“I haven’t felt this possessive in a long time. It’s going to take some getting used to. But I need to get better control of myself, or things could get interesting. I’m the alpha, for fuck’s sake. I can’t do this every time you smell like someone other than just me.”
Oh, I don’t know.
But as hot as that thought was, Cam had a point. After tomorrow, they’d be swimming in other shifter scents, and not just from their own pack.
Cam especially.
“Tomorrow—”
His own possessiveness flared up when he thought of Cam smelling like Newell or Wes. Cam wasn’t the only one who needed to control it better.
Grasping his hand tight, Cam whispered, “I know. I’ll keep as much distance as I can between us.”
“Good,” Gareth gritted out. In an attempt to change the subject, he rolled onto his side to better face Cam. “Now, what was that other thing you promised me?”
Cam stared at him for a second, then a slow smile appeared. He reached down and loosely gripped Gareth’s cock. “Ready for round two?”
He hadn’t been, but Cam’s touch sparked renewed interest, and he hardened with each lazy stroke. “Keep that up and I will be.”
“Okay then.”
Their bond seemed to relax as they did, tension slipping away.
Gareth closed his eyes and let Cam’s fingers work their magic.
SITTING ON the edge of Cam’s bed the next morning, Gareth fingered the hem of his clean T-shirt as he watched Cam get dressed. It was impossible to hide his feelings from Cam, so he didn’t even bother trying. “I don’t trust Newell or Wes.”
“Neither do I.” Cam glanced over his shoulder. “I’m not sure many people do anymore.”
“Except maybe Davies and his bunch of idiots.”
“Hmm.” Cam smoothed down the front of his long-sleeved designer top. “Maybe.”
Gareth had begun to lump Davies in with Wes and Newell these days, unfair or not. He doubted Cam would have agreed to go to the prison if they hadn’t been regular visitors there. The thought made him hate them just a little—pack or not. That, he did try to cover up, but Cam turned away from the mirror to face him.
“Stop.”
Gareth feigned ignorance. “Stop what?”
Rolling his eyes, Cam came to sit next to him on the bed. “You got all angry when we were talking about Davies. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out why.” He took Gareth’s hand in his, twining their fingers, and despite his irritation, Gareth found himself relaxing. “They lost their alpha. Someone they looked up to and trusted to take care of their pack.”
“But he was a nasty arsehole who—”
“I know that. But they’re young and probably still naive. I don’t blame them for wanting to hear the truth from Newell for themselves. I blame him for not giving it to them.”
Gareth sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair, marvelling at Cam’s endless patience and understanding. Left to him, he might well have been tempted to kick the little bastards out of the pack, or at least reprimand them for going to see Newell.
I guess that’s why he’s the alpha.
Cam gave his hand a squeeze. “I need to go. Alec’ll be waiting.”
“Fuck.” Gareth blew out a breath.
He’s only going to the prison. Both Newell and Wes are under guard. Cam is an alpha.
Nothing will happen.
Nothing will happen.
He stood when Cam did. “I guess I should go meet with my unit, anyway.”
“Yes, you should. I imagine they’ll have plenty of questions for you.”
“Okay then. I’ll see you later.”
“You will.” Cam kissed him, deep and hard, and for a moment, Gareth melted into it. “Don’t worry.”
Yeah, right.
“Call me when you get out.”
“Of course.”
He left Cam at the entrance to his building after watching him get into the black SUV with Alec, Zac, and Callum.
Checking the time on his watch, he cursed at being later than planned. If he didn’t hurry, his unit would be at his flat before him. Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached his flat just as Rachel walked down the corridor. She took one look at him, her eyes drawn to his neck, and smiled. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Her smile turned wistful. “I’m happy things worked out for the two of you.”
“Me too.” He let her into his flat and gestured towards the living room. The rest of his unit would be along shortly. Gareth only hoped they took the news as well as Rachel.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cam pulled the car door shut and settled into his seat in the back of the car, Alec beside him.
“You can still change your mind,” Alec offered.
“I can.” Cam smiled grimly at him. “But we both know I’m not going to.”
“It was worth a try.”
The streets all blended into one as they crawled through the rush hour traffic, Cam’s mind wandering over what Newell or Wes might have to say. And what he would say in return. Not knowing why they wanted to see him left him unable to prepare—this time he’d just have to wing it.
As though reading his mind, Alec asked, “Do you think Newell’s going to ask you for help in getting out of there?”
The laugh that burst out took Cam by surprise. “No. I think that’s one conversation that we can definitely rule out. I suspect he’d rather rot in there for the rest of his life than ask for my help.”
Alec hummed in agreement, turning to look out of the window.
Not for the first time that morning, Cam felt Gareth’s absence like a dull ache behind his ribcage. Their bond still sat quietly at the back of his mind, a reassuring presence, but the lack of close proximity meant he couldn’t gauge Gareth’s mood, couldn’t tell how he was feeling, and the last couple of days, it seemed he’d got used to the comfort that brought without realising.
The thought was both frightening and wonderful. He could admit how much of himself he’d closed away since Mia’s death, how freeing it was to finally let it all out and really live again. But now that Gareth wasn’t there to keep his mind occupied, that niggling voice resurfaced reminding him how much it had hurt to lose Mia. A full shifter bond would hurt so much more if suddenly broken.
He rubbed at his chest, trying to banish all those dark thoughts, and rested his head against the seat.
“Everything okay?”
Cam turned to find Alec watching him, concern evident. His gaze dropped to where Cam’s hand pressed over his heart, and he sighed. “It’s hard to be apart at first.”
“It is.”
“I’m surprised you’re doing so well, to be honest. Maybe you have more control because you’re the alpha? Does it work like that?”
“I don’t know.” Cam shrugged, feeling clueless for the first time in a long while. Why had he never looked into this?
Because I thought there’d never be anyone else after Mia. “Does it matter? I’ll just have to get used to it like you all have. It’s not like Gareth and I can spend all our time together.”
Alec snorted.
“What?”
He shook his head in amazement. “Do you not remember how bad we all were?” He grinned. “Well not me, obviously. I was the epitome of control.”
Cam laughed. “Of course.”
“But Nathan and Jared? Fuck, they were at it all the time, you hardly ever found one without the other that first week, and Seb and Tim weren’t any better.”
“But not you and Mark?”
“We had our moments.” A fondness crept over Alec’s face, something that still took Cam by surprise with how often it appeared these days. “But what I’m trying to say is, it’s only been a couple of days since you bonded. It’s going to hurt. The sooner you can get this crap sorted and get back to Gareth, the better for everyone. Trust me—you’re going to get pissy.” Cam raised his eyebrows, and Alec put his hands up in surrender.
“No disrespect intended, but yes, even you will be affected by this.” He gestured to the prison now visible in front of them. “And maybe this isn’t the best place to be if you’re starting to lose your hold on your temper.” Glancing out the window again, his mouth curved up at the corners and he met Cam’s gaze. “Or maybe it’s the perfect place to be.”
Cam curled his fingers into a fist as they passed through the huge gates at the prison entrance. “I guess we’ll see.”
The prison was built on the outskirts of the city, a twenty-foot fence surrounded it—electrified, if Cam remembered correctly—and another one ran alongside it, leaving a walkway of about five feet around the perimeter. Both topped with vicious-looking razor wire. The gates reminded Cam of a medieval castle with the way they slowly swung open to grant them access. He’d had to send details of his car and registration ahead of time, but no one came out to check the passengers inside. Guard towers were stationed at intervals along the fence, and Cam felt eyes on him as they entered the compound.
He’d only visited the shifter prison once before, and it had made him uneasy back then.
Nothing had changed.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as they drove up the long winding driveway—also completely fenced off, giving it a tunnel-like effect. The grounds were extensive, larger than the human prison on the other side of the city. They had to be to accommodate the numerous ‘runs’ installed for the full moon. They might be incarcerated, but all the shifters inside the prison needed to run on the full moon, probably more so than anyone else. All that pent-up energy could be a dangerous thing. Cam couldn’t imagine being cooped up inside a cell for the rest of his life.
The rows of fenced off areas made him shudder. They were all empty now, but Cam could easily imagine how it had been a couple of nights ago. Shifting into wolf form was the ultimate freedom. The full moon laws gave shifters the opportunity to change and run without fear of scaring anyone or breaking any human laws, as long as they stuck to their own territory. Here, though… it was all so regimented. The lack of freedom tightened something in his chest.
But then no one who ended up here deserved to have it any other way.
He tore his gaze away, concentrating instead on the huge building looming ahead. Everything about it screamed prison. From the dark grey walls, to the uniform shape of the windows. Cam wondered if they all had bars on them. He imagined being able to smell fresh air but not being able to get outside and feel it on his skin.
It would be torture for any shifter.
The car came to a stop outside the front of the building entrance, but before anyone had the chance to get out, the entrance doors opened and ten armed guards filed out, automatic weapons pointed at Cam’s car. Cam had expected tight security, but having a lethal weapon pointed his way set him on edge. They might heal from most things, but guns had a nasty habit of making that an impossible task. Especially ones like that.
Alec tensed beside him. “I know they need to take precautions, but I fucking hate guns.”
“Me too.” Cam wondered how the younger members of his pack felt dealing with this once—sometimes more—a week. The prison governor appeared in the doorway, and Cam braced himself to leave the car. “You okay to stay here?” He gestured to their foreboding surroundings. “I understand if you want to leave and come back later.”
Alec fixed him with a glare. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Cam grinned and gripped Alec’s arm. “Thank you.”
A tap on the window, and when Alec wound it down, one of the guards said, “Please get out of your vehicle—slowly, arms raised.”
Cam looked at Alec and rolled his eyes but did as requested, the others following suit.
Ten guns trained on them, watching their every move. Cam, Alec, and the two members of Alec’s unit lined up against the car as instructed.
“Documentation please.” The guard who’d tapped on the window asked politely enough, but his gun didn’t move from where it pointed at Cam’s head.
Human laws required that all shifters be registered—each one having an identification card stating their name, age, address, pack, and pack status. It also had a photo that had to be renewed every five years. It looked much like a human driving license, and all four of them produced them as asked.
Another guard stepped forward to take them, checked them, and then handed them to the governor—Michael Fleck. He was average height, with a slim build and thinning grey hair—probably a result of running a shifter prison.
Fleck compared them to something on a clipboard he held, nodding when they obviously checked out. “Everything seems to be in order. You and your men can stand down, Harper.”
The guard nearest Cam replied with a, “Yes, sir,” and lowered his weapon. The others did the same, but Cam knew they were all still watching him and his pack like hawks.
“Sorry about that, Alpha Harley, but rules are rules.”
Cam smiled as sincerely as he could under the circumstances. “I understand.” Didn’t mean he had to like it though.
“If you’ll come with me, we can get the paperwork out of the way and you can get on with your visits.” He turned to lead the way inside, but Cam stopped him.
“It’ll just be me going into the prison itself. The rest of my pack will wait out here with the car. If that’s acceptable?”
Fleck glanced at Harper, who nodded back. “Of course. But I’ll need to leave a guard contingent out with them. Regulations, you understand.”
Cam had expected as much. “Of course.”
“Babysitters. Fucking awesome,” Alec muttered, too quiet for human ears, and Cam fought a smile.
“If that’s everything?” Fleck motioned for him to come inside again, and this time Cam went. Along with four of the armed guards.
The doors shut behind them, separating him from Alec and the others, and Cam tried not to let unease creep in. Security cameras sat at regular intervals high on the walls, waiting to track their progress.
“This way.” Fleck led them down a long grey corridor, the overhead lighting harsh to Cam’s sensitive vision. He wondered if that was done on purpose.
Fleck’s office was marginally more cheerful than the rest of the building—the odd photo and potted plant adding a personal touch—but it still had the same drab grey walls and uniform windows. He offered Cam the seat opposite his desk and pulled out a folder.
“I just need you to sign these papers, for legal purposes.” Fleck slid them over towards him, along with a pen. “Since you refused our offer of a full guard.”
“Of course.” Cam knew what they were but gave them a quick scan anyway. “It’s not like I don’t know the risks.” He signed on the dotted line, accepting full responsibility for anything that happened to him from this point on. The last thing he wanted was an audience while he spoke to Newell or Wes.
“They’ll be restrained, obviously.”
“Obviously.” Cam didn’t doubt they’d take as many precautions as they possibly could.
“But things happen.”
Hopefully not, but Cam nodded anyway. “Anything else I need to sign?” Now that he was here, he was keen to get it done and leave. He rubbed at his chest again, the ache that little bit worse as time wore on.
“No. That’s all the paperwork out of the way. But…”
Cam raised his eyebrows, waiting.
Fleck looked increasingly uncomfortable as he struggled for words. “I know you’re an alpha and neither Newell nor Colford have any enhanced power, but I don’t trust Newell. There’s something about him that just….” He raised his hands and shrugged.
Cam sat forward and rested his hands on the desk. “Governor Fleck, I’m well aware how underhanded and malicious Newell can be. And alpha power or no, I won’t underestimate him, I can assure you.”
“Good.” He sat back in his chair. “This place isn’t like the human prison across the city. The powers that be negotiated all sorts of stipulations wit
h the alphas in charge at the time this place was built.” He paused as if measuring his words carefully. “Prison visits from other shifters are allowed with or without guards present. Security cameras are turned off in the cells for the full moon shift, but all visits are monitored and recorded. Though we now require permission from the alpha council to share any footage outside of this building. In fact, the screens are monitored by a select few members of staff, all of whom have signed confidentiality clauses.” He gave Cam what was supposed to be a reassuring smile. “Rest assured, nothing you discuss in those rooms will be made public knowledge.”
Cam gave a nod of acknowledgement. He was well aware of the monitoring and recording of visits—which was only to be expected in a place like this. Whether he believed Fleck about the footage remaining private was another matter altogether. He couldn’t see him crossing the alpha council though, so maybe he was telling the truth.
“If there’s nothing more to discuss, I’d like to get this started.” And then get out of here.
Fleck stood, so Cam did the same. “Follow me, please. Colford should be waiting for you in one of the visitor rooms.”
Cam followed him out into the corridor where the four guards waited. They fell into step, two in front and two behind, escorting him and Fleck down the long corridor. The smell of shifters increased as they walked, assaulting Cam’s senses.
Too many.
He’d known this would be the case, but for some reason hadn’t expected it to be this bad, assumed they’d filter it out somehow. I guess they don’t need to if all the guards are human. How did the inmates stand it? As he went further into the prison, he started to truly appreciate why the thought of ending up here was so frightening. How did Davies and his crew keep coming back here? Maybe Cam had underestimated how deep their loyalty ran?
Just around the corner, they met another guard checkpoint, this one with a metal detector.
Fleck gestured to it. “If you wouldn’t mind….”
Cam emptied his pockets of his phone and wallet and walked through it. Unsurprisingly, none of the alarms triggered. After collecting his belongings, he turned to Fleck, eyebrows raised. “You do realise I don't need to bring a weapon in here with me, right?” Shifters were weapons.
Bitten By the Alpha Page 18
