***“What was that all about?” Jeremy asked as they stepped into the elevator.“Nothing. Just wanted to know whether he was okay with coming later.”“Why would you think he wouldn’t be okay?” Jeremy looked at his friend.Philip turned his gaze on Jeremy. “’Cause your brother was wishing I wouldn’t leave.” Philip drawled.“Doesn’t know you can read his thoughts, does he?” Jeremy chuckled.“Nope.”Both men burst into laughter.“You sure he’s okay to be amongst people?” Jeremy asked as they exited the elevator.“He’s fine.”“Did you compel him not to hurt anyone or destroy stuff?”“No, but he’ll be fine,” Philip said confidently.“Lip…” Jeremy groaned. “That mate of yours…”“I’ve got this, Jer,” Philip muttered.“I hope you do.”*In the huge dining room on the third floor, all the people who had been in the control room were seated, enjoying some chilled cocktails. Although they were hungry and would have loved to dig in the varieties of food laid out on the dining table, they had to wa
***Troy’s voice lacked emotion but Philip wasn’t fooled because he could feel exactly what his mate was feeling right then. And there was nothing pleasant about the feeling. “A lot of things are beginning to make sense now.” He muttered. The way he’d felt about Philip from the very first moment their eyes met, Philip’s shitty behaviour towards Paul, how Philip had taken charge and gotten him stuff to use when he’d been brought to Stanwood Pack…which he would have thought his mother or Jeremy would have handled and not Philip, and so many other instances. He recalled how Philip had gotten furious and challenged Jeremy on that day he’d nearly killed Ryan. And the most recent…the intense lust he’d felt for Philip after that bite. Everything made sense now. “All those wild thoughts I’ve been having about you…”“Troy…” Philip groaned.“It’s funny actually.” But Troy’s short laughter was devoid of humour. The emotions racing through him at that moment was anything but funny. “Think about i
***“Hey, you good?” Jeremy grinned at his brother.“Yeah.” Troy nodded. “I was wondering if you could take me to see Paul. Feels like I haven’t seen him in ages. “Do you mind, Ryan?” He turned to smile at Ryan.“Not at all,” Ryan responded. “I need to go over some stuff with Paige so keep him for as long as you want.”“Trying to get rid of me huh?” Jeremy chuckled. “Alright, ready when you are, kiddo.”“I’m ready,” Troy responded eagerly as he turned to his mother. “Jeremy is taking me to see Paul. I’ll come home from there. Wait up for me, please.”“I will.” Gloria was so thrilled her son was referring to her place as home she completely missed the implication of his words. It only hit her when she saw the surprised look on Jeremy’s face. “Err…wait... Wouldn’t you rather stay at Phil…”“Is there a problem with me wanting to come to you?” Troy asked with a raised brow.Gloria looked up at her eldest son with confused eyes. Then she turned back to Troy with a brilliant smile. “No, of
***“Shit…” Troy muttered as he swung his legs off his bed and sat up. He looked at his bedside clock and groaned. It was half-past two a.m. and he still hadn’t slept a wink. And all because he couldn’t get a certain grey-eyed hunk out of his mind.Troy had been tossing and turning since he went to bed after visiting Paul. Maybe it was the bed, he thought as he grabbed the bottle of water on his bedside table. But deep down he knew that his restlessness had nothing to do with his bed. He emptied the bottle and then left his room for the living area, recalling the expression on Jeremy’s face when he dropped him off earlier. His brother had looked amused for some reason. As though he thought his decision to sleep at home was silly. Troy was beginning to understand his brother’s silly behaviour. That damn mate mark was messing him up.He went to lie on one of the couches in the living area and stared at nothing. He wished he could simply close his eyes and sleep but thanks to that damn “
***“All set?” Philip asked as he got to the group of men waiting at the edge of the woods.“All’s set, Alpha,” Stan responded as he pulled off his t-shirt. “The pup-watchers are with the pups in the recreational room.”The pup-watchers were the sitters of the pack who kept watch over the pups whenever the others had to go for runs, hunts, or battles. Anyone who had not attained the age of fifteen and therefore hadn’t had their first shift yet was classified as a pup. One would be a fool to think that pup-watchers were weak and soft. On the contrary, they could be the most vicious members of the pack if anyone messed with the pups.“Great. All sentinels at post?” Philip asked.“Sure.”“Give the signal for the hunters to…” Philip paused, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Sweet, he thought as he opened his eyes and focused on the person giving off that delicious scent. His mate. “Give them the signal to start moving out.” Philip completed giving the instructions with his eyes on
***“We can’t have the son of a seasoned warrior looking untrained in a fight.” Philip grinned. “Definitely not my mate.” He gave a mock growl. “But with the way I’m feeling about him right now, I’m not in the position to teach him how to fight. What I want to do to him has nothing to do with…”“Aw shut up, Philip.” Gloria tried hard to suppress her laughter but couldn’t. To say she was impressed by Philip’s self-control was an understatement. But she knew for a fact that the only reason Philip hadn’t yet consummated his mating with her son was his feeling of guilt at that premature marking and the council. “I could train him if you don’t mind.” She shrugged.“I don’t,” Philip said quickly. Apart from the fact that training her son would help Gloria bond more with Troy, his mate would be receiving his training from one of the best…if not the very best warriors that the pack had ever had.A brilliant smile appeared on Gloria’s face. “Thank you, honey. But brace yourself for when you co
***“I didn’t know Jeremy had another brother besides…”“His brother wasn’t killed by hunters, after all, A.G.” Philip sighed. “He was taken by Reynard.”“The fuck!”“Long story. Will fill you in after the run.”“Can’t wait.” Agyemang looked shocked. “Where’s Jeremy?”“He’s not running.” Philip chuckled. “Doesn’t want his mate to feel left out. He can’t run.”“Why can’t Ryan run?”“I’ll leave that explanation for Jeremy.” Philip’s grin was downright wicked.“Stanwood Pack,” Agyemang muttered with a shake of his head. “Always drama.”“Would you want to go and change in your suite?” Philip asked. “Or you’d rather change here?”“I want to say hello to Jeremy first,” Agyemang said, waving at Camille. “Can’t come to my boss’ territory and enjoy myself without paying homage first, can I?” He chuckled.“That would be the biggest blunder.” Philip laughed as they started for where Agyemang’s sleek red Mercedes Benz S-Class Pullman was packed.“The betas can change here though.” Agyemang said a
***“Alpha Agyemang!” Clara exclaimed with delight when the suave hunky alpha entered the foyer.“Hello, Clara.” Agyemang grinned as Clara threw herself into his arms. “Missed me huh?”“You know I have.” Clara gushed as she took a step back from the alpha and looked up at him with eyes filled with joy. “Why haven’t you been for a visit all this while?”“Sure you had time to receive visitors?” Agyemang drawled. “I mean you lot have been busy fighting battles to save our asses.”“Yeah, we’re wild like that?” Clara purred as she struck a pose that made Agyemang laugh.“Yeah, yeah, yeah is Jeremy upstairs?” The alpha asked as he glanced around. “Philip says…” Agyemang stopped talking, let out an audible gasp, and then went still.“Philip says what?” Clara asked as her eyes followed the direction of the alpha’s. “Oh, this is Paul, Alpha Agyemang.” She said with a smile at Paul who was staring at Agyemang with blatant admiration. “He’s a friend of Troy’s, Alpha Philip’s…”“That’s the friend