The Reluctant Alpha by A.K. Michaels Read Free Book Online

father said this Fergie snorted again but held his tongue. “Interesting,” Cam thought as he tuned back into his uncle. Several more guards had just disappeared, whether hurt, killed, or just moved on, nobody knew. Fearghas was convinced it was certainly not the latter.
    His logging business had also had some very nasty accidents, ones that they’d never encountered before, and again Fearghas suspected foul play. Then there was the luxury cabin business, several of the cabins being vandalized just prior to important clients arriving.
    Cam listened avidly and, apart from the physical injuries, disappearances, and death, it all felt like a hostile takeover. Something he had dealt with many times in his corporations. “Uncle, I have to agree that this all adds up to what looks like someone trying to take over. Whether it’s the Pack, the land, or just the businesses, we can’t be sure at this time. It’s definitely not humans behind it so we can only assume it’s another Pack. So, tell me about any nearby. Give me as much information as you can.”
    Fearghas told them about the much smaller Pack off past Maple Falls, saying they’d never had any problems with them. In fact, they had even helped them when there had been some bad weather and he’d sent a dozen or so of his Wolves to assist them.
    Cam was well aware that only a strong, large, Pack would even contemplate taking on his uncle’s. “What ‘bout the one across the border?”
    Fergie piped up, “I wasn’t far from their land when I was injured. I was out checking a load of trees we’d earmarked for logging and it ran almost to their border.”
    Cam put his hand up, turning to his cousin, “Fergie, I don’t mean to sound crass, but what exactly are your injuries?”
    “That’s okay,” Fergie replied with a lopsided grin, “most folks don’t have the guts to ask. Basically I don’t have any feeling from about mid-thigh down. The doctors aren’t sure what’s causing the paralysis, with me being a Wolf ‘n all, my physiology is different to a human. All I know is my darn legs don’t work.”
    “I see,” Cam’s mind was going over a host of things he would’ve tried if he’d been in Fergie’s position and was just about to voice them when his uncle carried on talking.
    Fearghas nodded emphatically. “When we finally found Fergie, I was convinced I could scent someone, something, but it was just a ghost of a scent and I couldn’t quite grasp onto it. I’ve been out there a hundred times since then, hunting for it, but so far I’ve come up empty.”
    “So this Canadian Pack is large?” Cam queried, looking between Fergie and his uncle.
    Fergie nodded, “Yeah, we used to know the Alpha, he was a friendly guy and we were on good terms. About, oh, I’d say about ten years ago, something happened and all of a sudden there was a new Alpha and he wasn’t so friendly. Warned us to stay off his land if we wanted to keep the peace.”
    Cam looked to Fearghas, “And did you? Keep off his land?”
    Fearghas growled, “Yes, not because we were scared or intimidated, but because of good Pack manners. We don’t trespass on another Pack’s land, plain ‘n simple.”
    “You think this Alpha could be behind this? If so, how did you not smell him and his Wolves?” Cam was confused and couldn’t quite grasp the lack of scent of other Wolves in the area.
    “No idea. Angel,” Fearghas motioned to the young woman, “tell them about the new Alpha.”
    Angel stood behind Fergie, her hands on his shoulders. “His name’s Philippe Dupont and he’s a monster! He’s unjust and cruel and runs the Pack like some medieval slave camp. I managed to get out but that was in the beginning, before he succeeded in getting all his own men in place. Now, well, I’m damn sure folks don’t freely leave the Pack, not alive anyway. He also changed the name, it’s now called the Wild Ranch Pack!”
    Fergie’s hand reached up, grasping one of hers and squeezing