Chapter Seven: Unanswered Questions

Ava’s POV

I chewed on my lips to gain some time as I thought of what to do. Logan was no fool, and in order to save the day, I would have required a more persuasive plan.

"You're completely incorrect. It is a game that I play with my friends. Just some ridiculous role-playing. Nothing major."

Logan did not waver, his eyes cutting through my thin defense. Guess he didn’t buy that

“Whether it's for role-playing or not, secrets are not tolerated here. Particularly when they concern our Alpha.”, he said.

It dawned on me how serious things were. Logan was aware that I wasn't just here to make a presentation. I had to figure out how to take back control and deflect attention. Though time was passing quickly, my mind was racing with possibilities.

"I know how important trust is in a pack," I replied while still trying to seem contrite. "I didn't intend to come across incorrectly. I’m no threat, Trust me. Guess with time when you know me, you will see"

His eyes narrowed even further, as though he perceived the despair hiding below my composed voice. "Loyalty is not given; it is earned. I'll be watching you closely, Dr. Ava."

Logan turned and left me standing in the dark, my heart racing, after issuing that menacing threat. I had been startled by the near miss, but I could not allow fear to stop me. I had to reconsider my strategy, fortify my disguise, and—above all—figure out how to take out the threat that the watchful Beta posed.

Logan’s POV

Everything about my meeting with Dr. Ava Wolfe made no sense to me. It was tense in the air as I tried to figure out why she was in the Nightingale pack. You could still hear her words, and I couldn't get rid of the feeling that her story had more to it than she told me.

She said some heavy things that stuck with me as I walked away from her. "I play it with my friends." It was just silly role-playing. Not a big deal." Her effort to play down the situation made me even more suspicious. The Nightingale pack knew a lot of secrets, and her claim that she was just role-playing seemed like a thin cover for a more complicated plan.

I kept going over our talk again and again, trying to figure out what she meant by what she said. Our pack didn't like it when people kept secrets, especially when they involved our Alpha, Aiden. I knew how serious things were; it was a careful dance of lies, and Dr. Ava Wolfe seemed to be a part of a game I hadn't seen coming.

The darkness outside showed how complicated my ideas were. I couldn't figure out what she really wanted. Was she a danger to Aiden? Or did she have a completely different plan? I couldn't figure out how to put together the message she sent because it was like a puzzle with big gaps in the pieces.

"You have to work for loyalty to come to you. I told Dr. Ava, "I'll be keeping a close eye on you before I leave." What she was really after was clear in her eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder what she was after.

Back in my office, where it was just me and the big desk, I was surrounded by things that made me feel powerful. The nightingale pack had always been my duty to keep safe, and the fact that Dr. Ava Wolfe was there added to the doubt.

As I sat behind the huge desk, a million thoughts went through my head. The nightingale pack had always been my safe place, and I always did my best to protect it. Now, the sudden arrival of Dr. Wolfe made the security I had worked so hard to keep in doubt.

Even though my task had brought me to the Nightingale Pack, she was a new kind of challenge. Why would someone show up out of the blue with what seems to be the same goal as mine? Was she sent? If so, who sent her? The dynamics of the pack were already delicate, and adding an unknown factor caused worries that went beyond the Nightingale area.

I looked through the pack records to learn more about Dr. Wolfe's past. When she came back after being away for years, after looking at her records, seeing that she was once at the Willow Creek Orphanage.

I noticed that her records in the pack were limited, so I chose to look into her outside of the pack. I quickly looked up Dr. Ava Wolfe online and found that she was a doctor, but the digital trail didn't tell me much about her past. She didn't have a husband or kids, so she seemed to be by herself.

The search on the Internet brought up more questions than it answered. This woman seemed strange. Why did she decide to join the Nightingale Pack again after all these years?

Was she back here for someone, or she working alone, or did she have ties that could throw off the careful balance we were keeping?...

Why is she here???

Ava’s POV

I paced my small apartment after returning there, trying to make sense of the growing situation. I couldn't take a chance of Logan or any other pack member scrutinizing me more. When my phone buzzed, I fumbled to see what message was there.

"Just do the needful, and your kids will be safe." I kept thinking about what he had said, how serious things were, and how urgent my task was.

In an attempt to calm myself, I took a long breath and considered what to do next. It was clear that Beta Logan should not be taken lightly. His natural protectiveness toward the Alpha made my dangerous mission in constant danger. Gaining his trust became more important than ever, not just for my survival in the pack but also for Natasha, Nathan, and Natalia's security and freedom.

My cover had been compromised, as I realized as I considered my choices. Logan was not going to be simply placated, and I could not undervalue his ability to discover the truth.

Each move in the tricky game of pretending had consequences that echoed through the complex Nightingale pack, making it a very risky situation.

I quickly grabbed the disposable phone that Xavier had given me.

A fresh message said, "Remain alert. Although Logan is a strong opponent, everyone has weaknesses. Identify his weak point, subtly take advantage of it, and report back to me."

How did Xavier know that I just encountered Logan, was he watching me or something?