“No.” I admitted, “I’m not much good at taking orders.”

The truth of that statement was a fresh revelation. I liked to think of myself as one of the good guys, a cog in the conclave machine that turned the wheels of justice, but enduring my first corrective punishment since joining their ranks had shed new light on my thoughts on the organization. Until being shut out of the Charybdis case and forced to skirt the edge of the law, I hadn’t known I had a rebellious bone in my body. Apparently I had several.

His focus went distant. “So I’m beginning to see.”

“Bessemer put you up to it.” It was as good a starting point as any. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“You don’t believe that.” His gaze cut to me. “I can smell the lie.”

“If you had asked me this morning, I would call bullshit.” I rolled a shoulder. “People are responsible for the choices they make. No one can force you to act outside your character.” But some concessions had to be made. We might live in a human world, but neither of us were one. “There’s a lot about warg society I don’t understand, but bullying and corruption of absolute power transcends species.”

A flash of teeth winked as though I had amused him. “You realize you’re implying I’m being abused?”

“You are.” I swept my hand out, indicating not the vista but those living below us. “They all are.”

I startled when his knuckle smoothed down my cheek, the scars white and thick against his sun-kissed skin.

“Keep talking like that, and I’ll start thinking you care about me.” He tilted his head. “About us.”

“I didn’t come to Georgia for any of this.” I soaked up his caress when I should have snapped my teeth at his hand. “I have a job to do, a job I thought you could help me do.”

“I didn’t expect Bessemer to react this way. He can be cooperative with fae when he must. Being in my head, reading my feelings for you and learning you accessed the pack bond lit his fuse. He thinks I’ve betrayed him, with you and with the others.” His hand lowered until his fingers teased mine where they rested against the planks. “This isn’t what I offered you. I’ve been putting out fires with the pack instead of helping, and I can’t promise that will change in the next few days. It might get worse.” He traced the smooth curve of my thumbnail. “I never would have invited you or your family into this if I’d had any idea how it would all play out. I hope you know that.”