Page 91

Nate

T urning the radio off so Cameron could keep sleeping, I settled in for the ride. The farther we went, the more gray and overcast it became. Very different from the sunny morning in Detroit.

The last few days played across my mind like a movie screen. So much had happened in such a short time. In the time I’d known Cameron, I’d been exposed to feelings and emotions I’d never experienced before. Powerful, deep, terrifying emotions.

Chewing my lip, I gripped the steering wheel, thinking back on the night before.

How terrified I’d been when she hadn’t answered her phone.

The terror had been unlike anything I’d ever known.

Finding her safe and sound at that library had been like cold water doused on burning skin—a cooling relief that sank all the way to my soul.

For nearly a mile, I glanced from the road back to Cameron’s face, enjoying the curves of it. Her plump lips, round face, and long lashes. Every inch of her made my heart leap. My wolf let out howls of excitement. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I was bonded to her. Nothing else made sense.

My heart yearned to be with her, to make her mine completely.

Yet, how could that ever happen? I was a lone wolf, practically a homeless vagrant in the eyes of packs.

At best, they tolerated me for a short time.

At worst, they actively ran me out of town.

They’d use the laws about lone wolves as an excuse to get rid of me.

I’d seen both and everything in between during my travels.

That was no life for someone like Cameron.

I couldn’t ask her to go through that, but could I survive without her?

Out of nowhere, the tables had turned. Instead of me being the one keeping her alive, she was doing that for me.

The mere thought of climbing onto my bike and driving away as she waved me off depressed the hell out of me.

And part of me knew, on a deep level, that if I left her, I’d be feral within a year. My wolf would be too hurt, too torn apart to even try to fight against it.

My connection to Cameron had been obvious since that first night I’d met her in the hallway in front of her apartment, when I’d been hoping to get a little info from an attack victim.

When she’d rounded the corner, the zap of electricity that shot through me had been like a slap in the face.

I’d spent the next few meetings with her doing my best to deny those feelings, pushing them down as deep as I could.

But even then, I couldn’t stop myself from flirting and taking every chance I could to touch her, smell her, taste her.

I couldn’t keep fooling myself. This was real.

Her story of losing her father and stepfather, along with what had happened with Rick, resonated with me.

Every man who was supposed to protect her had let her down or disappeared.

For so long, Cameron had been left to fend for herself.

She’d had to grow up too fast to help take care of her mother and little brother.

She should have been wary or skeptical of me.

Hell, I would have been if the roles were reversed.

That wasn’t the case, though. When I looked into her eyes, all I saw was trust. She had faith that I would keep her safe and take care of her.

I vowed to never take that trust for granted.

Again, my thoughts turned back to the pack.

A couple weeks ago, Ollie had told me he would vouch for me to become part of the pack.

He’d offered again while he was laid up in the clinic.

At the time, I’d scoffed at it. It felt like a ridiculous pipe dream, and I had no business being part of a pack.

I’d been burned enough times that I’d decided a long time ago to never join one.

But after meeting Cameron, the thought had become more palatable.

Yet, it was still difficult to make that choice.

They’d ostracized me and made me feel like a leper my whole life.

I’d told Cameron I’d think about it, even though my mind was at war with my inner wolf, my subconscious fears, and my past.

Then, I’d met JC. The guy was a hell of a person.

I’d been drawn to him almost immediately.

Never once had he looked down on me. Hell, he’d made me feel important.

In my experience, most pack alphas, even the good ones, tended to make themselves the most important thing in their packs.

Even when they were doing something good, they made sure people knew how benevolent they were being. JC seemed different.

I glanced at Cameron to make sure she was still asleep, then pulled my phone from my pocket.

Keeping one eye on the road and one on my phone, I scrolled through my contacts to JC’s number.

I weighed what I wanted to say for nearly five kilometers before grunting in irritation at my indecision and hitting the dial button.

Putting the phone to my ear, I waited as it rang, my heart thudding in my chest.

“JC speaking. Nate, is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” I glanced over at Cameron. She stirred, but tilted her head toward the passenger window and continued to snore slightly.

“What’s up? Anything wrong?” he asked. “I was actually gonna call you in a few minutes.”

“You were?” I frowned. “Why?”

“To check on you guys. Make sure you were safe and find out how things went.”

“Oh,” I said. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had checked on me. Ollie had at some point, I was sure.

“So?” JC said. “How’d it go?”

Sighing heavily, I told him about our meeting with Anita, then breaking into the garage.

“JC, I found drugs. Fucking tons of it. That shop is a front for whatever the Masters are doing. Not sure if the meth I saw is destined for the Toronto area, or if Lincoln has branched out. Christ, from what I saw, he might be the biggest distributor in North America.”

“Holy shit,” JC cursed under his breath.

“And then some motherfucker took a shot at me.”

“ What ?” JC’s voice was low and angry. “They shot at you?”

“Yup. I think it was bad timing. I’d sat outside for a long time to make sure no one was around.

I think the guy must have been making a drop or something at the exact time I was there.

If I hadn’t leaned down to sniff the drugs to be sure of what they were, my brains would be splattered all over the wall of that garage. ”

“Fucking hell, Nate,” he hissed.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “Real fun evening.”

“Let’s get you guys home,” JC said, “and we can talk in person. Get you guys safe. Then we can see how we want to proceed with Lincoln and Rick. Everything you’ve told me is still circumstantial.

The pictures you sent are more concrete, though.

Those two assholes are still spinning that tale about Cameron being some gold-digging stalker.

The one good thing is that the more aggressive they are with the story, the more the elders question it.

Once we show them the photos and the proof that they own that garage, there’s a good chance it may sway them. ”

“We’ll be home in a few hours,” I replied. “We may stop for lunch or something, but it shouldn’t be too long. Early afternoon.” I licked my lips, and before I could talk myself out of it, I blurted my next question. “JC, what would it take for me to join your pack?”

JC stayed quiet. The pregnant pause sent a million thoughts through my head.

Had I offended him? Perhaps he wasn’t as open to lone wolves as I’d thought?

I should have kept it to myself. It was a pipe dream, and nothing more.

JC was probably only treating me well because he needed me.

Gritting my teeth, I prepared myself for rejection.

When JC finally spoke, his words were slow and deliberate. “You know, Nate, I think?—”

“Right. Got it. Stupid question. I know. Uh, Cameron, uh, wanted me to ask. That’s all. I knew the answer would be?—”

“My brother, can you stop for a second?” JC said, his tone calm and friendly but stern.

I clamped my mouth shut.

“What I was going to say was that I would really like you to be a part of my pack.”

Swerving the car only slightly at his words, I blinked in confusion and surprise as I steered back into my lane.

“You would?” I asked.

“Yeah. You’re capable as hell. Strong, powerful, smart, and tough. Ollie respects you, as do other members of the pack. And from what I’ve seen, you would make a great addition.”

No one, especially not a pack alpha, had ever praised me like that. My wolf stirred deep in my mind, a hopeful howl echoing at the back of my skull.

“It won’t be an easy road,” JC explained.

“What with the way the pack laws are set up. I can’t bullshit you, it will be tough with you being a lone wolf.

Even an alpha would have a hard time accepting a lone into a pack.

The laws were designed to make it incredibly difficult.

They state that you need a ninety percent vote from the elders, and the alpha needs to vouch for you.

The odds of that many people agreeing is low, but it’s never zero.

I think if we prove everything we’re saying and show how you helped, I might be able to get you in.

That being said, we have to be successful with bringing this case against Rick and his father. ”

Some of the hope that had flared in my chest faded a bit.

“Yeah. The laws,” I said, unable to keep the disappointment from my voice. “Every one of them is aimed at screwing over people like me. What’s the penalty? If you went rogue and allowed me in?”

JC shrugged. “Forced abdication. Either by my own hand, or in a challenge with the next most powerful alpha. That’s what’s written in, anyway.”

I let out a disgusted snort of laughter. “Really great system you guys have.”

“Hang on there,” JC said. “Let’s not give up hope yet. I said tough but not impossible . We have some steps to go through if you really want to pursue this.”