Dylan had been slammed with work all day. His pack had just dealt with a rogue attack, so there were more healing duties than usual. He didn't get a break until nightfall, when he finally left the hospital, planning to talk to Perry about Benjamin's condition.

But when he got to the hotel, he couldn't get through to her. That set off alarm bells. Dylan headed inside and spotted Gina, already looking flustered.

"She's not in her room either," she said, clearly shaken. "What if something's happened to Perry?"

She pulled out her phone and noticed a missed call from Perry. It must've been right before Perry passed out-Gina had been too wrapped up in work to notice it ringing. Guilt hit her hard.

Dylan frowned, confused by her panic. "What are you talking about?"

"It's her father," Gina said urgently and launched into the whole story-everything that had gone down with Francis setting Perry up. Now Dylan looked just as worried. He crossed his arms tightly, the anxiety written all over his face.

"So... what do we do now?" Gina asked nervously. "Poor Perry, she's been through so much ever since she got here. What if this time it's even worse?"

Dylan let out a frustrated breath. "We need to figure out where she went..."

As he glanced toward the hotel entrance, a familiar sports car parked out front caught his eye. He recognized it immediately-belonged to Richard Scott.

Eyes going wide, Dylan suddenly had an idea. He rushed outside and hurried over to the car, knocking on the window. The car stayed still for a moment, then the window rolled down. Dylan finally exhaled, relieved Richard hadn't ignored him.

"Alpha Richard, I'm Perry Lake's friend. She's in trouble-serious trouble. I'm asking you to help us get her back," Dylan said carefully, trying not to sound pushy.

Richard gave him a cold glance. He had enough on his plate with Benjamin and didn't even know who Dylan was. And why would Perry suddenly be in danger anyway? "Not my problem."

"She almost became your mate, didn't she?" Dylan pushed, getting desperate. "Can you really turn your back on her like this?"

"She's not one of my wolves," Richard replied, his voice clipped. Dylan could tell his patience was wearing thin. Biting his lip, he leaned in closer before the window closed.

"She's the only one who can save your brother. The only one."

Richard froze.

For a second, he just stared. Shock flickered in his eyes, then turned into irritation-as if Dylan had just tried to feed him some ridiculous lie. Perry? A healer? That sounded insane. She was just a young she-wolf, maybe an alpha's daughter at most. There was no way she was capable of something like that.

At that thought, his gaze turned icy as he gave Dylan a sharp warning. "I hate being lied to. Tell me how you know about Benjamin. You'd better have a damn good explanation-otherwise, I'll tear you apart right here."

Dylan took a shaky breath. Even under Richard's overwhelming aura, he held his ground for Perry's sake. "I was one of the healers Byron contacted. Perry and I grew up together. She got interested in healing werewolves because of her mom. She's insanely talented, and... she studied under Vinnie Richie. No one else knows-just me."

He rushed through the explanation and quickly pulled out his phone, tapping on a photo. "Look, this is Perry. You've seen her in this outfit, right? She's the mysterious healer everyone's been talking about."

Richard stared in disbelief at the picture. Perry had a veil on, tending to a dying werewolf. He'd been chasing after any traces of this healer-and now it made sense. Doubts started to melt away.

Whatever the truth, he needed to check it out. Especially considering she nearly became his mate once.

Richard locked eyes with Dylan and asked seriously, "That's Perry?"

"Yeah," Dylan said with a resigned nod, rubbing his hands before slipping the phone back in his pocket. "She's been hiding her identity. Richard, you've got to promise to keep this to yourself. Not even Gina knows."

"Then how did she get into trouble?" Richard thought for a moment before asking.

"I'm not sure. But Gina mentioned two names-Francis or Tom. And if someone found out who Perry really is, they might've grabbed her because of that."

Dylan's voice was full of worry. Richard's expression hardened instantly, and fury sparked in his eyes.

"Did they take her just to stop her from saving Benjamin?" the thought shot through Richard's head like lightning.

He leaned back in his seat, his tone ice-cold. "No matter what, we're finding her. Byron, get those trackers over here. I want to know exactly where she was taken from."

"Got it," Byron answered from the driver's seat, focused and ready.

While they were frantically tracking Perry down, she had already woken from the anesthesia.

Perry blinked her eyes open and realized she was in some sort of villa. She scanned the room, cautious. The curtains were drawn tight-no way to see outside. A couple of deltas had dumped her in one of the rooms.

The lights were on. No patient in sight. That meant this wasn't about healing-someone had kidnapped her for another reason. Her mind raced. Maybe she could shift and smash the window to escape.

But she couldn't be sure if there were guards outside. The anxiety crept in-until a moment later, a werewolf came strolling out from the bathroom. Perry snapped her head to face him.

Tom Pierce stood there, all smug, reaching toward her.

His eyes trailed over her in a way that made her want to gag. She rolled her eyes hard. He only had a bathrobe on, that creepy grin smeared across his face as he slunk closer. "Well, well, darling. Took you long enough to get here."

Perry tensed up, knowing full well she couldn't take on an alpha head-on. If Tom tried anything, she'd fight tooth and nail to get away, even if the odds weren't in her favor. "Back off! What exactly do you want from me?"

"Francis is useless. Couldn't even catch you, so I had to step in myself," Tom sneered, clearly enjoying the fear in her eyes. "But don't worry. As long as you play nice, I promise you'll enjoy it way more than you think."

She stepped back, determined to keep him at a distance, her gaze sharp and unwavering. Her eyes landed on several nasty ulcers on his torso, and she instantly felt the bile rise in her throat. "You look like you're falling apart. And you still have the nerve to act like this?"

She'd heard the rumors-Tom was notorious for sleeping around with different females. Finding out he had syphilis didn't surprise her in the slightest.

Tom flinched. He'd been hiding his condition, and having Perry call him out like that hit a nerve. He yanked his robe tighter around his body as those sores started itching again, despite all the meds he'd been taking. "I don't have anything!"

"Right," Perry scoffed. "How about we make a deal? Tom Pierce, I treat you, and in return, you let me go."

She wasn't keen on healing someone like him, not at all. But right now, it was her only shot at buying time and maybe getting out. She knew how bad his condition had to be-it would be eating him alive. Sure enough, he froze in place.

Then he burst out laughing, completely dismissing her. "You? Fix me? You really think I'm that gullible?"

"I'm guessing your healer already told you-doesn't matter what you try, you've got two years max, and that's being generous," she said calmly, watching his face closely.

His eyes widened in shock. Her words hit a little too close to home. He stared at her for a long second, suspicion creeping in. "You... actually know how to cure this? Are you serious?"

"Believe what you want," Perry said coolly, watching the gears turning in his head. She knew he was starting to believe her. "Honestly, if I wasn't trying to figure out who drugged and kidnapped me, that sedative of yours wouldn't have done a damn thing."

Tom stood frozen, eyes darting to the sores on his body-his ugly little secret. This might be his only shot to get better. "You really can do it?"

Perry didn't hesitate. She carried herself with confidence, chin lifted high. She'd trained for this since she was a kid. Tom's illness was tough, but not beyond her.

"Absolutely. But only if you listen to everything I say."

"If you pull it off, I swear I'll owe you everything. I'll do anything you-" Tom didn't get to finish. The heavy door suddenly flew open with a loud bang.

One of his deltas, unconscious, was tossed inside like trash. Tom reeled back as Richard strode in, eyes dark and full of barely-contained fury. Byron followed closely behind, giving Tom a cold, assessing look.

"Found it," Byron said flatly.

Perry's heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She had no idea how Richard had tracked her here, but she instinctively edged back a little, anxiety bubbling inside her. Then Richard's gaze caught hers-just a quick glance-but it sent her heart into a wild, erratic rhythm.

Tom stared at them, completely stunned, clearly having no clue how Richard had tracked them down. He forced a stiff smile. "Alpha Richard, what are you doing here... Ah!"

Richard grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall, then drove a hard kick into his gut. Tom shrieked and crumpled to the ground, moaning in pain. Still, he didn't dare show even a trace of hostility toward Richard-he knew he'd be flattened in seconds.

"What... What are you gonna do?" Tom's eyes flickered into wolf form, but Richard's overwhelming presence crushed any thought of a fight. Tom shakily pushed himself upright, glaring at Richard, frustrated but too scared to lash out.

Richard ignored his outburst, turning to Perry with an icy calm. His voice was low, steady. "If you want to make him pay, now's your shot. You could even cut his nuts off-I'll back you up, no questions asked."

The words rolled off his tongue like a devil's whisper, dangerous yet strangely alluring. Perry blinked, dazed by the raw power and breathtaking looks of the alpha before her.

As her eyes lingered on his face, she found herself fascinated. This wasn't what she expected to feel, and it rattled her more than she liked. But as her thoughts refocused on Benjamin's condition, urgency surged back. She gasped and shouted, "There's no time! Forget him-we need to get to the hospital. Benjamin's symptoms could be flaring up again right now!"

"What?" Richard looked genuinely thrown off.

How in the world did she know about Benjamin's situation? Did Dylan already fill her in?

"If you still want to save your brother, we have to go now," Perry said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Tell Dylan to meet us there-I'm gonna need his help. We need to move, fast!"

Richard set aside the questions and rushed to leave with her. Byron didn't hesitate-he floored the gas, and the engine roared as the car sped toward the hospital. On the way, Richard's phone suddenly rang-it was the hospital calling.

"Alpha, Mr. Scott just started throwing up blood-way worse than before. We're doing everything we can, but... it's not enough," the healer on the other end sounded frantic.

Richard ended the call, a dark expression clouding his face, worry tightening his features.

He glanced at Perry, who wore a serious look. "You know what's going on with Benjamin?"

"I do," she confirmed with a nod. "Dylan already sent me all of his medical info."

"You think you can cure him?" Richard asked, his gaze fixed on her.

For a split second, he was caught off guard by how beautiful she looked-drawn to her without even fully realizing it. The thought confused him. Then Perry answered softly, "I'll do everything I can."

After that, she turned her eyes to the window, distracted, already planning her next steps. She didn't notice Richard studying her, as if trying to memorize every little detail.

He didn't even realize how possessive his expression had become. At that moment, something clicked in him.

"Maybe I want her as my mate," the thought came out of nowhere.

The Bloodmoon Pack's hospital was a total mess. Healers kept shuffling in and out of Benjamin's room, doing everything they could just to stabilize him for a bit longer. Benjamin lay unconscious, blood all over the sheets and floor.

Joel paced back and forth, anxiety written all over his face. He didn't stop until he spotted Richard hurrying over. Only then did he finally let out a breath of relief. Grabbing his son's shoulders, he asked urgently, "Richard, did you find that mysterious healer?"

Before Richard could answer, Perry suddenly stepped forward. She scanned Benjamin quickly and seriously, then turned and barked out, "Everyone out! Except Alpha Richard and Healer Miles!"

Nobody in the room recognized her. She'd walked in behind the Alpha, didn't look like a healer, and now she was giving orders like she owned the place. Everyone froze, stunned.

Richard's face darkened. "You heard her. Everyone else, leave."

Alpha's command overruled all doubts. The others lowered their heads respectfully and left in a hurry. Joel glanced at Perry with concern. "Richard, is she Perry Lake?"

He knew of Perry, but she wasn't Richard's mate-at least not officially. He had no idea why Richard brought her.

"Yeah, that's her." Richard hesitated for a breath as her name almost crossed his lips-there was warmth there-but he quickly steadied his tone. "She's also the mystery healer we've been looking for."

"What?" Joel looked completely shocked.

"I know it's hard to believe," Richard said quickly, already stepping into the room, "but trust me-it's her."

Inside, Perry had already placed her hand gently on Benjamin's head, eyes closed, sensing something. Richard stared at her, momentarily dazed. Her lashes trembled as she focused, lips pressed tightly together like she was under serious pressure.

"How is he?" Richard asked softly.

Perry didn't look up. "I'll give him my blood. It's the only way."

Richard froze. That was the last thing he expected. He hesitated, clearly uneasy. He didn't want her to get hurt, or worse, overdo it. "Is that really necessary? There's no other way?"

"This is my gift," she said gently, but she meant every word. "My mentor figured it out-my blood's unique. It can neutralize certain poisons, including whatever's in Benjamin."

Richard frowned, clearly not happy with how casually she said it. He knew it couldn't be just a few drops-there was definitely going to be a price, and he hated that she was willing to pay it.

Perry didn't back down. She met his eyes, steady and stubborn. His stare burned with frustration, but she held firm.

"Miss Lake, maybe you should think this through," Miles spoke up from the side, clearly uncomfortable. These two hadn't even looked at him once. "This isn't exactly a safe call."

Of course Perry understood that. But saving Benjamin meant more to her than playing it safe. She gave a small nod. "I get it. I know my limits. If it's just Benjamin, I'll be okay."

She looked over at Richard, her expression firm as she made her decision clear. Richard let out a long breath but gave in, choosing to go with what she wanted. Turning away, he tried to swallow the ache in his chest and let Perry do what she came for.

Miles came back quickly with the blood-drawing equipment. Richard waited outside, restless, watching Perry work on Benjamin. His eyes couldn't help but linger on the way she focused completely, her face calm and precise. "She's really something else."

He couldn't lie to himself-he wanted her. Details that slipped past him before suddenly made more sense; her figure reminded him of the she-wolf from that night, and her long, soft hair... he could almost feel its touch against his skin.

Richard narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. Belen had told him that night, it was Mara. But after actually meeting Mara, something hadn't quite clicked. Still, he'd told himself he'd mate with her-if he had to.

Caught up in these thoughts, he didn't even notice when Perry stepped out. She looked pale, enough to make his chest tighten with concern. But he held back, keeping his tone neutral as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Perry replied with a tired smile. "Just need... a little rest."

She swayed slightly, and before either of them realized, he was holding her up by the waist. She froze for a second, then slowly relaxed in his arms. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she leaned into him, clearly running out of energy.

Looking down at her face as she drifted off, Richard made a quiet decision and carried her to his place. The wolves who saw him walk by with an unknown female in his arms stared, jaws damn near dropping. Their Alpha, being soft with a female? That was new.

"I can't help worrying about her," he muttered once he'd laid her down on his bed, heart pounding a little too hard. "She looks so fragile... like she actually needs someone."

He sat by her side, watching her, soaking in every little expression. That strange pull toward her only grew stronger. An urge to kiss her welled up inside him-so he did. A quick, almost sneaky kiss on her cheek. It felt right.

For a second, he thought he caught that sweetness in the air again. He blinked, shook his head, and quickly left the room, stepping out into the cold to cool off. He took in a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

Perry stirred something in him-strong, consuming desire. It wasn't normal; he didn't react to others like this. He was a powerful Alpha, unmated by choice, never willing to let feelings cloud his judgment.

But with Perry... Rich had to admit it-he'd fallen for her. Hard. The feeling mirrored that intense rush they'd always said came with finding your true mate. Maybe he really needed to figure out what was going on with Mara Morgan.

He didn't go back inside until Perry woke up. When he did, she was sitting on the bed, a bit shy but smiling up at him. "Sorry about earlier. I feel way better now."

"It's okay," Richard said softly. "You scared the hell out of me, passing out like that."

He even threw in a wink-something totally out of character for him. If Byron had seen it, he'd probably choke on his drink. Perry, though, cracked up laughing. Her impression of Richard shifted. She'd thought he was this cold, serious Alpha-but there was more to him. A charming side she hadn't expected. And it made her heart skip a beat.

"By the way, where am I?" she finally asked, noticing just how soft the bed was. And that scent... definitely an Alpha's place. Her smile faltered a bit, the realization creeping in.

"Ahem," Richard tugged at his collar and cleared his throat, his voice laced with teasing. "You're in my house, you know."

"What?" Perry blinked, half-convinced she'd misheard him or he was joking.

But Richard looked dead serious. "Exactly what you're thinking. I brought you back to my place. Perry-can I call you that? Or should I stick with Miss Lake?"

"No, I mean-yes, Perry's fine," she stammered, clearly flustered. "Sorry, I didn't realize this was your home."

"Right. You thought only a luna could sleep in my bed or something?"

He leaned forward, resting both hands on the mattress. His fingers were so close to hers that he could have held her hand with just the slightest move.

Perry's face turned a faint shade of pink. She bit her lip and didn't reply. Sliding off the bed quickly, she avoided his hand-which he suddenly reached out and caught. Her cheeks flushed even deeper as she struggled to pull away.

"Thanks for looking after me," she said, trying hard to stay calm. "But I really have to go. Benjamin still needs treatment."

That was true, yes, but more than that, it was the only excuse she could think of right now. She had no idea how to deal with Richard. She had feelings for him-no doubt about that-but they scared her. And honestly, she still had to figure out who that alpha from that night was.

Richard got to his feet and pulled her into his arms. Perry froze. She didn't fight back. He cupped her face, locking his eyes with hers. "Tell me how you feel. I can't hide it anymore-I want you."

"No..." She tried to protest, but before the word fully left her lips, Richard kissed her hard. His cool lips pressed firmly against hers, tongue slipping past as he deepened the kiss. Her eyes softened, hazy with emotion, and she made no move to resist.

The passion in his kiss was overwhelming. Her body melted under his touch, instinctively leaning into it. A part of her had been waiting for this, so for once, she let herself go. Just for a moment.

His hands circled her waist, trailing slowly up her back, feeling her tremble under his fingers. When she whimpered softly, eyes pleading and glassy, it made something primal stir in him.

"Mark her. Claim her," a voice in Richard's head whispered fiercely. "Make Perry Lake yours. Once you do, she won't leave. She's your mate."

He held back. Barely. Instead, he kissed her more deeply, tongues tangled, pressing in harder. Tears welled up in Perry's eyes as her face flushed redder. Richard, caught in the moment, slid his hand toward her waist, seeking more.

But just as his fingers brushed her skin, she snapped out of it. The heat in her cheeks faded, and she shoved him away suddenly. Richard hadn't expected it, didn't resist.

He stared at her, surprise flickering in his eyes. "Why?"

"I can't... I really have to go," she said, voice shaking. "This isn't right."

She dropped her gaze and wiped at the tears in her eyes. Her lips were still tingling from his kiss, her heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst.

Richard just stood there, eyes full of emotion. Then finally, he let out a long breath and gave a small nod. "Okay. Go."

They stepped out of the alpha's home together, walking in silence back to the hospital. Perry could feel his gaze on her the whole way, and it stirred a storm in her chest. One thought kept echoing in her mind: "He's changed his mind... he actually loves me now."

They got back to the hospital pretty quick. Facing what she had to do, Perry finally managed to calm herself.

She walked straight into the room, leaving Richard behind. Benjamin was still passed out but looking way better-his face had some color now. Perry took his hand and started treating the organs the virus had wrecked over the past month.

Richard told the other healers helping her that no one was allowed to question her decisions or spill anything about who she really was. If anyone crossed the line, they were out of the pack. The treatment went on until evening, and by the time it ended, Benjamin was waking up.

He struggled to open his eyes and saw the girl sitting by his bed. Perry let go of his hand, pushed her hair back, and her pretty face was completely visible. Benjamin had never seen a female wolf that stunning-he was momentarily stunned.

With a soft smile, Perry asked, "Feeling any better, Mr. Scott?"

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore," Benjamin replied without thinking. He couldn't help staring at her, his heart racing a bit. His eyes were clear, just a bit shaky, and his voice weak. "You saved me, didn't you?"

Perry nodded. She pulled the blanket up for him and tucked his hand underneath, totally missing the way his face had just turned pink. "You need to rest. Give it some time, and you'll be back on your feet."

"Thank you," Benjamin murmured with a gentle smile.

He kept his gaze locked on her big, bright eyes. He had no clue who she was, but he knew one thing-when he was hanging by a thread, she pulled him back. He suddenly felt like saying more.

Right then, Richard walked in. He'd been standing at the door, watching since Benjamin woke up. His expression was hard to read, not quite angry, but definitely off. He looked at Benjamin and said, "I'll send someone in to take care of you."

Richard saw the way Perry smiled at his brother, saw that look in Benjamin's eyes-so full of wonder and... something else. Jealousy hit Richard hard for a second, and he didn't like it one bit.

Perry didn't notice his mood at all. Her mind was still focused on Benjamin as she gave him one last check. Satisfied he was stable, she stood up and left without even glancing at Richard.

He was about to follow her when Benjamin called out, "Richard, can we talk for a sec?"

Richard hesitated, looked back at his brother lying weakly in bed, and decided to stay.

Meanwhile, Perry was already out of the hospital. Richard stood there distracted, feeling her presence fade. She left the Bloodmoon Pack without even telling him where she was going, and that hit him harder than he expected.

Right now, Perry was on her way to treat Tom Pierce for his syphilis. It was something they'd agreed on earlier. She didn't have a steady job, and healing werewolves was both her hobby and a way to make money.

Tom had managed to message her, and they'd arranged to meet at a restaurant.

As Perry stepped out of the car, she spotted him right away-sitting in a quiet corner, trying hard not to draw attention to himself. She walked over calmly and took a seat across from him without so much as a hello.

"Give me your hand. I need to check it."

Tom handed it over, and she placed her fingers on his wrist. After a brief moment, she let go, pulled out a folded note and a pen from her bag, and scribbled a formula down on it.

"You need to take this consistently. Find a healer to make it up for you."

"Got it," Tom said quickly, snatching the note like it was a winning lottery ticket. "Miss Lake, if this cures me, I'll owe you big time. Anything you need-just say the word. I mean it."

He looked up at her with gratitude shining in his eyes, but then suddenly ducked his head and turned his face toward the wall. Perry raised an eyebrow, thrown off by his odd move. She glanced around instinctively.

"What's going on with you?"

"Nothing," Tom answered, his tone rough. "Just thinking of a way to thank you."

Perry frowned, puzzled-until she spotted them: Richard Scott and Mara Morgan, not far off.

Mara had her arm looped intimately through Richard's, walking close beside him, smiling soft and sweet like they were the perfect mated pair. Perry's jaw tensed, lips pressing together before she looked away.

Her thoughts went in a million directions-flashes of Richard's kiss earlier, now replaced by the sight of him with Mara. Her chest tightened.

Once Tom saw they were gone, he finally turned back to her and lowered his voice.

"Miss Lake... you're Alpha Richard's mate, aren't you? If I'd known, I swear I wouldn't have made that stupid deal with Francis!"

He had clearly assumed Richard saved her because she was his mate. Perry felt her mood nosedive even more.

"No, I'm not. And Alpha Richard already has one. You saw her just now-that she-wolf next to him."

"What?" Tom looked like he'd seen a ghost. Sweat popped out on his forehead, and panic flickered in his eyes. The woman with Richard-Mara Morgan-was someone he'd slept with not long ago.

Shit. If Richard ever found out, it wouldn't just be him that paid the price-his whole pack could be dragged down with him.

Perry caught the fear radiating off Tom and found it weirdly amusing. She had no clue what he was really panicking about, though. She just assumed he misunderstood something.

"You thought I was his mate? Seriously? No way. And don't worry-I'm not gonna castrate you."

"Even if you keep quiet, Mara's gonna get Richard to kill me," Tom freaked out in his head.

He forced a shaky smile, clearly scrambling for words. "I mean... how could Alpha Richard even go for someone like her? She's got nothing on you. You're way more his type."

Perry didn't take the compliment well. Her heart sank, and she really didn't want to keep digging into this topic. So she moved on. "Well, as long as Alpha Richard's happy with her, that's all that matters, right? Why do you care so much about who his mate is?"

"You're right, yeah," Tom replied, voice low and full of dread. He got up too fast, clearly itching to bail, clutching the prescription tightly. He left in a hurry, muttering to himself about Mara the whole way out.

He remembered when Belen showed up with his guys-only then did he realize he'd messed up. He thought he'd slept with Perry, but nope, it was Mara. Belen's decision to keep it under wraps meant Silverfang Pack didn't want word getting out. As long as Tom stayed quiet, Richard wouldn't find out, so no revenge.

That calmed him down a little. But then his mind turned dark again. What if he'd given Mara his disease? And then she passed it to Richard? That would be a total disaster.

Tom shook off the thought, panicking. Whatever. Not his problem. He just needed to lay low.

Meanwhile, Perry watched him leave in such a fluster, frowning. Something about that whole conversation felt off... but she couldn't put her finger on what was missing. Letting out a sigh, she decided to just let it go for now.

Back at the hotel, Gina greeted her at the door, practically bouncing. She threw her arms around Perry in a big, excited hug.

"I still can't believe you actually managed to treat Alpha's brother! That's insane!" she beamed.

Perry chuckled, flashing a smug smile. "You know healing's my thing."

"Bet Pierce was scared out of his mind, huh? Dylan told me Richard beat the crap out of him. Oh-and what about that jerk Francis? After what he did to you, you're not just gonna let that slide... right?"

"Of course not," Perry said, voice sharp. "I've already got a plan. You'll see soon enough."

Getting Tom Pierce on her side was part of why she helped him at all. Francis would never guess she'd turn things around this way.

Now, with him in her corner, she could finally go after Francis with no worries.