Alec rolled his eyes, as though Cam was ridiculous, but Cam didn’t miss the faint blush colouring his cheeks. “He’s good for me.”
“He is.” Cam smiled and followed Alec out into the hall. “Don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Alone in his flat, Cam walked back into the living room and sank down onto the sofa with a sigh. A thousand thoughts ran through his head; so many things to do and keep an eye on. He loved being an alpha—his pack were like one big family that he needed to keep safe—but these past few weeks had been hard. The Primrose Hill pack were like extended family that had moved away years ago and were now trying to live together again.
Some were going to dig their heels in.
Cam pulled out his phone and clicked on his emails. The one he’d got that morning had been disappointing to read, but Cam couldn’t say he was all that surprised. Scrolling through, he found what he was looking for—sent from the governor of Krillick Hall—the human’s shifter prison. The one where Stephen Newell and Wes Colford were currently serving out their sentence.
He read it again.
From: Michael Fleck
To: Cameron Harley
Re: Newell, Colford visitation
As requested, please find attached the previous week’s visitor logs for prisoners Stephen Newell and Wes Colford.
The logs for the last couple of weeks had been empty, no one choosing to go and see their ex-alpha or beta. Cam had started to think he’d overreacted asking for them to be sent to him, but then today’s email had come.
He clicked on the attachment.
Still no one had been to visit Wes, but two names were on the log for Newell. Two names that Cam was starting to hear way too much for his liking. They hadn’t done anything wrong in going to the prison. It wasn’t against pack law. Losing your alpha suddenly like that took some getting used to. Ordinarily Cam might have thought nothing of it—two pack members adjusting to the merging of the pack, in their own way.
But this was Newell.
Setting his phone down on the sofa cushion, Cam closed his eyes and sighed.
It would have to wait until he got back from Cornwall.
CHAPTER TWO
At 6:45 a.m. Gareth slipped on his jacket and left his flat. He’d been up since five, unable to sleep.
Not that he didn’t like a road trip—getting out of the city always made for a nice change of pace, and Cornwall was one of his favourite places—but something about this particular trip felt off.
Or maybe it was just him.
Gareth wasn’t a huge fan of change. He liked his pack the way it had been: a unit to be proud of, three fellow betas who would always have his back and an alpha he’d give his life for in a heartbeat.
After the mess with Newell, merging the two packs had been the best option for all involved. Rationally Gareth knew that, but the in-between period left him uneasy and uncomfortable. His unit hadn’t changed, and for that, he was incredibly grateful. They were the one thing he could count on to remain as they were before the packs joined.
But now there was a whole slew of shifters that he didn’t know—ten years as separate packs had made them strangers—and two new betas, with a third yet to be announced. He knew Jason and Paul well enough to accept that they were nothing like Wes, but he didn’t trust them completely yet. That would take time.
And Cam… Gareth had watched as his alpha took on more responsibility with nothing but a smile, as though it was the easiest thing in the world. But despite his best efforts not to, Gareth paid too close attention to not notice the signs. Cam was tired, stretched thin with everyone wanting his attention, and Gareth hated seeing the dark shadows under his eyes. He wanted to talk to Alec about it but hesitated. Cam was their alpha. There was a fine line between concern and questioning his competence. The last thing Gareth wanted was to imply Cam was doing a poor job, because he wasn’t.
Cam was an amazing alpha. The fact the pack merge had gone as smoothly as it had was a testament to that. But there were always those who would drag their heels, on both sides. And that was taking its toll on him.
Gareth tried hard not to be one of them, despite his feelings of unease. They would pass in time, and he wanted to support Cam, not cause him stress.
He met Nathan and Luke in the foyer. As per Cam’s instructions, he’d only told them they were accompanying him on an overnight trip to check on Felix. He hadn’t mentioned Cam or the new pack member they’d be picking up there.
“Nathan, Luke.”
They both nodded in greeting and fell into step behind him.
The sunrise met him as he walked out of the main front door onto the pavement, the sky a cloudless pale blue, promising a beautiful day ahead.
Instead of heading to where he normally parked, Gareth carried on walking.
It took two seconds for Nathan to ask, “Where’s your car?”
“Parked outside Cam’s building.” He glanced over to find Nathan studying him.
“No spaces you fancied outside ours?”
There had been at least three right outside the door.
“We’re meeting some of the others.”
The fresh air put a spring in Gareth’s step, and he was much more like his old self by the time they reached Cam’s building. Two black SUVs were parked outside. Mike leant against one of them, keys in hand. “We’re all set,” he said, nodding at the car behind him.
Gareth fished out his keys and unlocked the other car. “We’ll follow you.”
Once everyone was in and buckled up, Gareth pulled out into the traffic after Mike.
Nathan turned in his seat to face him. “All right, this is far too cloak-and-dagger for seven o’clock in the morning. What’s going on?”
Keeping an eye on the road as he spoke, Gareth decided they were far enough away for him to tell the truth. “Nothing exciting; don’t build your hopes up.”
Nathan snorted. “I think I’ve had enough excitement over the past few months to last me a lifetime.”
Gareth couldn’t help but smile at that. Nathan did tend to be a magnet for trouble. “We are going to check up on Felix. That part wasn’t a lie. But the main reason for going is to pick someone up and bring them back with us.”
“A new pack member?”
“A temporary new member.” Gareth flicked his indicator on and put his foot down a little to stay with Mike. “And Cam’s in the other car with Mike.”
Nathan let out a low whistle. “Who’s this new member then? The alpha himself?” He grinned, glancing over at Gareth.
“Nope. His daughter.” Again, the uneasy feeling returned.
That silenced Nathan for all of two seconds. And then, “How old is she?”
“I have no idea. Why?”
He shrugged. “Just wondered.”
Gareth sighed when he caught Nathan’s smirk out of the corner of his eye. “Out with it.”
“Well, Cam’s an eligible bachelor.” He looked over at Gareth as he spoke, and Gareth struggled to keep his expression neutral. “Even more so now that our pack is so much bigger.”
As much as it pained him to admit it, Nathan had a point. But Gareth had been there after Cam’s wife died. He remembered how hard it hit him, and so should Nathan. “I don’t think Cam will ever remarry. Mia’s death broke him.” They might not have had a mate bond like Nathan and Jared, but Gareth was sure it was as close as it could get with Mia being human.
Nathan blew out a breath, all traces of humour leaving him. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Mia was special. I’m not sure anyone could take her place in Cam’s heart.”
Yep. Gareth gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. That was the cold hard truth that kept his traitorous feelings in check. Cam’s heart belonged to his dead wife and always would.
The atmosphere in the car had turned sombre, and Gareth didn’t want to spend the next six hours thinking about something that could never be. He turned the radio on, de
liberately picking a station he knew Nathan would hate.
Predictably, Nathan pulled a face as soon as heavy metal filled the car, his look of horror tugging Gareth’s mouth into a reluctant smile.
“No.” He reached for the radio controls, and Gareth only made a half-hearted attempt at stopping him. “I’m not subjecting my poor eardrums to this for the next couple of hours.”
Luke laughed from the back seat. “More like five or six.”
“What?”
“It takes at least five and a half hours from here, maybe more depending on traffic.”
Nathan glanced over his shoulder at Luke, then back at Gareth. “You never mentioned that yesterday.”
“You never asked.”
“In that case, we definitely need something better to listen to.” Muttering under his breath, Nathan fiddled with the radio until he found something more to his taste. “There.” Gareth wouldn’t admit it, but he was pleasantly surprised with Nathan’s choice of music. “I hope she’s worth all this effort.”
And just like that Gareth’s uneasy feeling was back.
THEY STOPPED for an early lunch at Taunton Deane services on the M5. Gareth pulled into the car park beside Mike’s car and turned off the engine with a sigh. Traffic had been heavy around Bristol and it had taken longer than predicted. They’d more than likely be driving for about seven hours in total. Not wanting to troop into the services en masse—this far outside of London, shifters weren’t exactly commonplace—Gareth sent Nathan and Luke in to fetch coffee and sandwiches for everyone.
Leaning against the side of the car, he cracked his neck from side to side and stretched out his shoulder muscles. What he wanted to do was run, stretch out all his muscles and let his wolf have free rein. If he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could almost imagine the wind on his face and the hard, damp earth beneath his paws.
The car door next to him opened and closed, Cam’s scent drifting over on the breeze, but Gareth kept his eyes shut.
Settling next to him against the car, Cam nudged his shoulder. “Everything okay?”
Gareth nodded. “Yeah, just tired. I could do with a run.”
“Me too.” Cam exhaled loudly and relaxed against the car, their shoulders still touching. “The last full moon seems so long ago, I almost can’t remember what it was like.”
Glancing over at him, Gareth met Cam’s gaze. Emerald-green eyes stared back at him, and it took all Gareth’s control not to react. He’d been doing it for so many years, it almost came naturally now. Why was today different? “You don’t need to wait for the full moon to shift, you know that.”
“There never seems to be any time.”
Especially not now. Not when he was trying to join two packs that had spent the last ten years apart.
“Maybe you should make time.” Gareth turned to face him fully, ensuring Cam saw how serious he was. “You’re the alpha. The pack needs you to be at your best. If you need to take time out to shift into your wolf and run, then you should damn well take it.”
Cam regarded him steadily. Have I overstepped?
“Gareth.” Cam’s tone, not angry but more serious than before, indicated that yes, he had overstepped. Fuck. “While I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing, please don’t—”
“I’m sorry.” Gareth had no wish to hear the rest of that sentence. “It’s not my place to lecture you on anything.”
Cam raised both eyebrows, a hint of a smirk appearing. He placed a hand on Gareth’s shoulder—firm, reassuring. “I was going to say, please don’t let anyone else hear you say it. I don’t want it getting back to Tim. As pack doctor, he’s been saying the same thing to me all week.”
“Oh.”
“And also don’t interrupt your alpha.”
Gareth managed a smile, tension easing from his shoulders. “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Cam laughed. “Whatever you say.” He slid his hand up to Gareth’s neck, his palm warm against the skin there. “And never apologise for being concerned about me. You’re my betas because I trust each and every one of you. Not only to do as I ask, but to act in the best interests of this pack. If that means telling the alpha that he needs to take better care of himself, then so be it.”
Gareth found himself smiling. “Duly noted.”
Nathan and Luke returned with sandwiches and drinks, so the next twenty minutes were spent leaning against the cars as they ate. Mike gave Gareth a nod when he came over to collect his lunch, obviously having overheard his and Cam’s conversation. He stood close and whispered, “He does need to run, let go of some tension,” so quietly Gareth strained to hear.
Good. Maybe Cam would listen if all his betas felt that way. He made a mental note to have that word with Alec when he got back.
They were on the road again as soon as they finished eating, and Gareth’s grip on the steering wheel wasn’t quite as tight as before. The unease about the trip itself remained, but at least he wasn’t as worried about Cam as he had been.
And if he didn’t take Gareth’s advice and run, then maybe he’d have a quiet word with Tim, too. Cam had asked him not to mention it, but he hadn’t ordered him to. And it’d be in the pack’s best interest after all.
The thought made him smile, and the rest of the drive seemed to fly by.
They left the A30 just before Penzance, and he followed Mike down the narrow Cornish roads, wincing every time they met a car coming the other way.
Nathan cursed as they squeezed past a Range Rover. “Shit, these roads are a nightmare. Imagine having to do this every day. It really is out in the bloody sticks.”
“Yep.” Gareth grinned. He loved it here. The rugged Cornish countryside captivated him like it always had, and with his window down, he could smell the sea air on the breeze. Too many years had passed since he’d visited. Being a pack beta didn’t afford him a lot of spare time, and negotiating with the local alphas for permission always seemed like too much trouble. It wasn’t as easy as getting in his car and driving down here.
Finally Mike turned off the main road and onto a long uneven dirt road.
Gareth tried to take it slow, so as not to jostle his passengers, but Nathan clung to the grab rail, sending him a withering look as his head bumped against the window.
“Sorry.”
Luke laughed in the back, and Nathan turned to glare at him. “I’m starting to feel some sympathy for Felix.”
“Don’t.” Gareth glanced up at the blue sky and the farmers’ fields surrounding them. “He got lucky.”
They pulled up in front of a large farmhouse, which Gareth presumed belonged to the alpha. He spied several buildings behind as they drove up, and wondered if they housed more pack members. The set up certainly was different to what he was used to, and he only had a rough idea how big this pack was.
Cam got out of the first car and everyone else followed suit.
The front door of the farmhouse opened, and the guy who walked out was tall, maybe six foot two-ish, with broad shoulders, and short blond hair. He had that air of authority that Gareth associated with alphas. But it wasn’t him that caught Gareth’s eye.
It was the girl, young woman, walking beside him that stole his attention. Not as tall or as broad as the alpha, she still had a certain air about her; the way she held herself signified she was used to a higher level of respect than the average pack member. Fiery red hair tumbled down her back in waves, shining bright in the sun.
She was beautiful.
She also reminded Gareth of a younger version of Cam’s late wife.
Fuck.
He shot a quick glance at Cam, but if Cam saw the resemblance, he didn’t show any outward signs.
“Alpha Harley.” The guy nodded in greeting. “Welcome to Cornwall.”
Cam returned his greeting, offering a smile. “Alpha Tregarrak. Thank you for allowing us into your territory.”
Gareth fought a smirk. If Alec were here, he’d be rolling his eyes at the exchange. Tregarrak ha
d asked them to come. They were by all accounts doing him a favour. Still, Cam would always uphold alpha etiquette where he could.
Tregarrak turned to the woman next to him. “This is my daughter, Rachel.” She eyed Cam with open curiosity, a smirk playing on her lips, before giving a slight nod. Her expression suggested she was far from impressed with what she saw. And that’s when Gareth saw it—the flash of recognition in Cam’s eyes. It was gone as soon as it appeared.
Turning to Rachel, Cam said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope your stay with my pack will offer you the break you need.”
Tregarrak offered him a wry smile. “We all hope for that.” He gestured behind him. “We can talk more inside. You must all be tired and hungry after your drive.”
Nathan’s stomach rumbled from where he stood beside Gareth.
Tregarrak laughed. “There’s plenty of food laid out for you. Come on.”
They followed him inside, but Gareth managed to catch Cam’s eye before he went through the door. He couldn’t come right out and ask if Cam was okay, but he tried to convey it with his eyes. Cam nodded and mouthed, “I’m fine,” before disappearing inside.
Nathan drew alongside him as they waited for the two from Mike’s unit to go in. “She reminds me of—”
“Yep.” Gareth cut him off, hoping he’d take the hint. Cam wouldn’t want this bringing up, and Gareth didn’t trust strangers. He wasn’t about to hand them information that could potentially give them a way to get to Cam.
Thankfully Nathan took the hint.
The conversation while they ate focused on relatively safe subjects. How had their drive been? How was Felix adjusting to life with the Penwith pack? How was Cam getting on merging the two packs back in London? Maybe that last one wasn’t all that safe, but Gareth understood why Tregarrak asked it, considering he was sending his daughter to stay with them. He also understood why Cam replied with a vague, “It’s going as well as I expected it to. No surprises.”
Bitten By the Alpha Page 2
