by Lisa Oliver
“Write it.” Bevan’s wolf flashed in his eyes and Karl’s wolf stirred at the slight but didn’t cower or want to show his belly.
Interesting. My wolf no longer sees my uncle as his alpha. Karl wrote out the check, dated it and signed it with a flourish. Handing it over, his smile was all teeth. “Pleasure doing business with you, Uncle. I’m sure you can see your way out only I do have a celebration to attend.”
Slipping the check into his inside jacket pocket, Bevan stood and shook his head. “You’ve done well, I’ll grant you that, better than most, some would say. But I wouldn’t count on lady luck sitting on your shoulder much longer. I sincerely doubt your father would be proud of you if he could see you now, and if I could, I’d curse you for defiling my brother’s honor with your callous actions. Consider your pack ties cut.” The door slammed behind Bevan as he left.
“Well,” Karl looked around his empty office, and then down at his open check book. Gathering it up, he stashed it back in his drawer, before standing up and straightening his jacket. “That went better than expected.” He’d ignore the stabbing pain in his heart and deal with that another time. Striding around his desk, Karl opened the door, and headed downstairs to the party below.
Chapter Four
“Cindy’s single,” Aunt Julie leaned across her seat to whisper to Tanner. “And she’s done really well for herself. She got a huge bonus for the work she did on this fancy launch.”
“Cindy is a clever and friendly young lady, and I’m glad she’s working for a boss that appreciates her.” Tanner picked up his glass of soda. “But stop trying to matchmake me, or if you do, try picking out a few blokes as well for me to say no to. You’re supposed to be enjoying yourself this evening, not fretting about me.”
Eight people were sitting at the table arranged among others in a huge conference room. Tanner could see the banners, and the company logo, but he’d barely paid attention during the speeches. He was tired, and his wolf was surprisingly edgy considering they were in a social situation. There’d been a few times, when going to the bathroom or up to the bar, Tanner would swear he caught a hint of wolf shifter scents, but it was hard to know with Mrs. Appleby’s perfume clogging up his nostrils for most of the evening. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was getting on for ten. Hopefully, they will wind this up soon.
“I do worry about you.” Aunt Julie leaned on his shoulder. She always smelled faintly of lavender and lilacs. “I can’t help it. We’ve been through a lot you and I, and I’m not going to be around forever.”
Tanner stiffened, turning to his aunt in alarm. “Have you seen the doctor again? What did they say?”
“I thought you said I should be enjoying myself.” Aunt Julie chuckled, patting his bicep. “It’s nothing serious. A routine checkup. He just took more bloods. You know, I swear that man’s a vampire, always carting my life source off in his little test tubes. Do you think he refrigerates them when he takes them home, or maybe he takes a quick sip when he gets to his car? Maybe I should just stick my arm out and tell him to suck it from the source.”
“You’re deliberately deflecting me,” Tanner said with a laugh of his own. He draped his arm around his aunt’s shoulders resting most of the weight on the back of the chair. When he was close to her like now, he couldn’t ignore how frail she was becoming. “Have you settled into the apartment all right? Did you need anything?”
“I’m fine,” Aunt Julie murmured so low Tanner was glad of his wolf hearing. “I just wish I hadn’t had that stupid fall and I’d been allowed to die at home like my Alfie.”
“Who said anything about dying?” Tanner spoke more sharply than he should, even though he kept his tone low in deference to the other guests. Suddenly, he wished they were at home, instead of a fancy party where he barely knew anyone. “Aunt Julie, talk to me.”
“I will tell you.” Aunt Julie patted his arm. “There are things we need to organize – my papers, insurance, things like that. But not here. Not now. I want to enjoy myself, don’t you?”
Then why did you mention it in the first place? But Tanner knew why his aunt had done it. She was sneaky in her own way, laying the groundwork for what would be a difficult discussion, in a public place so Tanner couldn’t push her for more. He’d respect that. “Have you tried the chocolate mousse?” He pushed his plate closer to her. “You’ve always had a thing for chocolate.”
“I’m not sure I could eat another bite. Would you do an old lady a favor and dance with me?”
Aunt Julie looked up and Tanner noticed, really noticed this time, the tired lines around her eyes and mouth, and the paleness of her lips under the lipstick she wore. He looked over to the makeshift dancefloor. It wasn’t very crowded; most people were chatting with their friends around their respective tables or the bar.
“You just want to show off, don’t you?” Tanner smiled and pushed back his chair, standing and holding out his hand. “Come on lovely lady, let’s show these young ones a move or two.”
“Everyone will be so jealous of me. I’ll be dancing with the most handsome man in the room,” Aunt Julie said, waving merrily at Mrs. Appleby who was sitting across the table from their seats. “He’s sweeping me off my feet,” she called out to her friend as Tanner guided her slowly between the tables.
Fortunately, the music was slow, and Tanner made sure to keep his aunt securely in his arms as they moved to the beat. “I miss this,” Aunt Julie whispered, laying her head on Tanner’s chest. “I miss my Alfie.”
“I know.” Tanner tightened his arms just a fraction.
“That’s the only reason I want to see you happy with a special someone of your own.” Aunt Julie’s hand lightly rested on his shirt. “I had so many wonderful years with my husband. He was my best friend and he used to make me laugh no matter what was happening around us.”
“He was one of a kind, your Alfie,” Tanner said warmly. “I’m sure, wherever he is, he’s looking down on you and smiling.”
“He’ll be with me when it’s time.” Aunt Julie nodded as Tanner slowly turned her. “Or not. He was always running late, don’t you remember?”
Tanner chuckled as he moved Julie out of the way of a loving couple who weren’t watching where they were going, their eyes firmly fixed on each other. “I remember coming home from night shifts and being woken two hours later from the alarms you had blaring at your house, trying to get him up in the morning. How many did you have?”
“Six,” Aunt Julie said with a peel of laughter. “All set to go off five minutes one after the other. Even then, he used to snuggle back down in the blankets and say, ‘Just five minutes more, Juls’. Remember that time when he…”
Tanner nodded and listened, prodding every now and then, happy to let his aunt reminisce. He was wary, watchful, moving them gracefully if anyone danced too close, the scent of Aunt Julie’s happiness wafting around him. Being taller than anyone else in the room, he could see Mrs. Appleby talking to her daughter Cindy and another young man who’d joined them. There were three men propping up the bar who would definitely need a taxi home and over by the door… Tanner’s heart stood still as he caught the eye of a tall stranger who’s picture was on the banner hanging from the ceiling.
Shifter? Tanner wondered as he turned his aunt to one side, unable to look away from the doorway. It was in the eyes, the way the man was standing, surveying the crowd as if he owned the place. Alpha.
Mate, his wolf howled in his head.
Tanner stumbled and corrected himself quickly, unwilling to see Aunt Julie fall on the floor. His aunt just laughed, and went with him, still talking about her beloved husband. But Aunt Julie’s voice, the music, the chatter of the people around them and the clink of glass and cutlery all fell away – the only thing Tanner could hear was his blood roaring in his ears as his heart rate picked up. The stranger was headed in his direction, looking around on either side of Tanner, his nostrils flaring as he got closer… and closer…
Two feet away. The man
had stopped looking around Tanner and was looking right at him. His eyes widened, just for a fraction and Tanner caught the flash of the wolf in them. But then the stranger grimaced, fisted his hands, and turned away quickly, power walking in the opposite direction, taking Tanner’s ability to breathe with him.
“Tanner. Tanner, dear.” Aunt Julie patted his chest. Tanner realized he’d stopped moving. “Are you all right? You’ve gone quite pale.”
Forcing his eyes off the retreating stranger’s back, Tanner looked down, managing a tight smile. “I’m sorry. Too many night shifts have caught up with me. I am feeling a bit tired. How about I escort you home and I’ll make us some of my famous hot chocolate?”
His aunt Julie seemed glad of an excuse to leave, her own face pale as he gathered her coat and bag, saying goodbye to her friends. Tanner could barely summon the energy to be polite. He just knew, as they left the lavish conference room, he wouldn’t be setting foot in the successful business again.
Chapter Five
My uncle’s cursed me. Karl wasn’t sure how he made it to the bar, lifting his finger for a double whiskey. “No ice,” he croaked. Shit. Pull yourself together. You own this place. He swallowed, took a sip of the drink placed in front of him by the friendly bartender, managed a weak smile in return, and swallowed again, keeping his head low.
Still reeling from his uncle’s hateful parting words, Karl wasn’t surprised to scent a hint of wolf in the air when he stood at the door of the conference room. His uncle wouldn’t have come to the city alone, and Karl dismissed the smells as traces left by his father’s minions leaving. But as he stood for a moment, bracing himself to get back into the party mood again, the scent teased his nostrils again from inside the room. It was coming from one of the party goers.
Scanning the crowd, no one stood out. Well, one man on the dancefloor did, but that was only because he stood a good head taller than anyone else. The woman dancing with him looked old enough to be the man’s grandmother, and figuring they were related to one of his staff, Karl dismissed him with barely a glance.
But the scent persisted, and Karl wanted to moan at the sweetness of it. Sure, there was a musky element too, but all wolves carried that tinge in their scent. Moving slowly, Karl tried not to be too obvious as he sniffed the air, following the promise the smell was giving him.
The scent got stronger, Karl’s cock firmed, hidden by his jacket. Karl knew he had to be getting closer, but the tall man with his elderly dancing partner must have been blocking Karl’s mate from view. Karl twisted his head, one side and then the other, trying to see around the broad shoulders and bulky build. The man had model-worthy looks to be sure, but Karl’s inclinations didn’t swing that way. Finally, the man gently twirled his partner to one side, giving Karl an unobstructed view of anyone who had been behind him, and there she… wasn’t. There was no one behind the man.
Karl stopped in his tracks. Had the woman moved to another part of the room? But no, the scent persisted, and Karl realized to his horror, that the scent moved with the dancing hulk and his elderly partner. Oh, my gods, am I too late? She looks like she’s an inch from death and slipping fast. Would our mating be enough to save her? Could she still carry our children?
In hindsight, that was the optimist in his thinking. Karl shook his head, leaning against the bar as he took another sip of his whiskey. Saving an elderly mate would have been easy compared to the alternative. But no, it wasn’t to be. The woman was human, and while shifters could take human mates, and indeed the claiming increased the human’s strength, reflexes and ability to withstand disease, the mating scent teasing Karl’s nostrils was coming from a wolf. A wolf who was bigger built and who looked as rugged as Karl did himself.
He’s got facial hair. That little detail had never cropped up in Karl’s dreams of having a mate. He’s freaking taller than me and built like a tank. Karl swigged rather than sipped this time. No boobs… he’s got a cock… Karl shook his head as he contemplated his glass. From the moment he’d realized what joy could be found with a woman in his arms, he’d wanted one. And since that time, he’d had many. Never once, not ever, had he looked at a man with lust in his eyes, and yet here he was nursing a hard on along with his whiskey, both caused by a brick shithouse of a man.
Surely, the Fates wouldn’t have paired me with another alpha? That’s a recipe for disaster. But as Karl thought about it, he realized there wasn’t any strength in the other wolf’s scent. Alphas like his uncle, and Karl assumed himself, had a hard tinge in their unique scent and an aura of power other wolf shifters could feel. Even humans knew when an alpha was around, even if they didn’t know why they were wary of a person. The man on the dancefloor had nothing like that. And I was following a sweet scent – an omega’s scent. Holy shit. The hulk is the omega.
Unsure what to do now he’d come to the realization, Karl waved his glass at the bartender, eager for a refill. I have to talk to him at least. Karl had learned from his mother how omegas needed an alpha to care for them – they were the weakest of shifters, but they played a fundamental part in pack politics, generating calm and peaceful solutions when violence wasn’t the answer.
Karl could still hear his mother’s voice telling him, As an alpha, if you’re blessed by the Fates to have an omega of your own, you must always treat them gently and never hurt them through word or actions. Omegas are highly sensitive, and they care deeply for everyone. They are a true treasure in the shifter world and yet if you prove worthy of one, they will be your most loyal and loving partner for the rest of your days.
Of course, at the time Karl was only fourteen, and more interested in seeing what the pack females had under their clothes. The Blue Moon pack hadn’t had any omegas in all the time Karl lived there, so the whole conversation was academic. But as Karl knocked back his second whiskey, he wondered if his mother had a spot of the sight. It was a shame he hadn’t remembered her words before he’d done the unthinkable and rejected his mate.
I can still fix this, or at least repair some of the damage caused. Karl wasn’t ready for a male mate in any shape or form and doubted if he ever would be. But as an alpha, he had a responsibility to ensure the omega would be comfortable, safe, and cared for. There was no pack in town, the omega must be on his own, which is probably why the Fates put him in Karl’s path.
The question is, what’s the best way to help? If the tall stranger and the elderly woman were related, and she was dying, then Karl could offer financial support at the very least. Meals on wheels, a live-in nurse to help ease the burden… Karl was still thinking about his options as he turned and scanned the room again.
The omega wasn’t dancing. That was understandable. Karl had been blatant in his rejection and the omega, no matter his size or appearance, would’ve been crushed. Karl sauntered over to the bathrooms, but the omega’s scent he could pick up there was a few hours old, indicating he’d been in there, but wasn’t sobbing in one of the cubicles now.
Karl wandered around the tables – the man wouldn’t stand out as much if he was sitting down. He found the omega’s scent easily enough, but the two chairs where the omega and his companion had been sitting were empty. Cindy, one of his coders was at the same table, talking to another woman Karl knew as her mother.
“…so sad. Tanner’s going to be devastated when he finds out.”
“Yes, well I told Julie,” Cindy’s mother shook her head. “I said to her, ‘Julie, you need to tell that young man,’ and this was just after her fall, you realize. I told her he would need time to process her going. That man looks after her better and cares for her more than any son would and has done for years, even when Alfie was alive. But she told me, she said yesterday she was going to tell him tonight when Tanner takes her home.”
“Excuse me, Cindy.” Karl interrupted quietly. “I didn’t mean to overhear, but is the young man you were talking about the one who was sitting in this chair?” His hands were resting on the back of the empty chair that smelled the strong
est of the omega.
“Mr. Jacobs.” Cindy smiled widely. “You’ve met my mother, haven’t you – Mabel Appleby?” She patted the hand of the older woman next to her.
“Pleasure to meet you again, ma’am.” Karl nodded politely. “You were saying… about the young man?”
“Tanner.” Mabel nodded. “My dearest friend Julie had a bad fall about a month ago, and they recommended she go into an assisted living complex, where I’m staying. She wasn’t going to go – so insistent on living in the home her late husband built for them, but when she found out the cancer had spread…” Mabel dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.
“Tanner doesn’t know about the cancer,” Cindy confided. “He’s been her friend and neighbor for, goodness, must be ten years now. When her husband passed suddenly, Tanner was always there for her – keeping her place tidy, doing the maintenance, and getting her groceries and things like that. He calls her Aunt, although they’re not related, but she insisted on it. She doesn’t have any other family you see, and neither does he.”
“If my silly friend had spent less time trying to matchmake for poor Tanner, and more time talking about the important things… well… the outcome would still be the same.” Mabel sniffed as she nodded at Karl. “It’s so nice that a boss can take the time to enquire about other people, even if you don’t know them. Julie and Tanner only came tonight because Cindy has known them both for so long…”
“And I wanted Aunt Julie to have a lovely evening out, before she… you know.” Cindy shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of death.
“How long has Julie got, if you don’t mind me asking,” Karl asked.
“A week or two.” Mabel sniffed again and dabbed her eyes with the tissue still wound tightly in her hands. “The medical staff who are attached to our apartments wanted to start palliative care as soon as she moved in, but Julie refused it until she’s told Tanner. She didn’t want it to be a shock to him, you see. I was surprised she lasted here this evening as long as she did. She looked very tired when she came to say goodbye.”