Kane nodded at my father, his honey eyes flickering to me.

For a split second, his gaze slid over Jackson. The others might not have noticed, but Jackson and I certainly did.

Alpha Kane’s eyes darkened as they slid over Jackson’s hands. My legs were still in Jackson’s lap, and he was drawing patterns on my skin. While the action was harmless, it was quite relaxing. I couldn’t deny that Alpha Kane’s expression didn’t make me feel smug.

"Zara, I have some questions for you." Alpha Kane’s voice was hard, his gaze lingering on Jackson’s hands.

"Ask away." I yawned, tired from the long night, and even the office fatigue had been tiring, as had the unimaginable terror that had accompanied it. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The blissful numbness I felt would soon wear off, and I wanted to sleep before that happened. No doubt the events of tonight would hit me like a freight train tomorrow, but I could worry about that later.

"Alone," Alpha Kane growled, causing the hair on my arms to bristle.

"Zara, go," Dad warned, sighing wearily at the end.

"Let Sophia in when she knocks." I called Jackson and turned my attention to Alpha Kane, "Are you coming?"

Alpha Kane followed me down the hall to my bedroom. While I had dreamed of being alone with him, now was neither the time nor the place. I closed the bedroom door behind me and returned to the window. The numbness was quickly fading, and the image of a mysterious wolf and paper seared my brain.

My heart was pounding, and my fingers ran aimlessly over the cool windowpane. The mysterious wolf and paper were gone, and the great oak tree stood alone.

If I looked closely, I could see the crimson blood staining the grass and spattering the bark of the tree.

I frowned, turning away from the window and looking at him.

Alpha Kane paused for a moment, his gaze wandering over my face.

I nodded. I understood what he was thinking, but it didn’t change anything.

"Then it was put here on purpose." Alpha Kane was getting closer.

I was too tired to feel the familiar twinges of arousal from his proximity. The numbness was gone, and my head was spinning. I knew Kane was hinting; I thought the same thing.

"I thought the same thing." I let my eyes bore into Alpha Kane’s. It was clear he was searching me for any hint of dishonesty. I was too tired to hide the possibility of a lie.

"I think it has something to do with Marcus, Zara," Alpha Kane murmured, his dark eyes ablaze with hidden emotion.

"I was afraid of this," I murmured.

"I’ll ask you that again, Zara," Alpha Kane muttered, just a foot away from me. I could smell his cologne on his body. "Are you helping Marcus in any way?"

Any other day or time, I would have been furious. I probably would have blurted out some insult to Alpha Kane and run, but I was just too tired.

"No," the weariness was clear in my voice. "I would never abandon my family or my pack."

The sincerity was evident in my words, and Alpha Kane seemed to calm down for a moment.

"How long were you apartment before you noticed the wolf and paper?" Alpha Kane continued his questions.

I paused for a moment. "Maybe forty-five minutes. I hopped in the shower and changed before I noticed them."

"Did you see anyone else outside?" Alpha Kane asked, his dark eyes never leaving mine. "Anything strange?"

"But." I shook my head. "There was nothing else, just the wolf and paper."

"Very well." Alpha Kane nodded. "I’m sure I can confirm your location and time of return to the apartment?"

"I can." I nodded.

"Thank you, Zara." Alpha Kane nodded, his tone the softest I’d known him in the short time he’d been around.

"I have one last question. Is there anything else you feel I should mention?"

I was silent for a minute, and that’s when I made my first mistake.

"What is it?" Alpha Kane’s attention was now completely focused on me.

Two thoughts were running through my head. First, the strange messages I kept getting. Even though I thought they had nothing to do with Katie’s death, I was starting to think I was wrong. Second, my impromptu meeting with Kate.

"I didn’t mention it before because I thought it had nothing to do with Katie’s death." I frowned. "We all thought it was some kind of attack."

Alpha Kane’s lips were pressed tightly together. "Go on."

"But like you said, a mysterious wolf and placing paper right outside my window wasn’t a mistake." I froze, my entire body tensing.

I had time to shower, put on pajamas, and notice wolf and paper without even glancing at my phone.

"I’m getting messages." My voice was small and quiet.

Alpha Kane turned to where my frozen gaze was directed, tensing as he noticed the phone.

"They were harmless at first." I muttered, "I thought it was some stupid joke Derek was playing. He was Marcus’s best friend."

"Did the messages say anything about Marcus or his plans?" Alpha Kane asked, his voice tinged with anger.

"Not at all." I muttered, "They were just some cryptic messages about me."

Alpha Kane turned to me, "Let’s open this."

I nodded and walked slowly to the bed, as if the phone were a ticking time bomb.

We both stood in eerie silence as I opened the message, every sound echoing loudly in my ears.

Alpha Kane’s shoulder brushed against mine as I opened the message, and there was one picture.

The picture was of me.

I was in my bedroom, pulling my shirt off my head. The picture had been taken a few days ago. I was completely unaware of the man standing right outside my window, camera in hand.

Alpha Kane’s body tensed at the sight of the picture, and I thought he was about to lose it completely as his eyes slid over the elegant typing on the phone.

"We are always watching."