“If you go out tonight, be careful.”
“I’m always careful.”
Cam smiled, and Alec attempted to return it. From the expression on Cam’s face, he failed miserably. “My door is always open if you need me.”
“I know.” Alec waited for him to start climbing the stairs before heading to his flat.
As he turned the corner, a familiar scent filled the air, and Alec glanced up to see Tim leant against the wall next to his door. “Again? This is becoming a habit of yours.”
Tim smiled, warm and genuine, and this time Alec returned it easily. Tim had that effect on people. It was probably one of the reasons he made such a good doctor. “I wanted to see how you were doing?”
“You saw me about ten minutes ago.”
“Yes, I know, but that was with all the others.” He nodded at Alec’s door. “Are you going to invite me in? I can stay for a bit, have a drink, maybe get some dinner?”
“No.” Alec rested his head against the wood and closed his eyes. “Not tonight. I know what you’re trying to do, and thank you for the offer, but I’d be shit company.”
“No change there.”
Alec huffed out a laugh. “Fuck off.” He straightened and turned to face Tim, gently placed his hand at the base of Tim’s neck, and met his gaze. “I just need to get through tonight in my own way.”
“And tomorrow?”
Strangely enough, Alec found the day itself easier to cope with. It was always the night before that he struggled with. “There’ll be plenty to keep me busy tomorrow.” He slid his key into the lock. “Night, Tim.”
“Night.” With a sad smile, Tim turned and made his way to the stairwell.
Alec watched him go, then unlocked his door and went inside. He checked the time on his phone. 9.15pm. The day had been long, and exhaustion had him eyeing the open door of his bedroom. Attempting to sleep through this night was always a temptation, but he’d tried that. It had yet to work.
A glance around his flat told him he couldn’t stay there, though. Too empty. He needed to be around people to distract him, occupy his mind so the memories had no chance to resurface. Tim’s offer flashed in his mind, but Alec pushed it aside. It had to be people who didn’tknow.Sympathy and understanding weren’t what he wanted tonight.
After a quick shower, he dressed in his usual dark jeans and T-shirt. It might be a Monday, but early closing hours had been scrapped years ago. Shifters could drink and never get drunk if they paced themselves properly, so the laws had been changed to accommodate them. The amount of money they spent had a lot to do with it.
Alec had no intention of doing that tonight. Drinking fast and hard was the only way to get through it.
Grabbing everything he needed for the night, Alec left his flat and headed to the pack warehouse.
Parking was easy; only one other car sat in the car park. Well, a van, not a car. And not one Alec wanted to see. Especially not tonight.
Fucking Nathan.
Alec knew why he was out, understood all too well, but he was literally the last person Alec wanted to bump into. Getting out of his car, he breathed deep—traces of Nathan and Jared’s scent clung to the air. He’d not missed them by much.
For a split second, he wondered what it would be like to have a mate, someone to be there on a night like this one. The thought was gone as quickly as it appeared. Relationships were a complication he didn’t have either the time or the inclination for.
Following their scent to ensure he didn’t end up in the same place, Alec traced them toLycanis. The perfect place for bonded couples.Is Mark in there tonight?The thought surprised him, and Alec cursed under his breath. That was a one off, in hindsight a stupid decision on his part, and not something to be repeated. Particularly not with the council coming soon.
Walking past the front of the club, Alec glanced across the road, wondering where to go to get trashed. The streets weren’t as busy tonight, individual scents easier to pick up, and because the universe clearly hated him, Alec picked up the one other than Nathan’s that he wanted to avoid.
Mark.
Not on his own. Another P-pack scent intertwined with his, and Alec was fairly sure it was the barman from the club, Will. Following that scent wasn’t an option. He should move on, find another club to go to. But the more he breathed it in, the stronger the urge to chase it. His wolf perked up, thrilled with the possibility of seeing Mark again.
Reckless, irresponsible, stupid.
All words that fit, but Alec found himself entering the club—a mixed one this time—and paying the entrance fee. Music thumped throughout the building, vibrating through Alec’s body, and assaulting his ears. He tuned out the noise as much as he could, concentrating on his sense of smell. With a mixture of humans and shifters, it should be easier to pick up Mark’s scent. In theory.
The dance floor took up the whole of one side of the ground floor. At only 10.35, the club wasn’t full, probably wouldn’t be on a Monday night, but a respectable amount of people were dancing. A packed, sweaty nightclub wasn’t Alec’s ideal anyway. He much preferred them like this—two-thirds full, room to move around, and little to no queue at the bar.
