After Chris dropped her off, Rachel cleaned up and got dressed in clean clothes before sitting down at her dining room table. She scanned the table top, where all the information on her search for Ricky still sat, then made notes about what they'd learned from the wolf shifter alpha. Rachel wasn't sure how yet, but she had a feeling that somehow that black market he mentioned was tied to Ricky's disappearance. Now she was trying to connect the dots and figure out the details.

––––––––

THE PHONE RANG, STARTLING Rachel. Shaking her head at herself, she answered without looking at the screen.

“Rachel,” Teya's voice came across the line. “I hear you had a busy morning.” Rachel frowned, wondering what her friend was talking about. “What time did you make it back to town? Where are you?”

Oh. Someone had told her about the meeting at dawn. Rachel wondered who, but she didn't waste time asking questions.

“We arrived before noon. I'm at home, why?”

“I was curious. Do you have company, or can I come over?”

“I'm here alone,” Rachel glanced at the clock on the wall, “For another three or four hours at least.” She'd told him seven, but she wouldn't be surprised if something kept him later or even all night.

“Okay, I'll be there in a couple.”

The call disconnected, and Rachel pushed away from the table. She stood and straightened the mess she'd made of the papers stacked there, then stretched. She'd been sitting still longer than she planned. A yawn snuck up and surprised her, so she went into the kitchenette and started brewing a cup of coffee. She'd just hit the start button when a knock sounded on her apartment door.

“Come on in,” she called, knowing Teya's prints were programmed into the lock. The door swung open and Teya stepped inside.

“How are you?” Teya looked Rachel up and down, as if trying to gauge for herself.

“Tired, but I'm fixing that.” Rachel pointed at the coffee maker. “You want a cup?”

“I'm good.” Teya waved one hand dismissively as she looked around the apartment, then headed for the stacks of papers on the table. “What's all this?”

“It's my command center for information on Ricky. Some of it's mine; some of it's Chris's.”

“Chris?” Teya glanced at her with interest.

“The new were alpha. I told you about him, re-member? I met him the night of the costume ball. He was looking for a missing member of his Fraction, we've figured out since that she's Ricky's girl-friend.” Rachel filled Teya in on all the developments of their search but left out that Chris was her mate. She wasn't quite sure how to broach that topic. They talked a while longer, going over what they knew while Teya made suggestions of things to try in Rachel's search for her brother.

“Now, tell me about the were alpha. I’ve been a little caught up in my own life, and Jericho, and I guess I’ve not been paying as much attention as I should,” Teya said after a while.

“I'm not sure what you want to know. He's been extremely helpful, shared all of his own information with me, and helped me search for Ricky.”

“I've met him. He seems capable of the job and far more interested in the good of his Fraction than his predecessor, and from what I’ve seen and heard, a better man than his father.” Rachel looked up, her interest piqued.

“That's right, you knew his father, didn't you?”

“In a professional capacity, yes.”

“Did you know his mother?”

Teya frowned, tilted her head back slightly, and looked upward. “I don't think so,” she said after a moment. “If I did, I was unaware she was his mother. Why? Is something wrong?”

Rachel thought for a moment, pulling her mouth to one side as she wondered how much she should share, and how much Chris might not want to be public knowledge.

“I wouldn't say wrong per se, but odd. Apparently, Chris and the alpha of the wolf shifters are brothers, but Chris had no idea. He didn't even know he had a brother. They nearly came to blows over things before we discovered it though.

“Chris has been looking for the person behind the illicit market for human flesh in Las Vegas, and he thought he'd found that person in the wolf alpha. Benjamin obviously wasn't who he was looking for, but he had been looking into the same problem and had some insights into the issue he was willing to share.”

“What was that?”

“I don't know. Benjamin was going to have it de-livered to the Lunar Obsession this afternoon. I haven't seen it yet.” Rachel glanced at the clock. “Chris said he was going to come by later, he may bring it, but I don't know.”

Teya watched her a moment. Rachel had the feeling that Teya was looking past the obvious and trying to see something more, something Rachel might not be ready to share.

“You seem to be spending a lot of time with the were alpha, and I know not all of it is spent hunting.” Teya winked, and a hint of a smile crept across her face. “Is it convenience, distraction, or some-thing else?”

Rachel stared down into her coffee for several long seconds. “He's my mate.”

Teya's brows shot up, but she stayed quiet.

Rachel struggled with what to say. She sighed. “I like him. It's working between us, but I'm not sure how things will end up. It's crossed my mind that you might not want me to stay on as your assistant if he and I stay together. I didn't like that idea, so I've avoided thinking about it.”

“Why wouldn't I want you to keep working with me?” Teya frowned.

“I'm afraid working for you, while mated with the alpha of the werewolves and I assume living at the Lunar Obsession, would be a conflict of interest.”

Teya pursed her lips as she thought about it.

“I see why some people might see it that way, and how it might become one if your Chris turns out to be more like his predecessor than we would like.” Teya fell silent for a few seconds. “You said he’s coming over tonight?”

“He said he would, but he may change his mind.”

“Why don't the two of you come have dinner with Jericho and I? In our apartment, not upstairs. I'll have food brought down, and we can have a quiet dinner. I can get to know him better, and we can discuss the possibility of an alliance between our two Fractions. How does that sound?”

“It sounds good, but I need to check with him be-fore I say yes. He had quite the shock this morning, and I'm not entirely sure he'll even show tonight.”

“All right.” Teya stood. “A quiet evening at home sounds good either way, so I'll go arrange to have dinner sent down. You talk to your Chris and let me know.” Teya bent and hugged Rachel before straightening again. “I'll see you later.” The Fraction leader left, closing the door softly behind her as she left Rachel sitting on the sofa, hopeful that things could possibly work out between her and Chris.