Jamo Star did not run.
He moved fast efficient, controlled but never like prey.
Vivian noticed.
Because she was absolutely running.
Not sloppy.
Not panicked.
But fast enough that the cold night air cut sharp into her lungs as they cleared the alley and merged into the shadowed street beyond.
Two blocks east, he'd said.
She kept pace beside him, senses flaring wide.
The city was awake now.
Not human-awake.
Pack-awake.
The difference lived in the air too quiet in the wrong places, too much movement where there shouldn't be any.
Someone had lit a signal fire.
Vivian's jaw tightened.
"Your city is getting noisy," she muttered.
Jamo didn't look at her.
"It isn't usually."
Which meant someone was pushing hard tonight.
Good to know.
Bad to experience.
They turned the corner and there it was.
A low, matte-black car parked half in shadow beneath a flickering street lamp.
Clean.
Unremarkable.
Expensive in the quiet way that didn't beg for attention.
Vivian slowed slightly.
"You always park this conveniently?" she asked.
Jamo pulled the driver's door open.
"Yes."
She rolled her eyes and slid into the passenger seat anyway.
Temporary alliance.
Temporary survival.
Temporary proximity that was suddenly feeling… not temporary enough.
The door slammed shut behind her.
The engine purred to life.
And the
Silence.
Heavy.
Close.
The interior of the car was too small.
Too warm.
Too aware.
Vivian stared straight ahead, forcing her breathing to level out as the city lights slid across the windshield.
Beside her, Jamo drove like he did everything else smooth, deliberate, completely in control.
It was deeply irritating.
And deeply noticeable.
Her wolf shifted uneasily under her skin.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
Recognition.
She shoved the instinct down hard.
Not happening.
Not him.
Not ever.
"You're staring," Jamo said calmly.
Vivian blinked.
She absolutely had not been staring.
"…I'm assessing," she corrected.
A faint hint of amusement ghosted across his mouth.
"Of course you are."
God.
She was going to stab that tone one day.
Vivian crossed her arms.
"You said the packs are mobilizing," she said, shifting focus back where it belonged. "Which ones?"
Jamo's expression cooled back into strategy mode.
"North River pack has already moved scouts. Iron Crescent is preparing to follow."
Vivian's stomach tightened.
Both mid-tier packs.
Aggressive.
Territorial.
And easily manipulated if someone fed them the right target.
"…They think I'm working for you now," she said.
"Yes."
"Fantastic."
Silence stretched for a moment.
Then
"You saved my life back there," Jamo said quietly.
Vivian's shoulders stiffened.
Here we go.
"I corrected a tactical problem," she said flatly.
His gaze flicked to her briefly.
"You moved before you thought."
That irritated her more than it should have.
"Don't make it weird," she muttered.
Something unreadable moved through his expression.
Then he looked back to the road.
But the air in the car had shifted.
Closer.
Sharper.
Dangerously aware.
Vivian cleared her throat slightly.
Focus.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"My primary residence."
She turned her head slowly.
"…Your what?"
Jamo didn't even blink.
"You can't stay in your usual locations tonight. Too exposed."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You've been tracking my locations?"
"Yes."
Vivian stared at him.
Long.
Flat.
"Do you enjoy being irritating, or is it a natural talent?"
That faint almost-smile appeared again.
"Natural."
She huffed softly and looked back out the window.
Annoying.
Strategic.
Infuriatingly calm.
And entirely too aware of everything around him.
Including her.
Her wolf shifted again.
Restless.
Interested.
Vivian clenched her jaw.
Not helpful.
Not helpful at all.
Streetlights blurred past as the car turned off the main road and into a quieter district cleaner, wealthier, heavily monitored.
Of course.
Mafia alpha money.
"Before we get there," she said, voice sharpening again, "we need to address something."
Jamo's attention remained forward.
"Go on."
"If someone is framing me and pushing pack retaliation," she said, "they want escalation fast."
"Yes."
"They also knew exactly where I'd be tonight."
That made his grip on the wheel tighten just slightly.
Vivian caught it.
Good.
He was thinking the same thing.
"Which means," she continued quietly, "we have a leak."
Silence filled the car.
Heavy.
Calculating.
Then
"Yes," Jamo said.
No denial.
No softening.
Just cold agreement.
Vivian exhaled slowly.
"Question is," she murmured, "is the leak in your empire…"
Her eyes slid to him.
"…or mine?"
For the first time since they'd met
Real tension crept into Jamo Start's posture.
Subtle.
Controlled.
But there.
The car slowed as it approached a gated private drive.
His voice dropped lower.
"Given your history of working alone," he said carefully, "I would start with mine."
Vivian studied him.
Long.
Hard.
Because that answer had been honest.
Too honest.
Which meant one thing.
Whoever was pulling strings…
Was close.
Dangerously close.
The gates ahead began to slide open.
Vivian's pulse ticked once.
Sharp.
Because deep in her bones
She had the feeling this night had only just begun.