Chapter 387

Chapter 387
Cole could not get the ceremony out of his head.
The suspicious movements between territories, the six confirmed names connected to trafficking documents, the informant's warning about corruption reaching into the alliance itself. Every piece of information pointed toward the upcoming mating ceremony as something far more significant than a simple social gathering, and the closer the event approached, the more his instincts screamed that danger was gathering around it.
He called Jax into his office that morning, spreading the guest list across his desk with grim determination. "I want every single attendee investigated. Their families, their business dealings, their recent movements. I do not care how powerful or well connected they claim to be."
"That is going to take significant resources," Jax said, already scanning the extensive list.
"Then use whatever resources necessary. If anyone poses even a remote threat to Lina or her family, I want to know before that ceremony begins."
Jax nodded and immediately began organizing teams to investigate different sections of the guest list, pulling in trusted informants from multiple territories to cross reference financial records, travel patterns, and business connections against everything they had gathered from the compound documents.
By early afternoon, reports started filtering back to Cole's desk, most confirming legitimate business relationships or genuine alliance connections between attending families. But one particular name stood out among the routine confirmations.
The Blackwood family.
They had attended Lina's family ceremony for the past several years despite maintaining almost no significant relationship with her pack otherwise. No business dealings. No trade agreements. No historical alliance that would explain their consistent presence at such an intimate gathering.
More concerning was their recent activity pattern. Over the past several months, their movements had become increasingly secretive, financial transactions routed through unusual channels, meetings conducted in locations that seemed deliberately isolated from normal business practices.
Cole stared at the report, instincts screaming warnings he could not yet fully justify with concrete evidence. Nothing here was technically illegal or even particularly unusual on its own. But combined with everything else, the pattern felt deliberately suspicious rather than coincidental.
"Keep watching them," he told Jax. "Do not confront anyone directly. I want confirmation before we act on assumptions."
"Understood."
Cole spent the rest of the morning buried in reports, cross referencing names, dates, and financial records until his eyes ached from concentration. By early afternoon, restlessness finally pushed him away from his desk, needing fresh air and a break from the mounting evidence suggesting the ceremony was becoming increasingly dangerous.
He found himself walking toward the school library without consciously deciding to head there, some part of him already anticipating who he might find inside.
Lina emerged from the library just as he approached, arms full of books, clearly distracted by whatever research had occupied her morning. The moment her eyes landed on him, she immediately changed direction, walking briskly toward the opposite hallway as though pretending not to notice him would somehow work.
Cole laughed, quickly intercepting her path before she could escape. "Are you actually trying to avoid me?"
"I do not know what you are talking about." She refused to meet his eyes, clutching her books tighter against her chest.
"You changed direction the moment you saw me."
"Coincidence."
"Convenient coincidence." He crossed his arms, blocking her path deliberately, enjoying the way frustration immediately flickered across her expression.
"You are doing this on purpose."
"Doing what?"
"Making my life difficult. It is like your favorite hobby."
"One of many hobbies," he corrected, smirking as her irritation grew more visible.
"Move, Cole."
"Say please."
"I am not saying please to someone who deliberately blocks hallways just to annoy me."
"Then I guess we will be standing here for a while."
She huffed dramatically, though the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, betraying amusement despite her attempted frustration. "You are impossible."
"You mentioned that already. Multiple times, actually."
"Because it remains true every single time."
They eventually started walking together through the quieter parts of campus, their usual bickering gradually softening into something more playful as they moved past students rushing between classes. Cole found himself genuinely enjoying these small moments, the easy banter that had developed between them over recent weeks feeling more natural with each passing conversation.
"How was your research?" he asked, nodding toward the books still balanced in her arms.
"Boring. History assignment about territorial alliances." She shifted the books slightly. "Nothing as interesting as our actual investigation."
"Speaking of which—"
"No." She cut him off immediately. "We are not discussing suspicious business dealings or dangerous conspiracies right now. I need at least one conversation today that does not involve potential threats to my family."
"Fair enough."
As they continued walking, Cole's attention drifted momentarily toward her hands as she adjusted her grip on the books, and something immediately caught his eye. A small bruise, dark purple against her pale skin, visible along her wrist where her sleeve had shifted slightly.
His entire demeanor shifted instantly, playful teasing disappearing completely as concern replaced it. "What happened to your wrist?"
Lina glanced down, following his gaze, before quickly pulling her sleeve back into place. "It is nothing."
"That is clearly not nothing." He reached out, gently catching her hand before she could fully hide the bruise, examining the discoloration carefully despite her attempt to pull away. "When did this happen?"
"Cole, seriously, it is fine."
"It does not look fine." His thumb brushed lightly over the bruised skin, gentle despite the tension evident in his jaw. "Where did you get this?"
"I was training with Theo yesterday. He accidentally grabbed my wrist too hard during a sparring exercise." She tried again to pull her hand away, but his grip remained firm, careful not to cause additional pain while still refusing to release her completely.
"Why did you not mention this before?"
"Because it is a minor bruise from training, not something that requires this level of concern." Her cheeks flushed slightly under his intense scrutiny, clearly flustered by how carefully he was holding her hand, how focused his attention remained entirely on her wellbeing.
"Given everything happening lately, minor injuries deserve attention." He continued examining the bruise, checking for any additional swelling or signs of more serious damage. "Does it hurt when you move your wrist?"
"Only slightly. It is honestly not a big deal."
"I will decide that after proper examination."
"You are being ridiculous."
"I am being thorough." He gently rotated her wrist, watching her expression carefully for any signs of discomfort beyond minor bruising. Satisfied that nothing appeared seriously damaged, his grip finally loosened slightly, though he still did not fully release her hand.
The concern etched across his features caught Lina completely off guard, unexpected warmth spreading through her chest at witnessing this protective side of him directed entirely toward her wellbeing. This was not possessive control or arrogant demand. This was genuine worry, careful attention focused specifically on making sure she was not seriously hurt.
"You really do not need to worry this much about a small bruise," she said softly, though her voice lacked its earlier irritation.
"I worry about you regardless of how small the injury might seem." His thumb traced lightly over her wrist one final time before he reluctantly released her hand completely. "Just be more careful during training. Please."
The sincerity in his voice, the quiet vulnerability behind his usual guarded demeanor, left Lina momentarily speechless. She was still adjusting to seeing this softer side of him, still processing how naturally his concern for her safety had become such an obvious part of who he was becoming in her presence.
"I will be more careful," she finally promised, meaning it more genuinely than she expected.
Cole nodded, satisfaction evident despite lingering worry still visible in his expression, and they continued walking together in comfortable silence, the earlier playful banter replaced by something quieter, more intimate than either of them had probably anticipated when this simple hallway encounter began.