6. Callum #2
“If the guy who robbed Ash’s phone is an ex-hunter and no longer associated with the hunter council, then yes, I think there’s a real threat to Ash’s safety. We can only guess at why they wanted his phone, but it won’t take them long to discover it’s not actually his.”
“You think they’ll try again?” Lynx wraps his arms around Morgan, pulling him in close, and as Morgan sags into his embrace, I’m hit with a pang of longing.
It’s fleeting but there, nevertheless. I’ve never wanted that before, but watching them together, it’s hard not to be envious of a connection like theirs. I don’t know if it helps or not that I know I’m not the only one in the room feeling like this.
Lynx can sense the change in the scents around us, but thankfully Morgan can’t yet, or more accurately, he can’t single out what it means. It’s a way of shifter life, one he’ll get used to eventually and learn to ignore it when it has nothing to do with the problem at hand.
One that still isn’t resolved.
“Is anyone watching Ash now?” Lynx narrows his eyes, “And what about Morgan’s old house?”
“I sent two pack members out to keep watch on Ash’s place. They’ll stay there all night. Out of sight,” I add to forestall the question I know Morgan was about to ask.
“And Mal’s watching Morgan’s old property.” Jet flicks a finger between him and Flint. “Either one of us or Beth’ll take over at midnight.”
With that out of the way, I slump back in my seat, exhausted in a way I rarely get. Being constantly on edge is starting to take a toll. I glance around at the rest of my brothers, my own worries and frustration mirrored in every one of them.
Something’s got to give soon.
I just hope it’s not us.
Later that night, I meet Lynx alone at the old tree. It’s been here forever, and if we don’t require absolute privacy, then we hold a lot of meetings here. Being outside allows for any unexpected shifting when tempers flare.
I don’t expect that to happen tonight, but I’ve had enough of being inside today. The cool night air and the moon go a long way to soothing the agitated wolf inside me, but that unsettledness from my hours with Ash lingers regardless.
“You okay?” Lynx nudges his shoulder against mine. We’re both sat with our backs to the enormous trunk, looking out into the almost pitch black of the thick forest.
Its call tonight is getting harder to resist.
What I wouldn’t give to lose myself to the base instincts of my wolf for an hour or two. To forget about everything else but the forest floor scraping my paws and the wind ruffling my fur. It’s so appealing, I move to get up before Lynx clamps a hand on my thigh. “Tell me.”
“I don’t know.”
He scoffs, not accepting that as an answer.
I try again. I tell him what’s been on my mind for the past few weeks. “It’s like we take two steps forward and then fucking five back.”
“You mean with the fight rings and Fox’s hunter group?”
“Will it ever end?”
He moves his hand away, but keeps his shoulder pressed against mine. Maybe he needs the contact as much as I do. I close my eyes and lean my head back, the sounds of the forest soothing a small part of me, but it’s not enough.
“I hope so,” Lynx finally answers. “I believe so, but I think we’ve got a way to go yet. Maybe further than anyone realised.”
I hum in agreement. He’s not wrong. Unfortunately. “We need to talk to Luke and Nico. We can’t put it off any longer.” I can’t put it off any longer. I don’t want to make them relive their trauma any more than Lynx does, but there are more shifters out there still going through it.
“Morgan said Luke talked about a central base where shifters are kept between fights.”
My gaze snaps to his. “And why the fuck have you kept that to yourself?” He stares back at me, no regret or apology in those blue eyes. He’s not sorry, so he better have a good reason or we’re going to have a problem. “And how long have you known?”
“A little over two weeks.”
I snarl. Can’t help it. “Two weeks?”
“Calm down.” His hand grips my thigh again, but this time I want to knock it off. I don’t, but it’s a close fucking call.
“Explain,” I snap. He might be my alpha, but he still has to account for his actions.
“We can’t afford to draw any hunter attention so soon after the business with Fox and the fight ring. You know this.”
I do. “And?”
Now I scent regret coming off him. “If I’d walked into that meeting earlier or any of the ones we’ve had since we found Nico and announced that there’s a place where all the shifters used for the fight rings are kept, every single one of you would’ve insisted that we start looking for it immediately.
” He growls, snatching his hand off me and burying it in his hair.
“I’ve wanted to do exactly that ever since I found out, and it fucking kills me that I can’t.
That they’re out there somewhere waiting for the next fight to be organised.
Every day I second-guess whether I’ve made the right decision.
Every. Fucking. Day. And even though I know I have, for the pack, the club .
. . the guilt still eats at me and there’s no way I’m letting any of you go through that. ”
“For fuck’s sake.” I grab him and pull him into my arms, holding him tight enough to bruise, but I don’t fucking care. “You could’ve told me. I’m your VP and your beta. It’s what I’m here for.” I want to shake some sense into him for keeping this to himself.
“You’re right,” he says, pulling back to meet my gaze. “I should’ve told you, but I was hoping I could give you all a few weeks of peace before I shattered it again.”
Goddess save me from stubborn fucking alphas.
There’ll never be peace for us until the fight rings and those behind them are destroyed.
I don’t say that because he knows that as well as I do.
I understand where his head was at. I know an alpha’s job is to protect his pack, but we’re not your average pack and he’s not the average alpha.
We’re more than that.
I bring our heads together, foreheads touching. “Don’t do that shit again.” He grunts in answer. “Either we all get peace, or none of us do.”
We stay there for another few minutes until Lynx groans and tips his head back, staring up at the sky. “I’m going to have to tell the others.”
“Yep.”
“They’re going to be pissed off.”