Buried and Shadowed (Branded Packs #3)

“That’s when Colonel Ranney made his first appearance,” he said, handing her the manila folder.

Her brows drew together as she flipped through the papers. “The head of the SAU?”

“He wasn’t at the time.” Rios leaned to the side, pulling out the glossy pamphlet that showed a large, silver-haired man who looked like someone’s kindly grandfather. Rios had devoted months to doing research on the Colonel, discovering that behind his toothy smile and practiced charm was a cold-hearted bastard who would sell his own mother if he thought he could make a profit. “Before the outbreak, he was actually the owner of Bellum International.”

She took the pamphlet from his fingers. “What’s that?”

“A defense contractor,” Rios explained. “He started as a glorified gunrunner before going legit. Over the years, he provided a variety of weapons to whatever army was willing to pay his exorbitant fees.”

Bree dropped the pamphlet into the file, wiping her fingers on her skirt. Rios didn’t blame her. Just the thought of what Ranney represented was enough to make him feel soiled.

“What did he have to do with the clinic?”

Rios released a growl of frustration. “I haven’t been able to track down a connection, but he’s the one who was suddenly in charge of the investigation.”

Bree made a quick note on her phone. “He did the cover-up.”

“Yep. And he was very clever.” Rios grasped the remaining pile of folders. “He didn’t give one explanation and let it go.”

She frowned. “What did he do?”

“He leaked one story after another.” Rios curled his lips with disgust. “He said the shifters had tainted the flu shots.” He tossed a folder on the table. “He said that it was the shifters’ bite that caused the plague.” Another file hit the table. “He said it was humans who were creating mutant animals to take over the world.” He dropped the remaining files. So far, he’d managed to discover over a dozen stories Ranney had strategically leaked over the years.

“Why so many?”

“Because a good investigator could have followed one rumor to prove or disprove the truth of it,” Rios explained. “It’s much more difficult to pin down theories that are constantly changing.”

She glanced toward the table covered with files before returning her gaze to study his tightly clenched jaw. She had on her professional ‘anchor face,’ which meant it was impossible to read her expression. But the scalding heat of her anger was a tangible force.

“Especially when it was easier to blame it on the animals and lock us in cages,” she growled.

He gave a grim nod. “Exactly.”

Her wolf glowed in her eyes, her beauty so luminous, Rios abruptly forgot how to breathe.

“I hope very much to meet Colonel Ranney,” she said in fierce tones. “Preferably alone in a dark alley.”

He leaned forward, savoring the raw heat of her animal.

“If you intend to sink your teeth into the Colonel, you’re going to have to get in line, querida,” he said, his gaze lowering to the delicious curve of her lips.

She might have to wait to bite Ranney, but if she wanted to sink her fangs into something, he was ready, willing, and able to offer her an outlet for her frustration.

****

Sinclair pulled his truck into a shabby motel just across the Colorado state border.

They’d barely spoken during the forty-minute drive. Mira because she was clearly pissed at him. And him…

Well, he didn’t know exactly what he felt.

Fury at the SAU for daring to kidnap her. Pride in Mira for taking a situation that would have terrified most people and turning it to her advantage. Lust that pounded through his body, despite the fact that the time couldn’t be less appropriate.

And an uncertainty that had his wolf restlessly pacing beneath his skin.

He wasn’t sure exactly what had happened to Mira during the past two weeks, but she wasn’t the same shy, submissive female he’d thought he knew so well.

Instead, she was defiant and surprisingly determined to keep him at a distance.

Why?

Had her captors managed to convince her that shifters couldn’t be trusted? He gave a sharp shake of his head. No. That couldn’t be it. Mira was too intelligent to be swayed by the blustering idiots.

Besides, she was still trying to help them track down Dr. Lowman. Even demanding that she stay and continue her computer search even though it put her at risk.

So what the hell was going on?

Unable to bear the strange barrier between them any longer, he decided to stop for the night.

It would not only give them the opportunity to clear the air between them, but it would also allow them to remain hidden from the SAU soldiers that were no doubt being spread throughout the area to search for Mira.

Parking the truck behind a dumpster, he wrinkled his nose. Hyper-senses could be a pain in the ass sometimes.

Mira pulled herself out of her dark thoughts, turning to stab him with a confused frown.

“What are you doing?”