Rille (Tribes, Book 2)

Chapter 4

True to their standing modus operandi, the government agents stood in Brielle's room the next time she woke. Creepy, but not unexpected. In fact, she welcomed the intrusion. Maybe they could give her some answers.

Agent Brandt, the less prickly of the two, took a step toward Brielle's bedside. "Oh, good, you're awake again."

"And you're still hovering." Brielle sighed. She really didn't want to have to resort to this, but she would since she hadn't been left any options.

Both agents made a derisive sort of noise, the kind that would be described as a snort in a novel. Brielle took it for what it was, an expression of distaste for her snarky remark.

She could take their disgust. Brielle didn't need their approval, but she did need their information. So she sucked it up like a big girl and decided to ask the question outright. "Why are the two of you here, anyway?"

Both agents, once again, remained silent, but only long enough to share a knowing look between themselves. A look that wore on Brielle's patience.

"Look, I'm the victim here. Can't you give me something to go on?" When there was still no answer, Brielle groaned. "I'm assuming you're both here because of the creature that attacked me. He was a wolf, right?"

The startled reaction from both men told Brielle that she hit the nail directly on the head. Not hard, when they were being so obvious about everything.

"That is part of the reason, yes." Agent Emerson coughed as if that would clear his throat or the tension in the air.

"Part?" Brielle tried to push up on one elbow, but the stitches in her side didn't allow it. If Brielle had known how much it would hurt, she wouldn't have tried in the first place. "What do you mean part?" she bit out the last word through gritted teeth.

"That's where I come in." Agent Brandt raised a hand as if he needed permission to be excused.

Brielle closed hereyes. If she didn't have to look at them, she could keep her outrage in check when they inevitably said something stupid. It didn't take as long as she thought it might.

"As you know," Agent Brandt continued, "Wolf Domestic Affairs deals mostly with issues revolving around a shifter claiming a mate, or disputes therewithin."

Why did government officials always think that they had to offer their entire job description when a summary would do?

"Your point?"

"My point is that we have a whole host of questions for you, Ms. Lyons. Including but not limited to: why did a shifter from the Rille tribe break the law to give you a mating mark?"

"A what now?" Brielle's eyes flew open. She had been hesitant to listen to them before, but now these government guys had her full attention.

"A mating mark," Agent Brandt reiterated.

"But I have a boyfriend."

"Be that as it may, this is something that can't be undone." This time it was Agent Emerson that spoke. Darn him. Brielle didn't want to hear the logic behind this. She wanted to go back in time and fix everything.

"What about the other... thing?" Brielle flicked her gaze back and forth between the two men in black. Not a comforting thought, if she let her brain run with it.

Agent Emerson shook his head. "Until that is fully investigated, I can't divulge any information."

"But I'm the freaking victim!" Brielle flopped her head back againsther pillow. She wouldn't get anywhere with either of them, she could tell. If only there were a question she could ask that she had a chance of them answering. Left without much choice, Brielle went back to the first bit of information they had offered. "Let's start over. You said something about shifter... tribe... mating mark?"