“No problem.” Marcus waved as Cam turned away, walking towards the welcoming party at the far end of the strip.
He felt the twins and Cormac at his back, Jinx walking quickly to his side. “Is that Fearghas?” his friend asked as they drew nearer to the small group waiting for them.
“Yes,” Cam squinted, using his enhanced sight to take in his uncle. “Jeez, he looks ill.”
“Just what I was thinking,” Jinx replied softly.
When they were a few yards away his uncle and Aunt Marie walked to meet them. “Cameron, my boy! I’m so glad to see you.”
Fearghas grabbed him by the shoulders, smiling into his face, Cam smiled back. “Alpha,” he said with as much respect as he could muster. That word always sticking in his throat.
“No, no, you don’t call me that! I’m your Uncle, plain and simple.” Fearghas gave him a quick shake before hugging him quickly and letting go.
“Aunt Marie, nice to see you.” Cam smiled down at the small woman who seemed dwarfed next to the large men surrounding her.
“Cameron, I’m happy you could come. We’re so worried.” Marie’s eyes had dark circles beneath them, a telling sign that she had not been sleeping at all.
Fearghas turned, his arm motioning for a large, bearded man to come forward. “Cameron, this is Matthieu Oleander, my Beta. He took over a few months ago but you’ve not been here since then.”
Cam smiled, as his Wolf’s hackles rose at the look in the man’s eyes. He obviously didn’t want Cameron or his men there. “Hello,” Cam said as he stuck his hand out towards Matthieu.
It was several seconds before the other Wolf reacted, closing his face down to hide the look Cam had glimpsed, as he took his hand. “Bonjour,” he said as he tightened his grip on Cam’s hand.
“French?” Cam asked as he returned the tight grip before Matthieu relented and released his grip.
“Oui,” was all the Beta said before he turned and walked back towards the cabins.
“Friendly fuck, ain’t he?” Jinx whispered as Fearghas frowned at his Beta’s back.
“Indeed,” Cam whispered back, “keep your eye on him.”
Jinx nodded. “Will do,” he replied as his eyes followed the large Wolf’s path.
Marie motioned everyone forward. “Come, I’ve got some food set up in the kitchen and you can eat while we talk.”
“Sounds good.” Cameron and the rest started to follow after Matthieu, Fearghas, and Marie just in front.
Cam took the time to look around, looking for any areas that were weak spots in case the worst happened and they came under attack. What he saw was a well laid out community with several watch posts dotted around to cover areas that could be potentially problematic. Smiling, Cam realized it was set out just the way he would’ve done himself.
His aunt babbling as they walked, “Fergie is dying to see you, Cameron, he’s waiting for us in the cabin with Angel.”
“Who’s Angel?”
Marie chuckled, “She’s his mate.”
Cam’s steps faltered. “Mate? I didn’t know he had one.”
Marie looked over her shoulder, her smile so bright it was a joy to look at. “Yes, she started helping after the accident and, well, they became close and before we knew it they were mated.”
“That’s great,” Cam replied as he wondered how it was even possible. To truly mate they would need to have sex and he didn’t think someone who was paralyzed would be capable of that. Then again, he wasn’t really sure the extent of Fergie’s injuries, only knowing what his mother had told him.
“Is that possible?” Rory muttered as Cormac said, “Shh.”
Jinx turned around, giving the twins a warning look before continuing on.
His uncle’s cabin was just as he remembered it, large and sumptuous but cozy at the same time. It was far nicer than his own father’s and Cam wondered why his father was so frugal. Making a home comfortable for those that lived there seemed a no brainer to him but his father obviously thought different.
“How long has it been exactly, since the accident?” Cam couldn’t quite remember when his mother first told him.
Fearghas hissed, anger rolling off the Alpha as he stomped on. “I don’t think it was an accident, but it’s been almost six months now. You’ll see we’ve put in ramps everywhere so Fergie can get around on his own. They’ve got a little cabin on the outskirts of the Pack, all on one level, with everything made to accommodate him.”
Marie’s hand landed on Fearghas’ arm, as if trying to calm him. “Here we go, come in, come in and make yourselves at home, boys.”
“Cam, is that you?” Fergie’s shout was excited as he barreled out of the kitchen, heading straight for them very fast.
At the last second he managed to pull the wheelchair to a stop, tilting back on its rear wheels. A young woman ran out behind him, shouting as she came, “Fergie! Will you stop doing that! You’re gonna hurt yourself, ma cherie.”
Cam smiled at his cousin, taking everything in quickly. The sparkle in his eyes, the muscles in his upper body. He looked the picture of health; apart from being stuck in a wheelchair that is. The woman grabbed the handles of the chair, pulling him backwards before leaning down and placing a kiss on Fergie’s cheek.
His cousin grabbed her, hauling her body until she sat on his lap and kissing her lips for a brief moment. Pulling back he grinned up at them, “Isn’t she beautiful? This is Angel, my mate. Angel, meet Cam, my cousin and his friends.”
Cam couldn’t help the grin that appeared on his face, “Nice to meet you, Angel. I see you’ve got your hands full with this one.”
His eyes took in her long dark hair that shone and sparkled in the waning sunlight. Her eyes were like dark brown pools of chocolate and they too sparkled, with obvious love for his cousin. She was absolutely stunning.
Angel laughed, “Oui! He is definitely a handful. Cam, nice to meet you.”
Fergie almost pouted, his eyes locking with Cam’s. “Don’t start any of your ‘playboy’ nonsense with her. I saw that smile you gave her!”
“Sorry,” Cam laughed, “but she’s so beautiful I just couldn’t help myself!”
Angel’s face blushed as Fergie scowled up at him. “Hmf!” was all he said, still scowling.
Fearghas shouted from the kitchen, “Come through, we’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Cam saw Fergie’s face cloud over as Angel squirmed out of his lap and rushed back through to the kitchen, following Marie. Cam ushered Jinx and the boys forward, “Go on, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Fergie looked up at him, “What’s going on?” Cam asked and saw his cousin’s frown deepen.
“I’m not sure, Cam, but I’m sure my accident wasn’t, an accident that is.” Fergie’s eyes hardened. “I’m sure I was knocked out first and then thrown over the cliff. I sensed someone just before I blacked out but it’s the strangest thing, when I remember that moment, I can’t remember feeling worried, or on alert, or scenting anyone. Ya know?”
“Weird,” Cam agreed before nodding towards the rest of them. “We better get in there. I assume you don’t want your new mate getting all the attention from those guys. Especially the twins!”
Fergie growled, turning quickly and speeding off towards Angel. Cam smirked as he followed, not quite believing his cousin looked so well.
“Angel, stay away from them! They’ve got arms like an octopus!” Fergie rumbled as he took his place at the table, one that had no chair. “You lot, if you lay a hand on her I’ll rip your head off. Understand?”
Jinx grinned as Rory and Logan put their hands in the air, talking as one, “Absolutely.”
“Good, ‘cause I don’t want to embarrass you by having a cripple whipping your ass.” Fergie slapped Angel’s backside as she walked past, her face blushing almost scarlet.
Marie squealed, “Fergie! Will you behave? Our guests have just arrived and you’re already threatening them.”
“Behave? Me? Not happening,
mother. You should know that!” Fergie grinned as Cam laughed out loud, especially at the shocked looks on the twins and Cormac’s faces.
Fearghas sat at the head of the table, Cam taking the seat directly opposite, with the boys dotted on either side. Marie placing plates and food in the middle, telling them to help themselves.
Cam poured himself some juice as he waited until his Wolves were settled before looking straight at his uncle. “Okay, tell us what’s going on and shouldn’t your Beta be here?”
Surprised that the Beta wasn’t where he should be, at his Alpha’s side, Cam raised an eyebrow as Fergie snorted. Cam’s eyes found his cousin’s, who only shook his head as Fearghas took a deep breath and started to talk.
It wasn’t only Cam that was shocked at what had been going on, Jinx and the rest sat listening with growls escaping every now and then. It started with Fergie’s “accident” but it by no means ended there. The old Beta had sustained terrible, fatal injuries in a car crash, Matthieu taking over only three months previous. Although the now Beta had been with the Pack for only a short time, he had been moved up the pecking order. Before he had been one of the Pack Guards and Fearghas had thought he would be a good fit for Beta.
When his father said this Fergie snorted again but held his tongue. “Interesting,” Cam thought as he tuned back into his uncle. Several more guards had just disappeared, whether hurt, killed, or just moved on, nobody knew. Fearghas was convinced it was certainly not the latter.
His logging business had also had some very nasty accidents, ones that they’d never encountered before, and again Fearghas suspected foul play. Then there was the luxury cabin business, several of the cabins being vandalized just prior to important clients arriving.
Cam listened avidly and, apart from the physical injuries, disappearances, and death, it all felt like a hostile takeover. Something he had dealt with many times in his corporations. “Uncle, I have to agree that this all adds up to what looks like someone trying to take over. Whether it’s the Pack, the land, or just the businesses, we can’t be sure at this time. It’s definitely not humans behind it so we can only assume it’s another Pack. So, tell me about any nearby. Give me as much information as you can.”
Fearghas told them about the much smaller Pack off past Maple Falls, saying they’d never had any problems with them. In fact, they had even helped them when there had been some bad weather and he’d sent a dozen or so of his Wolves to assist them.
Cam was well aware that only a strong, large, Pack would even contemplate taking on his uncle’s. “What ‘bout the one across the border?”
Fergie piped up, “I wasn’t far from their land when I was injured. I was out checking a load of trees we’d earmarked for logging and it ran almost to their border.”
Cam put his hand up, turning to his cousin, “Fergie, I don’t mean to sound crass, but what exactly are your injuries?”
“That’s okay,” Fergie replied with a lopsided grin, “most folks don’t have the guts to ask. Basically I don’t have any feeling from about mid-thigh down. The doctors aren’t sure what’s causing the paralysis, with me being a Wolf ‘n all, my physiology is different to a human. All I know is my darn legs don’t work.”
“I see,” Cam’s mind was going over a host of things he would’ve tried if he’d been in Fergie’s position and was just about to voice them when his uncle carried on talking.
Fearghas nodded emphatically. “When we finally found Fergie, I was convinced I could scent someone, something, but it was just a ghost of a scent and I couldn’t quite grasp onto it. I’ve been out there a hundred times since then, hunting for it, but so far I’ve come up empty.”
“So this Canadian Pack is large?” Cam queried, looking between Fergie and his uncle.
Fergie nodded, “Yeah, we used to know the Alpha, he was a friendly guy and we were on good terms. About, oh, I’d say about ten years ago, something happened and all of a sudden there was a new Alpha and he wasn’t so friendly. Warned us to stay off his land if we wanted to keep the peace.”
Cam looked to Fearghas, “And did you? Keep off his land?”
Fearghas growled, “Yes, not because we were scared or intimidated, but because of good Pack manners. We don’t trespass on another Pack’s land, plain ‘n simple.”
“You think this Alpha could be behind this? If so, how did you not smell him and his Wolves?” Cam was confused and couldn’t quite grasp the lack of scent of other Wolves in the area.
“No idea. Angel,” Fearghas motioned to the young woman, “tell them about the new Alpha.”
Angel stood behind Fergie, her hands on his shoulders. “His name’s Philippe Dupont and he’s a monster! He’s unjust and cruel and runs the Pack like some medieval slave camp. I managed to get out but that was in the beginning, before he succeeded in getting all his own men in place. Now, well, I’m damn sure folks don’t freely leave the Pack, not alive anyway. He also changed the name, it’s now called the Wild Ranch Pack!”
Fergie’s hand reached up, grasping one of hers and squeezing it gently. Cam noticed the glisten of tears in her eyes as she looked away. “Sounds like the kind of guy I want to meet,” Jinx was the one that spoke, everyone turning to look at him.
“What?” Jinx’s eyes widened. “He doesn’t deserve to be an Alpha if he acts like that.”
“No, he doesn’t, but the fact is he is, so we’ll need to tread carefully.” Cam’s mind wandered back to something he had thought on earlier. “Fergie, if the doctors are baffled, did you think on seeing a Witch? Using magic to help heal you?”
Fergie’s nose wrinkled up as if he’d just smelled the vilest thing possible and Fearghas snorted loudly. Cam bristled, after all, he was part Witch, as was his mother.
“We don’t believe in using Witchcraft,” Fearghas said quietly.
“If it can help then you should consider it.” Cam’s eyes stayed on his cousin’s. “I can check it out for you, if you want?”
Fergie’s eyes slid away. “I’m not sure, Cam.”
“We can talk about it later, for now let’s just focus on the threat to the Pack.”
His uncle’s palm hit the table, hard, causing things to jump and shake. “If I was certain it was this Philippe I’d go to war but we’re not. There’s never any scents of other Wolves around anywhere near any of the incidents and no bodies have turned up of our missing Wolves. The Council would not look kindly on me going after this Alpha without solid proof.”
Cam agreed, “Exactly, so I propose the guys and I go out first thing in the morning and go to locations of these ‘incidents.’ We’ll start at where you were attacked and go from there.” Cam stopped, thinking things through in his head, “No, wait. The boys and I are going to tread very carefully from here to the point of Fergie’s accident. I want to ensure that there is nothing untoward closer to home so to speak.”
“What do you mean?” Fergie asked, frowning as if trying to work out where Cam was headed with this.
“I just want to make sure there’s no sign of anyone or anything close to the cabins, if we just go tearing through the forest to where you were hurt we could miss things. We’ll go slow, searching every inch from here to where you were attacked.”
“What’s the point? If we couldn’t scent anything then how are you going to?” Fergie face was angry as he glowered at his cousin.
“I’m not trying to insult any of your abilities but I want to go and see if I can sense anything that may have been missed...”
“There was nothing missed!” Fearghas shouted, again his hand slapping the table with force. “I’ve been out to where Fergie was hurt a hundred times and not once have I scented anything. Not a damn thing!”
When he’d finished there was utter silence, a pin dropping could’ve been heard, as everyone looked between the Alpha and Cam.
Cam sat still, waiting, dragging the silence out for minutes before he inclined his head to the side. “Alpha, we’re here to help but I’ll conduct my own enquir
ies and searches. If that’s not acceptable, we understand and I’ll call Marcus to come collect us.”
Marie paced back and forth, wringing her hands as she stared at her mate. “Fearghas, please,” she whispered, her voice full of emotion.
As Fearghas fought to control himself, Cam sat up straighter, never lowering his eyes and waited. Finally his uncle nodded once and replied, “It’s acceptable.”
“Good.” Cam knew that would be all they would get from the Alpha. “Now, can you show us where we’ll be sleeping and then I want to catch up with my cousin here before I turn in.”
Marie jumped as if coming out of a dream, her eyes flitting to Fearghas and back to Cam. “Of course, we’ve put you in the Pack Club House, if that’s okay. It’s got a number of rooms and they’re all made up for you. There’s a few of the She-Wolves who’ve been assigned to cook breakfast for you but you’re to come here for lunch, dinner, or any other time you’re hungry. I know what you young Wolves are like. Never stop eating.”
Rory looked pointedly at Cormac. “Some of us anyway.”
Cam stood up, wanting to avert a slanging match between Rory and Mac. “Move, you lot, I want you to get to bed and rest because come first light I’ll be working you hard. I do not want anyone moaning or grumping, understand?”
As Cam looked around the table each of them nodded, “Good, now go and rest.”
His Wolves got up, thanking Marie and Angel for the food and bidding everyone goodnight. Fearghas rose, “I’ll show you where you are, lads.”
As the kitchen emptied Cam turned to his cousin. “Can we go and chat somewhere quiet?”
Fergie nodded, “Sure, come through to the study.”
Cam followed behind his cousin’s wheelchair, determined to get him to listen to what he had to say. He didn’t care what the Alpha felt about Witchcraft. If it could help his cousin he was damn sure going to get him to at least try it.
Even if he locked horns with his uncle. After all, Cam was used to disputes with an Alpha. He’d had a lifetime of it.
~ Chapter 5 ~
The study looked just as Cam remembered, all dark wood with a fireplace that was alight with logs, the large wooden desk taking up about a third of the room. There were only two armchairs angled toward the fire now, the third obviously taken away to make room for Fergie’s wheelchair.
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