“I’m not your damn secretary,” Josh grumped, but the quirk of his lips gave him away. “And I’m not playing host to him either. I’ll have to make sure I’m just as busy.”
“This guy sounds like a piece of work,” Marshall said.
“No, not really. Like I said, he’s a bit of a nosey parker. He likes to know what’s going on with everyone in the Pack, especially me. He’s been overly concerned about my illness and has visited more in the last six months than he has in the last six years.”
“Any idea why?”
“No, and that’s what’s so frustrating.”
“Does he work for the Pack?”
Aaron shook his head. “No. He works for an insurance company over in Sandhill.”
“Where does he lie in the Pack hierarchy?”
“Um, he’s Dad’s cousin’s son. So that would make him what? A second cousin?”
“Yeah,” Josh agreed. “We share great-grandparents. His grandmother was sister to our grandfather, who, as firstborn, was the Alpha-Heir. That passed down to Dad, and then Aaron. Our great-aunt married the second-born son from a Midwest pack who was happy to move out here. Their daughter is Dad’s cousin, and Harlan is her son.”
“So, he wouldn’t be in line to inherit if something happened to you?” Marshall asked.
“No. After me, it’s Josh.” Aaron looked at Marshall keenly. “Do you think he has designs on the Pack leadership?”
Marshall shrugged. “I’ve never met the man, so I couldn’t say, but it seems odd that he’s showing an interest in you and the Pack only now you’ve become ill.”
“I don’t think it’s that. I think he just wants to be in the know so he can lord it over other members,” Josh said.
A knock sounded at the door, and Aaron called out. The door opened, and a trolley laden with coffee and pastries was wheeled in. Aaron raised an eyebrow at the sight of Davy, their young IT tech. “Where’s George?”
“Oh, I was coming this way, so I offered to deliver this,” Davy replied with a big grin. The young lynx shifter pushed his floppy fringe from his face. He paused when he caught sight of Marshall, his head canting to one side.
“Davy, this is Marshall. He’s visiting the Pack for a few days,” Aaron said. “Marshall, this is Davy. He’s our resident IT guy.”
“I know you,” Davy said, putting his hands on his hips as he looked at Marshall.
“I know you too,” Marshall said with a grin, clearly recognizing the younger man from New Year’s Eve a couple of years ago. Aaron’s wolf grumbled. Aaron pushed down a flash of jealousy. He didn’t like the idea that their mate knew Davy.
“Club Zero,” Davy said, snapping his fingers. “What are you doing here?”
Marshall exchanged a glance with Aaron, which did not go unnoticed by Davy.
“Wait, are you two… y’know,” he said, waggling a finger between them.
“Marshall is here seeing Sam,” Aaron told him.
“Oh, I hope it’s nothing serious?”
“Hopefully not,” Marshall reassured him. “Just similar symptoms to Aaron, so the Doc is doing some tests to see if he can figure things out.”
Davy eyed them suspiciously, but after a stern look from Aaron, he gave them a wide smile. He said, “Oh, if Doc’s on the case, you’ll soon be fixed.” He turned to Josh. “Your upgrade is all done.”
“Thanks, Davy,” Josh smiled at the young man, and it surprised Aaron to see a faint blush on the lynx shifter’s face.
“Right, I’ll leave it to you then,” Davy said. “Nice to see you again, Marshall.”
“You too, Davy.”
Davy left the room and Josh got up to serve them. They chatted as they drank their coffee, Aaron feeling more and more comfortable with Marshall. His wolf did too. He had an air of satisfaction that their mate was here.