by M. A. Church
“So now what?”
“So now we prepare for my mate to come and stay a couple of days. He’ll be here tomorrow afternoon.” I rubbed my temples in frustration. “Call for a pack meeting tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. I want everybody in front of my house unless they have to work, so grab Shea and spread the word.”
“You know there’s going to be resistance to this.”
“I’m aware. They’re going to have to deal.”
“Easier said than done.” Temple stopped holding up the doorframe and straightened. “We’ll spread the word, Alpha.”
“Thank you. Shut the door after you, would you? I need a moment or two of quiet.”
After Temple left I rested my elbows on the desk and dropped my head into my hands. I was in deep shit and hadn’t realized it until now. There was so much going on this last week, along with avoiding Sabrina, that I hadn’t noticed how things had changed within my body.
It wasn’t until Sabrina sat on my lap that I noticed I wasn’t remotely attracted to her. She did absolutely nothing for me, even though I still thought she was beautiful. The only person I fantasized about, when I actually had time this week, was Aidric. Sure enough, my cock perked up at the name.
My wolf wasn’t playing around. He wasn’t having anyone else. Aidric was our mate. The fact I couldn’t get hard around Sabrina was my wolf’s nature basically giving a big fuck you to the human side of me. Guess I had the answer to what to do about my mate.
I hadn’t seriously considered rejecting Aidric, but I was well aware my pack wouldn’t easily accept us being mates. Then there was Aidric’s resistance too. Out of the two of us, Aidric was giving up far more. Somehow I needed to convince Aidric it was worth it. If I had to threaten everybody in my pack in order to make sure Aidric had a nice time, I would.
This visit had to be perfect.
Chapter Three
Aidric
I MADE a quick phone call to Dolf and arranged for the time off. Dolf expressed concern about my being the only werecat in a pack of wolves, and I reassured my Alpha that Carter gave his word I’d be safe. Dolf wasn’t pleased. I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy either, but this seemed the best solution. I did promise Dolf I’d check in every night.
I’d barely hung up when my cell phone rang again. Well, wasn’t I Mr. Popularity today? I checked the number and frowned. Why in the world would Remi be calling? “Hello?”
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“Um, not much. Is something wrong?”
“Can I call just to say hi?”
“Well, considering you never have before….”
“Okay, fine.” Remi sighed. “Marshell and I just went to pick up my new vehicle.”
What that had to do with me, I had no idea, but I was willing to play along until Remi got to the point of this phone call. “You finally got one?”
“Yeah, I thought about getting another Mustang like the one I lost, but I decided to go with something brand-new this time.”
“What did you finally decide to get?”
“A metallic-black 2016 Camaro that has more bells and whistles than you can shake a stick at.”
“Congratulations.” I scratched my head, still trying to figure out why he was sharing the good news with me.
Remi had bitched about wanting a new vehicle for quite a while now, but he’d put off looking. He claimed he needed time to mourn his baby, his ’69 Mustang he lost in a fire. A stalker had tried to burn the car around Kirk, one of Dolf’s mates. Kirk came through it okay, but Remi’s baby… not so much.
“Thanks, man. Anyway, I guess you’re wondering why I’m calling you.”
“Well, yes.” Remi and I were betas to Dolf, but we weren’t exactly close.
“Look, I know you’re going through some stuff right now, and I thought maybe you and I could get together and talk.”
The offer surprised me. Remi and I didn’t hang around and shoot the shit. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t really know what you think you can do to help.”
“I can’t really, but I can tell you what it’s like being mated to someone who’s not only stronger than our Alpha, but who’s also not a werecat.”
It wasn’t the same. Not even remotely the same. “That may be so, but—”
“Just listen for a minute, will you? Marshell isn’t a werewolf, granted, but the Vetala are feared. While werewolves may not exactly be feared, they’re definitely not well-liked, so we have something in common there. Trust me when I tell you Marshell can be just as arrogant as any werewolf when he wants to be.”
I paused. Remi did have a point. Maybe talking to someone would help. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. Do you want me to come over?”
“Naw. I’ll come to you. I’m going to follow Marshell home, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“Okay. I’ll see you shortly.”
We hung up, and I slipped my phone into my jeans pocket. “My life just keeps getting more and more strange.”
I’D JUST thrown another log on the fire when there was a knock on the cabin door. After a quick check to make sure it was indeed Remi standing on my front porch, I unlocked the door and invited him inside.
“Hey, Remi.”
“Hey, man. How are you?” Remi unzipped his jacket and shrugged out of it.
“I’m fine.” I took the jacket, shut the door, and locked it again. Where I lived was even more isolated than the rest of the betas, and the fussy side of my nature demanded I keep the doors locked for safety reasons. I placed his jacket over the back of a nearby barstool.
“Like the shirt, by the way,” I said. “It’s funny.”
Remi looked down and grinned. “Thank you. It happens to be one of my favorites.”
He was well-known for his snarky shirts, and this one was no different. It was olive with white block writing. The shirt read I’m having one of those days where my middle finger is answering every question.
“Would you like something to drink?” I asked.
“No, thanks.”
“Come on in and have a seat, then.”
My place wasn’t spacious—it consisted of two bedrooms, two baths, living area, a kitchen, and a small laundry area/mudroom. It was a log cabin built on stilts and set deep in the woods. There was a stream less than fifty feet from my front door, and the bank was moss-covered rocks and tree trunks where my cat loved to play.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been out here. Did you get new couches?” Remi asked.
“Yes, couple months ago.” I sat on the love seat.
The two-tone brown leather couch and love seat were big and comfy. I actually thought the dark colors looked good, considering the rest of the wood in the cabin was light. There was a big gray stone fireplace in the corner. My TV was mounted over the mantel. The kitchen and living area were open concept.
“Huh. I like it.” Remi ran his hand along the arm of the couch.
“Did you drive all the way out here to talk about my decorating skills?”
Remi stopped petting the leather and slouched deep into the couch. He shook his head. “The value of small talk totally escapes you, doesn’t it?”
I wrinkled my nose. Figured I’d already screwed up. “Sorry.”
This was a perfect example of the “open mouth, insert foot” disease I seemed to suffer from. I wasn’t the smoothest when it came to social interaction, and my question was probably rude, but I didn’t have all day. If I wanted to be out of here by lunch tomorrow, I needed to start packing tonight.
“No problem.” Remi crossed his legs and got comfortable. “I just forgot how abrupt you can be at times.”
“Am I really that bad?”
“Well, since you asked… sometimes,” Remi said.
I blew out a breath. “Lovely. Between me being totally inept in social situations and Carter’s arrogance—”
“Speaking of Carter…?”
“Yeah. Speaking of him.” I ran my hand through my hair. It wasn’t as long as most
of the betas, but it was past my collar.
“Have you talked to him since that meeting?”
“As matter of fact, I spoke to him today. Just a little while ago.”
“Oh? And?”
“I decided I would go stay with him for a couple of days.”
Remi snorted. “Well, when you decide to do something, you really decide to do it, don’t you? How do you feel about being the only werecat there?”
That question was easy. “Intimidated, although Carter promised I’d be safe around his pack. He gave his word, which, oddly enough, I trust. Before you ask, I did tell Dolf and arranged for time off.”
“I assumed you had spoken to Dolf. Out of all of us, you’re the last one to go running off into a situation without letting somebody know.”
“Being cautious often tends to result in fewer regrets later.”
“True, but there’s something to be said for taking a leap of faith—and I can already see you stiffening up, but let me finish. Out of all of us, I was probably the only beta that would’ve been okay mating with a human. Instead our goddess gifted me with someone who is quite the opposite.”
“Yes, she did indeed.”
“I’m pretty strong for a beta, so I always assumed my mate would be submissive. What I wasn’t expecting was for her to give me someone as strong-willed as me.”
“I don’t know Marshell, but I’d agree with that assessment of him. He certainly about drove Heller mad.”
“Yes, well, in his mind, Heller had it coming. While Marshell certainly enjoyed getting on Heller’s nerves, he did have an ulterior motive. Marshell was trying to force that bonehead into seeing Lawson was Heller’s perfect mate, even though Lawson was human at the time.”
“Heller can be a little hardheaded.”
“Yeah, that’s like saying Heller is a little bit vain about his hair. Anyway, I’m getting off subject here. Our goddess gave me a mate who’s just as toppy as me. If that wasn’t alarming enough, Marshell is incredibly powerful, as you know.”
“I’ll say.”
“Here’s the odd thing about that, though. I’m perfectly fine with that because I know for a fact he’d never use that power against me.”
“Look, what are you trying to say? Spit it out.”
“I’m saying you need to trust in our goddess. This isn’t a mistake. She paired the two of you together for a reason. It’s up to you and Carter to figure out what that reason is.”
“Dammit.” I rolled my shoulders, trying to loosen some of the tension. “All I wanted was a nice quiet life.”
“That might’ve been what you wanted, but are you sure that’s what you needed?”
I waved my hand in disgust. I’d heard all this before. “Yes, yes, I know everyone thinks I’m boring and stuffy.”
“It’s not that we think that, Aidric. It’s more like you’re content to just drift along. Apparently our goddess has other plans for you than just sliding through life.”
“Would’ve been nice if she’d asked me first.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Remi grinned.
“This is my life we’re talking about, dammit,” I snapped.
“Exactly,” Remi said. “You need some fun in your life.”
“I think you and I have a different definition of fun.”
“Honestly the only definition that matters is hers.” Remi looked me square in the eye. “Give him, and yourself, a chance. Otherwise the alternative isn’t going to be pretty.”
“I know.”
“Then try.” Remi stood and stretched. “I know you. When you make your mind up to do something, there’s not much that can stop you.”
Since Remi stood, I got up also. “There are two of us in this relationship, though.”
“Yes, there are, but werewolves aren’t stupid. Aggressive as hell? Yes. Stupid? No.” Remi paused as if reconsidering his words. “Well, at least most of them aren’t. I can think of one or two exceptions.”
I retrieved Remi’s jacket. “Here you go. Have a safe trip home, and thank you. I mean that.”
Remi shrugged on his coat. “I know we’ve never really been close, but I consider you a friend. I understand some of what you’re going through too. If you need me, all you have to do is call.”
“I appreciate that. I do.” I walked Remi to the front door. “It’s just that I’m used to dealing with stuff on my own.”
“That’s all well and good. I just wanted to let you know you don’t have to.”
I opened the door. “Thanks.”
“No problem. And good luck.”
Since it was dark, I flipped on the outdoor light. Remi jogged down the steps and out to his new vehicle. Soon the deep purr of the engine drifted to me. The car fit Remi. It was sleek, sexy, and bold as brass. The thing was built for attention, just like Remi.
There was a time, long ago, that Remi and I danced around one another. I found him attractive, but there was this vibe he gave off that clearly said he was all about control, and I couldn’t see him giving that up.
While I was a bottom, I took charge and played the more dominant, aggressive, and commanding role in sex. That was just one of the many worries I had in regards to a relationship between Carter and me. I didn’t see him being okay with me bossing him around while he fucked me.
SUNDAY MORNING dawned clear and bright. Birds chirped happily. I scowled at the noisy little shits and debated turning my cat loose on them. The absurdly happy lot of them irked me this morning.
Unfortunately I didn’t have time to indulge myself. If I couldn’t slaughter the perky little bastards, then the next best thing was caffeine. I sniffed, then purred in relief as the smell of coffee wrapped around me. Thank goodness I remembered to set the timer on the machine last night. Yup, the sooner I got caffeine in me, the better, so I struggled into a pair of pajama bottoms.
Yawning, I shuffled into the kitchen. I wasn’t a big breakfast eater, but caffeine was a necessity; otherwise the chances of me using somebody as a scratching post were pretty good. After I fixed the coffee, I held it in my hands, letting the fabulous scent calm me.
Strange dreams had pursued me all night long. I didn’t sleep well, and my bed was a disaster as proof. My sheets and I had had a free-for-all… and they won. I ached everywhere, and my mood was precarious. Just the frame of mind I needed to be in to meet a bunch of damn werewolves.
Sipping my coffee, I wandered into the den, flopped down the couch, and pulled a throw over my feet. Instead of rushing through the morning so I could leave, here I sat. I wasn’t looking forward to meeting Carter’s pack. Hopefully things would go well, but I wasn’t holding my breath.
On that happy note, I finished my coffee, showered, and dressed. After I checked the weather one last time, I sent a text letting Carter know I was leaving, then sent Dolf one too. Unable to stall any longer, I locked the front door, took my suitcase to my truck, and left.
Ready or not, here I come.
Chapter Four
Carter
“EVERYBODY’S HERE who could be, Alpha,” Shea said.
“Good. Let’s get this show on the road, then.” I opened the front door and stepped outside onto the front patio with Shea. Temple was already on the steps.
The sun shone down on us and the birds chirped happily. In the summer when everything was leafed out, the woods were so thick the sun had a hard time getting through.
“Okay, everybody listen up! Alpha Lovelock has an announcement to make.” Everyone could hear Temple perfectly, even though he didn’t yell. Great hearing was just one advantage of being a werewolf.
Several disgruntled faces looked back up at me, and I knew then Sabrina had been running her mouth. “I called you here today for a reason, so I’ll be brief. As some of you may know, I recently made a trip to the West Falls Clowder lands. There was an incident that involved one of my werewolves. Because of this I owed Alpha Dolf Hoyer compensatory payment.”
I stopped speaking so the crowd cou
ld absorb what I said. I heard the murmurs as the situation was discussed. Most of my pack knew what had transpired with Jack. It was hard to ignore, especially since his new mate was one of the hunters who had targeted Marshell, the Vetala who was part of Dolf’s clowder. Missy was in the crowd too. I knew she wasn’t happy with the punishment I set up for Jack.
“The clowder was due this, and I didn’t dispute it. They brought me several bids for the destruction that happened on their territory, and I willingly paid.”
More grumbles went through the crowd. Most of the objections were coming from the elders and a couple of the younger pack members. Sabrina’s older brother, Delaney, stood in the crowd with his arms crossed over his chest and disgust on his face.
“During my second meeting with them, something happened, and I gather from some of the hostility I’m sensing, word has already gotten out. Yes, I met my mate. Yes, my mate is male. Yes, he is a werecat.”
The noise level rose abruptly.
“And no, I have no intention of rejecting him.”
“So, what? You’re going to just toss my sister aside?” Delaney suddenly yelled.
I glared at Delaney and seriously considered ignoring him, but that would imply I’d done something wrong, and I hadn’t. Still, this was not the time or the place. “Do you really want to do this? Here in front of everybody?”
“You don’t want to talk about what you’ve done to her?”
“First off, I haven’t ‘done’ anything to her, as you’re insinuating.” There went any hope of doing this civilly. “Secondly I think this would be better discussed privately.”
Delaney smirked. “I’m sure.”
I debated how to respond. Airing my private life in front of the pack annoyed me, but I wasn’t going to let Delaney imply I’d done something wrong either. Uncivil it was, then.
“Fine,” I said. “Just remember I offered you the opportunity to discuss this privately. You make it sound like there was some sort of commitment between Sabrina and me, and there wasn’t.”