"Whit can I do for ye, Nikulas?" Cedric Kincaid, pack master of the werewolves that inhabited the Pacific Northwest, set down his drink and picked up the remote to turn down the volume on the Rugby game he was watching.
"Hey, Ced," Nik greeted him cheerfully. "So, hey! Remember when you guys kidnapped my mate in the middle of the day and nearly got her killed?"
Cedric pulled his cell away from his ear and scrubbed a hand over his face. He was ne'er going tae be allowed tae forget that ill idea for a joke, was he? Although he didna see whit the big deal was. Emma was braw, 'n' it had ended up bein' a good thing that the wolves were there. Between them 'n' the vampires, they'd easily taken care o' Leeha's monsters 'n' gotten Luukas 'n' Marc out o' her lair safely.
He put the phone back by his ear. "Aye, Nik," he sighed. "I remember."
"And remember when I told you that you were going to owe me big time for that little stunt? And you agreed?"
"Aye," Cedric confirmed warily.
Nik's voice got serious. "I need you guys to come through on that promise, man. We heard from Aiden. And I think he's in trouble."
Cedric took his feet off of the coffee table and sat up straight in his chair. Aiden was a good male, one o' his favorite vampire friends. He would agree tae help him even if they didna owe Nikulas a favor.
"Whit dae ya need us tae do?"
"How long's it been since you guys have been to China?"
"China? Aiden is in China?"
"That's what he told me when he called," Nik said. "In Dalian, to be exact."
"Whit the hell is he doing in China?"
He could practically see Nikulas running his hand through his blonde locks like he did when he was anxious.
"We don't know. He called and said he woke up there, but doesn't remember how he got there. He was with a girl at the time..."
"Aye. That sounds like Aiden."
"Right? He said her name was Grace. And now Em and Keira just had some kind of weird witch-vision thing. They think he and the girl are in trouble. They saw them running to that big soccer ball sculpture. Know the one I mean?"
"Aye. I've seen it."
"Em says there's a shelter built underneath it, and they're hiding out in there. And get this. They think maybe this chick Aid's with is a witch, like them. They think she did some kind of magical call for help, and that's why they had the vision. That she's connected to them somehow."
"Do they have kin they're no' aware of? Do ya think she's a Moss witch?"
Nik sighed audibly. "I dunno, man. It's possible, I guess. The way they all scattered years ago. But right now, we need to get them out of there, and bring them both back home. I would go myself, but ya know, with Luuk the way he is..."
"I ken what yer sayin', Nik. Ya dinna need to say any more. Consider it taken care o'. We'll leave first thing."
"Thanks, Cedric. You guys are all right. For a bunch of mangy dogs."
Cedric guffawed.
"But if you ever pull a stunt that puts my female in danger again, I swear I'll..."
Cedric started to protest that comment when he heard Emma smack Nikulas, then her soft voice came across the line.
"Pay no attention to him, Cedric. And thank you so much for doing this."
The werewolf leader smiled warmly into the phone. "Anything for ye, my bonnie lass."
He chuckled at the sound of Nikulas' possessive growl, and ended the call before he could get the phone back from his mate.
"Tell me again why we're running off tae do a job that they should be doin' themselves," Lucian grumbled as the wolf pack left the plane.
Fed up with him and his bad attitude, Cedric whipped around to confront him, blocking traffic in the middle of the air bridge.
He stuck his finger in Lucian's face. "Haud yer wheesht!" he hissed. "You ken Nik has his hands full with his brother. A' this is Aiden...our friend. He would do the same for any one of us. And ye fooking ken it."
Lucian's stormy grey eyes darkened with anger just before he dropped them in submission to his alpha.
"I dinna want tae hear another word from ye, ye hear? No' unless it something that's going tae help us get our friend home safe."
Marc shoved past Lucian and shot him a glare as he followed Cedric into the airport.
Duncan stopped beside him and slapped him on the shoulder. "C'mon then. Let's get out of the way. We can fight when we get tae the hotel."
Shrugging off his hand, Lucian shot him a dirty look and walked away.
"Wha'? Wha' did I dae?" He watched Lucian stomp away for a few seconds before following the rest of the pack, mumbling to himself, "Better pull that stick out o' yer arse, afore Cedric shoves it up in tae yer throat."
They acquired a rental car and were at their hotel in less than an hour. When they got to their floor, Cedric said, "Lucian, yer with me."
"I'd rather bunk with Duncan."
"I dinna care." Holding the door open for him, Cedric nodded to the others and told them to meet him in the lobby in thirty minutes before following Lucian inside.
Tossing his overnight bag onto the bed by the window, he turned to Lucian. At six foot seven inches, he had a good few inches on the other male, and more importantly, he had physically proven himself the dominant male many times over; hence his position as leader of the pack.
"Whit's the matter wit' ye, Lucian?"
"Nothin' is the matter."
"Bullshite. You've had yer head up yer arse since Marc got taken by Leeha. And ye haven't pulled it back out, even though we got him out with wee harm done. So, whit's wrong?"
Lucian ran both hands through his auburn hair, yanking at the ends in frustration. "I said tis nothing! Why canna ye leave me alone?"
"Because yer in my pack, and I canna have a member of my pack running around half-cocked, ready tae explode at any moment. And I dinna have a clue as tae how come! So, you need tae tell me whit the hell is going on with ye, and ye need tae tell me now."
"Or else whit?"
"Or else I'm going tae stick ye right back on that plane 'n' send yer arse back home 'til we get this thing wi' Aiden taken care of. Then I will come home 'n' deal wi' ye."
"Yer kicking me out of th' pack?" Lucian asked in disbelief.
"Do I need tae?" Cedric retaliated. "Because I'm beginning tae wonder."
"I'm no' leaving the pack."
"You'll have no say aboot it if that's what I decide."
Cedric held his ground in the middle of the room, legs braced apart and arms at his sides, ready for Lucian to lose his temper and come at him. He almost hoped that he would. Maybe then they could work out whatever was wrong with the lad.
But Lucian didn't react as he expected. Instead of losing his cool and raising a hand towards his alpha, he turned on his heel and slammed out of the hotel room.
"Dammit," Cedric swore, and sank down onto the bed. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he pondered what he was going to do with that wolf pup.
He'd better tell the others what had happened. They'd have tae find Lucian now before they could do anything else. Much as he wanted tae let him go 'n' go find Aiden, pack came first.
Always.