~ Chapter 1 ~
Chastity hung up the phone as Cam arrived, his scent filling her nostrils so they flared with his intoxicating scent. His presence never failed to affect her. Her skin tingling, her heart speeding up and her breathing coming in short gasps as he strode toward her quickly.
“I’ve missed you,” he said softly, enveloping her in his arms and kissing her with a passion that sucked the air from her lungs. “It’s been too long, sweetheart.”
Chastity batted at his chest, giggling. “You’re incorrigible, Cameron Sinclair! How long has it been? Two hours at most, huh?”
Cam shrugged, tugging her closer. “As I said, far too long.”
She snuggled against him, her fingers snaking beneath his t-shirt to caress his rock hard abs that sent her body all a quiver, and lustful thoughts straight to her brain. “Where are the kids?”
“They’re over at the orphanage, playing with the other kids. It’s all right, they’re being looked after. Clayr said she’ll bring them back in an hour or so.” His words whispered against her ear as he nibbled on it playfully. “So we have some alone time. Any ideas how we could pass that precious time?”
Oh boy, did she. But first she had a confession. And as he was in a playful, amorous mood, it seemed now was as good a time as ever. “I’ve plenty of ideas, but first I need to talk to you, and I need you to not get mad at me. Promise?”
Cam lifted his head, his azure blue eyes scrutinizing her. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that, baby. What do you need to tell me?”
Chastity nibbled her bottom lip, mustering her courage to break the news of what she’d done. She knew she’d overstepped the boundaries but she couldn’t help herself. She had to do something to help a member of the Pack . . . and Cam had to come around. Eventually.
“First, let me ask you something about Clayr.” She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. “You must see through her fake smiles and feel all that unhappiness lurking underneath . . . right?”
“Of course I do,” Cam answered, his tone exasperated. “I’m her Alpha and it pains me that I can’t help her, but she won’t let me in, and she sure as hell won’t tell me what’s going on. I’ve tried, Chas, but every time I start to talk to her she clams up and refuses to talk to me.”
She reached up, cupping his face to calm him, feeling his distress. “I know, darling. I’ve been feeling the same way for ages too. Ever since she finished her education and returned to the Pack full time. Well, it’s been painfully obvious to me just how bad it’s gotten.”
“So, what do I do?” Cam leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m at a loss, Chas.”
“I’m pretty certain I know what’s wrong, and you can call it women’s intuition, or whatever the heck you like, but I don’t want to argue with you over it.”
“Argue?” Cam kissed the tip of her nose. “We don’t argue often, baby. Now you’ve got me intrigued . . . and worried. Tell me what you’ve done.”
“Some more information . . . before I do.” Chastity wrapped her arms around his waist, slipping her hands under his t-shirt to rub her fingers over his hard muscles.
“Hey, stop trying to use your womanly wiles.” Cam shook his head.
She smirked, shrugging. “I’m not doing anything. Anyway, back to Clayr. First, let’s think back to when we first noticed a difference in her . . . can you remember?”
She watched as his mind went to work, his eyes squinting and his jaw clenching . . . as it always did when he was concentrating. Dang, she wanted to reach up and nibble the side of his mouth but she knew if she did, then the conversation would be put off and she had to tell him now. Before he received a call alerting him to what she’d done.
“I think I can . . . it was the first time she came home for a break, after she’d gone away to study. She was quieter, not unhappy as such, because she was enjoying her classes, but she definitely seemed different. At the time, I put it down to her adjusting to being away from the Pack for the first time.” Cam stared into her eyes. “Was I wrong?”
“I think you were, as was I.” Chastity shrugged. “The reason she wasn’t happy when she came back that time was because there was someone missing. Someone she was very close to, but who was upset at her for leaving to study and who basically had a tantrum at her going away, so he left too.”
She saw the moment realization dawned, Cam’s eyes widening as a sparkle burst into them. “Ryder! Shit, you think she’s missing Ryder, don’t you?”
Chastity darted forward, kissing him quickly. “Not just missing, Cam. I have a feeling that they’re mates. At the time they were both too young . . . Ryder especially. He’s a bit younger than Clayr and he took her decision to go get her degree as a rejection of him and he ran . . . to Grant’s Pack in Scotland. Basically as far as he could go, all the way across the damn globe. He’s refused to come back and they’re both too stubborn for their own good. They’ve not spoken since that day, Cam. Not one word.”
“What?” Cam asked, spluttering the word with shock. “They’ve not been in contact? I wasn’t aware of that.”
“Nope,” Chastity confirmed. “He ran because he felt she was rejecting him. She was angry that he left to go to freaking Scotland of all places . . . and things went from bad to worse. Neither of them made the first move and they’ve never contacted each other. I have a feeling that they should be together, Cam, and even if I’m wrong about that. I’m certain the reason Clayr is so unhappy is because she misses her friend.”
“Hell’s fire,” Cam spat out. “What a mess. I’m not sure what we can do about it, Chas.”
“This is the part where I don’t want you to get angry with me.”
Cam reached for her chin, holding it with his fingers and tilting her face so he could look into her eyes. “Chastity, what did you do? Tell me.”
She gulped, knowing he’d be upset . . . and possibly angry as hell at her overstepping his authority. “I called Grant and told him you’d ordered Ryder to return home. That his time with Grant’s Pack was over and it was high time for him to return to his rightful home . . . here. I also sent Grant the money for Ryder’s flight.”