For Fox's Sake (#3, Completed)

3. You can run but you can't hide

JAMES

For fuck's sake, they had to be kidding me! 

I was sitting here for half an hour already, wasting my time listening to their plans for the skulk's Christmas party, as if they really needed me for that.

"What do you think?" Rai, one of my two Betas, caught me unprepared. My lack of care must have been written all over my face because she gave me the biggest eye-roll before she continued, "Were you even listening?"

I contemplated pretending that I had been paying attention, but both of them should have known better than forcing me to sit through this torture to begin with. "Honestly? No."

"Come on, man. I know that this party is not at the top of your list, but you are the Alpha, Jimmy–we need to have your feedback and your approval on our ideas for it." Max, my other Beta, was just as unimpressed with me as Rai was. "The party will be good for the skulk... and it would be good for our foxes to see you relax a bit. You know, maybe smile now and then as well."

I didn't get where he was going with this. I was the Alpha leading the skulk. My job was to protect my people and make sure that they were provided for, not to entertain them. And it was a job that I had been taking seriously enough for many years now.

On top of that, I had two Betas exactly for this reason–to handle the skulk business that did not really require my input. Talking gingerbread biscuits and decoration colours did not qualify as Alpha matters, even if there was some budget involved.

"I smile enough." I pasted on an example to make a point. "And you two are Red Tails Betas, so I think you can handle this entire party on your own. Not to mention that there are still months to go–this is hardly priority stuff. Unlike those feral shifters rumours you mentioned earlier, Rai."

Nobody could convince me that a handful of shifters going feral out of the blue, unable to shift back to their human form, was coincidental. And yet, the Central Shifter Council in London didn't seem to be concerned about it at all. At least not from what I heard from my sister Sara.

"There is nothing more to them for now, boss. Just rumours." She pulled a face that said she wasn't buying my change of subject. "So, can we focus on the party?" The expectant eyebrow that she raised at me didn't sit well with me or my fox.

"Yes, the party." I got out of my seat, itching to go for a run. "You know what, I delegate full authority to you two, at least as far as the party is concerned. That way you can get it all sorted without needing anything from me," I told them as I moved towards the door.

"Are you leaving?" Max's surprised voice reached me as I was about to open the door.

"I've got some errands to run in Luss."

"You know what, fine–go. We will handle this. But don't forget that you are coming over to our place to have tea with Andrew and me next week."

How could I forget? Max and his mate were forcing me to have dinner with them every bloody month. It was their not-so-subtle attempt for an intervention, apparently, because I had become too antisocial in the past years.

My breath rushed out on a groan before I could cover up how I really felt about this. "Can't we skip this month, Max? And anyway, you two would have way better time without me."

Unsurprisingly, he swung his head in a no. "I'll give you the same answer that I give you every month, pal–you are coming. Unless you are finally ready to tell me what the problem is. Goddess, James, you used to be the life of the party before. What happened to you? What changed three years ago?"

Everything.

But I couldn't tell him that. I couldn't tell anyone what was going on. That I probably found my mate, yet I had to lie to her for her own good. That I made a deal with a demon, and keeping everyone at an arm's length was best for them.