Cooper hesitated, not sure what to do or say, but definitely feeling like he was supposed to do or say something. Inviting Eli into the pack had seemed like an excellent idea for Park’s sake. An immediate solution to Eli’s problems, too. What Cooper hadn’t fully considered was what came next. Particularly now, when there was a very good chance of trouble on the horizon and Eli didn’t know what he’d agreed to get involved in.

“Listen, about the whole, um, Moon thing. There’s something you should know.”

“Oh, are we doing a post-case wrap-up?” Eli said politely. “And here’s me in the malt shop without a strawberry shake.”

“There might be some shit coming between the three factions soon,” Cooper said. “Freeman got her information from somewhere. She just knows too much. Neil, my—Neil did, too. He was a brilliant investigative agent, but still. To have gotten my AQ test that I ripped up back in Maudit Falls? To even have known to look for it?” He realized maybe Eli didn’t know about his AQ, and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, but Eli just looked thoughtful.

“So clearly a wolf, or wolves plural, is involved. One of the factions feeding our secrets to humans to create unrest between the three. And because you attract problems like a light does moths, you’ll doubtlessly be in the thick of it, I see.”

“Cola is sure it’s the rebels or WIP, which doesn’t surprise me, but Park agrees. He doesn’t believe it can have come from one of ruling packs. Even after the thing with his uncle.”

Eli snorted. “No, well. He wouldn’t. He’s a pack wolf.”

“But you’re not convinced,” Cooper noted, curious. “And aren’t you a pack wolf, too?”

“Oh, yes, sir,” Eli said, saluting him, and bit his lip provocatively. “Your pack wolf, reporting for duty, sir.”

“Seriously, though. I mean, you’re acting like there’s actually inherent differences here.” Cooper paused suddenly, alarmed. “Are there?”

Eli laughed. “Thank goodness I’ll never fall in love with a human. It seems as exhausting as raising a child. No, we’re not different at a biological level. But pack wolves don’t see the other factions as anything but agents of chaos in the case of the WIP and violent outcasts in the case of the rebels. In their minds, these discontent fringes would do anything to get their hands on the power the ruling packs have. What Ollie doesn’t understand, could never understand, is we weren’t discontent. Being in the rebel pack appealed to a...need I had. He despises everything about rebels because of what happened to me in that specific pack. He could never understand why I don’t hate them as much as he does.”