Chapter 4
My mind was foggy and my eyelids were heavy from exhaustion. Every step felt like a slog. I’d barely had a chance to catch my breath since the end of my heat just recently, and now I was bowing from under the weight of my responsibilities. There was too much to deal with, and it was on a scale I could barely begin to comprehend.
A hand on my shoulder made me jump.
“We’re here,” Eric said gently.
“Right,” I mumbled.
In front of us was Eric’s house, which I’d come to view as a home. It also doubled as a base-of-operations of sorts, since it belonged to a pack leader and he was fully in his right to allow any of us on his territory.
I couldn’t say the same about North Pack anymore. I wasn’t sure if Colton’s parents would welcome us back with open arms like they did the first time.
“C’mon, Mathe,” Ramsay said, patting me on the back. “You look tired.”
I sighed. “I really am.”
They took me straight to the guest bedroom. Eric told us all to wait there, mumbled something about the sheets, then scurried off to his room to presumably deal with the mess we’d all made earlier.
“We’re all clear,” Eric said a few minutes later.
I was happy to slump face-first against the clean sheets. “Thanks for dealing with that, Eric.”
“No problem. I really didn’t want Tansy to see it, even if she must have heard us,” he added in an embarrassed mumble.
All of us were getting ready to slip into bed for a much-needed rest when another knock on the door made us pause. I could practically feel the frustration coming off of Eric in waves.
“What is it now?” he asked sharply.
This time, it wasn’t Tansy the maid who stood at the door, but Crystal--one of Eric’s most loyal guards. She didn’t look happy.
Instantly Eric frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Sir, I know you’re busy, but there’s something I’d like to discuss,” Crystal said.
Her clipped tone made it clear that it was going to be a private conversation. Eric joined her in the hall and closed the door behind him. I couldn’t catch what they were talking about in their muffled voices.
“He’s intimate with us but can’t be bothered to let us know what’s going on?” Ramsay muttered.
I frowned. “It’s probably something to do with West Pack only.”
Ramsay sighed and slumped onto the pillow. “Whatever.”
We were all tired and getting frustrated, but I couldn’t help thinking that Ramsay was right. Maybe Eric didn’t want us to worry about whatever was going on, but didn’t he know that we were all here for him? ThatIwas here for him? I was more than just a sexual partner. I was there for him emotionally, too. That’s what mates were for.
I didn’t like the nagging feeling in my gut, so I tried to ignore it by curling up with Ramsay and Colton, the latter of whom was fast asleep already.
After a while, Eric came back inside, but I knew by the way he stood stiffly by the door that he wasn’t staying.
“What is it?” I asked, already feeling dread in the pit of my stomach.
“Nothing,” Eric said. “But--”
My irritability got the best of me and I snapped, “Don’t tell me it’s nothing. Something’s obviously going on.”
Eric’s eyes widened in surprise for a second before they narrowed into the serious eyes of a pack leader. “It’s West Pack business. It doesn’t concern you all.”
“Eric,” I began.
