The Change (Fated Series: book1)
Chapter 8 - Consenting Adults

Cameron

Cameron’s stomach was rumbling, reminding him he needed to take his lunch break soon. He was contemplating leaving all this paper joy for Vincent. It was almost time to meet with Nessa. Unlike other shewolves, Nessa was fun to talk to, and when she asked for a favor, she either only required a verbal confirmation, or a signature, neatly presenting all supporting documents and filed paperwork. How he wished for more of the pack members to be as organized as her!

He was meeting her for coffee, but lunch was not out of the question. He could even try to talk her into having dinner with him. By the time he was back at the Pack House, Vince would have resolved this paper hell! Yes, that was what he was going to do – leave this to Vince. Cameron smiled at his devilish plan. Yeah, that could work to his advantage.

Vincent’s response through the mind link was a grunt, no doubt suspecting that Cameron was leaving him with less than stellar filling record. Cameron thanked the stars and the moon, the Gamma could not decline dealing with this nightmare. This paperwork was too much for anyone to handle. He really needed to take it up to Marcus. If not for his Beta’s sanity, the Alpha should do it for the environment. There.

“We are modern. We should be green, right? Marcus will understand.”

Cameron only needed to catch the Alpha in a good mood, which was easier now that he was one step closer to his revenge and of course because of his new mysterious friend.

“Hot damn, I’m on a roll!” Cameron grinned and picked up his keys.

Being a werewolf did not imply he had to be running everywhere. As hot and sexy as it might seem in those silly romantic novels, not that he would ever admit such literature even crossed his general knowledge much less his desk; sweaty werewolves were only attractive to their mates. Of course, if anyone asked, he would passionately deny his preferred reading materials. After all, he was the Beta and he needed his authority intact.

He mindlessly picked up his phone.

“Cameron speaking.”

“Hey, man. I found myself in a pickle. I need you to say out loud who you are speaking to right now,” Marcus’ voice came through the line.

Cameron immediately straightened up. It was rather unusual for Marcus to call his own office. He always mind linked. Why was he suddenly so formal? Cameron tried to mind link him but instead ran into a wall. It meant either Marcus was out of range or he was intentionally blocking the mindlink.

“Marcus, are you all right?” Cameron wanted quickly eliminate the third option – Marcus was drugged and incapable to link.

“Yes, I am peachy,” Marcus irritation was clear in the dose of sarcasm he used. “Just say my full name. Anytime now, while we are still young, man.”

Marcus’ voice sounded even more urgent and frustrated, if that was even possible. Cameron didn’t want to risk Alpha Ned’s anger directed at his hide, so he quickly did as he was bid.

“Marcus Joseph Edwards. Boss, you better tell me if you are in trouble…”

There was a commotion the moment Cameron confirmed his name and title, then the phone line went dead. Cameron looked down at the phone in dismay then tried again to link with Marcus. Frustration and pain were transmitting over the mink. He quickly set things in motion. He had to react and support his Alpha. The question was who was reckless enough to provoke the anger of the most vicious Alpha alive.

Nessa

How could she be so stupid not to notice it before? Marcus’ physique screamed ranked wolf, yet she had ignored it. She blamed his humor for allowing him to slip behind her defense.

No. She was preoccupied leering after him to recognize the signs.

“Oh, gosh. I talked back at you,” Nessa exclaimed, covering her lips with her hand. He kept on looking at her with a small smile on his lips. She closed her eyes trying to focus, “I questioned you in public. In Rover Grove of all places. Why did you let me?”

“I enjoy our banter,” Marcus confessed.

“Don’t you get it? While this might be fun for you, I have to live here. Now everyone would think I slept with you to get in your pack,” Nessa pointed out. “Which we kind of did.”

“Are you regretting it?”

“The sex - no. But this looks bad,” Nessa pointed between him and her. She rubbed her forehead. “I disrespected you and kept my head, then shagged you and now I am joining your pack. Anyway you slice it, I’m the slut and your rank will be challenged.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Marcus replied. “Nobody will challenge me and if someone is stupid enough, then it’s their funeral.”

“Seriously, your Ego knows no boundaries,” Nessa retorted only to grind her teeth.

“Well, you are the one praising me,” Marcus shrugged and before she could respond to this nonsense, he continued. “There is nothing to worry about, Nessa. I appreciate your concern for my well being but I am okay. More than okay if you could please relax.”

“Fine,” Nessa narrowed her eyes at him, “even if you are all right with all this, then that leaves me. I have enough issues already. I don’t need the pack snickering behind my back or a reputation I am an easy lay.”

“Nobody would think that,” Marcus reassured her.

“Please. We both know there is a double standard for females and males where sex is involved,” Nessa snapped.

“They will respect you.”

“Respect is earned and I undermined you,” Nessa sighed.

“Come here,” Marcus opened his arms for her.

“No. I can’t think when you are that close,” Nessa shook her head.

Marcus chuckled at her admission.

“I know,” he replied only for Nessa rolled her eyes at him. That right there was what she was talking about. Arrogance was sexy, but he was close to being pummeled by a shewolf. That was when she remembered he wasn’t just her Marcus. He was the Alpha.

“I can’t even properly argue with you,” Nessa told him.

“Why?” Marcus shrugged.

“Because I want to stay in Blackwood, and it wouldn’t be very wise to smack my Alpha,” she told him.

“If spanking gets you going,” Marcus shrugged. Nessa got up and walked to the bathroom and as Marcus followed her, she stopped pointing at the shower.

“You need a shower,” she pointedly said, her eyes travelling down to his boxers.

“Oh, come on,” Marcus’ disappointment was clear once she closed the bathroom door.

If only a cold shower would resolve this mess, Nessa would have gladly joined him.

Cameron

Knocking on the door before he breaks it down seemed too civilized for the situation. Marcus was pouring so many feelings in the mind link, it was overwhelming to say the least. He was in trouble. He did not expect the door to open while he was still contemplating the best plan for attack. Instincts kicked in and he rammed his way in, pushing his forearm against the person’s throat until their head connected with the wall.

So much for surveying the place before they attacked!

In the next second his eyes landed on a familiar face. He froze. Cameron kept on staring down at the delicate features of her face. She tried to push down his hand, and that got him out of his stupor. He quickly released her as she was choking in his grip. His eyes quickly evaluated the place for possible threats. She could not possibly be the reason for the sour mood of his Alpha. Nessa kept coughing beside him, trying to get some air in her lungs again.

A very worried, wet and semi naked Alpha suddenly emerged from one of the side doors. Cameron looked between the two of them only to realize his Alpha’s scent was all over Nessa and what appeared to be her place. He quickly called off via the mind link the team of Enforcers he had with him, instructing them to hold the perimeter. While Marcus could have cared less about what others thought of him, Cameron knew Vanessa still wanted to fit into the pack. If word got out of her relationship with the Alpha, Cameron could easily think of a dozen or so she-wolves who would have less than flattering things to say on the matter.

Vanessa silently made her way into the kitchen, fetching herself a cold water bottle. Cameron’s eyes focused on Marcus who was in full Alpha Ned mode – authoritatively walking around the small apartment clad with a pink towel around his hips to check up on Nessa. If Cameron did not know how to discern Alpha Ned from Marcus, he would have cracked a joke about the pink towel. But the man in front of him was not his friend, but his pissed off Alpha.

The moment the Alpha touched her back, she cringed away from him. Ned’s anger intensified as he looked at her throat then directed his glare at Cameron. Before Cameron could explain what happened, Ned launched himself at him. Nessa quickly followed him and tried pulling him off Cameron. As he was about to punch Cameron square in the face for a second time, she pulled Ned’s ear. Cameron’s eyes widened just as the furious Alpha turned in his anger towards her. His face was screaming bloody murder, but that simply didn’t register with Vanessa, who even ordered Ned rather boldly, “You owe me, let him be.”

Cameron watched as the Alpha fought an internal battle with his wolf before releasing Cameron. Marcus was not only angry with Cam, but also with Nessa’s ballsy assault of his ear and verbal command. Since Nessa kept her head, Cameron determined that indeed Marcus owed her a huge favor. The surprising bit was that even though Vanessa assaulted him, commanded him and just about did everything to provoke the Alpha wolf in him, Marcus easily calmed down, only to focus back on tending to her injuries. His fingers caressed her brown curls as Ned gently started feeling her head for bumps. She tried to move away from him, but he didn’t allow it, trapping her between his body and the counter top, wordlessly continuing his evaluation. Marcus growled. Cameron instantaneously knew, Vanessa had hit the wall harder than Cam suspected. Ned was about to launch against Cameron again, only for Nessa to place her hands on Marcus’ wrists.

“You owe me,” she reminded him.

Marcus wasn’t happy, but made an effort to shake off some of his anger. If Cameron didn’t know any better, he would say Marcus was behaving like a whipped pup, or was he trying to get a hold of his anger because he really did owe her a big favor. Before Cameron could get a better feel of the situation, Marcus stormed off to her bedroom. She rolled her eyes as he passed her then looked at Cameron, who was no doubt sporting a shocked face.

“Are you all right?” She calmly inquired.

“What…. How…?” Cameron muttered and directed his stare towards the bedroom.

“He’ll fume for a while longer then he’ll come out of my bedroom and apologize,” Nessa announced intentionally raising her voice to make certain Marcus heard her. Cameron knew that Marcus was more than aware of their conversation. Even if they were whispering to each other, the Alpha-enhanced hearing would have helped him hear every word. Vanessa simply did not need to be loud.

Talk about being stubborn.

She smiled at Cameron and was going to say something when her cough came back. Once she was settled, she whispered, “Damn, you gotta teach me a choke hold like that.”

“But you… him… The Alpha,” Cameron slurred not knowing how to ask her.

“Two consenting adults,” Nessa explained rather quickly their relationship.

“But he is the Alpha,” Cameron started while Marcus came in the room. He had put on a pair of jeans and was just putting on his shirt. The glare Marcus shot his Beta effectively stopped Cam from speaking.

“Yeah, about that. You might want to seriously consider visual aids for the welcome tour or at least mentioning that Alpha Ned’s name is Marcus. It would help in the long run to avoid situations like this.” Nessa recommended.

“This, as you so casually put it, has never happened before!” Marcus corrected her. The last thing he wanted her to think was that “this situation was a regular occurrence”. Damn, why was she making him act like this? He kept eyeing her.

“Fine. Let’s agree this is awkward to say the least,” Nessa offered.

“It’s none of his business what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their home.”

“My home,” Nessa corrected him.

“Technically it’s on my land, so...” Marcus shrugged but did not finish his sentence as he caught her eye roll at him.

“Don’t be smarty pants now.” Nessa warned Marcus and then told Cameron, “I was just calling you to let you know I won’t make our meeting.”She looked at Marcus and continued, “So can my friends stay over?”

Marcus waved at her to do as she wanted. She smiled and then quickly moved towards Cameron. Seeing the rage in the Alpha’s eyes, Cameron stepped away from her.

“Could you, uhm, keep this between us, please?” Asked Nessa expecting a confirmation from Cameron. Cameron could swear he saw hurt flashing in his Alpha’s eyes. He even detected a slight pout and a raised eyebrow on his face.

“Are you ashamed?” Marcus asked her with cold detachment.

She spun around and faced him radiating anger.

“No, but it’ll need time to get over the humiliation of not recognizing you as my Alpha.”

“It’s not your fault your wolf is detached,” Marcus reasoned.

Cameron looked at Nessa and immediately tried to link her like so many times before. This time it was different. The silence that usually greeted him was emptiness. Her wolf was dormant.

“Look what you now did,” Nessa snapped pointing to Cameron. “Do you plan to broadcast to everyone I’m defective?”

“You are not,” Marcus argued. “Your wolf is still with you. She just needs some reassurance to come out.”

“She needed the stability that Alpha Ned stood by and time to let go of my Fated for someone new,” Nessa replied.

“I am still me.”

“You are,” Nessa agreed and then blurred out fast. “I need time to process it. Sorry about pulling your ear.”

“You should be. Come kiss it better,” Marcus flirted. As she didn’t relax, Marcus told her. “Ness, stop fretting about it! This is exactly why I didn’t want you to know. I like the banter and if you knew who I was, you wouldn’t have let me see the real you. My title doesn’t change who I am.

“You don’t understand, do you?” Nessa shook her head at him. “Alpha Ned was my Alpha, you know. The authority that protected me. I didn’t need to meet him to know he was bloodthirsty and ready to pounce at threats. I can’t just take that imagine and merge it with yours, Marcus.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“We are not having this conversation now,” Nessa shook her head.

“Cam leave,” Marcus told Cameron and as Cam started for the door, Nessa reached for his hand.

“No, stay. I can’t be alone with him,” Nessa pleaded.

“Are you that afraid of me?” Marcus growled.

“What? No,” Nessa looked at him confused then blushed.

“I can handle you whichever way,” Marcus quickly came to the same conclusion as Cameron. She wanted Cam to stay so she wouldn’t jump Marcus.

Cameron cleared his throat before he could gag. Two of his favorite people were into each other and he was not anywhere nearer of replaceing his own mate.

“I’ll go wait outside,” Cameron offered.

“Yes please,” Marcus greed.

“You need to go with him,” Nessa told Marcus then before he could voice his reluctance, she continued, “I don’t want everyone to think that I slept with you to guarantee my acceptance in your pack.”

“You couldn’t have slept your way in my pack, because you didn’t know I was your freaking Alpha to begin with, woman!” Marcus angrily raised his voice at her. It looked like the argument was not a new one.

“I have to study,” Nessa abruptly said, then applied, “That’s your cue to leave.”

Cameron nodded at her. She wanted them gone, and frankly Cameron felt like a damn third wheel. He couldn’t wait to run out of her apartment. Marcus lingered, hugging her from behind and whispering in her ear, “Breathe. This too shall pass, Spitfire.”

Nessa looked at him, then shook her head, “You don’t get to say that.”

“At the end of the day, only two opinions matter – yours and mine,” Marcus said then kissed her hair, before following Cameron out of the door.