The outer door to the coffee shop opened. Mark paid little attention to it until he heard a horribly familiar voice asking for him. He froze with his jacket half on. What the fuck didhewant?
Carole smiled and carried on, unaware. “Well just in case this was your one and only shift, it was nice to meet you. Good luck with your super-hotand hugeshifter.” She made a show of putting her hand to her chest and sighing. “I’m still jealous.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. No way would he have missed that.
“Mark?” She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Are you okay? You’ve gone a bit pale.”
Please shut up, Carole.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He reached past her and grabbed the door handle. Maybe if he left with Carole…. The door swung open, and Mark’s stomach sank.
Wes filled the doorway. “Hello, Mark. Mind if I have a quick word?” His smile made Mark’s blood run cold. Why the hell had Newell ever thought he’d make a good beta?Because he does exactly what Newell tells him to. No matter what it is.
Carole hesitated next to him, a trace of fear coming off her as she glanced between Mark and Wes. But instead of hurrying out of there, she curled a fist around the strap of her handbag and met Mark’s gaze. “Want me to wait for you?”
She’d known him one day. He wanted to hug her.
The look on Wes’s face was clear as day.Get rid of her.
Mark smiled at her and guided her through the door with a hand on her elbow. “It’s fine, don’t worry. You get off. It’s been a long day.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I am.”
She looked back twice before leaving the shop.
Mark relaxed a little, now that Carole wouldn’t get mixed up in whatever this was. He didn’t particularly like Wes—he could be a right dick—but Mark had never been frightened of him. Wes might have a few inches on him, but Mark could hold his own in a fight.
Size wasn’t everything.
If Will were there, they’d laugh at something like that. The thought made him grin.
Then Wes stepped fully into the room and firmly shut the door. “Something funny?”
“Nope.” Mark zipped up his jacket. “What did you want to see me about?”
“Not here.” Wes shot a glance at the door. Ahh, there were shifters out there now. “Upstairs.”
Frowning, Mark looked up. “What?”
“The flat above the shop is soundproofed,” he said in explanation. “Come on.”
Wow, Mark hadn’t even known there was an upstairs to this place. He followed Wes to the back of the room, towards a door which Mark knew led into the alley. It was where the bins were.
Once outside, Wes fished out his keys and opened another door on the right. A flight of stairs took them up to a moderately sized two-bedroomed flat.
Mark walked into the living room and whistled. A leather corner sofa took up one side of the room, with a large TV hung on the wall opposite. “This place is pretty nice.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Wes shut the living room door and walked towards him.
Mark eyed him warily, not liking how close he was getting. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll be staying here tonight.” He pointed to a laptop on the coffee table. “It’s nearly the end of the month. Alpha Newell wants you to get a head start on the accounts forLycanis.”
“What?” Mark did the accounts on the first two days of every month. Had done for the last year. “And I have my own flat, thanks.” Not that he had any intention of being in it tonight, but even so. “I’m not staying here.” It smelled… wrong. Like pack, but also not. The scent was vaguely familiar, but Mark couldn’t place it.
Wes edged closer, trying to use those extra inches to look menacing. Mark held his ground. “Your alpha has given you an order. Are you telling me you’re going to refuse?”
