Fucking Newell.
At least that was one less thing they had to worry about these days. Although watching the two units walk in and sit on separate sides made Daryl rethink that. He paused at the top of the aisle, Jason coming to a halt beside him. One glance told Daryl that Jason understood his dilemma perfectly.
With Jenn and her unit on the left and Rachel and her unit on the right, where did he and Jason sit?
He’d almost automatically gone to sit with Rachel, but then wouldn’t that be encouraging the separation that Cam was trying to erase?
Jason rolled his eyes and gave Daryl a nudge in Jenn’s direction, while he calmly walked over and sat with Rachel.
Huh. No drama, no fuss.
Arse.
Clearly Daryl was making a meal of things when he didn’t need to. Following Jason’s lead, he sat by Jenn, offering her a smile as he took his seat. She looked a little in awe of their surroundings, and Daryl couldn’t blame her.
The alpha council headquarters was massive, and the main building was more like a stately home. The room they were in now was set out much like a human courtroom, except where the judge normally sat were seats for the twelve council members. Only Asha and Anna sat there now, but they were no less imposing. The scent of alpha filled the room. Daryl’s wolf was on edge, and he’d been in there before. It would probably be worse for Jenn and Rachel.
The heavy scent of pack did a lot to counter Daryl’s edginess, and he breathed it in, forcing himself to relax. They were here of their own accord, he reminded himself. They weren’t in trouble.
Alpha Cornell walked through the double doors and nodded at Asha. “I know it’s getting late,”
Alpha Cornell began, “So I’ll keep this as brief as possible.” She paused and took a moment to look around the room, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “A full explanation of what you can expect over the course of your stay will be given tomorrow after breakfast. Which incidentally is the only meal you will have prepared for you.” She didn’t elaborate further, but it didn’t take a genius to work out they’d be doing their own cooking. “Your luggage has already been taken to your accommodation, and in a moment, Asha and Anna will escort you to where you need to go. I think that’s all you need to know for tonight. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning. Goodnight.” Not waiting for a response, Alpha Cornell left through the double doors, leaving silence in her wake.
The members of both units remained oddly quiet as they were escorted out of the building and down a wide path leading into the forest. Some of them might be tired—Daryl didn’t know who’d worked late last night—but they all seemed a bit subdued. His gaze sought out Davies in the group up ahead. A few paces behind Jenn, Davies walked alongside Tom Sharp with Kevin Brown just behind them. They were talking too quietly for Daryl to hear from all the way at the back, but they were smiling and looking at their surroundings as they walked, so he presumed they weren’t hatching some sinister plot or anything.
To look at the two units now, you wouldn’t think there was a problem. Having members of the alpha council in such close proximity obviously put everyone on their best behaviour—Daryl included—but would it stay that way?
In theory, Davies and the others should be doing their best to make this work; it was their last chance, after all. They might have declined Alpha Wallace’s offer of relocation, but if they failed or refused to integrate fully into Cam’s pack, then Cam would have no choice other than to ask Alpha Wallace to find them a new pack. Daryl didn’t give a shit either way—if those idiots couldn’t see how good they could have it with Cam as their alpha, then fuck them. They didn’t deserve to be in his pack.
“Wow,” Jason muttered from beside him. “This place is huge. I never knew the council had so much land.”
They’d been walking for ten minutes and were now in the thick of the forest. The only sounds Daryl could make out were their footsteps and the wildlife in the surrounding trees, nothing else.
“Just as well. I’m thinking we’ll need a lot of room with sixteen shifters running around.”
“True. I’m just impressed is all.”
Daryl was too, but he didn’t feel the urge to say as much. The tops of a large building appeared through the trees, and Daryl pointed to it. “I guess that’s home for the next two weeks.”
Jason craned his neck to get a better look, but the forest was too thick. “Wonder what it’s like.”
“I guess we’ll know soon enough.”
Asha and Anna led them in a big arc, bringing them to a clearing in front of a large U-shaped building. “On the left and right are the sleeping quarters—Ms Tregarrak’s unit on the left and Ms Farley’s on the right. Unit members have been allocated rooms with two sharing. Betas will be on their own.”
Not too bad.
I just need a hot shower and firm mattress, with—
“Mr Easton and Mr Black,” Anna said, interrupting Daryl’s thoughts. “Alpha Cornell has requested that you two be housed in one of the suites.” Daryl shared a look with Jason. That had to be a good sign, right? A suite. “The suite she’s chosen is in the middle section of the building, therefore easily accessible to both units should they require your assistance. Also, since mobile phone service out here is patchy at best, there are landlines in the rooms. Your luggage is in the entranceway of your buildings, ready for you to collect. Are there any questions?”
Silence.
“I think we’re okay for tonight, thank you,” Rachel said, and Jenn agreed.
“In that case, breakfast is at seven thirty back at the main building. Asha and I will be here to collect you at seven. Goodnight.” They disappeared into the darkness of the trees, their footfalls fading quickly.
“We didn’t get keys.” Jason glanced in the direction the alphas had gone. “I’m guessing we don’t need them?”
