The Reluctant Alpha

by A. K. Michaels

  Highland Wolf Clan

  Book 1

  The Reluctant Alpha

  By

  A K Michaels

  © 2014 by A K Michaels All Rights Reserved

  This book, or any portion thereof, including cover image, may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission by the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Dedication

  I would like to dedicate this to several people, the first is my husband’s friend, Joe Ferguson. The character of ‘Fergie’ is loosely based on Joe, who is also in a wheelchair after a fall some years ago. He’s also a ‘cheeky chappie’ and I promised I would write a character that was in a wheelchair so here it is Joe, hope you like it!

  I also have to dedicate this to ‘My Sassy Queens’ who are made up of Angel, Rebecca and Stracey. Angel and Rebecca are the very talented duo who are responsible for the fabulous cover and I love it so much girls, thank you. Stracey is the other ‘Queen’ and she makes me the most fabulous swag that includes keychains, bookmarks and so much more. Her creativity never ceases to amaze me, thank you for your fabulous creations!

  Each one of them are featured inside, so go on and read about what they get up to!

  ~ Chapter 1 ~

  Cameron woke with a warm, naked body snuggled next to his. Frowning, he opened his eyes and saw the woman he had brought back to his suite after the previous night’s charity ball. Damn! He’d drank far too much and assumed when she went into the bathroom she was getting dressed to leave. Apparently not.

  He was sure he’d made it clear that he liked to wake up alone and that she wasn’t spending the night. He never spent the night with any woman.

  Cam disentangled her limbs from his and rose quickly, heading towards the shower. If she was still asleep in his bed when he got out of the shower he would have Jinx get rid of her. He really didn’t want to face her this morning. His anger directed at himself for using the woman the way he had, for sex, but he couldn’t seem to help himself lately. The number of women he was going through lately was just ridiculous. His libido spiked a few months ago and there was no sign of it easing.

  As the hot water ran over him he realized the increase in his sex drive coincided with the restlessness of his Wolf. Almost one hundred and fifty years old, he and his beast had lived in harmony most of the time but for some reason it was now misbehaving badly.

  The water soothed his aching body but did nothing for the disgust he felt deep inside. Disgust that he had, again, used a woman for his own needs alone. As flashes of the previous night consumed him he gagged, almost throwing up as he remembered the moment the woman had approached him. “Sub” he knew as soon as he saw her. It was in her walk, her body language, and the way she peered up at him between her long lashes.

  Far too often a submissive approached him, confusing his Alpha Wolf for a Dom. Usually, he’d politely send them on their way but last night he didn’t. Shit! His revulsion grew, sickened that he had used her for his own needs with no thought to her wellbeing at all. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” he thought as he fought to control his desire to smash his fist into the wall.

  No wonder Jinx had lost his temper with him regarding his callous treatment of the women that he so easily got into his bed. Cam didn’t blame him. He used to treat women like a precious gem, showing them care and affection, if not love. No, never love. Cam wondered for the thousandth time whether he was even capable of such an emotion. Probably not.

  Rinsing off and stepping from the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist and peeked out the door of the bathroom to see whether or not the woman had left. “Shit! I don’t even remember her fucking name!” he thought as he saw her still lying amongst the sheets. He peered at her intently, checking to make sure there were no marks on her naked skin. Thank the Goddess! Her skin wasn’t marred by even the slightest bruise so he must’ve been far gentler than normal with this one. Maybe his subconscious played a part in their sex, ensuring he didn’t harm her.

  “Fuck! I was drunk as a skunk!” he thought as he turned away from the sleeping woman.

  Sighing heavily he walked out of the room, heading towards Jinx’s room on the other side of the suite. As he passed by his tux jacket, discarded on the floor, he heard his phone ring. Picking up his jacket he pulled the phone out, scowling when he saw his father’s name and number on the screen.

  His father? His father never called him, still angry at his perceived ‘abandonment’ of the Pack for a more lucrative career in property and hedge funds. Pushing Jinx’s door open he strode in, “Hey, can you get rid of whatshername for me? I’ve got to take this call.”

  Jinx opened his eyes, “What? Are you serious, Sin? You don’t even remember her name?”

  “It’s my father, I have to take it,” he said, shaking his phone about in his hand.

  “This is fucking crap!” Jinx got up, reaching for a robe, “You seriously need to stop this! This is the last time I do this for you, Sin. I mean it, do not ask me again!”

  “I’ll stay here and order some breakfast,” Cam said as Jinx stormed off.

  Frowning at his phone again as he accepted the call, running a hand through his wet, jet black hair. “Father.”

  “Where are you?” his father demanded.

  “What? No pleasantries? No, ‘How are you, son?’”

  His father heaved a sigh, “I don’t have time for pleasantries. We need you home now.”

  Cam wondered what was so important that his father had made the call, instead of his mother. “I’m in Paris, I can be there later this morning, just make sure the strip is clear. I don’t want the jet damaged on landing.”

  “I’ll make sure, just get here as soon as you can.”

  With that, his father hung up, no goodbye, no anything. Typical of the man.

  Cam could hear Jinx making up some excuse or other to the woman as he obviously hurried her to leave. “Yes, Mr. Sinclair had an early morning meeting he couldn’t get out of.”

  The softer tones of the woman sounding upset before Jinx spoke again. “Of course I’ll give him your number. Yes, okay, goodbye.”

  Cam dialed room service, placing a large order for breakfast. His mouth already watering as he thought on tucking in to the feast when it arrived.

  Jinx appeared, still angry and sullen, throwing a business card towards him. “She’s gone. This is her card, she wanted me to give it to you.”

  Cam reached up, snatching the card from midair before slowly ripping it in two and dropping it to the floor.

  His best friend growled at him, actually growled. “I’m telling you one last time. You have got to stop treating them like this. It isn’t right and you’re getting a bad reputation on your womanizing ways. No wonder I call you Sin, you commit enough of them!”

  Cam shook his head, trying to clear it enough to remember the woman’s name. He couldn’t and felt regret once again. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with me lately.”

  Jinx sat down in one of the chairs. “Is your Wolf still acting up?”

  He grimaced. “Yeah, the fecker is always prowling around and won’t stop. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

  “Could it possibly be because you hardly let it out now?” Jinx raised an eyebrow. “Come on, when was the last time y
ou were Wolf or went on a hunt?”

  “I’m too busy, you know that, Jinx.”

  His friend shook his head. “You’re a Wolf, you can’t deny your beast and I have no idea why you even try.”

  “You know why,” Cam glowered. “All that shit when growing up, my father ‘grooming’ me to be Alpha. Well, if his coldness and mistreatment is called ‘grooming’ I’m a fucking She-Wolf! It was harsh and unnecessary and I’m not going back to that Pack to live. Ever. There are times I wish I was anything but a Wolf!”

  “I know he was unusually hard on you, but that doesn’t change the fact you’re a Wolf.” Jinx inclined his head to the side, staring. “Your Wolf isn’t happy and there’s no denying that so you’ve got to figure out some sort of compromise before you really fuck up.”

  Standing up, Cam walked over to the large window, staring out over Paris. He caught a glimpse of his Clan tattoo in his reflection. His fingers ran over the mark on his chest, right over his heart as regret flooded him at the thought of not feeling proud of it. He knew all his friends wore their Clan tat with pride and Cam wished he could too. Sighing he turned back to Jinx. “Well, we’ll be seeing everyone later this morning. I’ve been ‘summoned’ and we’re going to Scotland. Can you get the jet organized, the Alpha says he’ll make sure the strip is clear this time and phone Stracey to ask her to clear my calendar for the time being.”

  “Is there something wrong?” Jinx asked, worry in his voice.

  “I assume so,” Cam stated as he turned around. “What other reason would he ask me to come home for?”

  “Okay, I’ll go organize everything though I’m sure Ms. Hood would prefer you call and explain what’s going on. Is breakfast coming?”

  Cam laughed, his friend ate even more than he did. “Yes, a very large breakfast is on its way and I’m sure Stracey will be fine. She’s used to me changing things and stop calling her Ms. Hood. You know she doesn’t like you calling her that.”

  “Good, I’m famished and Ms. Hood sounds so much more, more…professional than Stracey, even if she has been with us for a couple of decades.” Jinx disappeared back through to the lounge area separating their bedrooms as Cam turned to stare out the window again.

  “I hope mother’s okay,” he thought as he tried to figure out why his father had called and not her.

  His brother, Grant, popped into his head. The perfect Wolf, always following his Alpha’s lead and, as usual, Cam felt a pang of jealousy at the thought. Grant didn’t suffer the same harsh treatment from their father growing up as he had and he hated that fact. The relationship between Grant and their father so much closer than his. He’d go so far as to say he and his father were estranged, only meeting when it was absolutely necessary.

  Only his mother stayed in contact on a regular basis, every Sunday she called to check on him. Her sadness at his not visiting always clear to hear in her voice. Didn’t she know he was far too busy to keep flying to Scotland for visits? His business now a multi-billion dollar company, with offices all over the world. His attendance coveted at the kind of Charity Ball they’d been at the previous night, sending him to the biggest and lavish events imaginable.

  “Back down to earth with a bang,” he thought as he envisioned his familial home in the Highlands. Large log cabins that were comfortable, but in no way could be called lavish.

  “Fuck!” he cursed as he thought on the coming confrontation he would, no doubt, have with his father.

  Marching back to his room, Cam started to pack, throwing things in his case quickly, before dressing in one of his best, hand-made suits. A dark charcoal color with a pristine white shirt, platinum cufflinks giving the final touch. Looking at himself in the mirror he smirked, he looked so far removed from a Pack Wolf that it was laughable and he knew it would irk his father terribly.

  A knock on their suite door announced the arrival of breakfast. Cam went through as their food was set up on the white linen covered table. Jinx whistling when he saw him.

  “What the hell? We’re going to Pack land and you’re dressed as if you’re going to a party,” said Jinx from his position at the table, already piling food onto his plate. “You trying to annoy the hell out of him or what?”

  “I’ve no idea what you mean, Ewan.” Smirking as he sat down, getting his own food and pouring some fresh orange juice.

  Jinx swallowed the food in his mouth, getting some coffee as he stared over the table. “No idea, huh? Your using my proper name is tell enough! I think you do and I think you’re trying to rile him from the get go. Bad move, Sin.”

  “I’m not scared of my father, Jinx, and if he doesn’t like my choice of clothes he can go fuck himself.”

  Jinx put his hands up. “Whoa, don’t get all worked up with me! I’m just pointing out your potential flaw of appearing in a suit that would probably feed a family for a year. You’re rubbing his nose in your success and you know it.”

  Cam sneered, “What if I am? Every time another million is added to my bank account I think of the freedom it gives me. Freedom from him and the Pack.”

  “I know that, Cam. I do. But you don’t have to antagonize him every chance you get,” Jinx chided as he piled some more food onto his plate. “He’s still the Alpha and you should show him some respect.”

  “You are kidding, aren’t you?” Cam was shocked. “Any man that gets my respect is because they earned it. Not because they hold some position or other. Whether it’s in business or a personal deal. I don’t respect just anyone. He may be Alpha, he may be my father, but he won’t get my respect. Not a fucking chance.”

  Jinx shook his head. “I can see this is going to go real well. Cam, can you at least try and keep it together to stay on the ground long enough for me to catch up with my parents?”

  “Sure, I’ll try, but I can’t promise you anything. It depends on what he says when we get there.” Cam drank some juice and continued, “However, if I were you I’d try and get your visit done real quick. Just in case.”

  “Shit!” Jinx pushed his plate away. “I’m going to pack.”

  Cam watched as his friend stomped off to his own room, wondering again why he’d been summoned home. As he sat waiting on Jinx his phone rang again, his mother’s number this time. Sighing he answered, “Hello, Mum.”

  “Cameron, how are you?”

  “I’m fine, how’re you?” Cam wondered when she would get to the point of her call. That she had a point wasn’t in doubt, just the time it would take her to get there.

  “Oh, I’m good, Son, I’m good.”

  “Mum, why don’t you just get to the point and tell me why you’ve called? As it’s come less than an hour after Father called I can only assume it’s related.”

  Cam heard his mother’s soft breathing before she finally spoke again, “Well, yes, it is. Sort of. I just wanted to warn you that your dad is a little uptight.”

  “When isn’t he? Mum, he’s always uptight when it comes to me.”

  “I know you and your dad have a difficult relationship, Cam, but he’s uptight for other reasons. Can I confide in you?”

  Cam wondered what the hell was going on. “Of course you can, Mum. What’s wrong?”

  His mother didn’t answer for a minute or two, the silence stretching out but Cam didn’t rush to fill it. He’d spent far too much time in high powered meetings where he learned quickly to wait out the other person. Refusing to speak until they had. He waited and as was usual the other person would start to babble to fill the awkwardness. It was no different with his mother.

  “Cam, please, you can’t say I’ve said anything but we’ve got two problems. Serious problems. Your father has been slowing down lately, not quite his usual self and a few of the other Wolves have voiced concerns.”

  His mum’s voice quavered before continuing, “So, we need a new Alpha...”

  “No! Not a chance!” Cam almost shouted into the phone.

  “Cam, please just shut up and listen!” his mother returned the shout and
Cam quietened instantly, rarely hearing his mother raise her voice.

  “I know you will never be Alpha here, I’ve accepted that but your father has not. But, we have another problem, your Uncle Fearghas called and he’s got some problems and is asking for our help. He wants both you and your brother to go there but with what’s going on here it means one of you has to stay and take over as Alpha and one of you has to go to America.”

  Cam’s breathing increased as his mother spoke. Even the thought of being Alpha to their Pack causing him to think about flying far far away. “I won’t be Alpha, Mother. Not ever.”

  The sadness in his mother’s voice was so thick he was sure she was near tears. “I know that, Cameron, but I wanted to let you know what’s happening so you can be prepared. I didn’t want this sprung on you when you got here.”

  “I appreciate that, Mum, I do.”

  “Cameron, your father is finding all of this to be very difficult. Accepting he is no longer the strongest in the Pack is hurting him deep down, Son.”

  “He’s not been the strongest in the Pack for a long time, Mother.” Cam sighed, “It’s one of the reasons I stay away. We may not be close but I don’t want to rub his nose in that fact.”

  “Oh, Cameron, my son, I wish things were different and I know I’ve never said this to you, but, I am sorry, so very sorry.”

  Cam could clearly hear the tears now, causing his heart to ache. “It wasn’t your fault, mum.”

  “Yes, it was, in part anyway. I should’ve done more to change the way he was with you. I love your father but the way he treated you was wrong, plain and simple.”

  At his mother’s acknowledgement his heart lifted slightly. “That means a lot to me. Thank you.”

  “Please know that I love you, Cameron, I’ll always love you.”

  “I know, Mother. I’ve got to go, we’re leaving for the plane.” Cam needed to compose himself, never allowing his emotions to show to anyone but his closest friends. “I’ll see you later, bye.”

  “Bye,” his mum almost whispered just before he ended the call.