by Noah Harris
They continued to sneak glances at each other throughout the rest of the meeting, and they weren’t exactly subtle about it. At least, Adam didn’t think they were subtle. When it was Joshua’s turn to speak, Adam gave him his full and undivided attention, using the excuse to freely let his gaze sweep over the omega. Judging from his presentation, he was as charismatic and capable as he was beautiful, and he immediately came across as pleasant and trustworthy. He clearly knew everything he needed to know, and his confidence was obvious.
Adam felt a small amount of pride welling up as he watched him, which was strange, given that they had just met.
When Joshua finished speaking, Adam gave him an encouraging smile, and he could have sworn he saw the man blush before looking away.
After a couple hours of presentations, catered lunch had arrived. The official proceedings took a break, and the group all started chatting as food was brought in.
Adam excused himself to go to the bathroom and stood just as Joshua did the same across from him. They both froze, startled, eyes locking as a faint blush colored the other man’s cheeks.
Adam smiled. “I can show you where it is.”
Joshua’s smile was incredibly endearing. Adam felt his heart stutter in his chest. “That would be great, thanks,” Joshua said.
Adam held the door open for him and followed him out. “So, Joshua, right?” he asked conversationally, shoving his hands in his pockets as he led the other man through the hallways.
The man made a face, crinkling his nose and curling a lip. “Please, call me Josh.”
Adam chuckled. “Josh it is, then. I’m Adam.”
“I know,” he said, then seemed to freeze for a moment. “I, uh... remember, from when you were introduced...” He rubbed his arm sheepishly. “It’s not very often I see another... you know, one of us, in this kind of business.”
“Yeah, I was pretty surprised myself,” Adam said, steering them around a corner. “Pleasantly surprised, though.”
Josh kept his head ducked, though he was still smiling. “Same.”
“You were great in there, by the way.” He normally hated small talk, but there was just something about Josh, something that made him want to keep talking, to keep hearing his voice. It had its own subtle strength and a smooth sweetness like honey. Not entirely unlike his scent. “You really know your stuff.”
“Thanks,” Josh said, fidgeting with his hair. He stole a glance at Adam. “You were really good, too. I like hearing you speak— I mean, I like... I liked your presentation.” He cleared his throat, looking away. “It was good.”
Something stirred inside Adam, something that had long been dormant. In fact, it was something that Adam had doubted he was capable of feeling. “Well,” he said, voice pitched low and light. He bumped Josh’s shoulder with his own. “If our companies agree to this deal, we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other. You’ll be able to hear me talk a lot more.” His smile was teasing, and even though Josh’s face was still stained red, he didn’t look away this time.
“I’d like that...” he said softly.
Adam was grinning by the time they reached the bathroom. They were silent as they did their business, and Adam politely kept his eyes to himself. As they were leaving, however, he held the door open for Josh, letting the omega leave first. As he did, he caught sight of a birthmark on the back of his neck, to the right of his spine.
It was darker than the rest of his skin tone, puckered slightly and raised. What really caught this attention, however, was its shape. It was like that of a waning moon.
The same shape that he had tattooed on the back of his right thigh, as did every member of his pack. It was their symbol, and he had received the tattoo once he had become part of their family.
Something white hot shot through him, tearing down his spine and spreading out to the tips of his toes and his fingers. It was warm and bright, excited and eager. It coiled, soft and warm in his chest, crackling with electricity again along his skin.
He didn’t believe in signs. He never had. But if there was anything to make him believe, it was this. He didn’t know anything about this man, but he wanted to. He wanted to know everything. He wanted to have everything. He wanted him as his own, and he wanted to curl around him and protect him. He wanted to claim him.
He didn’t know Josh, but he knew at that moment that he wanted him and that they were meant to be together.
He just knew it.
That night, the pack called for another get together at the club. He was surprised when he got the message, given that it was a weekday and outside of their usual routine, but he didn’t think much of it. Odds were, there was something to celebrate. That was usually the reason for changing the schedule.
He thought about not going, but he was still riding the high of having met Josh, and he was feeling pretty good. He didn’t think even Millie’s incessant advances could bring him down. He hitched a ride with Karen, and their ride was spent in comfortable silence. The radio played, and she softly hummed along, tapping at the steering wheel. He stared out the window, recalling Josh’s face, his smile, and his voice. In the end, his team had landed the contract. He would be seeing Josh a lot in the next few months, and just the thought of that was enough to make him oddly giddy. He felt young again, nervous and excited. It was an odd feeling but not a bad one.
They arrived late. Adam had gone out for dinner with a couple of his co-workers to celebrate, and Karen had been caught up doing some work at home, so she had waited for him. The others had gone on ahead. He recognized several of the cars in the parking lot as they made their way to the front club.
“So, what do you think this is all about?” he asked as they were waved through the front doors.
She shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe a wedding announcement? A pregnancy? Some sort of announcement, that’s for sure.”
“Or Eddie had a bad day at work and wanted an excuse to go out.”
Karen snorted, silent laughter curved her lips.
They made their way to the door at the back and were quickly waved through. When they reached the door to the underground club, they argued for a moment over who would open the seal. He was in a good mood, though, so he didn’t argue for long. He did, however, make a show of rolling his eyes as he stepped up to the door, lifting his thumb to his mouth. He winced as a sharp canine cut into the pad of his thumb, and then he pressed his thumb to the seal. His paranormal blood soaked in, and he stepped back as the seal began to glow. When the door clicked open, Karen went in first.
He put his thumb between his lips to suck on the small wound. He hated having to bleed to enter a door, but he knew it was necessary to keep humans out. He stepped through behind Karen, letting the door click shut behind him. He was walking automatically and didn’t even notice when she stopped.
He stumbled as he walked into her, catching them both from toppling over. She wasn’t looking at him, though. She stood frozen yet malleable as he held her upright. His brow furrowed. “Karen, what the—”
“Adam...” she whispered, and it was only because of his enhanced senses that he was able to hear her over the pounding bass. Her tone was what scared him the most. It was quiet, shocked, and vulnerable. It immediately put him on edge, the hair on the back of his neck rising. His grip on her shoulders hardened. “Look...”
He followed her gaze to the tables at the back of the club, to the corner where Eddie usually sat. Only this time... there was no Eddie. His mate was there, as were his closest friends. They were all wearing black, and their expressions were solemn. The rest of the pack hovered nearby. They were scattered around the tables and the standing space, at the bar and along the walls. Even without getting too close to the inner circle, they were there, hovering, protective. None of them danced, and none of them smiled.
“No...” Adam breathed.
Karen’s hand found his on her shoulder, fingers squeezing down hard on his. They stood frozen like that, in silent companionship, neither of t
hem wanting to go further into the room, to breach the solemn atmosphere. They didn’t want to become part of it, to confirm their suspicions. Adam’s mind twisted with denial. Every fibre of his being lashed out against what he knew was true.
Karen was the first to gather herself. He felt her stand up straight, squaring her shoulders. She raised her chin. “Come on,” she said softly but firmly, taking his hand in hers as she led the way through the club. Their fingers tightened around each other, seeking comfort and grounding. Unlike when Millie tried to touch him or take his hand, there was nothing romantic about it. He and Karen had never been like that, nor had he ever gotten the impression that she wanted their relationship to go that way. But right then, in that moment, she was his anchor, and he was hers.
They approached the main table, where Eddie’s mate was sitting in his stead. One hand was wrapped around a glass, while the other curled protectively over the bulge at her middle. Millie sat near her, hand on her shoulder comfortingly as they talked softly between them.
Millie looked up at Adam and Karen, eyeing their linked hands. But for once, she didn’t do anything about it. She met Adam’s eyes, gaze hard and unyielding, and he knew she understood.
When Millie stopped speaking, Sarah lifted her head. Her eyes focused on Adam, and she leapt to her feet, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him close. Karen stepped away, letting go of his hand and freeing up his arms so he could wrap them awkwardly around the woman’s back. She breathed heavily into the crook of his neck, not quite crying but actively holding it back.
“Sarah...” he said softly, holding back of her head, petting her hair to soothe her. “What happened?” His voice was firm but far away. His throat felt dry, and he feared the answer even though he already knew.
“He’s gone...” she mumbled against his chest. “He’s gone...”
Adam felt the air rush out of his lungs. His chest ached as the bubble of hope, the bubble of desperate denial that his instincts were wrong, popped. He didn’t feel sorrow, not right away. He felt only the strange numbness that came with shock, the news refusing to sink in. He felt disjointed from his body, like he was watching the scene from far away.
Eddie couldn’t be gone. He couldn’t. He’d only been the Alpha for about five years, after taking over when the previous leader had passed. They’d been friends for years, long before he’d taken up the mantle of leader. They’d just spoken the other day. He’d encouraged Adam to come out to their pack. He’d been so strong and full of life, fire burning in his eyes.
He couldn’t just be... gone.
“How?” he found himself asking. A shudder wracked through Sarah’s body, and he lifted his head to look at Millie, directing his questions to her. “When?”
Millie’s lips pursed into a small, thin line, her eyes hard. “He didn’t come home last night. We went out to find him, and...” She trailed off, glancing at Sarah.
“Where was he?” Adam asked, hand idly rubbing Sarah’s back.
“He was on neutral territory,” Millie said, voice darkening. “Between our lands and theirs. But their scent was all over the area.”
“They?”
“You know who I mean.”
He did. There was only one group that would elicit such a reaction from her and earn soft growls around the table from all those who were listening. Even Sarah growled softly in her throat, the sound choked with unshed sobs.
Adam glanced at Karen before looking pointedly at Eddie’s widow. Karen nodded, reaching forward to untangle her arms from around Adam, pulling her into an embrace and leading her away from the table. He watched them go as other pack members stepped up to comfort her. Once he was certain she was taken care of, he sank into the seat she had previously occupied.
“Do we have any proof?” he asked, eyes on Millie.
“Do we need any?” asked another man by the name of Levi. He was sitting across the table from them, arms resting on the surface as he leaned forward. “Their scent was all over his body.”
“It was lucky we found him before the humans did,” added another, Neil. “They would have tainted the scene.”
“The real question now is, what we’re going to do about it?” a third, by the name of Lily, asked. Her eyes were locked on his.
And suddenly, he felt the eyes of everyone on him. He glanced around, realizing it was more than just this table. The entire pack seemed to be sneaking glances at him. Some were subtle about it, but others were obvious. Some stared so openly, so unblinkingly, that it made him bristle. None of them was smiling. This was not a night to smile. But there was something else in their gazes. It was something that was expectant, almost hopeful and longing, something hard and calculating.
It was then that Adam truly understood the ramifications of Eddie’s death. He had lost a friend, and their pack had lost a leader. It also meant that there was a void in their pack’s leadership, an empty place where the keystone that held everyone together should have been. And while there were several eligible alphas who could take up the mantle, it was clear who everyone was expecting to do the job.
The pack favorite was made clear in that moment, and it was Adam.
The numbness of his shock was tainted then, soured by uncertainty and fear. He swallowed it down, forcing it deep within himself where it couldn’t brush the surface. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, and he wasn’t sure he was the right choice for Alpha, but he knew that his pack didn’t need to know that right now. They were broken and shocked, shaken and uncertain. They didn’t need to smell his fear. They needed to see someone strong, someone who would to let them know that things would be alright.
He sat a little straighter in his seat, hardening his resolve and controlling his expression so that nothing showed. “Are the arrangements for his funeral underway?” he asked.
Neil nodded slowly. “They are.”
“Do we know where he was going last night?” he asked, looking around the table and voice pitched low. “Was anyone with him?”
They all shook their heads, but it was Millie who spoke. “He went alone, but he wouldn’t tell anyone where he was going. He only said he had an errand to run. When he wasn’t home by midnight, we went out looking for him. We lost his trail near the edges of our territory, but we found his body in the neutral lands. With... their scents.”
“How—”Adam’s voice cracked just slightly. He cleared his throat, meeting her gaze. Now was not the time for sorrow or weakness. “How did it happen? How did he die?”
“There was evidence of a fight.” Millie said, unflinching and voice hard. There was mourning there, a deep sorrow that was obvious but seemed to give her strength. He envied that about her. “He was beaten up pretty bad, but there was blood around and on him that wasn’t his. We think several of them jumped him, and he fought until his last breath.”
Adam managed a wry smile. “Sounds like Eddie.”
There were several huffs of dry laughter. “Yeah, it does,” Millie said softly, raising her glass in a silent salute before downing the contents. The others around the table followed suit.
Adam pinched his brows in thought. “So we don’t know where he went or why, or why he was jumped.”
“No,” Millie said.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that it happened,” Lily said, voice harsh in an attempt to hide the crack in her words, the rawness of her throat. “What’re we going to do about it?” she repeated.
Adam met her gaze, trying not to recoil from it. It was unforgiving, yet also pleading and sad. They were all looking for direction. He knew that, but he also knew it was a test. He stood, putting his hands on the table and making eye contact with everyone before lifting his gaze to those around the club who were staring, waiting.
“First and foremost, we mourn,” he said, letting his voice carry, firm with conviction. “Eddie deserves that from us. The rest, we’ll discuss later. For now...” He felt the cold brush of a glass against his hand, he and looked down to see
Millie pushing one toward him. She gave him a small nod, and he returned it, picking up the glass. “To Eddie! May his soul find peace.”
“To Eddie!” came the subdued chorus from around the club, and in unison, they all drank.
He excused himself from the table, making his way to the bar. He held his head high, ignoring the looks the pack sent his way. The club was almost empty of other paranormals that night. He wasn’t sure if that was coincidence, or if they had simply been able to feel the tension in the air. Either way, it was mostly his family in the club, and he made himself as unapproachable as possible. It worked for the most part, but he should have known that Millie wouldn’t be so easy.
“They need you,” she said as she came up beside him, voice pitched low and only for his ears. “They need a leader, and you’re the favorite.”
“I know,” he said, taking a hearty sip of his whiskey. It burned its way down his throat, taking the edge off his numbness.
“You can’t close yourself off from them,” she continued. “You need to take this pack by the reins and hold on tight, or everything will fall apart.”
“And I don’t need you to tell me what to do,” he snapped, glaring at her.
She didn’t back down. She squared her shoulders as she faced him. “I know you’re upset. We all are. But now is not the time to turn on each other. We need the pack more than ever right now.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know, I know... I just...” He shook his head, refusing to finish the thought.
“If you’re not strong enough to, someone else will rise to the occasion and fill the position,” she said, and it sounded half like encouragement and half like a warning. “And if that happens, there may be nothing you can do about it.”
He pressed his lips together, looking away and staying silent. He knew she was right, but he didn’t want to acknowledge it. He didn’t even know if he wanted the position, even though everyone else seemed to want it for him.
