Mark swallowed. He only had Wes’s word for it. Before the business with the jacket, Mark would have done it without hesitation. He’d still have moaned, but he wouldn’t be stood there questioning a beta’s word. But that was before. “Why can’t I take the laptop home and do it?”
“Because Alpha Newell feels there’ll be fewer distractions if you stay here.” Wes grinned, as though he had an answer for everything.
Alec was right. They did want to keep him out of the way. But why? Surely that was only delaying the inevitable? Whatever, Mark didn’t want to piss Wes off if he could avoid it. There was something about his attitude tonight that made Mark uneasy. “Fine. But what about my clothes and shit for tomorrow. I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to be doing.”
“You’ll be in the coffee shop again. There’s a spare uniform in the wardrobe. Just your size.”
He really had thought of everything.
“I should call Jason, just to—”
“Don’t.” Wes’s tone was sharp, barked like a command. “Jason’s busy with the council.”
Okay then. Mark would definitely be checking in with his own beta after Wes had gone. Fuck that.
As though they were carrying on the previous conversation, Wes then added in a much lighter tone. “There’s no food in the flat, though. You’ll have to fend for yourself.” He gestured at a stack of takeaway menus next to the laptop. “Plenty to choose from.”
He didn’t come out and say it, but Mark got the feeling he wasn’t supposed to leave the flat.
Mark clapped his hands together. “Right, then, I guess I’d better get on with these.” He looked pointedly at the laptop and hoped Wes took the hint to leave.
For a second it seemed like he was going to, then he stopped. “Oh, one last thing.”
Mark was in the process of rolling his eyes, totally unprepared for Wes charging across the room at him, teeth bared, claws out—half shifted.What the fuck?
The impact drove them both into the far wall. Mark’s back hit it so hard, all the breath left him in a whoosh. Fucking beta strength.How did I forget about that?Claws sank into his shoulders, pinning him, and Wes’s teeth at his neck froze him in place.
“Back off!” Mark hissed, his own fangs sliding out as he desperately clung on, not wanting to shift with Wes at his fucking throat. “Now.”His growl echoed around the room, low and guttural.
“You’re a fucking disgrace to this pack,” Wes slurred and lifted his head enough to look Mark in the eye.
Mark shifted with a roar, shoving Wes away from him. He didn’t give a shit if he was a beta.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Mark glanced down at the tears in his shirt caused by Wes, the skin underneath slowly knitting back together. “Are you crazy?”
Wes cracked his neck from side to side, reminding Mark that he used to work club security before Newell made him a beta. He took a step forward, lips curled back in a snarl. “I heard her downstairs, and I thought surely he wouldn’t be that fucking stupid. Again. Not after I warned him.” Another step. “But I cansmellhim on you. Why is that, exactly?”
“We’re in neutral territory.”
Wes sneered. “You are not neutral territory.” Another step and Mark growled out a warning. “Alec Knight is an R-pack beta. His only interest in you is to get to Newell. How fucking naive can you be?”
Mark kept his temper in check. “We’re not doing anything that goes against pack policy.”
“Are you fucking?”
He wouldn’t lie. Even to Wes. “Yes.” Admitting that should have scared the shit out of him, considering the rage on Wes’s face, but Mark took great satisfaction in saying it.
He saw it coming this time, and as Wes leapt at him, claws raised to strike, Mark dodged out of the way. He didn’t fight back, not wanting to cross that line with the alpha council around. Wes might be in the wrong, but it would be Mark’s word against his.
Not worth it. Unless he absolutely had to.
Wes recovered his balance and spun around. “What have you told him?”
“Nothing.” Sounding sincere with the truth was easy. Thank fuck Alec had insisted.
“Liar,” Wes shot back, but his tone lacked the conviction it had before.
“I’m not.” Mark shook his head. Taking a gamble, he shifted back, claws and teeth sliding back out of sight. Someone had to end this. “We don’t talk about pack business.”
