Chapter One Hundred and Four
Graham stared at his computer screen looking but not seeing. It had been several minutes since Lucas finished relaying the conversation Catherine and Muriel were having. Now they were apparently meditating and Lucas had gone silent.
Graham tried not to let what Muriel said affect him too much. He knew Catherine would never let the words of a stranger affect her image of him. She would wait to ask him in person first.
He didn’t want to leave her alone with the man. To everyone else, his mate seemed to be unaffected by what happened last weekend. She never arrived late to work, she kept a smile on her face and cracked jokes. In the afternoon she fought with everything in her to learn how to defend herself. She wanted everyone to see her strength, her tenacity. What she didn’t want anyone to see was what happened to her when sleep claimed her.
Nightmares. Screams. Cold sweat. Her body thrashing as she tried to twist away from the invisible hands choking her. Dominic came for her in her dreams and wreaked havoc on his perfect mate’s heart and mind. All Graham could do was hold her and wrap his body around hers to keep her from hurting herself. Even in sleep, safe in their own bed he was useless to her. He fucking hated it.
Theo cracked a crawfish open, drawing Graham’s glare. “What?” Theo asked. “You should have a few yourself. Catherine would want you to.”
“I’m good,” Graham grumbled.
Theo scoffed. “Right.”
“Do you have something to say?” Graham asked.
Theo sucked the crawfish into his mouth and sat back in his chair. They were in Graham’s new office, his new prison. “You need to take a break,” Theo started. Graham opened his mouth, ready to spew venom when Theo raised his hand to stop him. “I’m not saying go on a fucking 10-day beach vacay. I just mean a freaking hour. Go on a run with your mate. Eat dinner at your own kitchen table. Sit outside and feel the fucking breeze on your face. That’s all.”
Graham felt his frustration bubble up. He clenched his hands into fists. “I’ll take a break when he’s dead.”
Theo sighed. “Graham…”
Graham stood up. “That fucker waltzed in and laid his filthy paws on my mate! Right in front of me! He’s poisoned her with his own blood! He wants to take her from me!” He slammed his fist into the table, splintering the wood. He inhaled deeply and felt the work of his mate on his nervous system. He tried to throw up a block but she was too fast. Her comforting energy seeped through their bond, even from miles away. “Goddess, what the fuck is that oracle teaching her?!”
Theo chuckled. “Probably how to sedate you so he can drive the knife into your back once and for all.”
Graham glared back at his friend. “That’s not fucking funny.”
Theo shrugged. “He doesn’t know the real story. He might just try it.”
Graham sank back into his chair. He let his head drop back and allowed Catherine in fully to work her magic. “We need to find him, Theo,” Graham sighed. “I can’t fail her again.”
“I know, Bud. We’ll get him.”
A knock came at the door and Graham called for them to enter. A lanky lycan with dark skin and even darker eyes entered. He worked the brim of a Longhorn’s baseball hat between his fingers. Graham stood and tried to place the man.
“Pardon my intrusion, I was told I needed to meet with Beta Graham in order for him to review my request,” the man said.
“That’s him,” Theo said with an unneeded point of his finger.
“What can I do for you?” Graham asked.
The man took a few steps forward and extended his hand. “My name is William, my mate is one of the head chefs in the packhouse kitchen, Mable,”
*Sure, Mable is a sweetheart, you are a lucky man,” Graham said, finally placing him as the man he saw dancing with Mable before the shit hit the fan. The lycan’s eyes blackened at the pet name but he slammed his eyes shut and shook his head before his jealousy could worsen.
1/3
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be, we’ve all been there,” Graham assured him. “Are you here to tell me you’ll be taking her with you back to your pack? You don’t really need a request for that. Dane’s the one you need to talk to, right?” Graham sat in his chair and extended his hand toward the other guest chair for him to take.
“That’s actually what brings me here… Alpha Dane has denied my request to mate with Mable,” William practically growled.
“Oh shit,” Theo said, eyes wide. He sat up, fully invested in the new drama unfolding.
“May I ask why?” Graham asked.
“Apparently there are a few contracts you have cheated him on?” William asked. “He told me he refuses to do any more dealings with the Blackmoore pack, including accepting fated mates from them.”
“Asshole,” Theo hissed. “I mean… no disrespect to your alpha.”
“No, it’s okay, I wasn’t quite happy with it myself.”
Theo sniffed dramatically. “Not unhappy enough to go rogue though, huh?”
“I… I wanted to explore my options first,” William started, his face turning red at the accusation.
“It’s okay. We get it,” Graham said, alleviating some of William’s embarrassment. He sighed and shuffled some paper around his desk. “I must admit I haven’t had a chance to look into the procedure for letting members into the pack.” He rested his forearms on his desk. “What’s your position with Dane?”
“I’m his second Gamma. I run his tracking team, handle interrogations and run reconnaissance,” William answered, sitting up straighter as he listed his
resume.
“Family?”
“Mom, Dad and two younger brothers at home,” he answered. “They know I found my mate and understand why I wish to leave Alpha Dane.”
“What are you hoping to do if allowed into our pack?”
He nodded sharply and his eyes were set. “I want to continue my work. I’m a hell of a tracker, Beta Graham.”
“Well, I’m sure my mate would be thrilled to keep Mable by her side,” Graham said with a nod of his head and the tap of his knuckles on the table. William’s face lit up before Graham held his hand up. “Like I said, I haven’t familiarized myself with procedures. Before I give you a solid yes, I’ll need to run it by my alpha. We’re in the middle of some heated negotiations with Dane and I can’t further jeopardize relations with one of the few remaining lycan alphas. However, that being said, I want you to rest easy and know I’ll do what I can to get you accepted, get you a role in our ranks and keep Mable here with her family and friends. What do you say?”
William stood and reached his hand out again for Graham to take. “Sounds like a damn good plan, Sir. I thank you.” Graham gripped his hand firmly and shook once. “I’ll go tell May May the good news.”
“Before you leave,” Theo began, holding his index finger up to stop the excited lycan.
“Yeah?” William pressed, practically bouncing on his toes.
“You said reconnaissance. What kind of work did Dane have you doing?”
William’s excitement was smothered like a bucket of water over a roaring campfire. His eyes shifted from Theo to Graham and back quick enough to make Graham’s skin shiver in suspicion.
“William?” Graham prodded.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I am under oath not to say.”
Theo glanced at Graham, intrigue plane on his face. “Interesting indeed.”
2/3
Chapter une Hunarea and Four
Graham nodded. It could only mean one thing: his surveillance had been done on other lycan packs, most likely their own. Another reason to have him brought into the pack. Perhaps it wasn’t Gerald working with Dominic, but Alpha Dane.
Theo turned in his chair toward the door and a moment later Graham heard the loud footsteps racing down the hall. His hair stood on end in warning and Theo discreetly pulled one of his knives from his boot.
A moment later the door was thrust open and cracked against the wall. Toma braced both of his hands against either side of the doorframe. His chest rose and fell sharply, his face was flushed from his run but his smile stretched from ear to ear. A dangerous gleam shone in his eyes. Theo relaxed but Graham remained stiff.
“We found him,” Toma finally announced. “We found the fucker, Graham.”
