Chapter 6: The Spark

Azia was already halfway down the hallway by the time Zeke rounded the corner. For someone so short, and little, she sure moved swiftly. Especially when she was mad. And Azia always seemed to be mad.

Zeke sighed and quickened his pace. "Can you just wait a minute? Please?"

"I told you, I'm here to see your mother," Azia called back to him, not bothering to pause as she walked.

"Yeah, but she's not around," Zeke retorted, following at her heels. "And there are things you and I need to discuss."

Azia made a sound of derision in her throat. "Such as what, your wedding vows?"

He bit back the urge to argue. She was full of comebacks that morning. "No," he said, lowering his voice. "Our spy."

With this, Azia finally stopped in her tracks. Zeke pivoted to keep from running into her, then tugged at the sleeve of her gray flannel shirt. "Please, just follow me someplace more private so we can talk," he pleaded.

He kept walking down the corridor, hoping she would follow. She jerked her arm back as if his touch on her sleeve had burned her. Nevertheless, she began to accompany him down the hall.

After walking several yards, Zeke paused at a nondescript black door and opened it, beckoning for Azia to enter. The room inside was small, with two oversized chairs that faced each other in the center, and nothing else.

"You guys have rooms designed for every purpose it seems," Azia remarked as she stepped into the room. Zeke wondered if he caught a hint of envy in her voice.

"For every business purpose, more or less," Zeke agreed, closing the door behind them. "I just wanted some place where we wouldn't be overheard. These small conference rooms are sound proof."

Azia walked to the farthest chair, and slowly sank into it. She watched him, unflinching, waiting for him to begin speaking again.

He sat in the chair opposite her and leaned forward, supporting his elbows on his knees. "You connected all the dots the other day," he began. "There's been an increase in attacks since we informed our security personnel of the alliance. And those attacks have been systematic, more precise than before. The more I think about it, the more convinced I become that we have a spy."

Azia leaned forward as well, all inklings of her foul mood gone. "Perhaps we should form some kind of...investigation panel. A way to question everyone."

Zeke nodded along in agreement. "Exactly. We can record where they were at each attack, corroborate their stories with witness accounts. There may be a way to figure out who our spy is."

"An investigation panel made of equal parts Bronson and Knowles members, so nobody protests," Azia added, mirroring his nod with her own.

"Yes, I agree," Zeke said, trying to keep the tone of surprise from his voice. They were finally agreeing for once. He had half a mind to find the nearest window to see if pigs were magically flying outside. He cleared his throat, as he attempted to reign in his sudden enthusiasm.

"About the investigation itself," he began again. "Initially, I believed that someone among our security staffs was the spy--"

"But there's always a chance that one of our security personnel told their brother, their lover, or their best friend," Azia interjected. "And THAT person could be the spy. Thus, we have to question everyone."

"Precisely," Zeke said, staring at her in wonder. "That's precisely what I was going to say, actually."

He turned away from her face, certain that he looked dumbstruck, and he didn't want her to see it. How had the Queen of Difficulty suddenly become so easy to work and agree with?

He cleared his throat in a vain attempt to regain his composure. "In terms of who should be on the panel itself..." he began, then drifted off.

Azia, who had been staring down at the concrete floor, raised her gaze to him. "Yes?"

He couldn't help it. He laughed. "Sorry," he said quickly, with a slight shake of his head. "To be honest, I was expecting you to interrupt and read my mind again."

"Oh," she said, then chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry. For, you know, interrupting."

Zeke held his palm up. "Please don't apologize," he replied. "It's a pleasant surprise, believe me. We are in complete agreement on how to handle things."

Azia bent over the armrest of the chair to stare at the ground beside her. "Hell must have frozen over down there."

Zeke laughed again. "Undoubtedly," he agreed. He leaned back in his chair to better assess her. "I'm impressed by your tactics. From one future leader to another."

"Not because I'm a female?" Azia retorted, raising her right eyebrow.

Zeke's smile deepened. "After my brother Zane passed away from illness, my dad's heart seemed to break," he told her softly. "Zane’s death ate away at him, to the point where he just seemed to...lose all strength. He died about a year later. Everyone seemed to secretly expect for my mom to fall apart after. But she was stronger than anyone gave her credit for, myself included. She has become one of the most cherished Knowles Alphas in our pack's history," Zeke said, looking deeply into her eyes. "Respect should have nothing to do with gender. Watching her taught me that."

"Well, I can't help but agree with you there," Azia said. Her lips twitched up into a smile. Zeke got the distinct impression she tried to keep it from showing.

He couldn't help but watch her. She looked so beautiful and friendly when she smiled. She lit up like the sun itself. A weird fluttering sensation began in the pit of his stomach.

"You'll have to stop smiling at me like that," he teased, turning his head away in an exaggerated manner. "Otherwise, I'll forget what we came in here for."

Azia immediately stiffened in her chair as if she suddenly remembered where she was and who she was talking to. "Contrary to the type of women you seem to collect, I'm not so easily swayed by compliments. We are here because we have a spy."

Zeke sighed and rubbed at his temples. "I was just trying to flirt a little. We are going to be married after all."

"By necessity," Azia said as she rose to her feet. "Because I am placing the betterment of my pack before my own personal feelings. Lest you forget. I will see myself out."

She stomped to the door and removed herself from the room before Zeke could even process what had happened.