Chapter 3
Kane hopped out of the car and strode into the Hyatt, knowing that Angie would find a good parking spot for it while he mingled and greeted and did all of the other things necessary as the Alpha hosting this Gathering in his territory. Inside the enormous lobby, he made for the lounge off to one side where he knew that many of the arriving Alphas would instinctively go, seeking others of their kind. There would be few dominance displays among them in such neutral territory, unless he was the one initiating the displays. And since this had been his idea in the first place, it would be counterproductive to antagonize his fellow Alphas just because they were in his territory. He’d invited them in, after all. He had to be a good host.
Inside the lounge, he saw half a dozen Alphas standing near the bar. He lifted a hand in greeting, and one of them waved him over. “Kane! Great hotel, man. Thanks for putting us up in luxury for our stay here,” one of the Alphas, Roger Clayton, called to him.
“You’re welcome,” he said dryly. “I was happy to do it.”
“Good thing you’re so rich,” another Alpha, Felicia Taylor, remarked as she sipped her drink. “Or otherwise booking this place for two weeks would bankrupt you.”
“Anything to help my brother and sister wolves,” Kane replied genially. “Although you’ll all be getting your part of the bill in a few weeks…”
Laughter. They all knew that as the host he was responsible for such things as feeding and housing the members of the various clans, and that he’d live up to his duties as Alpha of the Tall Hill Clan faithfully. “How many have arrived?” he asked curiously.
“Most of the youngsters from the North American clans have arrived already,” Roger told him. “We hired a bus and just drove here en masse. The others might take longer, depending on where they’re coming from. Some of the Eastern European clans might not get here for a few days more.”
“That’s why I scheduled a whole two weeks,” Kane remarked, heading for the bar to get a drink for himself. “Plenty of time for everybody to arrive, and for the youngsters to mingle and get to know each other.”
“This was a great idea,” another Alpha said with a nod at him. “The only problem I foresee is that some of them won’t want to move to foreign countries, not even to be with a mate.”
“That will be their decision. We can’t force them to mate outside their clans,” Kane said with a shrug. “This is just a ‘get to know each other’ thing, a sort of mixer. They might see somebody they like the look of, and if they do I’m willing to find places for them to live while they go through their courtships. That way they won’t be rushing into anything. No one should rush into picking a mate.”
“Very true,” Roger agreed fervently. “I courted my mate for almost a year before she was ready to accept the bond. But we’re that much stronger for that time.”
“Indeed. Here’s to the Gathering,” Kane said, lifting his glass. “May it lead to many fruitful matings for all of our clans.”
The other Alphas lifted their glasses and murmured, “To the Gathering,” before drinking. There was an atmosphere of hope and anticipation among them, which Kane was glad to see. If any of the Alphas had been against this Gathering, it would have been that much harder for him to pull it off. And it was already difficult enough without any more roadblocks in the way…
*****
Benedict wandered out of the bathroom of his hotel room, feeling refreshed after the long hot shower that he’d just taken. He pulled the fluffy white bathrobe closed and tied the belt as he headed for the one amenity that each of the hotel rooms boasted that he was really looking forward to using - I.e, the small balcony. He pushed open the glass door and stepped outside, feeling a soft wind caress his face as he put his hands on the top of the wooden railing and stood looking out at the view of the city beyond. His room wasn’t high enough for him to be able to see over the rooftops, but he’d seen in the brochure that three was a revolving restaurant on the roof that offered a magnificent 360 degree view of both San Francisco and the waterfront, the Bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge. He was looking forward to eating there, but not today. For now, he intended to take advantage of room service and go straight to bed, even though the sun hadn’t set yet. He was exhausted from jet lag.
He scrubbed at his face with his hands as he walked back into his room to call down to room service. He ordered a Porterhouse steak, medium-rare; a side of scalloped potatoes and asparagus in butter sauce; and a fudge brownie sundae for dessert. His people needed a lot of food to run their high metabolisms, and the meal on the plane had been small and not very good at all. He was ravenous. He charged the meal to his room, glad that he didn’t have to spend his own money on eating. He hadn’t yet had time to exchange the pounds in his wallet for American money anyway. Until he could do that, he was effectively broke.
Benedict sat down on the edge of the bed, which was quite comfortable. He yawned, so tired that his very bones ached with the need for sleep. Now that he didn’t have to worry about Theodore anymore(at least not for the moment, since the order he’d given him brother to behave himself would keep him from getting into any trouble), he could relax and get some real rest. He might not sleep for twenty-four hours, but it felt like he could do at least twelve quite easily.
There was a knock on the door, and he went to answer it. A porter pushed a trolley covered in a white cloth into the room, removing the covers from several large silver serving traps to reveal a good deal of tempting-looking food. Benedict felt his nostrils flare and his mouth water as the scent of the good reached his nostrils. But he hesitated. “I’m afraid that I don’t have any money to give you a tip,” he said apologetically to the porter.
“That’s fine, sir. You can add a gratuity for me when you sign for your meal,” the porter said.
Relieved, Benedict did just that. He tipped the porter generously, thinking to himself that once he exchanged his money he’d pay back the host Alpha for spending his money so generously. Once he’d signed the receipt, the porter told him that he’d return for the trolley in an hour or so, and left him to his meal.
Benedict pulled the trolley over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, and proceeded to devour the entire meal in a matter of minutes. He still ate neatly, but as swiftly as he could. His stomach rumbled happily at him for filling it so well, and he growled in appreciation when he ate the last bite of the sundae and left nothing but crumbs on the plates. He patted his full stomach, pushing the trolley over next to the door so that the porter could retrieve it. He supposed that he should wait up until the man came, but now that he was full he was beyond exhausted. He staggered over to the bed and fell into it, and he was deeply asleep by the time that his head hit the pillow.
*****
Kane took the last sip of his drink and set the empty glass down. “This has been fun, guys,” he said. “But we should probably do a check on our people. Don’t you think?”
“Definitely,” replied Monique Saxfield in her high-class English accent. “Also, I’m quite ready to make friends with a comfortable mattress. It was a very long flight.”
The other Alphas made sounds of agreement and got to their feet. Most of them had come a long enough distance that they were tired and ready for bed, even though it was only about nine o’clock. They just wanted to check that their clan members were safe and sound in their rooms, then most of them would head to bed. They all left the lounge and made their way to the bank of elevators, chatting in a desultory fashion as they headed for whatever floor that their clan members had been assigned to. Kane had made sure that each clan was given rooms together with the Alpha’s room squarely in the middle of each group. Kane’s eligible clan members were here too, since it was simplest just to put them up at the hotel where all of the other unmated clan members were staying. He headed for the eighth floor to speak to all of them, checking in on how they were doing and wishing them goodnight. He felt like they were his cubs, even though they were all adults. He was their Alpha, after all. It was his responsibility to look after and take care of all of them. He hoped that each and every one of them found someone they liked the look of at the Gathering.
After he’d checked up on all of his clan members, Kane headed for the indoor pool to have a long, leisurely swim before he went to bed. He needed to unwind and relax, and cutting through the warm, clear water helped him to do just that. He tried hard to block out the almost overwhelming smell of chlorine as he did so, the only thing he really didn’t like about pools. Having a very sharp sense of smell wasn’t always an asset in what was(let’s face it) an extremely odiferous world.
He pulled himself up out of the water and sat on the concrete, shaking his head to get some of the water out of his hair. At this time of the night he had the pool room all to himself, which was fine by him. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the tension draining out of him. So far, so good. Almost everybody had arrived, and there had been no mishaps or problems so far. He could probably count on at least some cropping up soon, but for now he was just going to enjoy how smoothly this was all going.
Thinking about the coming Gathering, Kane admitted to feeling a bit wistful. Here all of these young clan members were going to have the opportunity of finding mates, and he(the person who was arranging it all) STILL didn’t have a mate of his own! He knew that his clan were getting rather antsy over the fact that he didn’t have someone yet; as Angie had pointed out, the Alpha needed a mate even if no one else did. Maybe he was being too picky, but he didn’t want to end up with the wrong person and have it cause tension and problems in the clan. Nor did he want to spend the rest of his life with someone who was wrong for him. But while he might want to wait until he found just the right person, he was running out of time. Maybe after the Gathering was over, he’d think about looking around again and finding someone who was at least somewhat suitable to be his mate.
He sighed, grabbing a towel and jumping to his feet. All he wanted for now was a long hot shower and a good long sleep; he’d worry about the whole mate issue after he’d gotten the gathering out of the way. Draping the towel around his neck, he headed for the shower at one end of the room to rinse off the pool water and get dressed. He’d take another, longer shower once he was up in his room.
******
The morning sun shone through the glass doors and woke Benedict up. He blinked in its dazzle as he sat up slowly. That had been the best night’s sleep that he’d had in years! Just one of the benefits of total exhaustion, he thought in amusement as he got out of bed slowly and padded into the bathroom for his morning ablutions. He opened the little leather case that he carried his toiletries around in, fetching out a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, an electric razor, and a hairbrush.
He took a quick shower before brushing his teeth and shaving. In the mirror over the sink, he studied his own face as he worked up a foam in his mouth. His eyes were a rich deep brown, like loamy earth. His hair was lighter brown and curled atop his head in a messy fashion that a few of his boyfriends had really enjoyed. Danny, for example, liked to run his fingers through those curls. His bone structure was a little aquiline, his face a tad long. Though he wasn’t horse-faced, thank God. He just had the fine-boned elegance of facial feature inherited from his aristocratic ancestors. Benedict’s mother was the granddaughter of an Earl, and while that didn’t help them to acquire a fortune or a title it had given him the upper-class features that tended to attract boys in droves. Until they learned that no money or title went along with his face, that is…
He grinned to himself at this thought, wiping his face with a towel to remove the last traces of foam. He went out and opened his suitcase, deciding on a button-up white shirt and a pair of lightweight linen trousers. he got dressed, then ordered a large breakfast from room service. After that, he wandered next door to his brother’s room. But Theodore apparently wasn’t in, or wasn’t answering the door anyway. He frowned over this, but he sincerely doubted that Theodore had left the hotel entirely. So he decided to go to the lobby and see if he could find his sibling - probably in the hotel bar, if it was open this early in the day.
Benedict walked to the elevator at one end of the hall and pushed the button. He waited patiently, feeling refreshed after his long sleep and ready to do some sightseeing today if he could swing it. San Francisco was a beautiful city. The doors slid open, and he saw that there was someone else on the elevator. Benedict started to step inside, murmuring; “Excuse me,” to the other passenger, who was a fairly big man who was taking up much of the car. Or at least he seemed to be doing so, anyway…
“It’s fine. You must be part of the English clan, Black Cairn.” the man said in an American accent.
“Yes, yes I am,” Benedict replied, smelling wolf overwhelmingly now that they were in such close quarters together. “I’m Benedict Cavanaugh,” he turned to hold out his hand, and met a pair of grey eyes the color of old sterling silver that were starting to widen. His own heart suddenly kicked up its pace for some reason, thundering in his chest. And he couldn’t seem to look away from those eyes, which were pulling him in like a riptide would a drowning swimmer…
“I’m Kane. Kane Haley,” the other man said, sounding stunned. “I’m the Alpha of the Tall Hills clan.” he paused as Benedict just stood there silently, trying to come to terms with whatever was happening to him. Then he said in an incredulous tone of voice: “I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think that you’re my mate…”
The man who’d identified himself as the Host Alpha of the Gathering stepped toward Benedict eagerly, his eyes gleaming. He took a step back, trying to breathe. The big body was looming over him, coming closer, invading his personal space. “Wait,” he said weakly.
The other man caged him with his arms against the side of the elevator. He pushed his face up close to Benedict’s. “God, you smell good,” he growled as his nostrils flared. He began to sniff at the side of Benedict’s neck, eagerly.
He put his hands on the man’s broad chest and pushed, although it was like pushing against a brick wall. It didn’t help at all that his body was reacting to the man’s nearness and also his scent, the musky odor of a sexually excited Alpha. “Stop,” he moaned. “I-I don’t even know you!”
Oh, God. The man’s nose was rubbing against the rim of his ear. A tongue darted out and licked at it, making him shiver helplessly. “But I know you,” the Alpha said in a low, deep voice that made his whole body throb sullenly, “You’re my mate.”
“Now wait just a second,” Benedict replied, still pushing against the man’s chest to keep him at least at a small distance from Benedict’s own body. His efforts were mostly futile, and it REALLY wasn’t helping that he was almost as aroused as this stranger. He groaned as teeth nipped at his earlobe. The strength ran out of his arms, and suddenly that big body was pressing into his. He felt the hardness of the Alpha’s erection against his stomach, and almost whined in a piteous manner. He might have a LOT of objections to what was happening, but unfortunately his wolf didn’t seem to have any at all. The beast within him was happy as a clam about this whole thing, and it was all he could do not to begin to press and grind himself against the bigger man eagerly.
Kane’s hot breath was falling on the skin of his neck, and it was all that Benedict could do not to tilt it back and let the man have free rein. “I’ve been looking for you,” the low voice growled into his skin, “For a long time.”
Benedict panted desperately. “I don’t know…what you’re talking about,” he husked, his voice wavering. His legs were beginning to part, spreading instinctively so that Kane could settled between them more fully. What the hell was he doing? And why couldn’t he seem to stop?
Those blazing eyes came into view again. The hunger in them made his stomach clench. A low growl trickled from between Kane’s lips, then he kissed Benedict savagely. Those lips ate at his, devouring his mouth. And Kane’s big body was rubbing over his at the same time, sending his conscious mind into a tailspin. It was giving up the ghost altogether, forgetting his objections…
The elevator dinged as it came to a halt. The sound made Benedict start, and his mind abruptly returned from its vacation. He shoved at Kane’s chest as hard as he possibly could, and the man actually stumbled back a few inches. “Stop this,” Benedict rasped through his kiss-swollen lips, meeting Kane’s eyes and refusing to back down. “Now.”
His command made Kane step back. He blinked as though he were a man coming out of a dream, and conscious thought returned to his brain once more. He ran a hand through his very dark blonde hair. He looked around, as though just registering the fact that he was standing in an open elevator with a view out into the lobby, with a near total stranger who he’d just sexually assaulted. “Shit,” he breathed in chagrin. “I’m sorry. I just lost it there for a second. Are you all right?” he looked at Benedict anxiously, as though expecting to see bruises or something on his body.
“I’m fine,” Benedict replied crisply, not wanting the man to feel too bad. What had just happened had been pretty much mutual; he didn’t feel violated so much as disoriented and off-balance. “I…what just happened?”
Kane seemed reassured by his words and tone of voice. “That should be obvious, “he said, shaking his head. “I recognized you as my mate. I suppose I should have talked to you about it, but it was just so overwhelming that I lost it…”
“Recognized me…I’ve never seen it work like that before!” Benedict cried. “So quickly and all of a sudden like that. In a moment, with no courting? That doesn’t seem right.”
“Whether it’s right or not, it happened,” Kane replied. “I don’t think you can refute that something significant happened just now, can you? Even if you don’t want to believe that it was what it was. SOMETHING happened, wouldn’t you agree?”
Benedict stared at him. He did have to agree, whether he liked it or not. He cleared his throat uncertainly. “Yes, I agree,” he said reluctantly. “Although I’m not ready to just jump on the idea that you recognized me in an instant as your mate just yet. It doesn’t seem possible to me.”
“It does to me,” Kane replied firmly. “And I believe that that’s EXACTLY what just happened. And I’m going to make you believe it eventually, too. You’re my mate. That’s all there is to it.”
Benedict blew out an exasperated breath, though he warily stepped out of the elevator to put some space between himself and the Alpha at the same time. “That’s as may be, but just because you believe that doesn’t mean that I have to,” he remarked, eyeing Kane as the Alpha stepped off the elevator as well.
The American cocked his head. “I love your accent,” he said, apropos of nothing. “I can’t wait to hear you calling out my name in the throes of passion.”
Benedict felt his cheeks heat, and he glanced around rather wildly. Anyone could have heard that! “Please be quiet, Mr. Haley,” he hissed.
Kane shrugged, looking unapologetic over his words. “Call me Kane,” he urged Benedict hopefully.
“No,” he replied swiftly. He was not going to fall into a trap of intimacy that was bound to bring them closer together whether he wanted it to or not. “I’m sorry, but I have to go and look for my brother.”
Kane glanced around the lobby. “Do you think he’s still in the hotel?”
Benedict shrugged helplessly. “I’ve no idea. But I must find him. Theo’s a bit of a troublemaker. I came on this trip to keep an eye on him because my father wasn’t able to.”
“So you’re just playing chaperone? You’re not here to find a mate?” Kane remarked, sounding satisfied.
Benedict’s brows lowered a bit. “Perhaps I am, perhaps I’m not,” he said sharply. “That’s none of your business, Mr. Haley.”
“Yes, it is,” Kane replied promptly. “I wouldn’t want anybody nosing in on my territory. You’re MY mate, Benedict.” he said insistently.
“I don’t believe that I gave you permission to use my given name,” Benedict snapped angrily.
“You didn’t. But I’m going to anyway. What are you going to do about it?” Kane asked with interest, looking relaxed and not terribly worried over his anger.
Benedict’s lips lifted in a silent snarl. “Don’t think, just because you’re an Alpha, that you can bully me into doing what you want,” he growled. “I’m not submissive enough for that.”
“No, you’re not, are you?” Kane said admiringly, looking him over from his flushed cheeks and snapping eyes, to his chest heaving as he fought to breathe in his anger. “I like that. I wouldn’t want a submissive mate who kowtowed to me all the time. For one thing, that wouldn’t be good for my clan. An Alpha’s mate holds pretty much the same status that he does. If you were submissive to other wolves in the clan, that could cause me problems in the future.”
“It doesn’t matter, since I categorically refuse the position,” Benedict snapped, furious that Kane was being so casual about whatever had just happened to them in the elevator. His assumption that Benedict was going to be his mate come what may was truly infuriating…
Kane smiled at him, a sight that made his ire all but disappear. The man had an AMAZING smile! “If you say so,” he remarked equably.
Benedict wanted to howl in fury and try to rip the Alpha’s magnetic eyes out. The man was so…so…fucking hot! “I’m going to find my brother,” he snarled, then stomped away without another word.
But much to his chagrin, Kane appeared beside him before he could make it to the hotel bar to check and see if Theodore was drinking there. “Go away,” he spat.
“No,” Kane replied calmly. “I’m going to help you find your brother. I figure that’s a good a start as any to our courtship.”
Benedict whirled on him. “For a courtship to take place, BOTH parties have to be agreeable to it!” he pointed out angrily.
Kane grinned whitely. “I know,” he replied, sounding so smug that Benedict wanted to punch him. Not that that would do any good, but it would make him feel a bit better, anyway…
“Look, you might think that you’re just that charming,” Benedict began hotly, “But you’re not. You can’t make me fall into line, you know. And I refuse to just jump on the bandwagon because you said so. When the Gathering is done, I’ll be going home to finish university. And I’ll forget that you ever existed.”
Kane folded his arms over his massive chest. “If that’s what you think, that’s fine,” he said. “Good luck with that. But you should know that I’m going to continued to pursue you until you give in and admit that we’re supposed to be mates. And if you’re so stubborn that you manage to make it back to England, I’ll just come and visit my good friend Monique Saxfield. I’ve always wanted a tour of the universities of England…”
Benedict threw his hands in the air. “You are impossible!” he cried.
Kane nodded. “That’s all part and parcel with being an Alpha, you know,” he pointed out. “NO ONE can out stubborn an Alpha, let me tell you. That’s why we generally get what we want. And what I want…” his eyes fastened on Benedict’s lips, making his breath catch in his throat at the hunger in those magnetic eyes, “Is YOU. You, Benedict Cavanaugh. You’re mine, and I’m yours. Even if you won’t admit that yet, it’s still the truth. And I’m going to keep after you until you finally give in and admit the truth to yourself.”
His mouth was dry as he stared at the stubborn set of Kane’s (admittedly chiseled, sensual) lips. There was nothing more frightening than an Alpha when they wanted something. He felt like a rabbit caught in a snare, and the worst part of all was that because of an inexplicable pull to Kane he almost welcomed the wire around his neck…
Go to Next Chapter
Kane hopped out of the car and strode into the Hyatt, knowing that Angie would find a good parking spot for it while he mingled and greeted and did all of the other things necessary as the Alpha hosting this Gathering in his territory. Inside the enormous lobby, he made for the lounge off to one side where he knew that many of the arriving Alphas would instinctively go, seeking others of their kind. There would be few dominance displays among them in such neutral territory, unless he was the one initiating the displays. And since this had been his idea in the first place, it would be counterproductive to antagonize his fellow Alphas just because they were in his territory. He’d invited them in, after all. He had to be a good host.
Inside the lounge, he saw half a dozen Alphas standing near the bar. He lifted a hand in greeting, and one of them waved him over. “Kane! Great hotel, man. Thanks for putting us up in luxury for our stay here,” one of the Alphas, Roger Clayton, called to him.
“You’re welcome,” he said dryly. “I was happy to do it.”
“Good thing you’re so rich,” another Alpha, Felicia Taylor, remarked as she sipped her drink. “Or otherwise booking this place for two weeks would bankrupt you.”
“Anything to help my brother and sister wolves,” Kane replied genially. “Although you’ll all be getting your part of the bill in a few weeks…”
Laughter. They all knew that as the host he was responsible for such things as feeding and housing the members of the various clans, and that he’d live up to his duties as Alpha of the Tall Hill Clan faithfully. “How many have arrived?” he asked curiously.
“Most of the youngsters from the North American clans have arrived already,” Roger told him. “We hired a bus and just drove here en masse. The others might take longer, depending on where they’re coming from. Some of the Eastern European clans might not get here for a few days more.”
“That’s why I scheduled a whole two weeks,” Kane remarked, heading for the bar to get a drink for himself. “Plenty of time for everybody to arrive, and for the youngsters to mingle and get to know each other.”
“This was a great idea,” another Alpha said with a nod at him. “The only problem I foresee is that some of them won’t want to move to foreign countries, not even to be with a mate.”
“That will be their decision. We can’t force them to mate outside their clans,” Kane said with a shrug. “This is just a ‘get to know each other’ thing, a sort of mixer. They might see somebody they like the look of, and if they do I’m willing to find places for them to live while they go through their courtships. That way they won’t be rushing into anything. No one should rush into picking a mate.”
“Very true,” Roger agreed fervently. “I courted my mate for almost a year before she was ready to accept the bond. But we’re that much stronger for that time.”
“Indeed. Here’s to the Gathering,” Kane said, lifting his glass. “May it lead to many fruitful matings for all of our clans.”
The other Alphas lifted their glasses and murmured, “To the Gathering,” before drinking. There was an atmosphere of hope and anticipation among them, which Kane was glad to see. If any of the Alphas had been against this Gathering, it would have been that much harder for him to pull it off. And it was already difficult enough without any more roadblocks in the way…
*****
Benedict wandered out of the bathroom of his hotel room, feeling refreshed after the long hot shower that he’d just taken. He pulled the fluffy white bathrobe closed and tied the belt as he headed for the one amenity that each of the hotel rooms boasted that he was really looking forward to using - I.e, the small balcony. He pushed open the glass door and stepped outside, feeling a soft wind caress his face as he put his hands on the top of the wooden railing and stood looking out at the view of the city beyond. His room wasn’t high enough for him to be able to see over the rooftops, but he’d seen in the brochure that three was a revolving restaurant on the roof that offered a magnificent 360 degree view of both San Francisco and the waterfront, the Bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge. He was looking forward to eating there, but not today. For now, he intended to take advantage of room service and go straight to bed, even though the sun hadn’t set yet. He was exhausted from jet lag.
He scrubbed at his face with his hands as he walked back into his room to call down to room service. He ordered a Porterhouse steak, medium-rare; a side of scalloped potatoes and asparagus in butter sauce; and a fudge brownie sundae for dessert. His people needed a lot of food to run their high metabolisms, and the meal on the plane had been small and not very good at all. He was ravenous. He charged the meal to his room, glad that he didn’t have to spend his own money on eating. He hadn’t yet had time to exchange the pounds in his wallet for American money anyway. Until he could do that, he was effectively broke.
Benedict sat down on the edge of the bed, which was quite comfortable. He yawned, so tired that his very bones ached with the need for sleep. Now that he didn’t have to worry about Theodore anymore(at least not for the moment, since the order he’d given him brother to behave himself would keep him from getting into any trouble), he could relax and get some real rest. He might not sleep for twenty-four hours, but it felt like he could do at least twelve quite easily.
There was a knock on the door, and he went to answer it. A porter pushed a trolley covered in a white cloth into the room, removing the covers from several large silver serving traps to reveal a good deal of tempting-looking food. Benedict felt his nostrils flare and his mouth water as the scent of the good reached his nostrils. But he hesitated. “I’m afraid that I don’t have any money to give you a tip,” he said apologetically to the porter.
“That’s fine, sir. You can add a gratuity for me when you sign for your meal,” the porter said.
Relieved, Benedict did just that. He tipped the porter generously, thinking to himself that once he exchanged his money he’d pay back the host Alpha for spending his money so generously. Once he’d signed the receipt, the porter told him that he’d return for the trolley in an hour or so, and left him to his meal.
Benedict pulled the trolley over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, and proceeded to devour the entire meal in a matter of minutes. He still ate neatly, but as swiftly as he could. His stomach rumbled happily at him for filling it so well, and he growled in appreciation when he ate the last bite of the sundae and left nothing but crumbs on the plates. He patted his full stomach, pushing the trolley over next to the door so that the porter could retrieve it. He supposed that he should wait up until the man came, but now that he was full he was beyond exhausted. He staggered over to the bed and fell into it, and he was deeply asleep by the time that his head hit the pillow.
*****
Kane took the last sip of his drink and set the empty glass down. “This has been fun, guys,” he said. “But we should probably do a check on our people. Don’t you think?”
“Definitely,” replied Monique Saxfield in her high-class English accent. “Also, I’m quite ready to make friends with a comfortable mattress. It was a very long flight.”
The other Alphas made sounds of agreement and got to their feet. Most of them had come a long enough distance that they were tired and ready for bed, even though it was only about nine o’clock. They just wanted to check that their clan members were safe and sound in their rooms, then most of them would head to bed. They all left the lounge and made their way to the bank of elevators, chatting in a desultory fashion as they headed for whatever floor that their clan members had been assigned to. Kane had made sure that each clan was given rooms together with the Alpha’s room squarely in the middle of each group. Kane’s eligible clan members were here too, since it was simplest just to put them up at the hotel where all of the other unmated clan members were staying. He headed for the eighth floor to speak to all of them, checking in on how they were doing and wishing them goodnight. He felt like they were his cubs, even though they were all adults. He was their Alpha, after all. It was his responsibility to look after and take care of all of them. He hoped that each and every one of them found someone they liked the look of at the Gathering.
After he’d checked up on all of his clan members, Kane headed for the indoor pool to have a long, leisurely swim before he went to bed. He needed to unwind and relax, and cutting through the warm, clear water helped him to do just that. He tried hard to block out the almost overwhelming smell of chlorine as he did so, the only thing he really didn’t like about pools. Having a very sharp sense of smell wasn’t always an asset in what was(let’s face it) an extremely odiferous world.
He pulled himself up out of the water and sat on the concrete, shaking his head to get some of the water out of his hair. At this time of the night he had the pool room all to himself, which was fine by him. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the tension draining out of him. So far, so good. Almost everybody had arrived, and there had been no mishaps or problems so far. He could probably count on at least some cropping up soon, but for now he was just going to enjoy how smoothly this was all going.
Thinking about the coming Gathering, Kane admitted to feeling a bit wistful. Here all of these young clan members were going to have the opportunity of finding mates, and he(the person who was arranging it all) STILL didn’t have a mate of his own! He knew that his clan were getting rather antsy over the fact that he didn’t have someone yet; as Angie had pointed out, the Alpha needed a mate even if no one else did. Maybe he was being too picky, but he didn’t want to end up with the wrong person and have it cause tension and problems in the clan. Nor did he want to spend the rest of his life with someone who was wrong for him. But while he might want to wait until he found just the right person, he was running out of time. Maybe after the Gathering was over, he’d think about looking around again and finding someone who was at least somewhat suitable to be his mate.
He sighed, grabbing a towel and jumping to his feet. All he wanted for now was a long hot shower and a good long sleep; he’d worry about the whole mate issue after he’d gotten the gathering out of the way. Draping the towel around his neck, he headed for the shower at one end of the room to rinse off the pool water and get dressed. He’d take another, longer shower once he was up in his room.
******
The morning sun shone through the glass doors and woke Benedict up. He blinked in its dazzle as he sat up slowly. That had been the best night’s sleep that he’d had in years! Just one of the benefits of total exhaustion, he thought in amusement as he got out of bed slowly and padded into the bathroom for his morning ablutions. He opened the little leather case that he carried his toiletries around in, fetching out a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, an electric razor, and a hairbrush.
He took a quick shower before brushing his teeth and shaving. In the mirror over the sink, he studied his own face as he worked up a foam in his mouth. His eyes were a rich deep brown, like loamy earth. His hair was lighter brown and curled atop his head in a messy fashion that a few of his boyfriends had really enjoyed. Danny, for example, liked to run his fingers through those curls. His bone structure was a little aquiline, his face a tad long. Though he wasn’t horse-faced, thank God. He just had the fine-boned elegance of facial feature inherited from his aristocratic ancestors. Benedict’s mother was the granddaughter of an Earl, and while that didn’t help them to acquire a fortune or a title it had given him the upper-class features that tended to attract boys in droves. Until they learned that no money or title went along with his face, that is…
He grinned to himself at this thought, wiping his face with a towel to remove the last traces of foam. He went out and opened his suitcase, deciding on a button-up white shirt and a pair of lightweight linen trousers. he got dressed, then ordered a large breakfast from room service. After that, he wandered next door to his brother’s room. But Theodore apparently wasn’t in, or wasn’t answering the door anyway. He frowned over this, but he sincerely doubted that Theodore had left the hotel entirely. So he decided to go to the lobby and see if he could find his sibling - probably in the hotel bar, if it was open this early in the day.
Benedict walked to the elevator at one end of the hall and pushed the button. He waited patiently, feeling refreshed after his long sleep and ready to do some sightseeing today if he could swing it. San Francisco was a beautiful city. The doors slid open, and he saw that there was someone else on the elevator. Benedict started to step inside, murmuring; “Excuse me,” to the other passenger, who was a fairly big man who was taking up much of the car. Or at least he seemed to be doing so, anyway…
“It’s fine. You must be part of the English clan, Black Cairn.” the man said in an American accent.
“Yes, yes I am,” Benedict replied, smelling wolf overwhelmingly now that they were in such close quarters together. “I’m Benedict Cavanaugh,” he turned to hold out his hand, and met a pair of grey eyes the color of old sterling silver that were starting to widen. His own heart suddenly kicked up its pace for some reason, thundering in his chest. And he couldn’t seem to look away from those eyes, which were pulling him in like a riptide would a drowning swimmer…
“I’m Kane. Kane Haley,” the other man said, sounding stunned. “I’m the Alpha of the Tall Hills clan.” he paused as Benedict just stood there silently, trying to come to terms with whatever was happening to him. Then he said in an incredulous tone of voice: “I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think that you’re my mate…”
The man who’d identified himself as the Host Alpha of the Gathering stepped toward Benedict eagerly, his eyes gleaming. He took a step back, trying to breathe. The big body was looming over him, coming closer, invading his personal space. “Wait,” he said weakly.
The other man caged him with his arms against the side of the elevator. He pushed his face up close to Benedict’s. “God, you smell good,” he growled as his nostrils flared. He began to sniff at the side of Benedict’s neck, eagerly.
He put his hands on the man’s broad chest and pushed, although it was like pushing against a brick wall. It didn’t help at all that his body was reacting to the man’s nearness and also his scent, the musky odor of a sexually excited Alpha. “Stop,” he moaned. “I-I don’t even know you!”
Oh, God. The man’s nose was rubbing against the rim of his ear. A tongue darted out and licked at it, making him shiver helplessly. “But I know you,” the Alpha said in a low, deep voice that made his whole body throb sullenly, “You’re my mate.”
“Now wait just a second,” Benedict replied, still pushing against the man’s chest to keep him at least at a small distance from Benedict’s own body. His efforts were mostly futile, and it REALLY wasn’t helping that he was almost as aroused as this stranger. He groaned as teeth nipped at his earlobe. The strength ran out of his arms, and suddenly that big body was pressing into his. He felt the hardness of the Alpha’s erection against his stomach, and almost whined in a piteous manner. He might have a LOT of objections to what was happening, but unfortunately his wolf didn’t seem to have any at all. The beast within him was happy as a clam about this whole thing, and it was all he could do not to begin to press and grind himself against the bigger man eagerly.
Kane’s hot breath was falling on the skin of his neck, and it was all that Benedict could do not to tilt it back and let the man have free rein. “I’ve been looking for you,” the low voice growled into his skin, “For a long time.”
Benedict panted desperately. “I don’t know…what you’re talking about,” he husked, his voice wavering. His legs were beginning to part, spreading instinctively so that Kane could settled between them more fully. What the hell was he doing? And why couldn’t he seem to stop?
Those blazing eyes came into view again. The hunger in them made his stomach clench. A low growl trickled from between Kane’s lips, then he kissed Benedict savagely. Those lips ate at his, devouring his mouth. And Kane’s big body was rubbing over his at the same time, sending his conscious mind into a tailspin. It was giving up the ghost altogether, forgetting his objections…
The elevator dinged as it came to a halt. The sound made Benedict start, and his mind abruptly returned from its vacation. He shoved at Kane’s chest as hard as he possibly could, and the man actually stumbled back a few inches. “Stop this,” Benedict rasped through his kiss-swollen lips, meeting Kane’s eyes and refusing to back down. “Now.”
His command made Kane step back. He blinked as though he were a man coming out of a dream, and conscious thought returned to his brain once more. He ran a hand through his very dark blonde hair. He looked around, as though just registering the fact that he was standing in an open elevator with a view out into the lobby, with a near total stranger who he’d just sexually assaulted. “Shit,” he breathed in chagrin. “I’m sorry. I just lost it there for a second. Are you all right?” he looked at Benedict anxiously, as though expecting to see bruises or something on his body.
“I’m fine,” Benedict replied crisply, not wanting the man to feel too bad. What had just happened had been pretty much mutual; he didn’t feel violated so much as disoriented and off-balance. “I…what just happened?”
Kane seemed reassured by his words and tone of voice. “That should be obvious, “he said, shaking his head. “I recognized you as my mate. I suppose I should have talked to you about it, but it was just so overwhelming that I lost it…”
“Recognized me…I’ve never seen it work like that before!” Benedict cried. “So quickly and all of a sudden like that. In a moment, with no courting? That doesn’t seem right.”
“Whether it’s right or not, it happened,” Kane replied. “I don’t think you can refute that something significant happened just now, can you? Even if you don’t want to believe that it was what it was. SOMETHING happened, wouldn’t you agree?”
Benedict stared at him. He did have to agree, whether he liked it or not. He cleared his throat uncertainly. “Yes, I agree,” he said reluctantly. “Although I’m not ready to just jump on the idea that you recognized me in an instant as your mate just yet. It doesn’t seem possible to me.”
“It does to me,” Kane replied firmly. “And I believe that that’s EXACTLY what just happened. And I’m going to make you believe it eventually, too. You’re my mate. That’s all there is to it.”
Benedict blew out an exasperated breath, though he warily stepped out of the elevator to put some space between himself and the Alpha at the same time. “That’s as may be, but just because you believe that doesn’t mean that I have to,” he remarked, eyeing Kane as the Alpha stepped off the elevator as well.
The American cocked his head. “I love your accent,” he said, apropos of nothing. “I can’t wait to hear you calling out my name in the throes of passion.”
Benedict felt his cheeks heat, and he glanced around rather wildly. Anyone could have heard that! “Please be quiet, Mr. Haley,” he hissed.
Kane shrugged, looking unapologetic over his words. “Call me Kane,” he urged Benedict hopefully.
“No,” he replied swiftly. He was not going to fall into a trap of intimacy that was bound to bring them closer together whether he wanted it to or not. “I’m sorry, but I have to go and look for my brother.”
Kane glanced around the lobby. “Do you think he’s still in the hotel?”
Benedict shrugged helplessly. “I’ve no idea. But I must find him. Theo’s a bit of a troublemaker. I came on this trip to keep an eye on him because my father wasn’t able to.”
“So you’re just playing chaperone? You’re not here to find a mate?” Kane remarked, sounding satisfied.
Benedict’s brows lowered a bit. “Perhaps I am, perhaps I’m not,” he said sharply. “That’s none of your business, Mr. Haley.”
“Yes, it is,” Kane replied promptly. “I wouldn’t want anybody nosing in on my territory. You’re MY mate, Benedict.” he said insistently.
“I don’t believe that I gave you permission to use my given name,” Benedict snapped angrily.
“You didn’t. But I’m going to anyway. What are you going to do about it?” Kane asked with interest, looking relaxed and not terribly worried over his anger.
Benedict’s lips lifted in a silent snarl. “Don’t think, just because you’re an Alpha, that you can bully me into doing what you want,” he growled. “I’m not submissive enough for that.”
“No, you’re not, are you?” Kane said admiringly, looking him over from his flushed cheeks and snapping eyes, to his chest heaving as he fought to breathe in his anger. “I like that. I wouldn’t want a submissive mate who kowtowed to me all the time. For one thing, that wouldn’t be good for my clan. An Alpha’s mate holds pretty much the same status that he does. If you were submissive to other wolves in the clan, that could cause me problems in the future.”
“It doesn’t matter, since I categorically refuse the position,” Benedict snapped, furious that Kane was being so casual about whatever had just happened to them in the elevator. His assumption that Benedict was going to be his mate come what may was truly infuriating…
Kane smiled at him, a sight that made his ire all but disappear. The man had an AMAZING smile! “If you say so,” he remarked equably.
Benedict wanted to howl in fury and try to rip the Alpha’s magnetic eyes out. The man was so…so…fucking hot! “I’m going to find my brother,” he snarled, then stomped away without another word.
But much to his chagrin, Kane appeared beside him before he could make it to the hotel bar to check and see if Theodore was drinking there. “Go away,” he spat.
“No,” Kane replied calmly. “I’m going to help you find your brother. I figure that’s a good a start as any to our courtship.”
Benedict whirled on him. “For a courtship to take place, BOTH parties have to be agreeable to it!” he pointed out angrily.
Kane grinned whitely. “I know,” he replied, sounding so smug that Benedict wanted to punch him. Not that that would do any good, but it would make him feel a bit better, anyway…
“Look, you might think that you’re just that charming,” Benedict began hotly, “But you’re not. You can’t make me fall into line, you know. And I refuse to just jump on the bandwagon because you said so. When the Gathering is done, I’ll be going home to finish university. And I’ll forget that you ever existed.”
Kane folded his arms over his massive chest. “If that’s what you think, that’s fine,” he said. “Good luck with that. But you should know that I’m going to continued to pursue you until you give in and admit that we’re supposed to be mates. And if you’re so stubborn that you manage to make it back to England, I’ll just come and visit my good friend Monique Saxfield. I’ve always wanted a tour of the universities of England…”
Benedict threw his hands in the air. “You are impossible!” he cried.
Kane nodded. “That’s all part and parcel with being an Alpha, you know,” he pointed out. “NO ONE can out stubborn an Alpha, let me tell you. That’s why we generally get what we want. And what I want…” his eyes fastened on Benedict’s lips, making his breath catch in his throat at the hunger in those magnetic eyes, “Is YOU. You, Benedict Cavanaugh. You’re mine, and I’m yours. Even if you won’t admit that yet, it’s still the truth. And I’m going to keep after you until you finally give in and admit the truth to yourself.”
His mouth was dry as he stared at the stubborn set of Kane’s (admittedly chiseled, sensual) lips. There was nothing more frightening than an Alpha when they wanted something. He felt like a rabbit caught in a snare, and the worst part of all was that because of an inexplicable pull to Kane he almost welcomed the wire around his neck…
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