The Reluctant Alpha (9 page)

“You’re back,” Fearghas said, his face impassive, obviously hiding his worry. “Everything go okay? Did you find anything out?”

“Let’s go inside, uncle.” Cam took hold of Fearghas’ elbow. “We can talk better after we’ve had something to eat and drink. It’s been a long day.”

“Of course!” Fearghas almost ran up the stairs to open the door. “Marie! Food for the boys.”

Cam followed, knowing his aunt would most probably have a meal ready. He wasn’t wrong. As they entered the kitchen she was busy rushing around with Angel helping her. Fergie at the table with a laptop, typing away before looking up at him with a questioning glance.

Marie placed large bowls on the table as Angel picked up a huge pot, brimming with beef stew. Marie put a large ladle in the stewpot, smiling nervously at all of them. “Help yourselves, I’ll get you some bread and would you like a beer to go with it?”

Cam took his place at the opposite end of the table to Fearghas, waiting ‘til his Wolves were all eating before taking his own. “This smells delicious, thank you and yes, I think we deserve a beer.”

As soon as he spoke Angel got them their drinks then sat down next to her mate. Fergie finished whatever he was doing and closed the laptop. An air of expectancy all around as they ate.

Cam couldn’t stand it, “Okay,” he started while still trying to eat. “Alpha, you have to sit and listen, to all of what we have to say. Okay?”

Fearghas nodded, his lips set in a tight line as Cam drank down his beer in one go. Wiping his mouth with a napkin he took a deep breath. “Your land has been invaded with Wolves from the Wild Ranch Pack time and again and...”

“How?” Fergie interrupted. “How is that possible without us knowing about it?”

“I did say to listen?” Cam spoke quietly but his tone was pure Alpha and Fergie’s eyes flitted down as he said a quick “sorry.”

Cam inclined his head to the side, watching his uncle’s reaction and saw lines appear at the side of his eyes and mouth as his son showed submission to Cam.

“Right, I’ll continue.” Cam’s eyes stayed locked on his uncle’s. “They’ve been using magic to mask their scent and hide their presence. I know you don’t like magic, hate it in fact. However, if we are to stand a chance against them then we need to use it to counteract theirs. If we do not do this then we are, what we say in the business world, fucked.”

Fergie swore as the Alpha’s face turned red and Cam worried he was about to blow. However, Fearghas nodded at him to carry on. “We tracked them, and yes I did use a little spell my mother taught me to be able to do this. At the spot that Fergie was attacked it was obvious to me what happened and he
was
attacked. No doubt about it.”

Marie gasped, Angel whimpered and Fearghas cursed. Cam ignored them and went on, “So, we tracked those responsible all the way back to the Wild Ranch camp. There’s no doubt it’s them that’s behind everything and we need to figure out how to take them down. Or more importantly, Philippe Dupont.”

Fearghas spoke for the first time since they’d sat down. “How do you propose we do that?”

Cam stared hard at his uncle. “I’m glad you said we, because this Alpha is, apparently, worse than we thought. I came across his Beta in the forest...”

Fergie’s head shot up, “What? Shit! They’ll know we’ve been on their land!”

“Hold on, let me finish. I said I came across him but he’s no longer in a position to tell anyone anything. We had a slight difference of opinion. He thought it was okay to hunt down a She-Wolf and rape her. I thought otherwise. We fought and afterwards Jinx and I got rid of his body, burning it to mask the scent of the female. She is absolutely terrified. I’ve never seen anyone so scared.”

“Who was she?” Angel asked, fear on her face.

“Chastity.” Cam waited and saw Angel’s eyes widen, her face losing all color.

“No! Oh my god, that’s the Alpha’s sister!”

“Yes,” Cam said, “she is and she’s so goddamn scared her body was shaking from head to foot. She won’t say anything ‘cause she’s under the impression Dupont would hold her responsible and ‘punish’ her. Whatever the hell
that
means.”

Cam drank some more of his beer, his eyes still on Fearghas, seeing the tension in the Alpha. He was trying to hide it but Cam could see it clearly.  “Fearghas, we need to bring a Witch in on this. I know you don’t approve of Witchcraft but we’ve got to fight fire with fire and we’ll be blind if we don’t.”

A heavy silence hung around them as Fearghas sat stiffly, his jaw tightening and his eyes flashing with anger. Cam waited him out, his own expression calm as Fergie looked between him and his father. The seconds ticked by, Marie and Angel starting to fidget, before Fearghas nodded once. Cam took that as approval.

“Good, I’ve got someone in mind but she won’t get here until tomorrow at the earliest so I think you should tell folks to stay within the Camp. No wandering around and, oh yeah, just where the hell is your Beta? He should be here at his Alpha’s side.”

Fearghas looked at Fergie, “Did you tell him to be here?”

Fergie nodded, “Yup, I texted him earlier but he didn’t reply. I’ve no idea where he is.”

“Damn!” Fearghas’ palm hit the table, with enough force to cause the plates to rattle. “I’ll call him in a bit and see what’s going on. Anything else we should know for now, Cam?”

“My PI, Jacob, is on his way here, he left me a message.” Cam wondered again why Jacob decided to come. “No idea why but if he’s coming here then he’s got information he wants to tell us face to face.”

“When will he arrive?” Marie asked, “I’ll put some food aside for him.”

“He’s a Wolf so he’ll be hungry, he’s always hungry.” Jinx laughed, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as large as him and he sure puts away a lot of grub.”

“He is big, but he’s also very fast and damn lethal.” Cam looked from Jinx back to Fearghas. “He’s good in a fight but he’s an absolute whiz with computers and electronics.”

Fearghas inclined his head to the side. “Good to know, looks like we’ll need all the help we can get.”

“I’m glad you feel that way because Jacob has a tendency to ‘take over’ and I don’t want him rubbing you up the wrong way.” Cam raised an eyebrow continuing, “Just let him do what he does best and he’ll be an asset. Try and not take his abrupt manner personally. It’s just the way he is.”

Fergie laughed, “Abrupt is he? Well we’ve got Matthieu so we’re kinda used to abrupt.”

“That reminds me,” Cam looked away from Fergie, wondering how his uncle would take his next bit of information. “I had Jacob look into Matthieu. Hope it doesn’t offend, but I like to know who I have at my back. I don’t know him so, therefore, I don’t trust him.”

“Really?” Fearghas cocked his head to the side, his expression one of surprise. “You could’ve run that past me first, Cameron.”

Cam shrugged. “Sorry if I’ve offended you but regardless of what you said I would’ve had him checked out. As I said, I like to know who’s behind me.”

Cam’s cousin turned to his father. “It’s a fair point, Dad, and to be honest I’d like to know what’s been found out too. He’s always been a little cagey and I’ve already told you this, but I don’t believe most of what he says.”

Fearghas frowned. “I know who he is and that should be enough for anyone.”

At those words Cam’s mind went into overdrive. To him it sounded like the Beta wasn’t exactly what or who he appeared to be. “Care to enlighten us?”

“No,” Fearghas grumbled, his eyes not meeting Cam’s.

“Interesting,”
Cam thought and hoped Jacob would get there soon. He now wanted to know all he could about the elusive Beta.

Cam was just about to prod his uncle about Matthieu when he heard a familiar noise. His jet was coming in to land. Jinx looked up at the ceiling asking, “Is that your jet?”

Cam nodded, getting up and leaving quickly. If Marcus was here then there was a damn good reason for it.

~
Chapter
8
~

Cam jogged towards the landing strip, Jinx right beside him. His sleek jet landed smoothly, running along the short strip to stop a couple of hundred yards from them. They walked forward, Jinx apparently as curious as Cam.

“What’s Marcus doing here?” his friend asked as the door opened and the steps were lowered.

“No idea,” Cam replied, his eyes on the door.

Cam saw a large shadow fill the doorway, “Jacob,” he said.

Sure enough, his very large PI came into view, his trademark sunglasses in place even though night was almost upon them. Jacob raised a hand in greeting as he strode towards them. Cam placed his hands on his hips, an eyebrow raised. “Care to let me in on the reason you’ve used my private jet?”

Jacob smirked, “Was quickest way to get here and trust me, you want me and my expertise here.”

“That remains to be seen,” Cam replied, noting Marcus placing bag upon bag on the tarmac.

“What’s all that?” Jinx asked, pointing to Marcus.

“Tools of the trade,” Jacob replied non-committedly.

Marcus joined them, “Boss, you need to call Stracey, she’s been trying to get you and she sounds worried.”

Cam stared at his pilot. “What?” he asked, not one instance coming to mind when Stracey had been “worried.”

“She says to call as soon as you can.” Marcus looked pensive, obviously aware that Stracey didn’t spook easily.

Cam dug his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll do it now, you lot get all that stuff over to the Club house.”

Hitting speed dial number one he waited, the call answered immediately. “Cameron, I’ve been trying to reach you.”

Stracey’s tone wasn’t one he’d heard before. Not in the twenty years the woman had worked for him. “What’s going on?” he asked quickly.

“I’ve had a call from a woman who said she met you earlier. She sounds scared and said you’d told her to contact you if she needed help.”

Cam’s heart lurched, Chastity.

“And?” Cam almost whispered.

“She was rambling and it took me a few minutes to understand what she was saying,” Stracey took a deep breath. “She said her name was...”

Cam interrupted, “I know her name, go on.”

“She said something about the Alpha knowing something or other. Not about you, but about her. Said he scented Silas on her but Silas can’t be found and he punished her in some way because he said she was lying to him. Cam, she sounded very scared. I don’t think I’ve ever heard fear like that before. What the hell have you gotten into?”

His stomach clenched at the thought of what “punishment” Chastity had endured. A growl rumbling up from his chest and breaking free, loud enough that Jinx shouted over, “You okay?”

Cam ignored him, trying to get a grip on his emotions. Emotions that were suddenly out of control. Stracey’s voice breaking in on his thoughts of what he was going to do to Dupont when he got his hands on him.

“Cameron! What’s going on?”

“Did she leave a number?” he barked out, his tone sharp and one he’d never used before when talking with Stracey.

Stracey sounded worried and offended as she spoke, “Yes, she did, I’ll text you it but you need to let me know what’s happening. I may be able to help.”

“I need you to cancel everything in the diary for the next couple of weeks, maybe longer. I’ll let you know. If there’s anything urgent you deal with it ‘cause I’m going to be busy here. If you can’t deal with it let me know but I’m pretty sure that’s not happening. Stracey, I trust your judgment implicitly and I need to be focused here.”

Cam could hear her gasp, “You’re going off the grid? What will I tell everyone?”

“Yes.” Cam’s mind full of the She-Wolf he’d met earlier. Determined to get her to safety at the same time as meting out his own form of “punishment” to her brother. “We have a situation here at my uncle’s Pack and I’m not sure how long it’s going to take to sort it. I’m going to, possibly, need your help and if I do then you have to do as I say. No questions asked.”

“Of course,” Stracey’s voice now strained, “you know I’ll do whatever I can. I’ll make something up as a cover story for your sudden vanishing act.”

“Thank you,” Cam’s tone was almost back to normal, “and remind me you need a bonus and a raise when this is over.”

Stracey chuckled, “Yeah, yeah, what I really need is a nice holiday. Somewhere warm and quiet.”

“Done,” Cam agreed. “Oh, and Stracey, can you make sure you have a copy of my will? It’s in the safe in my office.”

“What?” Stracey almost shouted down the line. “Cameron Sinclair, you tell me right now you’re not going to do anything stupid like getting yourself hurt!”

Cam’s voice lowered, steely determination seething down the line, “I’ll try, but no promises.”

“Don’t make me come out there, Cameron! I mean it.”

Cam laughed. “I’ll be careful, I promise. Plus, I have Jinx and Jacob here, as well as some of the guys from Scotland. Now, tell me, Stracey, who can stand up to that?”

Stracey didn’t sound convinced, “Please, Cam, be careful.”

As she used his shortened name he knew she was worried, very worried. After all Ms. Hood
never
called him anything other than Cameron. “I will be, just be ready in case I need you to do anything. Okay?”

“Always.”

“I’ve got to go, lots to do on this end. I’ll contact you soon.”

“Okay, and Cameron, please help that girl. She sounded so scared.”

Cameron almost snarled, “Don’t worry on that score. I most definitely am going to help her.”

“Let me know how it goes. You know I’ll worry until you do.”

His tone far gentler as he replied, “I will. I’d tell you not to worry but I know that would be useless. I’ve got to go. Talk soon.”

“Goodbye,” she said as he hung up, turning to Jacob and Jinx to find they’d already left.

Marcus standing, waiting on instructions. “You can go home but make sure the ‘copter is fueled and ready. I may need it.”

Marcus bobbed his head, turning back to the jet as he threw over his shoulder, “Will do. Be careful, Boss.”

Cam didn’t bother replying, just raising his hand in farewell before making his way back to Camp to find Jacob. He needed to know why his PI had come and he wanted to know ASAP.

When he reached the Club house he found it a hive of activity. Everyone, including Fearghas, was there, with Jacob setting up a host of electronics on the large kitchen table. Jinx was helping and Fergie was wheeling around checking everything out with a twinkle in his eye.

Cam had forgotten just how much his cousin loved his gadgets.

“Jacob, report please,” Cam’s voice stern as he took everything in.

Jacob stopped setting up his laptop, “Good, you’re here. Everyone, if you get comfortable I’ll begin.”

Cam sat at the head of the table as everyone else grabbed a seat. Jacob waited, not speaking until there was complete silence. His eyes found Cam’s and stayed there.

“Where do you want me to start? Philippe Dupont or Matthieu?”

Fearghas growled. Cam looked at him. “Something you want to say, Alpha?”

His uncle inclined his head. “I suppose I should.” Fearghas turned to Jacob and stated, “If there’s anything else to add you can when I’ve finished.”

Jacob nodded as Fearghas took a deep breath before he went on, “Matthieu isn’t who you think…”

Fergie snorted, “No shit, Sherlock!”

Fearghas threw his son a dirty look before continuing, “He’s from the Council. I contacted them a while back and they sent him to try and get to the bottom of things. So far he’s not found any concrete proof against Dupont so the Council has refused to take action.”

“Fuck!” Fergie cursed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Fearghas looked unrepentant. “I was told to tell nobody, family included.”

Jacob spoke up before Fergie could make anything more of the information. “Right, I found that out within minutes. He specializes in infiltration and information gathering. Apparently, he’s good at what he does but he can only work within the confines of the Council rules and Matthieu is nothing if not a stickler of rules.”

“True,” Fearghas harrumphed, “he keeps saying he can’t do this, or that.”

“Right,” Jacob agreed, “so his hands are tied and he’s not going to be able to help us, not against Dupont.”

Cam looked over at Jacob. “Go on.”

“Dupont, aka Alpha of the Wild Ranch Pack is one bad Wolf.” Jacob checked the screen on his laptop. “He is suspected of killing the previous Alpha but nothing could be proven and although fights for status are allowed, out and out murder is not. He’s been buying up land all around his own Pack land and also some smaller packets of land that border Highland Clan land.”

“What?” Fearghas exclaimed. “How did I not know about this?”

Jacob sneered, “Because he’s good and is using dummy companies under innocuous names to do it. Also their Pack land is split up with Dupont owning forty-nine percent, with his Beta, Silas Smith owning twenty-five, Pascal Boudreaux owns nineteen and he’s apparently the Pack Enforcer, with Quincy Madden holding the rest and his position is personal guard to Dupont.”

Cam listened avidly, his brain working fast. “The Beta is gone, we had a run in but I’m sure Dupont doesn’t know. Not yet anyway. Jacob, can you find his signature somewhere?”

Jacob grinned, “Yes, of course and I like the way you’re thinking!”

Fearghas looked between them, confusion on his face. “What do you mean?”

Jacob opened his mouth to answer but Cam got there first. “If we can duplicate his signature, I’m going to have papers drawn up and dated yesterday with him selling me his percentage.”

“Is that legal?” Fearghas asked.

Cam thought about his answer, taking his time while every eye was on him. “Fearghas, I think Marie may need you.”

Fergie smiled and chimed in, “Yup, I heard her calling on you, Dad.”

Fearghas sighed in response, “I guess I should go and see what she wants.”

“Good idea,” Cam said quietly, waiting until the Alpha had left before turning back to Jacob. “Okay, anyone else who has a problem with anything they even
think
I’m going to do, should leave now.”

Nobody moved, Fergie shaking his head. “I’m in. I don’t give a fuck how we do it but we need to take him down.”

“I agree.” Cam grinned. “I’m going to make him pay and first stop is getting control of his land. So, Jacob, contact Ms. Hood and get her to organize a contract dated yesterday and get it
‘signed’
then find me something I can use against the other two. If you can’t find something that’s enough for me to get them to sign over their percentage then make it up and make it good.”

“Done.” Jacob smiled. “Now, I’ve got a ton of electronic motion sensors here. I want them put all around the camp so we can monitor who’s watching us.”

Cam spoke up, “They’re using magic to mask their scents but hopefully the sensors will pick them up.”

“They will,” Jacob agreed. “Plus I’ve brought some ‘surprises’ too. They’re only small charges, enough to scare but not kill. I’ll only detonate from here so nobody from this Pack sets them off but it’ll give those fuckers something to think about.”

“Shit! That’s great. I can help there, I’m pretty good with electronics and got even better the last few months.” Fergie hit the arms of his wheelchair. “Nothing else for me to do nowadays.”

“Good, you and I can work together so there’s always one of us monitoring the instruments.” Jacob turned back to Cam. “Who’s the girl?”

“What girl?” Cam tried to deflect.

“Don’t mess with me. I need to know everything and I heard your conversation with your right-hand woman.”

Jinx smirked at Cam and said, “She’s Dupont’s sister and Cam met her earlier. That was about the time he and Silas had a run-in.”

“Okay, well, she may be able to help.” Jacob looked thoughtful. “If she could let us know what’s going on over there it would really assist us.”

“No!” Cam almost shouted. “She’s in enough danger as it is. I won’t put her in anymore.”

Jacob’s hands came up, palms forward. “Okay, Cam. I see the girl is a sore point.”

“Chastity. Her name’s Chastity and Dupont has already hurt her today.”

Fergie growled. “What?”

“She phoned the office and spoke with Stracey. She was scared and said that Dupont had already ‘punished’ her because he could scent Silas on her but they can’t find him.”

Jinx smirked, “Well, that’s ‘cause he’s burned to a crisp at the bottom of a ravine.”

“Sounds as if she’s really scared of her brother,” Mac put in, his face showing his distaste at the thought.

“She’s terrified,” Cam agreed. “She was shaking like a leaf and I swear I could almost taste her fear. So, Jacob, I will not ask her to do anything that puts her in more danger.”

“Fine,” Jacob acquiesced, “woulda been good to have someone on the inside but we can work with what we’ve got.”