An Alpha's Pride [tribal bonds 2] by Stormy Glenn Page A

he needed to find out why Daniel looked like death warmed over.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Me?” Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean?”
“Have you been eating right, Daniel?”
“I think we have other things to discuss than the state of my health, Carlton.”
“No, we don’t.” Carlton stepped closer to Daniel, and then frowned when Daniel took a step back from him. “Daniel, wha—”
Daniel held up a hand. “Let’s just deal with what we need to. The rest doesn’t matter.”
“The hell it doesn’t!” Carlton stepped closer, again watching as Daniel took another step back. “You’re in my pack now. No one can see any weakness in you.”
Daniel snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Daniel, I’m serious. It’s obvious even to me that you haven’t been feeding. If anyone suspects that you aren’t—”
Daniel’s face suddenly darkened as he glared at Carlton. “It’s pretty damn hard to feed when my anamchara has deserted me.”
“I—you—” Carlton licked his lips, confused. “I don’t understand, Daniel.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You’re not a vampire.” Daniel suddenly looked grim. It gave his face an even more deadly pallor as if he was fighting something with every fiber of his being. He pushed a shaking hand through his hair, ruffling it. “Look, let’s just deal with the situation at hand.”
“No!” Carlton stepped closer again. “I want to know what’s going on, Daniel. Since you seem to think I don’t understand because I’m not a vampire, explain it to me.”
“You don’t understand, and I’m not inclined to explain it to you.”
Carlton growled and leapt the few remaining feet between him and Daniel. He saw fear flash in Daniel’s eyes as the man quickly backed up until he hit the wall of the study, and then pure panic filled his eyes.
“Don’t.” Daniel swallowed hard and turned his head to the side. “Please.”
Chapter 6
    Daniel was afraid Carlton would touch him. And he was afraid he wouldn’t. Both fears warred inside of him, neither one winning. If Carlton touched him, Daniel was deathly afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from begging his anamchara to acknowledge him.
    He craved Carlton’s touch almost as much as he was afraid of it. The last few weeks apart had shown him that he would do anything to keep Carlton at his side, even allow the man to fuck him again.
    He needed Carlton.
He just didn’t want Carlton to know how much. That knowledge could very well be the end of him. If Carlton asked, Daniel would be helpless to deny him anything. He’d even sit at the alpha’s feet as his pet if that’s what Carlton wanted.
Daniel had thought he would be able to keep it together while he was here. Now, he knew he was greatly mistaken. One look at Carlton, one sniff of his heady scent, and Daniel was ready to beg forgiveness for whatever he had done to make his anamchara leave him.
Hell, he was just plain ready to beg.
“Daniel.”
Daniel whimpered when he felt Carlton’s warm breath blow across his cheek. The alpha’s voice was soft and low, but there was a hint of steel in the tone that made Daniel’s knees shake.
“Tell me.”
“Now that…that we are mated, no other’s blood will sustain me like yours.” Daniel shuddered when he felt Carlton brush a strand of hair back from his face. The slight touch was almost enough to bring him to his knees.
“So, because we’re not together, you’re basically starving yourself?”
Daniel shrugged. He whimpered again when Carlton grabbed him by the chin and turned his face so that they were looking at each other. He kept his eyes downcast so Carlton wouldn’t see the deep need in them.
“Yes or no, Daniel?”
“Yes,” Daniel whispered.
“Fuck, Daniel, why didn’t you call me?”
Daniel’s eyes snapped to meet Carlton’s as deep shock rolled through him. “Are you serious?”
A little frown marred Carlton’s forehead. “Of course I am. Despite our rough beginning, you are still my