“Guess he does have some backbone after all,” Yuri said as he watched him walk away through the window.

“I really wouldn’t have expected that of him…” Scott nodded.

“He is right though. We have the same goal and this has gone on for long enough. Let’s go look through their houses for clues. Maybe something we could compare to the handwriting on the paper we found?”

“Hey, you’re home!” I looked towards the stairs as Matt came down, dressed and with a bag over his shoulder.

“Hey, it seems we might be leaving again. You going somewhere?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’ll see ya tonight. Be careful yeah?” he said then went up on his tiptoes to give me a brief kiss before departing. As I turned back I saw Yuri scowling at the door that closed behind Matt.

“What?” I raised an eyebrow, not liking the darkness in his eyes.

“Where is he going? Isn’t it a bit weird how he’s always disappearing somewhere?” he said.

“He’s going to the library to study, there is nothing weird about that,” I said in Matt’s defense.

“Who studies every day? And actually, goes to the library in this day and age? He has a laptop upstairs,” Yuri argued, still scowling at the door.

“Obviously you’re not a college student. What’s your problem anyway? Where else would he be going?” I frowned at him, suddenly feeling very defensive.

“I’m just saying… It’s weird.” He shrugged, looking back down on the paper. I decided to end the conversation before I got mad.

“I will take the Anderson guy, you two take Dane,” I said.

“What about Daniel?” Yuri asked.

“It’s not Daniel.” I shook my head. Yuri gave me a doubtful look. “It’s not.” I frowned. “He’s been helping us from the start! Why would he tell me about Riah or let us into the vampire territory to kill the mercenaries in the first place?”

“To keep cover maybe? And frame Baltazar,” Yuri said.

“You’re forgetting he has been saying from the start he doesn’t think it’s Baltazar and he organized the meeting between me, Father, and Baltazar. It’s not him,” I said confidently. It would make no sense for him to try so hard to help us if he was behind it from the start.

“I think your… friendship with him is clouding your judgment,” he grumbled. Clouding my judgment? Oh, you had to be kidding me.

“And I think you are being fucking unreasonable. Why aren’t you the Alpha than with your impeccable judgment?” I growled out at him, feeling the anger building up inside me.

“I’m not trying to argue here,” he said with a sigh as if talking to some crazy person. It only pissed me off more. “I’m just saying you should stop letting your emotions control you. You need to look at this with a cool head. Devoid of your own personal opinion of the people,” he said.

“But this is personal! Killing Bran is personal!” I growled, throwing my hands in the air. “It’s not Daniel!”

“For fuck sake Reid! Could you stop being a brat for one second!” he yelled at me, his shoulders going tense. My muscles also went tight ready for an attack. “Every time someone says anything you do not agree with, you start being angry and defensive and you just refuse to take it as a possibility.”

“If I’m such a brat why don’t you go crawling back to Trystan? At least I’m loyal and don’t go jumping from alpha to alpha.” I felt my eyes go from green to steel gray. Yuri flinched and actually looked stunned for a second before he looked away a blank expression on his face.

“Alright, alright calm down both of you!” Scott walked between us glaring at me. Yeah, I might have gone too far with that, but why the hell was Yuri questioning everything I was doing?

I spun around and went for the door. “I’m going to Mabel’s house, do what you want,” I said and left. I took a deep breath hoping the cold air would cool down my temper. I didn’t walk more than five steps before I heard Yuri follow after me.

“Wait, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Reid,” he called after me. I took one last deep breath and turned to look at him. He walked to me, then kneeled in the snow, his head down. “I’m sorry, you’re my Alpha Reid, I am loyal only to you. I will not question you again I swear,” he said.

“Oh, get up Yuri. That’s a stupid promise and you know it,” I said and let my hand run through his short salt and pepper hair. He looked up at me and slowly rose. “Of course, you’re allowed to question me and I’m sorry for saying those things. That was very… bratty of me,” I admitted with a grimace. It made him smile though. “It’s just…Right now it feels like you’re against everyone. Daniel has been very helpful from the start. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. And honestly… There is one other thing that has been pissing me off lately,” I admitted. “It feels like you’ve never even given Matt a chance,” I said. “It’s like you’re against everything he says or does. When he cooks you slant his food, when he asks about what we’re doing you tell him it’s none of his business but when he doesn’t ask and simply leaves you suspect he’s up to something. You always find a problem.”

“Ah yes, he’s just so amazing. He cooks, he cleans and he doesn’t ask questions and even gets out of the way. He’s just so perfect!” Yuri said, kicking at the snow on the ground angrily. “Well in my experience people are not perfect Reid,” he growled at the ground. “He came here to Alaska only about a month ago just to be with you, finds out you’re a werewolf and that your pack is at war and he just… glazes over it? He even becomes your mate and leaves college for you and acts as the perfect little human husband. That is not how normal people work! He wasn’t even the least bit shocked! You can’t say that isn’t weird!” he said.

“Okay… Yeah, it’s weird, but I’ll happily take it. Finally, after all these years I have someone that accepts me, someone that doesn’t mind the dark side of the supernatural life. I’m finally happy, Yuri. I have a pack and a mate. Please don’t make this into a problem just because of your overcautiousness,” I said.

For some reason, a deep sadness seemed to cloud his eyes for a split second before he turned away. “Yes, okay, I’m sorry… I’m glad you’re happy…”

“Good luck with Anderson,” I said.

“Yeah, you too, take care,” Yuri said and gave me a quick smile before he hurried back into the house.