Absentee Wolf

  It was then that Kent noticed more gray at Ben’s temples while he talked. The weight of the pack’s world was on his shoulders, and they sagged a little showing it. Kent wanted to help him. He needed to help him and his pack in any way he could.

  “Whatever you need, Alpha. I’m in.”

  “You and I are going to be joined at the hip, so to speak. Deacon is my beta and he handles a lot, but he knows pack more than business, and he has his own life as well. I need a PA, and I want you to fill that as best you can while you intern here. You’re required forty hours a week just like any other employee would be. You’ll report directly to me when you get here each morning and see me before you leave. I’ll assign you an office down the hall from mine, and Betty will set you up with passwords and all that. Any questions?”

  “Not yet, but if any come up, I’ll be sure to ask.”

  Everything Ben was telling Kent was standard. He knew what Ben needed, someone to do as they were told, someone to handle the little things for him. Kent’s degree was in business, and technically the preserve was a business. He’d be using all the tasks Ben gave him and spinning them as best he could to fit the criteria for the internship. Ben had received a list of assignments that Kent had to do. Ben had agreed that even if the task wasn’t something the preserve generally did, he would find a way to make it one.

  “Good. One more thing,” Ben continued. “Toby will be installing new security on the preserve. I know that you want to skin him alive right now, but you can’t.”

  Kent held his hand up. “Say no more. My personal opinion of Toby won’t interfere with my job. I promise.”

  “Good, that’s all I ask. Be here tomorrow for a meeting at eight.”

  Kent broke out of the office like it was a prison. He didn’t want to spend another moment with Toby. Not letting his feelings for Toby influence his behavior was going to be much harder than he imagined.

  Chapter 4

  Eight o’clock couldn’t come early enough for Toby. He was desperate to see Kent once more. Now that Kent knew they were mates, Toby was determined to repair their relationship.

  Crowded into Ben’s office were several pack members. Kent sat across from Toby. His agitation was obvious to Toby the moment the young man walked into the room and took a seat, never once looking up. Kent bounced his legs and only spoke when spoken to. Toby didn’t understand how Kent could think he’d been buying his affections. He couldn’t think of a single couple that didn’t give one another gifts. Perhaps because it was one-sided, maybe, but Toby assumed that would change as Kent aged. Maybe after the meeting he and Kent could talk. Toby snapped back to the present when Ben started speaking.

  “Everyone here has been introduced, right?” Ben paused and waited for everyone’s consent before turning to Jase. “Jase, I know you’ve already told me what you saw, but I want you to tell everyone here. They need to hear it, so be descriptive. If any of you have questions while he’s talking, ask them. We need this done.”

  Murmurs of agreement sounded throughout the office as Jase cleared his throat, preparing to talk.

  “You all know where I was found, and you saw the cabin, right?”

  As alpha, Ben answered for the group. “Yes, we have the cabin on the map now. It has no history or permits with the city or state.” He motioned for Jase to continue with his story. The urgency of the situation was obvious in his gestures.

  “Okay, well I saw two men patrolling. They were staring into the woods and walking around the cabin and along the fence edge. They had two guns strapped to their thighs.” Jase stopped talking and wrinkled his forehead, his brows plunging into a deep V.

  “What is it?” Ben asked, sitting forward slightly.

  “I was thinking that I know the one gun had tranquilizers in it, so the other probably had bullets. I’m really lucky to be alive right now.”

  Koda wrapped his arms around Jase’s middle and dropped his head behind Jase’s back. Hiding behind his mate, Koda seemed so nervous. Toby didn’t know the couple well, but even in this short time he could see their love. He looked to Kent, but his head was down and his hands were flying across the keyboard of the netbook in his lap.

  “It’s fine, babe. I’m all right now.” Jase rubbed his hands over Koda’s arms at his waist.

  Toby had to figure out a way to fix things with his mate. He couldn’t bear the distance between them. They had been closer over the last eight years when there were hundreds of miles between them than they were right now when separated by a few feet.

  “We’ll make sure that everyone knows these people are armed and dangerous. And, Toby, look into ways of recognizing when a firearm is shot on the preserve. Jase, what else?”

  Toby jotted down a note to check into heat and noise detection. He would have to call in some favors and do quite a bit of research to outfit the preserve properly.

  “There was a pickup truck out front.”

  Noah lurched forward. “Did you see the color or the license plate?”

  “I was a wolf, so I couldn’t see the color. Just that it was dark. I didn’t think to look for the plate.” Jase hung his head. As if sensing his mate’s need for comfort, Koda chimed in.

  “The tailgate was down, so we couldn’t see it anyway. Remember they were unloading a box.”

  Toby wanted the closeness that Koda and Jase had. Seeing the couple interact was harder than ever now that Kent had spurned him. Toby looked to Kent again but couldn’t get a read on him.

  “Yeah, that’s right.” Jase’s demeanor perked up as he rambled on. “There was a huge crate or box the size of an extra-large dog kennel in the bed. They unloaded it and took it into the cabin. I also heard a whine, but it didn’t come from the box. It sounded like it was under me.”

  The room exchanged looks of concern.

  “Anyway, they moved the box inside, and I crept closer to the fence. That was when the guy got a shot off. I pulled out two darts as soon as they hit me. I don’t know anything else.”

  “Thanks, Jase. You two can leave.” Ben pulled at his jeans and rearranged himself in his chair while they rose and made their way to the door. “Go home and take a day or two off. You can still help, but from headquarters. You aren’t going back into the preserve yet.”

  “I’m moving into Jase’s apartment, so that’s where you’ll find us.” Koda stopped and looked across the room at the clock above Ben’s desk. Pointing at it, he said, “We should be going anyway. My alpha said he’d bring my bed over and my dresser to start off the move. Bye, all.”

  Once they left, only Ben and those working on security remained. Toby sat forward, his hands dangling between his legs. “This is really going to be tough.”

  “I’m sure you can do it.” Deacon slapped Toby on the back. Deacon was as encouraging as Toby remembered from years ago. Although before Toby left, Deacon wasn’t the beta. He was just another member of the pack.

  “Of course, Toby always knows exactly what’s best to do, don’t you, Toby?” Kent stood and stormed from the room.

  “Kent, don’t be like that.” Toby jumped to his feet, but didn’t follow when the door slammed shut. What made Kent snap all of a sudden, Toby didn’t understand. He really wanted to open the door and charge after Kent and make him listen. Silence filled the room. Toby looked back to Ben, hoping he would say something to break the tension or even give him permission to go retrieve Kent.

  Before Ben could do so, Noah spoke out.

  “Did you guys hear the joke about the owl shifter? It’s a hoot!”

  “Noah!” Ben groaned out.

  Noah snapped his head to face Ben. “What?”

  Ben shook his head. “Toby, sit down. There’s nothing you can do about it now. Let’s just focus on security for now.”

  “I’ll try, but my head’s not in it.”

  “You have to get in it. We need this. Your mate isn’t going anywhere. In fact, he shouldn’t have gone anywhere to begin with. He’s supposed to be here to help me.”<
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  “Do you want me to go get him?” Noah volunteered, and Ben looked like he was about to say yes, but then reconsidered.

  “No, I think he will be back in a little bit. He’s not the kind to shirk his responsibilities. He takes everything very seriously.”

  As Ben spoke, he looked at Toby not Noah. Was there an underlying message that Toby wasn’t getting? Did Kent think that by Toby leaving he had shirked his responsibility of being there for his mate? Suddenly, new scenarios played out in Toby’s mind. This meeting had to end quickly, so he could talk to Kent.

  The door opened once more. Kent stood in the doorway a tray balanced in one hand. On it were doughnuts, muffins, and a carafe. He set it on the small central table.

  “I thought while I was up, I would get us some food, so we could focus. There’s coffee, as well.” Kent sat back in his seat and placed his netbook back on his lap.

  “Thank you, Kent. That was very thoughtful.” Toby tried to compliment his mate, but Kent didn’t even acknowledge him with a grunt.

  “Now that everyone’s back, Toby what do you suggest we do with the preserve?”

  “Oh, yeah, right.” Toby patted his chest pockets absentmindedly and looked around.

  “Behind your left ear,” Kent mumbled but never looked away from his little computer screen.

  Toby grabbed the pen from his ear and smiled his most handsome smile at Kent. “Thanks.” Again Kent ignored him. Kent had to be regarding him, though, to have known about the pen. That was a good sign, and Toby was going to cling to it. He grabbed the messenger bag from the floor next to him. Pulling out several stacks of papers, he handed the top one to Ben. “First, we need to do a security assessment of the preserve and all the buildings. This is the check sheet I give to my clients. Not all of it will apply here, but it will show us our weakest places.”

  Ben took the offered papers and flipped through them quickly before handing it off to Kent. “Here. You handle this. Delegate individual buildings to various people on security or pack inner circle. Those are the only people I want involved on this particular item.”

  Kent’s mouth popped open as he looked at the paper then his eyes flicked quickly over to Toby. Inside, Toby was jumping up and down. The list was extremely detailed, and Kent would invariably have to ask Toby questions along the way. This was working out better than he could have hoped. Any reason to talk to Kent would afford him the opportunity to win him over.

  “Once that’s finished we’ll work on the sections that are highest risk first. You have the fence line being inspected, correct?”

  “Yes, Noah and Deacon are monitoring that and reporting to me. It’s being visually inspected, and all areas with overgrowth are being cleared.”

  “Excuse me.” Noah motioned for attention, and Ben nodded. “That plant that was covering the fence line where Jase was shot was kudzu, like Deacon thought.”

  Connor cleared his throat, and Noah nodded at him. “I did some digging. It’s an invasive plant in the U.S. Although kudzu is all over the South, it’s never been found in Kansas. That means it was probably put there.”

  “Shit.” Ben smacked his leg and pressed back into his chair. Kent jotted down information on his netbook.

  “I think we should look throughout the preserve for other patches of kudzu. It might mean that’s possibly another entry point.” Noah looked to Toby, who then took over the conversation.

  “Then those places are where we will start fence reinforcement first. And speaking of the fence, we have a few options. I don’t know what you’re looking for. But I have low-tech like barbed wire or razor wire. I can go intermediate with something like electric fencing, motion detectors, and video surveillance. The most recent perimeter security technology is a combination of several of these and includes a virtual fence, which is installed in the ground and triggers security cameras, allowing you to zoom in on a specific area.”

  Toby looked up from his notes and papers to see Ben exhaling and slumping down. He glanced to Deacon, Noah, and Connor. All three looked overwhelmed at the options presented to them. Toby wasn’t winning any friends over with all his tech talk. He packed up his papers and set his messenger bag to the side.

  “There are some very basic things I think we should start doing that would help security. The most common security device you already have, but I don’t know if you’re using it.”

  “What? Motion sensing lights?”

  “No, but those are good. I was talking about a guard dog.”

  “Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!” Noah was fist pumping with a huge grin on his face. This was what the enforcers were made for.

  “Noah knows where I’m going with this. The preserve is huge, but increasing patrols and using the enforcers and scouts would be the fastest and most efficient way to increase security. I think the fence has given us a false sense of security.”

  “Deacon, you and Noah work something out then bring it to me.” Deacon and Noah bumped knuckles then settled back into their seats. This was better, small steps. Toby needed to make overhauling preserve security approachable. Maybe I need to apply this to my mating as well. He needed to take small steps and become approachable to Kent again. But right now Toby had to focus on security.

  Clearing his throat, he tried to concentrate and stay in the zone. “Another thing you need to consider is how this is going to look to the public. What we don’t want is for them to think we are making some sort of compound.”

  “This is a zoo for all intents and purposes.” Ben’s clipped response showed his agitation, but Toby was determined to keep his cool.

  “Exactly! I think we should embrace that. Issue some sort of public announcement that the preserve will be closing sections for a security overhaul in the best interest of the wolves or the community or some bullshit. I don’t know. But put a spin on it, for the public’s benefit or the wolves’. Whatever’s a better sale.”

  Ben’s smile returned. “Sure, we can do that. That would make it believable. Kent?”

  Kent’s head popped up from his laptop, the tip of his tongue sticking out, caught in his lips. Toby fought the urge to jump across that distance to taste it. “Huh?”

  “You and Toby need to come up with a press release about security being increased on the preserve. Make it whatever he just said.” Ben pointed at Toby and waved his hand. Ben’s phone buzzed and skittered across the desk. Ben picked it up and scrolled through the screen. “Sorry, I have to cut this short. Just do as I’ve asked you all.”

  Ben stood from his desk and practically sprinted from his office. Those left behind looked around at each other and shrugged. The alpha had a lot on his plate, so they weren’t going to judge his odd behavior now.

  Noah and Deacon headed to Deacon’s office to work up a schedule. They pulled Connor along with them.

  Toby stood by his chair, his messenger bag now slung over his shoulder. He wanted to talk to Kent about them, about what happened, about mating, but if Kent wouldn’t listen, Toby was going to just use the inroad Ben had provided. Kent stood, kept his eyes down, and headed right to the exit.

  “You might as well follow me to my office so we can get this done.”

  He brushed past Toby, and his scent trailed behind him. Toby inhaled deeply, and his cock responded as always. Today Kent was wearing some expensive cologne, and it accented his natural scent. He had on a dress shirt and slacks that made him look the part of a PA. He should have been on Wall Street and not here in Kansas.

  Toby followed as closely behind Kent as he could. He wanted Kent to know he was there. He wanted him to feel his body touching him, even if it wasn’t. He wanted Kent to respond to him. Even if it was anger, it meant he had affected Kent and affected him passionately. Kent stopped at his office door, and Toby bumped into his back, smushing Kent against the door. Kent elbowed him, but Toby didn’t care. He took the opportunity to lean in and sniff Kent’s neck and hair. He didn’t even try to hide the action. He wasn’t ashamed of
it. Toby was blatantly taking the opportunity afforded him. His nose brushed against the short hairs at Kent’s nape, and he inhaled deeply.

  “Toby, knock it off.” Toby stepped back, but only minutely.

  “You’re my mate, and you smell good.”

  Finally fumbling with the handle, he opened the door. Kent stood to the side and gestured.

  “Just get in.” He looked in the hall before closing the door.

  Kent marched around the desk and set his netbook down. His hands were on the desktop, and his head was bent as he leaned over it. He blew out a long, slow breath. Toby took the opportunity to move around the desk and sit on the edge near Kent. Toby’s face was right below his.

  “Toby, why are you doing this?” He looked over Kent’s face. His eyes traveled over every inch of skin, and his brows furrowed.

  “You’re my mate. I’ve been waiting and waiting for you. I want you. I want my mate. What’s so hard to understand about that?”

  Kent didn’t answer. He pulled out his chair and then sat in it. He moved his netbook to the side of his desk then took out the list that Ben had handed him. Grabbing a corner, he flipped through the pages rapidly.

  “That’s just too much. Let’s start the press release. You know what? Forget it. I can do that on my own. When I’m done with it, you can sign off. I don’t need you.”

  “Ouch.” Toby pulled the lone chair around the desk and sat it as close to Kent as he could. “I get the feeling you mean that in more ways than the list and press release.”

  “You’re so perceptive, Tobias. Really, it’s surprising that someone as perceptive as you fucked up his mating so royally.”

  “Dammit! Would you just tell me what I did that was so bad? Leaving so you could grow up without me lingering or feeling like I was breathing down your neck?”

  “You mean abandoning me and never telling me that you were my mate.”

  It was as if Toby hadn’t spoken at all. Every time he said his reasons, Kent ignored them.