Hunted by the Moon

Secrets and Lies

✰Trenton✰

The precinct smelled like coffee, ink, and the stale air of too many overworked officers. The hum of voices and the clatter of keyboards filled the space, a constant rhythm of administration and investigation. I didn’t normally enjoy my visits here, but it was, unfortunately, necessary. I strode through the hall, as I ignored the curious glances tossed my way. Most officers knew who I was – Trenton Fox, billionaire CEO, the man who owned half of Bedford City. But few knew the real reason I was here. Fewer still understood the war I was fighting behind the scenes. Chief Russell Burke sat behind his desk, his expression unreadable as I closed the door behind me. He gestured toward the chair across from him.

"This is the second time you have come to see me in this week, Trenton. That alone is enough to make me nervous,” he commented casually as I glanced around his impersonal office.

"I need everything you have on the Streetlight Butcher. Every report, every forensic detail, every lead Caitlin and Stanley have followed so far,” I demanded firmly. Russell sighed as he rubbed his temple.

"And why exactly would I hand classified police files over to you?" he asked.

"Because I don’t have time to waste playing by the rules," I snapped. My tone was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. "You know as well as I do that this case isn’t normal. And you also know that if things keep escalating, it won’t just be the humans asking questions," Russell leaned back in his chair as he regarded me carefully. He was one of the few humans who knew what I was, who understood the consequences if the wrong people started digging in the wrong places.

"You are asking me to risk my job, Trenton," he said, his tone softer than before.

"I’m asking you to help me protect people. And not just my people…yours too. If this killer isn’t stopped, the police won’t be the only ones investigating. Eventually, my pack is going to come up in your reports, and I can’t allow that to happen," I said, and he knew I was right. It was one of the reasons he knew about us. I wouldn’t allow the members of my pack to be placed under investigation. I dealt with pack issues. Period. End of story. Russell exhaled slowly, as he drummed his fingers against his desk.

"Do you think this is connected to your kind?" he then questioned, and I sighed softly.

"I think someone wants it to look that way," I admitted. "And if they succeed, I won’t be able to keep my pack safe," the chief was silent for a long moment before he finally nodded.

"Fine. But I can’t give you physical files. I will email you what I can," he said, but then he pointed a finger at me. "If this comes back to me, if anyone finds out, I gave you this information—"

"They won’t," I hurriedly reassured him. "I know how to cover my tracks," Russell snorted in response.

"Yeah, I’m sure you do,” he muttered as he turned to his computer. He typed in something as I watched him closely. "I’ll send it to you by the end of the night…but you need to be careful, Trenton. Caitlin’s getting too close to this case. If you want to keep your secret, you might want to consider how involved you really want to be," my jaw tightened when he mentioned my mate.

“I don’t have a choice,"

“I’m just saying…if you end up on her list, she will investigate you,” he warned, and I nodded before I left without another word. As I stepped out of his office and into the hallway, I nearly crashed into someone rounding the corner. I reached out instinctively to stop the person from falling. To my surprise, it was Caitlin. The moment my hands touched her, a jolt shot through me like electricity. Her wide green eyes met mine, startled, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

"Mr. Fox?” she said, confused. "What are you doing here?" I released her immediately as I shoved my hands in my pants pockets.

"I…um…I had a…um…a business. A business…ah…meeting,” I stumbled over my words as I stared at her.

"Another business meeting? With Chief Burke?"

"Insurance policies," I blurted out. "Security protocols. Things like that," the lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I couldn’t tell her the truth. Not yet. Maybe not ever. She studied me for a moment, and I had the unsettling feeling that she saw right through me. Caitlin was sharp – too sharp for my comfort.

"Right," she said finally. "Well, I should—"

"I should go," I interrupted at the same time. The awkwardness was unbearable. I, Trenton Fox, a man who commanded boardrooms and ran billion-dollar deals, was fumbling over my words like a teenager. Caitlin smirked slightly, an amused glint in her eyes.

"See you around, Mr. Fox," before I could embarrass myself further, I turned and walked away. I resisted the urge to glance back. The second I stepped out of the precinct, I exhaled sharply, my pulse still unsteady. That was too close. I made it back to my car, as I yanked open the door and slid inside. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel as I forced myself to focus. The chief would send the files soon, and I needed to be ready to go through them with Milo. But my mind kept replaying that brief interaction with Caitlin. The way she had looked at me, as if she knew I was lying. As if she could sense something off about me. The bond was there, which lurked beneath the surface, even if she didn’t understand it yet. I needed to keep my distance. But as I started the engine and pulled into traffic, I knew that was a lie. I was already too involved. And Caitlin Jenkins was going to be the end of me.