heads to the kitchen. With a disgusted expression on his, Uri returns to our table and rips a napkin from the dispenser. He scrubs his hands, ripping the paper napkin to shreds before grabbing another.

“Did you find yourself a waitress too?” I ask in a lame attempt to crack a joke. Uri looks as if he wants to puke or rip the top layer of his skin off.

Uri leans close to me. He lowers his voice to a near whisper. “Found myself a user. Abby and I have a date tonight.”

“Congratulations?” My tone’s wry, but I couldn’t have gotten better news. What better way to find Ambrosia’s suppliers than from someone who uses it?

Uri grunts. “Yeah, right. I don’t want to fake interest in a girl who smells like death. If you didn’t already have your woman, you’d be going on this date.”

I don’t have Mya yet. Not officially, anyway. Soon I will. Even if our bond is only recognized by the goddesses themselves.