Page 60 of The Patron Saint of Timber Hollow

Aggie smiles softly, saying, "Good. That's good. That's how it had been for us, too."

I nod, remembering pictures she used to dig out on holidays, smoothing her hands over the fading images of her lost loves. They were all Enforcers together, but her partners were killed while protecting our Pack from rivals trying to take over the Hollow before I was born.

"So what am Isupposed to do?"

Aggie lets me whine, watching me drop my head on the back of my chair. "I imagine you'd start by telling the one you'redating,"she chuckles, wiping cookie crumbs from her shirt.

I roll my eyes and say, "That'sall the advice you have for me?"

"Yes, my darling. It's not some magical bond," She huffs a laugh again, rolling her eyes atmenow. "I don't know how it will work with Jay's becoming Alpha, but if it hasn't caused any problems yet, then I doubt it will in the future."

"Ugh, thanks," I grumble, swiping another cookie.

"Is that all you came over for? So I could tell you what you already know and steal my cookies?"

"No," I sigh, "I'm hoping for a slice of that cake, too."

Aggie burst out a laugh, and it makes me smile. "Oh, is that all?"

"No, I wanted to talk to you about something else, too."

"Well, out with it," Aggie says, finishing her cookie.

"Do you remember anything specific about the night Dad died?" I ask.

If there is one thing I appreciate about talking with Aggie, it's that you don't have to circle round and round before saying what you actually mean. You can cut straight to the point.

"Define specific," Aggie counters, scrunching her eyebrows together.

"Did I describe any of the hunters to anyone? Are there records I can go look at? Is thereanythingof use that I can see?"

"I'd have to ask around, why? What has you thinking about that night?"

"You mean you aren't thinking about what happened with Dad with Hunters around and bodies piling up?" I fire back, avoiding telling her the gross truth.

"That's not what I said. Don't forget Virgil ismybrother, not justyourdad. What aren't you telling me?" As always, Aggie knows when to put me in my place.

I sigh again before telling her what I've figured out about the Whites, my assumption that they probably knowmysecret. I can't help but wonder if the Whites are the same people responsible for Dad. She takes it all in, dark eyes searching the ceiling for something—a hope, or maybe she's conversing with the souls of who she's lost.

"I can tell you, from what I remember, the Hunter who killed your father was a woman. Middle-aged, wearing camouflage. Despite what Magnus believes happened that night, hunters who prey on our kind don't wear camo, my dear. They wear tactical gear and carry an abundance of weaponry. I don't think what happened to your dad and what is happening now is connected, But I'll go look around. Ask around. Okay?"

Her words send my breath whooshing out, and when I think back to what Ethan and his brothers had been wearing in that picture, I reluctantly agree. It makes me nearly sob aloud, hand clamped over my mouth.

I don't think I would have been able to live with myself if the Whites had been responsible for Dad's death.

My wolf's golden eyes crack open at the revelation, inky black fur rippling in the confines of my soul.

"Is that what was bothering you?" Aggie asks gently.

"Yes, I couldn'tstopthinking I'd been engaged to the man who killed Dad. I've practically gnawed my fingertips down to the bone," I mention, showing my ragged fingertips. Sam and I have gotten regular manicures since she moved to the Hollow, but I haven't gone for a month.

Aggie laughs at me before pulling a loaf of banana bread out from behind a rack of cookies and placing the plate in front of me with the butter container.

"That would have been awful; you deserve this, even if I was saving it for later," Aggie says, making me choke on a laugh.

"I can share?" I offer with watery eyes, slicing the loaf in half lengthwise, and presenting the slightly smaller hunk to her.

Aggie laughs but accepts the banana bread with a nod, taking a bite out of it while I smear mine with a bit of butter.