by Oliver, Lisa
“I can’t see Pearson having a problem with a little morsel like that,” the enforcer said with a flash of teeth. “Just don’t let him lose in the club play areas. Someone’s likely to bite him, or collar him, depending on their mood.”
Kellen felt Tristan shiver and move closer to him, which was all very well and good but he was trying to project an image and Tristan wasn’t helping. He nodded to Cain and Prism, and followed the enforcer across a large wooden floor area, to an office door that was set in one side wall. A quick glance around revealed a large well-stocked bar, what appeared to be a dance area, a number of half round booths, and through the opposite wall, Kellen could make out dining chairs and another bar. It would be handy if the club had a restaurant. It had been a while since breakfast.
The enforcer gave a solid knock on a large door, and then opened it, stepping to one side to allow Kellen and Tristan to pass. “Kellen Waite and one of his companions, Sir,” the enforcer said. At least that’s what Kellen thought the man said, but his feet were riveted to the floor. What was that delicious smell and how soon could he get up close and personal to the man who was wearing it?
/~/~/~/~/
Phillip felt his cock stir for the first time in months, and he looked across in surprise at the two men Farren had let into the office. The smaller one he disregarded. He’d never fancied twinks, especially ones who colored their hair. But his companion. Tall, dark and delicious. Fuck. This isn’t good. He steeled himself as the man met his eyes, lingered for a moment with a flare of heat, before moving on to take in the rest of the room.
Mates. I’m freaking sure of it. Fuck a duck.
Kellen, because who else could it be, swished past him, his gaze focused on Pearson, the twink glued to his side. Outwardly the man looked like a walking wet dream, his face a handsome mask, giving nothing away. But Phillip knew. He knew that Kellen was aware of their connection and yet failed to acknowledge it any more than he did. So why was his gut clenching in disappointment and his heart feel like someone had punched it? Clamping his teeth together, Phillip stared straight ahead, pulling on his military training like a security blanket.
“Mr. Waite, we’ve been expecting you.” Pearson stood up, Dante by his side. Pearson was an impressive enough man at the best of times, but with Dante at his side, the impression was magnified. Pearson bristled with protectiveness and Phillip could see why. Kellen Waite was a big man, as big as Pearson himself.
“Alpha,” Kellen acknowledged with a slight tilt of his head; just enough subservience to show respect without going overboard. “This is my companion, Tristan Pool. He would have stayed with my bodyguards, but he felt uncomfortable in a pack situation. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Phillip knew that Pearson could afford to be generous, and would be, at least until they all knew what Waite wanted. Then the situation might change. By the way Tristan was hanging onto Waite’s arm like a life preserver, Phillip would be happy to get rid of him. Permanently.
“I believe you know Teric Styles, previously of the Council,” Pearson continued. “The man behind him is my head enforcer, Kyle. Ace, Devin and Phillip are part of my inner circle. Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of them. Please, take a seat.”
Phillip noticed that Pearson didn’t introduce Dante, but wasn’t surprised. When Dante and Pearson had met, Dante had a bad kill mark on his name, registered with the Council, and it had taken heavy persuasion from Teric to get it cleared. Pearson wouldn’t want his mate’s name mentioned in front of another Council agent unless it was absolutely necessary.
Kellen appeared put out when he noticed Teric, but managed to nod and sat in the chairs indicated; blocking Tristan when he tried to climb on his lap, and forcing the man to take the chair beside him. Phillip would have laughed, but the reassuring hand Kellen had on the little one’s shoulder made his wolf snarl instead. Determined not to give himself away to a man who had barely acknowledged him, and was apparently already mated, Phillip trained his eyes on the wall above Pearson’s head, and stood at parade rest. It’s not as though he expected his Fated Mate to want him, and in a few short minutes, Kellen had lived up to expectations.
What else did you expect?
Chapter Three
Kellen felt the walls closing in on him, the smell of his mate tantalizing his nostrils and playing havoc with his cock. He knew the others would smell him if he didn’t calm the fuck down, but for the first time in a long time, Kellen forgot what he was supposed to say. The longer the silence went on, the more the tension room grew, and Kellen forced himself to open his mouth, otherwise he and the men he’d brought with him would be kicked out.
Why the fuck did I agree to let Tristan come with me? This was not the first impression I wanted to give my true mate. And why won’t the little shit stay in his chair like any normal adult.
“Kellen, I take it you have something to say. You didn’t come here to test my office chairs, surely?”
Fuck, get your head in the game.
“My apologies, Alpha, I was just collecting my thoughts. As you know, I’m here on the Council’s behalf. The Council noted that you recently took an omega wolf into your pack, a Cameron Slater, originally from the Romney pack in West Virginia.”
“That’s right,” Pearson said. “He’s mated to one of my enforcers. He’d been badly abused by vampires, a situation that was taken care of. The Council was notified on every aspect as it occurred and the resolution was a peaceful one, at least between this pack and the coven in New York. Are you telling me now there are problems?”
“Not problems exactly.” Kellen shifted in his seat, not an easy thing to do with a sullen Tristan beside him and a mate filling the room with the most intoxicating…
“I fail to see why you’re even here, especially if you’re having an issue with the omega in my pack. The Council is well aware of my stance about Omegas and sent no indication there was a problem with his placement.” Pearson’s stern tone cut through Kellen’s musings. Shit, none of this was going well.
“The Council has no problem with Mr. Slater living with this pack. They’re well aware of your feelings in the matter and have registered Mr. Slater’s mating and new address accordingly.”
“Then why are you here? You’re a troubleshooter, not a negotiator. Who’s on your shit list?” Teric was allowed to talk in a meeting? Oh, this was not good.
In fact, the meeting was going to hell in a handbasket fast. Kellen had not been pleased to see Teric in the Alpha’s office. His notes had told him the man was now a pack member, but Teric had been another favorite of the Council before his mating, and Kellen knew he was going to have to tread very carefully in the next five minutes. Having to tell partial truths, because anything less would be scented in an instant was not helping.
“Exactly. I am a troubleshooter,” he said, pulling on a confidence he didn’t feel, ignoring Tristan’s hand on his leg. “And the Council is concerned that you have a vampire in your midst. Given the abuse that Mr. Slater suffered at the hands of such creatures, the Council feels uncomfortable with allowing the situation to continue. Male Omegas are rare, should be cherished, and the Council feels such an enforced bonding within a pack situation, would be untenable for one who needs to be protected.”
The silence was deafening, but the tension in the room was suffocating. Kellen couldn’t work out where he’d gone wrong. Was one of the men in the room mated to the vampire? Fuck. Maybe that’s why the creature was allowed in the pack. Did he have them all enthralled?
Pearson leaned back in his chair, a casual move that was fooling no one, least of all Kellen.
“I see,” the Alpha said calmly. “And what, pray tell, does the Council want to do about the vampire in our midst?”
This was something he could answer. “The Council…”
“I’m shocked that the Council would presume to tell me how to run my pack.” Crap. The Alpha hadn’t finished.
“Not in normal circums
tances….”
“Has the Council suddenly decided that there is one set of rules for gay packs, and one for everyone else?”
Okay, things are getting hairy, but I can cope with this. Pearson isn’t the first Alpha I’ve come across who gets his nose in a snit when he thinks he’s been insulted.
“No, of course…”
“It is a paranormal council after all. Have vampires suddenly become outlaws and no one thought to tell me?”
“Not at all. It’s just….”
“What? What is it? What is it about the vampire that has the Council sending a fucking troubleshooter in when there is nothing but peace in my pack?”
“The Council….” Kellen tried to catch Pearson’s eye, but the man wasn’t having any part of it.
“Don’t tell me, tell him.” Pearson was standing now, his face twisted with rage, his mate just as angry beside him. Kellen noted Pearson’s outstretched arm, pointing to the tiny blond who’d been sitting quietly, studying his nails, saying nothing while an absolute tank of a man stood behind him. And yep, that mountain was pissed at him, too.
Beside him, Tristan whimpered, but there was nothing Kellen could do about that. In all of his talks, his notes, the things the Council had told him, nothing had prepared Kellen for the fact that the vampire in question would be in the Alpha’s office, as part of the inner circle. Shit. Things were worse than he’d been led to believe.
When the blond caught him looking, he inclined his head slightly. “Prince Devin Bartholomew Forsyth-Smyth, formerly of the London Coven, now a fully mated member of the Washington Pack; and as you can plainly see, part of the inner circle, thanks to the Alpha’s trust in me and my mate. I take it the Council has a problem with me.”
Holy crap, he was five seconds away from getting his throat ripped out. Kellen wasn’t fooled by the good looks, or small stature of the man sitting so casually with one leg resting on his other knee. Now he was aware of whom he was sharing a room with, every one of his senses was on high alert. If only his mate wasn’t in the room too, he would have smelled something was odd about the smaller man. But nothing the Council had told him could prepare Kellen for the sight of the man the Council wanted dead, sitting in the office of the pack Alpha.
“You have me at a disadvantage,” Kellen said quickly. “The Council had no way of knowing who you were, who you were mated to, or what your position was in this pack. That’s what I have been sent to investigate.”
“Because of Cameron’s safety?” Devin didn’t look like he believed him and neither for that matter did anyone else in the room. Kellen could feel Tristan trembling beside him and he needed to regroup. Needed some time to get his head together, call his contact on the Council and find out what the hell he was meant to do now. Straightening his shoulders, Kellen pulled his coat across his chest.
“Clearly,” he said with as much confidence as he could muster, “there has been some miscommunication on all sides. My job is to assess the situation with Prince Forsyth-Smyth’s position in the pack and how it might impact Mr. Slater’s safety. The Council requested that you provide accommodation for me and my men so that I can conduct this investigation. If you are no longer comfortable with doing so, we will source accommodations in town. However, I will need to interview Mr. Slater and other pack members over the next few days.”
“Oh, you are more than welcome to stay at the club,” Pearson said with a toothy grin. “In fact I insist. However, given the nature of this club I must also insist that you and your men stay in the suites provided, and not venture out into the club areas without an escort.”
“You’re imprisoning me?” Kellen couldn’t believe it. His Council status gave him free access to any pack, anywhere, anytime.
Pearson shook his head. “We have cells for that type of thing. No. I simply feel, with the amount of anger you’ve stirred up in a mere thirty minutes in this office, that to let you loose in the club would create a riot. All of us here prefer a more peaceful existence if we can wrangle it.” Pearson stood up, his mate a silent killer by his side.
“I think this meeting should adjourn. You will, of course, be able to contact anyone you wish; you’re not being held hostage. There are phones in the suites which link to the kitchen; food will be provided for you and anything else you require. My men and I have other things that need attending too, so I suggest we meet back here in say, three hours’ time, which will give you ample time to freshen up after your trip and contact the Council. I will ensure that Mr. Slater, and his mate are here when you return. Kyle, Phillip. Please escort Mr. Waite and his companion to their suite.”
Kellen stood up, pulling Tristan with him. Tristan immediately wrapped himself around Kellen’s torso, and there wasn’t anything Kellen could do about that without creating an embarrassing scene, despite the hurt and anger showing on his mate’s face as the stony enforcer led them through the club, up the stairs and into the suite. When the door slammed behind him, Kellen finally let go his frustration, pushing Tristan away and yelling loud enough to wake the gods. How in hell could this mission have gone to shit so quickly?
Chapter Four
Phillip’s mind was in turmoil and he prayed it didn’t show as he followed Kyle’s sure steps back to Pearson’s office. No matter how much he told himself it was all he deserved, the sight of his mate wrapped around another man, another shifter, as though they belonged together was more than his heart could take. He knew he had nothing to offer a mate. No one, especially another wolf shifter, would accept how wrongly he’d betrayed the Washington pack all those months before. He couldn’t forgive himself and he didn’t expect anyone else to either. But to have to watch that skinny little ferret cling to the man the Fates had determined was perfect for him in every way was more than he could handle. Phillip needed to get away. His back itched and all at once he knew exactly what would help. He simply needed to get away from the club to do it.
When he and Kyle got back to the office, Pearson invited them to sit. Devin and Ace were still there, sitting next to Teric. Steel and his mate Levi had arrived, as had Cameron and Roger. The mood was grim. Phillip sat the other side of Teric, while Kyle stood behind his mate.
“Okay,” Pearson said shortly. “Impressions, Kyle?”
“Waite’s hiding something,” Kyle said gruffly. “He didn’t outright lie, but he was as shocked as hell when he realized who Devin was, and he didn’t hide that very well at all.”
“I don’t understand why he didn’t smell me the moment he came in,” Devin said, comfortably encased in Ace’s hold. The big man never said much, but his devotion to his vampire was absolute, and Phillip didn’t think Devin would be going anywhere on his own in the foreseeable future. Then he registered what Devin had said and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He knew exactly why Kellen hadn’t realized there was a vampire in the room. It was the same reason Phillip didn’t know Tristan was a ferret until they were being escorted to their room.
“I don’t understand that either,” Teric said. “Waite’s bloody good at his job, and he’s a wolf. He should have known what Devin was from the moment he arrived, the same as we all knew he was accompanied by a ferret of all things. Bendy little fuckers, those ferrets.”
Phillip closed his eyes. He did not need to hear how bendy his mate’s mate was, and didn’t that just fuck him up – that he even thought a sentence like that. Sure, he knew that Tristan with the purple hair wasn’t Kellen’s true mate. Otherwise, he’d be attracted to the little man too. And he wasn’t, except in “I want to wrap my fingers around his throat and kill him”, type of way. But it didn’t help when his evil mind tormented him with pictures of what Kellen would look like under that leather coat of his, and how accommodating Tristan would be to the bulk the man was sure to have between his legs.
“Phillip.” Damn, he needed to pay attention. Pearson was looking at him, and it was almost as though…but surely not. The Alpha wasn’t a psychic.
“Your thoughts on Mr. Waite a
nd his companion,” Pearson said quietly.
“The man clearly has an agenda, although as Kyle said, it wasn’t so much in the things he said, but more the look on his face when he realized Devin had been present the whole time. I don’t think he’s overly worried about Cameron’s safety at all. I think his beef is with Devin.”
“I agree,” and Phillip felt a spark of warmth that Pearson still listened to him, treated him like a decent enforcer instead of the traitor he knew himself to be.
“But there’s more, isn’t there Phillip,” Pearson urged gently and in that moment, Phillip knew that Pearson knew, and he was giving Phillip the opportunity to be honest with his pack. And Phillip had no choice but to speak the words he never thought would come from his lips. Pearson’s voice, the way he looked all those months ago when he told him he would get no second chances, gave him no choice.
“From the scent I would say that Mr. Waite is my mate,” he said keeping his voice as unemotional as possible. “Given that all I could smell when he came in was him, I imagine he was hit the same way, and that’s probably why he didn’t realize who Devin was until it was pointed out to him.”
There was silence for a moment, and then Teric lightly thumped him on the arm. “We’d all better be on the alert then, cause sometime real soon there’s going to be a pissed off ferret running around the club.”
The other men laughed, which went a long way towards easing some of the tension. But Pearson was still watching him and Phillip knew he had to continue.
“I’m not going to mate with Waite, in case any of you were worrying how this might affect what happens to the man,” he said, keeping his threatened whimper locked firmly in his throat. “As we saw, he already has a devoted companion, and…” Phillip took a deep breath. Finally, something he could say honestly. “My first loyalty is to the pack. Waite is up to no good, that much is obvious. Whether he’s acting alone, or at the behest of the Council, I don’t know. But he didn’t come here with two enforcers and a case full of weapons to simply ensure Cam’s safety.”