by Shannon West
The idea of mating with another male, no matter how good looking he might be, wasn’t what he wanted, though it wasn’t as shocking as it might be for someone who wasn’t clan. Bi-sexuality was so common with clan that the thought of having sex with Travis didn’t bother him. It was the damn struggle for dominance that was sure to come that made him a little nervous and apprehensive. Travis would fight him tooth and nail.
The fact of the matter was that he was pretty sure his cat had already settled the issue. Three mornings in a row he’d awakened to find Travis tucked beneath him. Camron was lying partially on top of Travis, his knee snuggled up against his balls, a trusting, vulnerable position that no man would allow if he hadn’t already submitted.
While in their cat, their human minds were switched off, and it was hard to remember anything that happened. He had vague memories of running with another cat, even fighting one, but not much beyond that. Still, he felt possessive and territorial when he thought about Travis, a big change from before the dark moon. No, Travis was his. He was sure of it. Now it only remained to convince him of the fact. He had a plan that had come to him gradually over the past three days and though it needed fleshing out, he was already committed to seeing it through.
As he drove into town he spotted Spencer’s truck outside Marie’s little café. Camron decided there was no time like the present to tell Travis’s brother what was on his mind. He wouldn’t be talked out of his decision, but it was the right thing to do to let Spencer know before he went to claim Travis. Spencer had been a year or two ahead of him in school, but they’d always gotten along okay, despite the way his mother and father felt about the MacKays. Like Camron, Spencer seemed to feel the feud was ancient history and was best left in the past.
Parking his truck beside Spencer’s, Camron went inside the diner, glad to be out of the cold dreary rain that was so typical of November in these parts. The diner smelled warm and inviting and though the grease hung almost palpably in the air, it still was a homey atmosphere. The diner was run by Marie Sutherland, a rather surly clan female, who ruled the place with an iron fist. If there had been any other place in town to go, most people probably would have, just to avoid her, but the little cafe was the only game in town. It was just after twelve o’clock and the place was packed.
He spotted Spencer sitting at a table with his cousin Hawke and hesitated. Then, making up his mind, he went over to them. Hawke was practically raised up with Spencer and Travis, and the three of them were all as close as brothers. He might as well break the news to Hawke at the same time as Spencer.
“Hey, Camron,” Hawke said with a smile as Camron walked over to stand by their table. “Have a seat.”
They had just started their meal, so Camron sat down with them, nervous and unsure as to how to start the conversation. He was surprised to find that he was a little apprehensive, and that it was important to him that Spencer and Hawke approve of his plan.
“You’re having meatloaf, Camron,” Marie called out to him from across the room. “I’m about out of everything else. The way these boys eat around here, I’m lucky to have that. So take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it, Miss Marie. Thank you.”
“You hear that, Hawke?” she said stridently. “You probably don’t recognize it, but that’s manners. You Sutherland boys could take a leaf out of his book.”
Hawke rolled his eyes, but he grinned at Camron. “You just come in here to cause trouble, Camron?” he asked jokingly. “Now you got Marie on my ass.”
“Sorry,” Camron said with a smile. “I just came in to talk to Spencer about…about Travis.”
“Oh hell,” Spencer said, putting down his fork. “What’s he done now? Does he owe you some money? You should have known better than to loan that boy money, Camron.”
“I didn’t loan him any money. No, this is about something else.”
“Come on over here, honey, and get your plate,” Marie interrupted. “I made some tea nice and fresh for you.” Marie actually lowered one eyelid in an attempt at a wink. She held it just a tad too long, though, making her look as if she had something lodged in her eye. Hawke almost choked on the bite of chicken he was putting in his mouth, and Spencer looked back and forth from Camron to Hawke with amazement.
“She’s nice to him,” Spencer whispered hoarsely to Hawke. “She made him fresh tea.”
Camron went to fetch his plate and a glass of sweet tea, gave Marie a big smile and a return of her wink and sat back down. “What?” he said, as the other two men continued to stare at him. “I’m just being polite.”
Spencer shook his head. “Will you go get me another glass of tea?” He held out his drink glass hopefully. He’d already had his one free refill and if he tried for another, Marie would probably take his hand off.
“Sure,” he said, smiling and went over to the pitcher to pour Spencer another glass. Marie smiled beatifically on him.
“You mama and them doing all right, Camron?”
“Yes ma’am. I’ll be sure and tell her you asked about her.”
“You do that, honey.”
Camron came back to the table and put the glass down in front of Spencer.
“That was awesome,” Spencer said reverently. “Can you eat lunch with us again tomorrow?”
Camron grinned and said, “Actually, I’m going out of town tomorrow and that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh yeah?” Spencer said, his face puzzled. He picked up a forkful of mashed potatoes.
“Yeah. Look, there’s no easy way to tell you this, so I’m just going to come out and say it. Travis is my mate.”
“Travis who?” Spencer looked over at Hawke who was much quicker on the uptake. Hawke’s eyebrows had risen almost comically.
“Your brother, dumbass,” Hawke said quietly.
“My brother? Travis? Your mate?” Now it was Spencer’s turn to raise his eyebrows. He looked over at Hawke in amazement. “What’s the joke? I don’t get it. I’m missing something here.”
“No joke,” Camron said firmly. “It was a shock to me too, believe me. He’s my mate though. I woke up all three mornings of the dark moon to find him with me—actually under me on the ground. I only have vague memories of the shift, of course, but I know we were together all night. My cat has uh…claimed him.”
Spencer dropped his fork again and his face went white. “Oh, my God…”
Hawke put a restraining hand on his shoulder. “Calm down, Spencer. Hear him out.”
“But they’re both clan males, Hawke. How in the hell is that going to work?”
“I’ve already told you that my cat has claimed his. You know what that means—I don’t have to spell it out to you. We’re mates, damn it, and he-he submitted to me. I’m sure of it.”
Spencer’s face went from stark white to fire engine red in the space of seconds. His fists clenched and his breath started coming faster. Again, Hawke gripped his shoulder. “Shut up, Spencer. Give yourself a minute before you say something you’ll regret.”
Spencer looked over at Hawke and tried to take a deep breath before turning his angry gaze back on Camron. “Are you saying what I think you are?”
“Probably. Like I said, I don’t have any clear memory of anything. We were in our shifted forms. You know how that is. And I’m not here to ask your permission. I’m here to tell you he’s mine.”
“Yours, huh? You know he’s my baby brother?”
“He’s nobody’s baby, though I know you and your family have treated him like one. He’s been spoiled, but he’s my mate, now, and I’m taking him. He belongs to me and that’s all you need to know.”
Spencer started to stand up. “The hell you say!”
Hawke pulled him back down. “Shut up and let me handle this.”
Turning back to Camron, his expression was stern. “Just what are your uh…intentions toward Travis?”
“My intentions? I just told you he’s my mate. He’ll live with me now, and I’ll t
ake care of him.”
Hawke’s face softened a little. “Oh. I-uh-I thought you were uh…more heterosexual than bi.”
Camron gave a short laugh. “So did I. Imagine my surprise! This mating thing is powerful.” He gazed at Hawke. “You must know how it is.”
“Yes, yes I do.”
“Did Jace’s relatives come to you and question your intentions?”
Hawke grinned at him. “No, by God, they didn’t.” He turned toward Spencer and shrugged. “Nothing you can do about it, Spencer, except be damned grateful it’s Camron and not Holden MacKay.”
“Holden?” Camron looked at Hawke sharply. “What’s Holden got to do with this situation?”
Spencer spoke up sullenly, still clearly not happy. “Travis has been seeing him. I don’t know how far it’s gone, because he wouldn’t tell me.”
Camron nodded. “Well, that’s over with. Like I said, he belongs to me now.”
“Does he know that? Spencer asked.
“No, or at least I don’t think so. I left every morning of the dark moon before he woke up, because I needed some time to come to terms with it. That’s why I’m telling you this. I’m about to go get him and explain a few hard truths to him, and I don’t expect he’s going to like it much.”
“What exactly do you mean, Camron?” Hawke asked quietly.
“You both know as well as I do that he’s wild as hell. I’m not putting up with that anymore. No more drinking, no more smoking and no more drugs. He’s going to straighten up.”
Spencer’s eyes narrowed. “He’ll fight you every step of the way. He’ll probably get Mama to come get him.”
“I’m not scared of your mama, but I don’t want to get on her wrong side so soon either. Which is why I’m taking him out of town tomorrow. I have a cabin up in the hills above Blackwater Falls—almost ten miles up in there. It was my dad’s hunting cabin, and I haven’t been up since last year. That’s where I’m taking him.”
“What if he won’t go? Hell, if you get him up there, he might not stay.” Hawke shook his head. “His folks are all known to be stubborn and among our branch of the Sutherlands, that’s saying something.”
“Hey!” Spencer said, punching Hawke on the shoulder.
“Well, do you deny it?”
“No…I’m just sayin’…”
Camron shook his head. “Don’t worry, he’ll go. And I’ll keep him there. But he’s not leaving from up there until all the alcohol cravings are gone, and he agrees to settle down with me.”
Hawke looked uncomfortable. “Why don’t you have a talk with the doc before you take him? I just have a feeling that Travis is a lot worse into drinking than Spencer and his family has realized.”
“Hey! What the hell does that mean?” Spencer said sharply, glaring at Hawke now too.
“It means what I’ve been telling you for a while now, Spencer. Travis has had a problem for months, and you’ve been putting your head in the sand. All I’m saying is Camron needs to see the doc. He can give him some medicine for Travis maybe. Just in case.”
Camron nodded thoughtfully. “Good idea. I’ll go see him right away.”
“I won’t have Travis hurt.” Spencer said, his face darkening.
“Neither will I,” Camron replied, and Spencer finally nodded.
“Suppose you can keep him there,” Spencer said. “Then what?”
“Then he stops his drinking—we talk things over and come back home. He settles down and goes to work helping me in the business. It will be his business too, then. We’ll live in my house. I have a little two bedroom cabin in the woods, and a few acres of land. It’s not fancy, but it will do until the kids come.”
Spencer and Hawke looked at each other and then back at Camron. “Till the kids come?” Spencer said. “What kids would that be?”
“I’d like to adopt some kids one day. Family’s important to me.”
Spencer snorted. “Who the hell in their right mind is going to give my brother a kid to raise? And even if they did, we are in Alabama, you know. Not exactly the most gay-friendly state in the Union.”
Camron shrugged. “A surrogate, maybe. I don’t know, but it’ll work out when the time comes. Travis is young yet, and he’ll have enough to get used to at first, but he’s got a good heart, and I think one of these days he’ll make a good parent.” A little silence settled over the table, and then Spencer spoke up.
“You sound like you might…do you love him?”
Camron stared back across the table at him. “Of course not. I barely know him at this point. But I feel…hell, I hardly know how to explain how I feel.” He looked back over at Hawke. “I can’t do without him, you know? It’s like a piece of me is missing.”
Hawke nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. I know what you mean.” He turned to Spencer and slapped him on the back. “Well, I guess you can stop worrying about our boy now, Spencer. It looks to me like the cavalry has arrived and just in the nick of time.”
Chapter Three
Travis scratched his belly and took another swig of his beer. It was the Saturday afternoon following the dark moon, a little too early for a beer, probably, but this was hair of the dog after the night he’d had. He hadn’t rolled in until way past midnight, careful to keep to the back roads and keeping his fingers crossed that he wouldn’t run into Hawke again before he reached his driveway.
His luck held, even to the point of being able to tiptoe past his parents’ bedroom, his shoes in hand, without his mother hearing him. Even for clan, known for their supernaturally superior hearing, she could be downright scary sometimes, in more ways than one. As a kid, he’d rarely been able to put anything over on her, though certainly not from lack of trying. He’d had to become a master at getting around her in other ways, mostly by layering on the charm and flattery. She fell for it every time.
His parents had left him sleeping it off that morning and gone to open the hardware store, so he had the house to himself, just the way he liked it. He’d slept until almost noon, then wandered to the kitchen to eat some cold pizza and find a beer to settle his stomach. He really needed to get a shower and shave, but he was still a little too hung over and didn’t feel like moving. He’d been idly flipping through some magazines about to turn on the game when the knock came on the front door.
He groaned aloud, afraid it was Spencer coming to check on him again and see why he’d never made it into the store in town. He’d sort of promised him the day before that he’d come in today to begin learning the job, with the idea that he’d keep the store in town open, freeing Spencer to spend more time at the bigger store in Huntsville with their dad. When he’d mentioned it to Spencer though, he’d acted kind of strange. He’d listened, but seemed like his mind was on something else, and he kept giving Travis strange, almost assessing looks.
The store, called Jensen Hardware, was growing since Spencer had taken over most of the purchasing. His dad would have been content to let Spencer run the whole thing, really, never having been exactly ambitious. Travis hated to say it, but his dad was typical of the men most clan women picked out for husbands—agreeable and quiet and maybe just a little bit lazy. Spencer said once that it was probably where Travis got it from.
His mom had kept her maiden name when she married, as most clan women did, and he and his brother took the Sutherland name as well. If it bothered his father, he never let on, and mostly he seemed happy to drift through his days. From the time Travis had been a baby, he’d always known where the real power lay in their family.
The knock came again and Travis yelled down the hall. “It’s open—why are you knocking?” Too annoyed to get up and trying to think of a good excuse as to why he was obviously just rolling out of the bed at past noon, he didn’t notice who came in at first.
When he finally looked up to see Camron MacKay standing in the doorway, Travis’s mouth fell open in surprise, and he jumped to his feet, thrusting his hands in his pockets to disguise the trembling. That scent hit him full forc
e again, and a thrill of something like recognition raced up his spine.
“Camron!” I’m sorry, I thought you were Spencer.” He raked the sports magazines off the sofa where he’d thrown them earlier and tried to uncover a spot for Camron to sit down.
Camron stood in the doorway, his well-worn jeans hugging his hips and that tight t-shirt doing nothing to hide his killer abs. It wasn’t fair that a guy should look like that at this time of the morning—or afternoon, whatever. “Please, have a seat. Are you here to see my Dad? He’s already left for the store.”
“I’m not here to see your dad, Travis. I came to talk to you.”
“Oh. Is it about the bill for the towing last week? I thought my dad had already paid that, but I’ll make sure you get your money. I’ll talk to him as soon as he gets home.”
Camron shook his head impatiently. “I don’t care about that.” He stepped closer to Travis and instinctively Travis backed up a step. It wasn’t that he felt threatened, but there was something so…intense about the way he was looking at him. A fleeting image came to his mind. His cat being hunted into a clearing in the woods, while another, larger cougar stalked him, a feral look in its eyes.
Camron frowned when Travis stepped back and stepped toward him again, crowding him back against the wall. He leaned in and put a hand over Travis’s head, standing close to him. “Are you really going to pretend that you don’t know why I’m here?”
Travis looked up at him in amazement, his jaw dropping. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do,” Camron said softly. “I know you must remember what happened between us the past three nights. I know you feel this too.”
