The Love He Squirreled Away (3 page)

He logged out of his personal e-mail account, put the computer on standby, and got up. As he opened the door, he gave Carlie the best smile he could muster. “Hello, Carlie. What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Alpha,” she said. The formal address concerned him.

“Could I speak to you for a moment?”

“Certainly,” Soren replied. She seemed thoughtful but relieved when he invited her inside. “Please, come in.”

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Carlie entered his office and, for a few moments, they fell into silence. “So, what is this about?” Soren asked. He didn’t think she would complain about his moodiness. She was harder than that, and she wouldn’t come to him to whine.

“Alpha, I’m sorry if I interrupted you, but I had an urgent matter I needed to consult with you.”

Soren frowned. “We’re in private now, and you don’t have to call me that. Hell, we’ve grown up together. What’s on your mind?”

“The elder contacted me a few minutes ago.” She took a deep breath, as if bracing herself for what she was about to say. “I’m led to believe this beta position is temporary and a mere stepping-stone for the real goal—that of Alpha bitch.”

Soren stared. He’d never pegged Carlie as power hungry, one of the reasons why he’d chosen her as his beta and as his friend. But he knew better than to make rash decisions or judgments, especially if his father was involved. “Is that so?” he asked. “The elder told you this?”

Carlie nodded. “Is it true?”

Instead of replying, Soren decided to ask another question. “What do you think about the idea?”

Carlie fidgeted, for the first time in Soren’s memory looking uncomfortable. She was a strong woman and had worked with him as an enforcer long before becoming a beta. This seemed out of character at best. “I mean no disrespect,” she said at last, “but the proposition took me by surprise. I care for you greatly, both as my Alpha and as my friend, but you’re not my mate.”

Soren suppressed a sigh of relief. “Indeed.” He mused over her words, wondering what his father had planned. “Have you found your mate?”

Carlie shook her head. “I hoped this new openness will improve my chances, since so far, I haven’t had any luck with other wolves.”

Her admission surprised Soren, and he found himself wanting to share his own experience with her. He didn’t know if Daniel
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mentioned their bond to anyone, but he truly needed someone on his side.

“So you don’t want to be Alpha bitch, then?” Soren asked.

Carlie let out a little laugh, but it seemed a little forced. “I’m happy as your beta, if my position still stands, of course.”

Soren scanned her face and saw nothing but the same honesty he’d grown accustomed with. “Sit, Carlie,” he said at last. “We have a serious conversation pending.”

Carlie obeyed, obviously thinking she would be sanctioned for her refusal. Soren would have felt slighted, if he didn’t know his father’s ability to make people feel forced into things. He considered what he was about to do and decided to take a leap of faith. He’d chosen two great werewolves as his betas, and he would trust them.

“Give me a minute. Anson needs to hear this as well.”

He picked up his phone and dialed Anson. His second beta answered in mere moments. “Yes, Alpha?”

“Please come into my office, Anson. I need to have a word with you.”

“Of course, Alpha. Be right there.”

Soren hung up the phone and gave the still-waiting Carlie a look.

“Don’t worry about it. Your beta position is safe.”

Carlie nodded and waited patiently. At last, Anson cracked the door open and peeked inside. “Come on in, Anson,” Soren said. “And sit down. I need you to know something.”

“Of course, Alpha. What is it?”

Soren took a deep breath and started to speak. He told them about meeting Daniel, about his reluctance to reveal his mate’s existence, and the increasing pressure he felt coming from his father. The message the other wolf had sent through Carlie couldn’t be clearer.

Both betas looked shocked but not in a bad way. “Well, first of all, let me congratulate you, Alpha.” Anson chuckled. “I really must look into Liam’s new friends. It seems they’re quite interesting.”

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A dose of bitterness remained in Anson’s voice, but Soren knew better than to address it. Whatever personal relationship had existed between Anson and Liam, it was over now. Liam had a family, a son, and a mate, and Anson was too smart to hold on to something that could not be.

“I apologize for what I said earlier,” Carlie added. “I should have known you’d never use one of your own like that.”

Soren waved a hand into the air. “Don’t worry about it.” He could let it slide, just this once. Carlie was, after all, his friend, and Soren had been snappish lately.

“Back to the topic. I don’t have to say to you how important it is for this to stay between the three of us.”

“Of course, Alpha,” Anson replied. “What are you going to do?”

“The only thing that occurs to me is an arrangement between a female werewolf and me to carry my children. If I give him his heirs, father will lay off.” Soren rubbed his eyes, hating that he was in this position in the first place. “Thoughts?”

Carlie fidgeted on her chair, once more looking uncertain. “Alpha, if I may…I could bear your children, no strings attached. The elder has already given his accord.”

“I wouldn’t ask that of you,” Soren answered. “I didn’t tell you this to make you feel forced into anything. I know you want a family of your own, and if you do this, the children will go to me and Daniel.”

Carlie nodded, and her eyes met Soren’s. “I realize that. But let’s face it, Soren. No werewolf female will agree to bear your pups without taking the position of Alpha bitch in the pack. Hell, I doubt they’d even forgo custody to a squirrel.”

Anger rose inside Soren. “Carlie…”

This time, his beta didn’t let up. “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with your mate. Of course not. I’m not even claiming I’m the only option. I just want to help.”

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She sounded honest, and she was his friend. Truth be told, if she hadn’t suggested it, Soren himself might have considered asking. He sighed, admitting she had a point.

“I’ll have to discuss it with my mate. Thank you, Carlie.”

Carlie blinked, as if surprised that he’d accepted her offer. “Of course, Alpha. You’re my friend, after all, and I hate to see you like this.”

“One more thing, Alpha,” Anson piped up. “If you do mate Daniel, people here won’t be very happy. Will you be bringing him here?”

It was another problem that haunted Soren’s thoughts. Liam and Brody had been able to build their homes away from the problems a pack presented, but Soren didn’t have that luxury. Even if he’d have liked to just take his mate and leave, he couldn’t abandon all the people who relied on him. The pack would fall into chaos, and God only knew what the subsequent fights for domination would cause.

No, that couldn’t be a solution, but the same thing applied for living without Daniel.

“I’ll have to,” Soren replied. “The truth is, my friends, that times are changing, but so far, many have chosen to ignore it. Well, they won’t be able to now. I’m relying on you two to help me keep Daniel safe when the time comes.”

His betas nodded, and Soren couldn’t resist the urge to hug them both. He wasn’t a man to offer gratuitous displays of affection, but this one time, he could make an exception.

After a few moments, he thanked them both and dismissed them.

As the two werewolves left, Soren sat down at his desk and booted up his browser again to write a follow up for his mate. There was an e-mail waiting in his inbox in reply to his earlier one. They’d decided to keep in contact through the Internet, since it seemed safer than phone calls.

Hello, Soren.

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I’m very pleased to hear you arrived home safely. I’ve been
thinking a lot about what you said and what we need to do to be
together. It won’t be easy, I realize that, but I believe in our ability to
do it.

I am also visiting family, and I will be discussing our relationship
with them. I do not know how they’ll react, as they’ve always been
protective of me, but I’ll keep you posted.

The tone of the e-mail changed from there, and Soren’s cock hardened as he read on.

I miss you, too. If you dreamt about me last night, I stayed up and
touched myself, imagining it was your hand on my cock, your fingers
in my ass.

Please, hurry.

Your mate,

Dani

The ending of the e-mail made Soren feel warm inside. He hastily composed a reply detailing Carlie’s proposal and sent it. Moments later, his phone rang. It was, of course, Daniel.

Soren took the call, feeling a bit sad when nobody spoke at the other side of the connection. He knew Daniel was just being careful in spite of his impulsive call, but he still wished all these precautions weren’t necessary. Soon, he told himself. Soon.

“Hi, baby,” he greeted his mate, at the same time telling Daniel they were safe to talk without anyone listening in. “How are you?”

“Impatient.” Daniel let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Sorry for breaking our agreement to not call so soon.”

“It’s fine, Dani. Listen, I know you’re probably anxious about what I told you just now. Carlie is a good person. If there’s anyone we can trust to help us in this, it’s her.”

“Can I ask…Did she suggest it or did you?”

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For a brief instant, Soren considered lying, or at least evading the truth. The circumstances of Carlie’s suggestion were a bit strange, and Daniel didn’t know the female werewolf. Also, Soren knew better than to believe things would magically solve themselves once his pups were born. The very fact that his outlook on becoming a father was so cold represented a problem he needed to deal with.

He hesitated too long. “She suggested it, then,” Daniel said. It wasn’t a question, but a statement, and not a happy one.

Soren sighed. “Look, baby, I know this is hard for you. I would have done things differently had there been another way, but I’m afraid there isn’t.” He gulped, hating what he was about to say before even opening his mouth to speak. “If you’ve changed your mind about us—”

“No, Soren,” Daniel interrupted him. He sounded angry and hurt.

“How can you say that? How can you give up on me, just for making a comment you don’t like?”

“I would never give up on you, Dani. I just want you to be happy.”

At the other side of the connection, his mate sighed. “Well then…

Better figure out how we’re going to do this, because I’m not going anywhere.”

And even if there were so many things standing in their way, Soren smiled. The warmth in Daniel’s voice made it all worthwhile.

* * * *

Daniel turned another page of his book and stared at the lines of the new paragraph without really reading them. Hell, he must have gone a whole chapter without even knowing what the damn thing said. He was too focused on his own problems to acknowledge fiction, as much as he’d have enjoyed it once.

Today, he was supposed to meet the woman who’d be the mother of his mate’s children. The three of them all agreed to do so before
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they went along with the plan. While Daniel trusted his mate’s ability to judge the intentions of the members of his pack, he still felt pleased about being taken into account. However, that didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous. Fuck, if he were any more anxious, he’d turn into a twitchy mess.

They’d agreed to hold their meeting in the park for shape-shifters, and as such, his friend, Nicolas had insisted on joining him. As a rule, the hummingbird didn’t trust carnivores, and he hadn’t been pleased upon being told about Daniel’s bond with Soren. Daniel appreciated his friend’s concern, but he also knew he needed to deal with this himself. He now regretted his stubbornness and wished he’d have accepted Nicolas’s help.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, he didn’t have to wait for long. He sensed his mate long before Soren even came within view.

Abandoning all pretense of reading, he scanned the park with avid eyes. As soon as his gaze fell on Soren, his body heated with both desire and jealousy. A woman walked by Soren’s side, occupying the place Daniel should have. Even from the distance, Daniel could tell she was beautiful. She did look like Liam, and her gait suggested a hidden strength that Daniel couldn’t help but feel jealous of.

He fought his pettiness back and focused on his approaching mate.

He left his bench and headed in Soren’s direction, meeting him halfway. Moments later, he found himself engulfed in Soren’s strong embrace and forgot all about his misgivings. Soren’s scent engulfed him, manly and comforting, and even-more arousing than Daniel remembered. How could that be? Daniel had almost thought that, in Soren’s absence, he’d exacerbated his need for the other man, but it wasn’t so. Instead, his body filled with the desire to couple, to relive the fantastic moments he’d experienced at Soren’s side.

“Hi, baby,” Soren whispered in his ear. “I’ve missed you so much.”

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For a few moments, they just stood there, holding each other in the middle of the park. Daniel didn’t reply. No words came. They’d been apart for a week, more or less, and it seemed so much longer.

They broke apart, and Daniel offered his mate a small smile.

“Hello, Soren. It is truly a pleasure to see you once more.”

Soren took a step back and gestured toward the still-waiting woman. “This is Carlie Denning. Carlie, my mate, Daniel Gardner-Boyd.”

“A pleasure.” Carlie extended her hand, and Daniel forced himself to take her hand. It was warm and her handshake firm, but not excessively so. To his surprise, Daniel found that he didn’t hate it.