“Since Gerhart’s wallpaper pattern of choice is your face, I’m guessing he went with option number three,” Cola added. “And can you blame him? Wolves cost him his career. His lover. His well-being. I’ve seen humans driven further off the edge for less.”

“Neil and I didn’t stop fucking because I became aware of wolves,” Cooper said.

“Didn’t you?” Cola countered. “Because from where I’m standing, you dropped your old life and everyone in it without a second look back.”

Cooper felt like he’d been slapped.

“That’s not fair,” Park said loyally.

“They’re not going to be fair. Not when speculating about someone they fear. You of all people should know that, Oliver,” Cola said meaningfully.

“But I’m not frightening,” Cooper said. “I’m nobody.”

“That’s what I thought. But even I’ve got to admit a suspicious number of big things seem to happen around you, for a nobody. We partner you with our most feared Trust agent to determine if you’re responsible for a trail of slaughtered wolves. Your regular partner is arrested and you come back with the Shepherd trailing after you like a puppy. Submitting to you. Marrying you. You go on holiday, and two men next in line to inherit control of the most powerful pack on the eastern seaboard are exiled. You go to a simple missing person’s case in the mountains and take control of one of the most critical territories on the continent. You can’t be surprised you’ve garnered a bit of a reputation.”

That reminded Cooper of something. He tried to determine what exactly while Park spoke up. “But all those things happened because Cooper’s good at his job.”

“Ah yes, the perfectly reasonable explanation that someone else is simply better than you are. That always stops people from talking,” Cola said, rolling her eyes. “Look, starting now, this case becomes need-to-know only. The fewer people involved, the less chance this has of getting out.”

“That’s what Freeman said,” Cooper interrupted, suddenly remembering. Cola and Park looked at him, confused. “I mean, before. She said I was building a reputation and that someone was interested in my potential. Had plans for me.”

“You think she knew about Neil?” Park asked. “How?”

“I don’t know,” Cooper said. He gestured around at the fifty-odd pictures of himself. “But this? This looks like a plan. Not a good one, but still.”

Cola was frowning. “I think it might be time for that check-in with Dr. Freeman. See if she’s in a helpful mood.”

Every time he’d imagined seeing Dr. Freeman again, Cooper had envisioned himself showing up with a few more answers under his belt. Right now he had so many questions he didn’t know how to begin.