“But that’s not the same thing as an order. Come on, Mark, live a little.” He sat up and pulled Mark with him. “Who knows, this time tomorrow we could be involved in another pack war, then you’d regret not going out while you could.” Will laughed, but Mark couldn’t help but think that was closer to the truth than he wanted to admit. He probably shouldn’t, but, “Which club?”
“Lycanis.”
The name always amused him. Nothing subtle about shifters. As the name suggested, Lycanis was a shifter-only club, and as a result, tended to be full of mated pairs or those looking to bond. Many shifters stuck to the mixed clubs, wanting to avoid the chance of an accidental bond since it was more likely to happen with another shifter than a human partner. Mark’s chances of picking up in there would be severely limited, but then again, he wasn’t really in the mood anyway. But the idea of getting out and forgetting his worries for a bit? That did sound appealing.
Against his better judgement, and hoping Jason wouldn’t be pissed off at him, Mark nodded. “Okay, I’ll come.”
CHAPTER TWO
Alec stood with his hands braced on the sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Had it really been ten years? Time hadn’t changed him much on the outside—forty years of age wasn’t considered old by shifter standards—but inside he was nothing like the young man who’d gone out that night with his new unit, full of excitement and bravado at finally being allowed to join the fight.
How fucking naive he’d been.
Closing his eyes, he let his head drop down and breathed. The guilt and the pain resurfaced every year, like a morbid anniversary tormenting him with memories he tried so hard to forget. The date itself was still a few days away; he didn’t normally get like this until he woke up having dreamt about it the night before. It had happened every year since the war ended, Alec had accepted it as part of his life. Welcomed it, even. It was no more than he deserved, after all.
Something had triggered it early this year, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what it was.
Fuck.
What he needed was a distraction, a way to get his mind focused on the present. Cam would need all his betas at their best in the next few weeks, and Alec refused to let anyone down.
Not again.
Alcohol and sex were his go-to fix for times like this. Not necessarily in that order.
Getting trashed was out of the question, but he could down enough shots to take the edge off for an hour or so. It’d be enough to clear his head.
Sex would help with the tension.
Considering how tightly wound he felt tonight, it needed to be with another shifter. He had no plans to be gentle.
With one last look in the mirror, Alec flicked off the light and walked through his flat, picking up his wallet, phone, and keys on the way. An unread text blinked up at him.
Beta mtg tomorrow, 9am. Mtg room
He didn’t bother replying and Cam wouldn’t expect one. It wasn’t a request. The read receipt would be answer enough.
Alec parked his car at the back of the warehouse, noting the other vehicles utilising the pack parking spaces. All three of them belonged to Regent’s Pack members, which was a relief. He was in no mood to deal with illegal parking.
The shifter-only bars and clubs didn’t number all that many and, as a result, were conveniently located on the same stretch of road. Alec paused at the top of the street, letting the myriad of scents wash over him. The centre of London was neutral territory, used by all packs and owned by none.
So many pack scents in one area was a shock to the system at first. Alec leaned against the corner of the building to his left and took a moment to acclimatise himself. A few shifters wandered past him but paid no attention to the way he flexed his hands and worked his jaw. After a few seconds, the urge to shift passed, like he knew it would, and Alec walked down the street, gaze flitting from one place to the next as he decided where to go.
A pub halfway down caught his eye, newly opened by the looks of things, and Alec headed towards it. As he glanced right, then left before crossing the road, a scent caught his attention. He stopped, narrowly avoiding being run over by a white van going far too fast. Alec growled under his breath.Wanker.
The scent had vanished, only to materialise again when he reached the opposite pavement. Alec closed his eyes for a second. He never forgot a shifter’s scent, and this was one he’d definitely encountered before.
Meeting.
P-pack.
Mark Appleton.
Alec made it his business to know the names of everyone entering a meeting with his alpha. Security was his unit’s main focus, after all. The information wasn’t hard to come by; their two packs were supposedly allies. Or they had been.
The scent stirred memories of the morning. He’d saved Mark’s life to protect Tim, but the young P-pack shifter seemed unaware of everything Newell had done. It had to have come as a shock to learn your alpha had such little regard for your life. Alec wondered how Newell had explained himself.
He started to walk in the opposite direction but stopped after a few steps. Mark’s scent lingered, the spicy edge to it teasing his senses and sparking his interest. He should leave well enough alone. Avoiding anyone from P-pack was probably best for now, but his wolf had also taken an interest and Alec was in the mood to indulge his wild side. A little look couldn’t hurt.
