Chapter 2 - Camden
It had been years since Camden had been back home. He and the rest of the soldiers of the Silverrose pack had been following their alpha’s orders, doing what needed to be done to maintain the safety of their people, but Camden was growing weary of life on the road.
The black ops squad he was part of was small but powerful.
Because of their strength and ability to blend in, they had been given special orders from Alpha Harold Hughes, Camden’s uncle.
With their enhanced directive, they had also been given more leeway in deciding their schedule than most squads were given.
For years, they had stuck to the mission, focusing solely on helping the pack.
But Camden and the other members of his squad were starting to lose focus.
“I think it’s time we take a break,” he announced to the squad as they got ready for the day.
They had slept under the stars last night with their blankets arranged around a smoldering fire that Franco Marbles was reviving to cook their breakfast. Marbles stopped what he was doing and raised an eyebrow at Camden.
“We just woke up, boss,” he pointed out. “Why would we need a break now?”
“Not that kind of break, Marbles,” Camden said with a chuckle. “A real break. We should go back to Silverrose for a while. See our families. Sleep in real beds for a change. We haven’t taken any R and R time yet. I think we’ve earned it, don’t you?”
The rest of the squad made sounds of assent. It had been too long since they had done anything except fight for the pack, they all agreed. Even Camden’s best friend and second-in-command, Jasper Ryland, who always pushed them past their breaking points on missions to get the job done, was on board.
“When?” Jasper asked him.
Camden and Jasper had been friends since they were kids, and because of that, they had an uncanny ability to communicate in very few words.
They were also the only two members of the squad who called each other by their first names.
Everyone else had been brought in to the squad for their special skills and ability to follow orders—true soldiers.
Together, they had forged bonds of brotherhood, but only Jasper and Camden had been born with those bonds.
“Now,” Camden replied. There was no reason to wait. Their latest mission had been a success, and no further orders had come through from the alpha. There was nothing keeping them there. He turned his attention to the rest of the squad. “Get packed up, and we’ll head home.”
The mood around the camp brightened considerably as everyone began to load their bags.
Marbles wasted no time in abandoning his attempt to restart the fire, choosing instead to pour the water from last night’s cleanup onto the hot coals.
Smoke poured from the sizzling ring, filling the air with the ashy smell that Camden had begun to associate with the start of the day.
Their lives had a particular rhythm to them, for which he was grateful.
Being a soldier was always easier when the path was laid out in front of you.
Decisions came much easier when you didn’t spend too much energy on the smaller, more mundane tasks of daily life.
The rest of the squad was packed up already and stood waiting for Camden’s order to load up into the vehicles.
Just then, Camden’s phone rang. He heard one of them groan at the sound and couldn’t help but feel the same way.
They had just decided to go home. Of course, the alpha would call with another mission just then.
“Hello?” Camden said into his phone.
“Hughes,” the alpha replied. It always struck Camden as strange that his uncle called him by their shared last name, but tradition was tradition. He was a soldier, and that was what soldiers were called. “What’s your location?”
“Unmoved since the last check-in, but we’ve completed the objective and are getting ready to load out,” he said.
“Good. I have a potentially problematic alpha in your area. Twelve klicks to the east, just south of the Ironbrand River. Do you know it?”
“Yes,” Camden replied. “Recon only?”
“Recon only,” Alpha Hughes replied. “They are aware of your presence, so there’s no need to sneak around. Just gather what intel you can through diplomatic means.”
Camden hung up the phone and turned to the squad, who had been watching him nervously.
“We aren’t going home, are we?” Marbles asked dejectedly.
“Of course we are,” Camden assured him. “Just need to make a quick stop first. Don’t worry, it’ll be a quick in-and-out job. By tonight, we’ll be back in Silverrose.”
The men grumbled a little, but obeyed his orders to load up and head toward the Ironbrand pack’s territory. He wasn’t thrilled about their detour, either, but the sooner they got this mission over with, the sooner they could get back home.
As expected, the trip took no time at all. Long, winding stone walls fully enclosed the Ironbrand pack house, and Camden was starting to wonder how they were going to get inside when they approached the iron gates. They were wide-open.
“Strange,” he said.
“Should we stop here?” Jasper asked.
“No,” Camden replied. “Drive on. Either they’re expecting us, or they have an event going on. Either way, there’s no use sneaking around.”
Jasper nodded curtly and drove through the entry. Pea gravel flung up around the tires as he led the other two cars toward the impressive pack house where Alpha Demetrius Sier ruled over the Ironbrand wolves. They parked in a line of cars out front, and the squad followed their leader inside.
“I think we’re underdressed,” Jasper said in a low voice.
Inside, a few dozen wolves clad in cocktail dresses, suits, and blazers were chatting and drinking white wine from crystal glasses. Whatever event they were celebrating, it wasn’t an everyday occasion.
“Black still blends in,” Camden assured him. “Spread out and see what you can find. Meet back at the cars in fifteen minutes.”
Everyone nodded to him before separating. They were practiced at fitting in no matter what situation arose. Camden had no doubt they would each cover a different area and come back with as much information as they could muster. But Camden’s job was to head straight for the heart.
“Excuse me,” he said, flashing a bright smile at a young blond woman. “Alpha Sier is expecting me. Can you tell me where I might find him?”
Her eyes went wide, and her mouth opened slightly in surprise. He often felt like his appearance was detrimental to his ability to blend in and be a good soldier, but there were times when being attractive helped him get information. Clearly, this was going to be one of those times.
“He should be coming down any minute,” she said breathlessly. “The engagement party is supposed to start at ten o’clock sharp.”
Camden thanked the woman for her help and checked his watch as he headed for the base of the spiral staircase, knowing that would be where the alpha would make his grand entrance. It was only two minutes until ten. Plenty of time for him to observe the assembled crowd.
At first glance, everything appeared normal.
But underneath the polite chatter and merriment of the event, Camden could sense an uneasiness amongst the wolves.
There were no obvious clues as to why, but it was clear to him that they were not as happy about the impending nuptials.
For most packs, getting a luna was seen only in a positive light.
Lunas were jointly responsible for the welfare of the pack, as well as supporting the alpha in defensive strategies.
If the pack objected to a luna, that could only mean that the alpha wasn’t the type of man who shared power readily.
This luna was sure to be window dressing meant to cover up problems within the Ironbrand pack.
The sound of shoes on the staircase pulled his attention away from the crowd as the alpha and his future bride descended.
Alpha Sier was a proud man with dark hair.
He was clean-shaven and wearing a tux that was probably more expensive than Camden’s car; exactly the kind of man Camden avoided.
But his appearance was nothing compared to the woman beside him.
Flora.
It had been years since Camden had seen her, but with one look at her, he was transported back to their time together. The time when he had rejected her in the worst possible way, when he had been too immature and ignorant to treat her the way she had deserved.
Flora’s pale-yellow dress brought out the highlights in her brown hair.
At first glance, she was just an ordinary girl, not the kind of woman that men fell head over heels for.
Her beauty had always been subtle and quiet, something that snuck up on you when you weren’t looking for it.
Camden had been with other women over the years, but none had ever compared to her.
She was smiling, but Camden could tell it was forced. Her true smile was dazzling, but this one was strained. Her dark eyes flickered around the room uneasily. She was clearly aware of how she was perceived by the pack, but was trapped in her situation. Who could say no to the alpha?
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Demetrius released her immediately so that he could greet his guests.
She stood in place, unsure of where to go or what to do as the pack clapped for their alpha.
With their entrance made, the alpha seemed to have forgotten about his betrothed, leaving her standing unaccompanied.
Camden, recovering from the shock of seeing Flora, was overcome with rage.
He knew he had no right to feel protective of her after how he had rejected her so brutally, but he couldn’t stand to see her treated this way so publicly.
More than that, he was appalled that her parents were trying to marry her off to a man like Demetrius.
He wasn’t sure what had prompted their investigation into him, but whatever it was couldn’t be good.
He couldn’t stand by and watch as she tied her life to a man like this.
Flora had been scanning the crowd, looking for a familiar face, when she suddenly caught sight of Camden.
She did a double-take, and Camden could see the same shock he had felt reflected back at him.
Her eyes widened, and then a crease appeared between her eyebrows.
She looked back at her fiancé, but he was paying her no attention.
She took a tentative step toward Camden, and when no one made a move to draw her back into the crowd, she took another.
Camden tilted his head toward another door, and Flora followed him.
They entered a small study, and Flora shut the door behind her softly. The chatter in the foyer was muffled by the heavy oak door as they faced each other, uncertain of how to begin.
“What are you doing here?” Flora asked.
“I’m here on orders from the alpha,” Camden said. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in Silverrose?”
“I live here now,” she said quietly.
Camden’s mind was reeling. How long had it been since she moved away? Why hadn’t anyone told him?
Why would they tell me? he asked himself. No one knows about my connection to her. I made sure of that.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Camden said. “Alpha Sier is being investigated for wrongdoing. You aren’t married yet, so you can still escape the consequences of whatever he has done.
Come back with my squad and me. We’re leaving in—” he checked his watch “—three minutes. We can figure the rest out later, but we need to get you out of here.”
Flora looked appalled at the suggestion. She snorted derisively and shook her head.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she replied. “Why should I?”
“Weren’t you listening to what I just said?” he snapped. “Your fiancé is in trouble, and he’s about to drag you into it with him. You aren’t safe here, and we’re running out of time.”
Camden looked around the room they were in. There was one door that led back to the foyer, another door that looked like it led to another room, and a third door with a frosted windowpane down the center. Sunlight was shining through the glass, and he knew it would lead outside.
“I’m not any safer with you than I would be here,” Flora said. “I have no idea where you’ve been all these years, or what you’re doing here now, but I’m certain that I’ll be better off if you leave.”
Her voice was firm, unlike the casual tone she had used with him when they were alone or the demure one that she had defaulted to when she was around others.
Her arms were crossed in front of her, and he could tell she was seconds away from leaving the room and heading back to her new life in Ironbrand.
This new Flora was different. But Camden didn’t have time to wonder about what had changed.
His squad was heading to the cars now, and he needed to go with them.
Staying any longer would put their mission at risk.
“Flora, wait,” he said. He took a few swift steps toward her and pulled her into a hug. She stiffened slightly and then relaxed into his embrace. Her face was nestled against his chest, and he felt her take a steadying breath. As she did, Camden pulled a syringe from his pocket.
“I’m really sorry about this,” he whispered.
As the needle pierced her arm, she jerked backward.
Her eyes were wild with anger and fear, but within a moment, she was unconscious.
Camden caught her and tossed her over his shoulder before heading back to the car.
Luckily, everyone was already inside the pack house, and there were no witnesses to his kidnapping.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Jasper whispered harshly as Camden slid Flora into the backseat of the car and climbed in beside her.
“Is everyone back?” Camden asked, ignoring Jasper’s question.
“Yes, but—”
“Then drive.”
Jasper cursed again but obeyed his commander, leading the convoy back to their pack’s territory.
Camden placed one hand behind his neck, massaging it nervously as they drove away.
He had done many things over the years that he wasn’t proud of, but this might be the biggest mistake of his life.
It was completely out of character for him to do something so rash, but the instinct to get Flora out of there—to protect her—had been too strong for him to ignore.
“If you just brought hell raining down on us, Camden, I swear to everything I hold dear that I’ll kill you myself,” Jasper said bitterly.
“No, you won’t,” Camden argued.
Jasper grumbled in the front seat, knowing that his best friend was right. They had been through too much together to ever betray one another, but Camden knew that what he had done put everyone else at risk, too.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Jasper said.
“Me too,” Camden agreed.