Behind The Alpha Series Book 1 Quinn

(Chapter song ‘Love Song’ by The Cure)

Liam’s threat rattled in my brain as I left the clinic. His information also perplexed me. Who could possible want to start a war with the Lycans?

There’s only one place I can find answers and only one that’s going to be able to get me in to get those answers.

I duck down an alley and pull out my phone. I open the internet and go to the Phoenix City Enforcer website. I hack it and enter into their personnel files. As I search, I pull out bags of blood rip them open and drink them back as I read. I’m so engrossed in finding the Enforcer I need, I don’t feel the power coursing through my veins.

Then I find her.

I smile grows on my lips. “Paisley.” I whisper. Fuck. I love it.

I commit her phone numbers and address to memory and leave the site, closing the doors behind me.

I drink my last bag and throw the empties in the dumpster beside me. I wipe my mouth off and join the night traffic. It’s busy now that the games are a couple weeks away. Everyone’s here. If there’s a serial killer on the loose, I have to find him before he finds anyone else or me.

****

I look at my watch. It’s 4 am. I shrug. This is important enough.

I park my but on the hood of a car outside Paisley's building.

I dial her number and put the phone to my ear.

It rings and rings. I’m not stopping until she picks up.

Finally she does. “Archer.” She says in a sexy deep voice with a twinge of her sweet voice behind it. It flips my stomach.

“Archer. I need your help.” I say.

“Who is this?” She says.

“I have another thing I need to say to you.” I say through a small smile.

I look down at the sidewalk as my feet dangle in front of the cars tire. The traffic is brutal around the dome. The main streets are also packed.

She didn’t respond. Instead, I hear a bunch of rustling and a door slam.

A minute later, the door to her building opens and she rushes out.

I almost drop my phone. She’s in a small purple robe, her hair is down with full on bedhead and covering her eye on one side as some of it rest over her shoulder.

Have I mentioned how much I love red heads?

All I know is, my dick woke up the moment I laid eyes on her. Damn, she’s hot.

She jogs down her steps and takes big strides to me. She gets up into my space and points a finger at me. “What are you doing here? How did you get my number? How did you find out where I lived? Why did you run from me? How did you get out of the cuff? Why are you here at 4 in the morning?...”

I grab her hand and point in her face. “I need your help. I have my ways. I told you I didn’t want to get involved. A magician never reveals his secrets and what I need help with can’t wait.” I tilt my head and lock with her big, blue eyes.

She steps back. She looks like a deer in headlights. “Oh.”

She moves the hair out of her face and crosses her arms. My eyes float over her porcelain face and land on the big, pouty bottom lip.

“What do you want?” She says groggily.

I jump off the car and put my hands in my jacket pockets. “I have information on the Lycan case, but I need you to check something for me first.”

She squints. “What information?”

I shake my head. “I need to see the medical records of the victims.”

She juts her head back. “I can’t show you that.”

I motion my pockets out to the sides. “Fine.” I turn and start walking up the street.

“Wait. Wait. Wait.” She runs to me and grabs my arm. I’m yanked back. “Ok. Tell me what you need.”

I walk with her back to her building door. “I need medical reports. Specifically, DNA. I need into the medical examiners office.”

She looks up and down the street. She looks up at me. “Quinten. I could get in a lot of trouble.” She almost whines.

I grab her shoulders and put my face in hers “Paisley, if you don’t, a lot of people are going to die.” I study her eyes.

She scrunches her face in a whine and turns. “Come on.” She waves me to follow her inside.

Once onside her building, my eyes are all over the large, shiny building. “Pretty impressive for a level 2C Enforcer.”

We walk onto the elevator. “My dad’s inheritance helps until I can get level 5.” She turns to me. “Do you have a dad?”

I nod. “Yeah…Sort of.”

She turns back and leans on the wall. “You’re lucky.” She glances at me. “Don’t…go a day without saying ‘I Love You’. You just never know if you will be able to say it again.”

My mouth shrinks and my eyes meet hers.

She gives a little smile as she holds herself. The door opens at the 18th floor and she walks off.

I follow and try to remove what she said, but thanks to my brain, it’s stuck there now.

We walk into her apartment and I’m able to see a little bit inside my little red head.

I study the photos on the walls. The well cared for plants. The small table next to an aquarium. She lives alone.

“I have to get dressed. Make yourself at home.” She says in that cute, baby like voice she has as she disappears down a hall.

I walk around her kitchen and confirm my assumption is the almost empty fridge and barely no dishes. She eats out a lot.

I walk to the tank and look in the top.

The green iguana stares at me from on top his perch on a log. He licks his lips and turns black as I lean closer.

I reach in to touch him. “You’re a cool little guy…”

Just as I put my hand in the tank, his tail whips and cracks me right on the hand.

“OW!” I pull my hand back and check it. It’s bleeding. “That hurt, asshole.”

He smacks his lips and lets out a hiss.

I jut my chin at him and back off.

I wipe my hand off of the blood and go to sit on her couch.

She comes out of her room doing up her belt. “Ok. Ready?”

“Sure.” I get up and the lizard hisses again.

I turn to him and scowl.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just a big baby trying to be an adult.” She waves her hand to the iguana.

I watch him turn green and I shake my head.

****

During the drive to the station, I’m trying to keep cool. My wolf is whining in my chest. Her scent is filling me.

My eyes flick to her as she drives, every second or two. My thoughts are filled with ones I hadn’t thought in a very long time.

Mostly what it would feel like just to hold her. Like I use to hold Rita. Could I? Can I do that without hurting her? Could I get that close again? Would my Lycan even let me?

I study her closely. I watch the lights play on her silky hair.

I can feel something inside. Something developing. I just don’t know what it is.

I push my thoughts aside as we pull into the station.

We get out and she leads me to the door. She lets us in and we walk into the offices.

She goes to her desk and turns on her computer.

“Ok. Here’s the medical reports for all the Lycan victims.” She points to the screen.

I lean over and go through the files quickly.

Species: Human

Species: Human

I stand and think with my hands on my hips. “I need the original reports.”

“Quinn, I can’t do that.” She looks up at me.

I grab her hands and pull her out of her chair. I spin her around and push her down the aisle. “Yes, you can. Just one foot in front of the other to the records room.”

“Ugh…Ok! This better be good, Bucks!” She points behind her.

I lean to her ear. “It is. Trust me.”

“Trust you. As you force me to break laws!” She growls.

“I’m not forcing you to do anything. You’re helping.” I lean back down to her ear. “You’re aiding criminal action.” She turns her head and scowls as I flash a smile.

“Ugh!” She throws her hands up and leads me to the records room.

She lets me into the records room and I push past her.

“Hey, mister!” She growls as I rush the computer, hack it and look up the box the records are in.

“You didn’t have to hack it, I could have let you in.” She says.

I find the box I need and go find it. “My way is quicker.” I say as I scan the shelves.

I find the box number and pull it off the shelf. I walk to the table and drop it. Removing the lid, I flip through the files and pull out the ones for the Lycan case. I shove the box aside and drop the files in the table. I open them one after another.

Species: Lycan

Species: Lycan

“He changed it. Why?” I stare off into the distance, trying to figure out why the medical examiner would change the computer file.

Paisley leans on the table beside me. “What? What’s happening?”

“The medical examiner changed the victims Species to human. So lycans can be blamed for the death?” I look down at the file. “Unless, it wasn’t him.” I whisper.

“Quinn. What are you saying?” She asks.

“I don’t know yet.” I rush back to the computer and look up another box.

I find the number and run down the shelves. Finding the box, I grab it and bring it back to the table. I pull the lid off and pull out a file. I open it. I was about to read it when an arm slammed down on it.

“Ok. No. This is an active investigation.” She glares at me.

I lift her pretty arm off. “I know. It’s mine.” I put the file back and add the medical reports. I put the medical box back and come back. I throw the lid on the evidence box and pick it up. “Let's go.” I say as I walk around the table.

“Hey! You can’t just take that.” She points to the box.

“Yeah, I can. Let’s go, Miss Detective.” I motion my head out the door.

She looks at me and I see a little smile build on her pretty lips.

“Come on.” I mouth and smile.

She shakes her head. “I’m going to get in so much trouble.” She says as she walks past me.

“No, you aren’t. They won’t even know you were here.” I grin.

“How? There’s cameras and logs.” She says.

“Right. All wiped.”

“When?”

“When I broke into the records computer, I wiped the security systems.” I hold the outside door.

“You…There’s no way…How?” She stares at me.

I lean close to her face. “A magician never…

“Never reveals his secrets. Yeah, I heard it before. Get in the car, wise guy.” She pushes me and I laugh.