Most days, we all try to meet for breakfast, unless any of us has a training to run. The luna and alpha are always on time. This morning, however, they are awfully late. So late, I am starting to worry.
I am not the only one.
“I hope they are okay,” Griffin says.
“They are,” I tell him. “The alpha linked me ten minutes ago.”
“Maybe something came up,” Griffin says, turning to Rory. I met the luna’s cousin only briefly, and he is not particularly open to small talk. I get it. That guy got fucked over plenty, from what I heard from Griffin. And then to have his mate turn around, join that asshat Jordan and become his beta… That’s a type of betrayal that’s hard to recover from.
Not surprisingly, he looks at me with only thinly veiled suspicion. As the current beta, I am probably not exciting gaining his trust.
How are you coping, Martin?Griffin links me.Having Clemmens out of the picture makes things more difficult, doesn’t it?
Not really,I say.My closest connection is actually Jonah. He likes me more than Clemmens did anyway. Clemmens did not hang out with the guys a lot, but Jonah… he is popular with the crowd, and with Jordan.
That’s the warrior, right?
Yes, he is an elite warrior. I’d bet he is in the running for Jordan’s beta now that Clemmens is gone. He is very loyal to Jordan.
Did he say anything about Clemmens?Griffin asks.
Not yet. I just played dumb when I called him yesterday. Told him that Clemmens was supposed to contact me but didn’t. Jonah said that there are some issues with Clemmens and then blabbed something about how he left the pack for reasons. He sounded pissed, though.I grin.I will make sure to get him drunk tonight. I’ll bet he will have plenty to talk about.
So, they are trying to sweep things under the rug,Griffin muses.Dr. Francis might be right, and they think Clemmens might have betrayed them, or just snapped and run.
Chances are that only Jordan knows,I say.I don’t think he shares a lot with his men. I have met them a couple of times, til now. They truly believed that Rose was his chosen mate.
Weird cultish behavior,Griffin mutters.
Yeah, but it makes it easier for me that way. They think I am in it for money and some twisted sense of adventure, and that I follow Jordan for his rank and money. It’s easier to manipulate them that way.I pause.Clemmens was more difficult to truly convince.
That’s because he just swam along with them.Griffin tosses a secret gaze at Rory.I don’t think he truly ever fell for Jordan’s trick. He was just grieving and ready to burn everything down by doing so. I wish I could feel sorry for him, but I don’t.
Me neither,I admit.As a beta, he truly sucked. Let alone as a mate and friend.
Griffin nods briefly at me before he stops linking me and turns to Rory. “How do you like the pack?” he asks.
“It’s okay,” Rory says honestly. “Could use a bit of work, though. But I can see Rosea’s touch already. She is brilliant.”
“She really is,” I say.
“Talking about, there she is.” Griffin points at the entrance door, right at the moment when Rose is stepping through. Forest is right behind her. Somehow, their presence generates more buzz than usual, judging by the way some of the pack members sitting closer to the door chat excitedly.
“What’s wrong now?” I ask.
“Nothing, boy.” Dr. Francis pops up behind me and squeezes my shoulders. “Nothing is wrong. In fact, I think things haven’t been so good in a long while.”
Griffin furrows his brows while staring at the alpha couple. “No way!” he exclaims. “They are marked!” He stands up and whistles in their direction, making everyone around us join in.
When Forest and Rose are finally at our table, Forest glares at him. “You are such a pain.”
Griffin grins. “Hey, it’s not me who jumped their mate at the first chance.”
“That might be because you don’t have one,” I mutter to him.
Griffin frowns. “You are not fun, Martin.”
“No,” Rose chuckles, squeezing my arm and winking at me before turning towards Griffin. “Youare not fun.”
