Brock checked the address Luukas had written down for him and lifted his hand to knock on the door. It swung open before his fist had the chance to connect.
The male in front of him was about his height, with eyes such an icy blue they were nearly white. His long, dark hair was pulled back and clasped at the nape of his neck, accentuating the harsh angles of his face.
He was also the alpha of the pack. Brock would've known from his aura, even if he hadn't already known. As a sign of respect, he fell to his knees in front of him and tilted his head to the side, exposing his throat in a sign of submission.
"Och. Get up, ye wee pup. There isna any need for that." Stepping back, he opened the door wide in invitation.
Unsure of what to expect, Brock stood and sidestepped past the alpha, keeping his eyes averted.
"My name is Cedric Kincaid, 'n' I can see ye ken that I'm the alpha 'o' this territory." He stuck his hand out.
Brock took the proffered hand and shook it firmly. "Brock Hume."
"Aye. I ken who ye are." Closing the door, Cedric led the way into his home and offered Brock a seat at the kitchen table.
After offering his guest a drink, Cedric got straight to the crux of the matter. "Luukas tells me that ye helped Grace, Aiden's lass, 'n' her friend. That ye saved their lives."
Brock nodded. "I guess you could say that."
"Whit were ye doin' there in China?"
Annnnd, here goes the hard part. He'd been trying to think of a good way to explain his situation the entire way over here, but in the end, he figured the truth would be his best chance of surviving. At least what they needed to know. "I was traveling around a bit, when I came across Dalian and I noticed something strange about the city."
Cedric hefted a brow, waiting expectantly.
Brock glanced up at him. "It has a large population of possessed vampires."
"And what do ye ken aboot that?"
"Not much," he lied. "Except that they're up to no good, and they were killing humans left and right with no regard for staying under the radar. So, I began to hunt them."
"Ye hunted them? No shite? And yer still alive?"
Brock laughed. "I am."
Cedric narrowed his eyes and studied him. "Whit are ye hopin' to gain by coming here, wee pup?"
His direct question took Brock slightly by surprise. "Um, well, I really hadn't thought beyond getting the girls to safety." One girl in particular kept weaseling her way into his thoughts, much as he tried to keep her out. Surprising himself, he said, "However, now that I'm here, I'd like to respectfully ask your permission to stay for a while."
"How long is 'a while'?"
"Until I can win over the girl, at the very least." Brock grinned.
"The friend?" Cedric asked.
"Yes, Heather Knight is her name."
The alpha leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his massive chest. "Ye 'ave my permission tae stay. On one condition."
Brock's "thank you" stuck in his throat. "What condition is that?"
Leaning forward in his chair, Cedric speared him with those eerie eyes of his. "Ye see, I ken that yer no' telling me the entire truth. There's more tae yer story, wee pup. But I'm willin' to let ye get more comfortable here 'n' with me. I ken it's hard to trust when ye 'ave been on yer own for awhile."
"Aye, I ken that yer without pack," Cedric answered his look of surprise. "And until I ken more aboot ye, I'm no' inclined to bring ye into mine. Ye ken?"
"Sure. I understand. And thank you, for letting me stay."
"Och. Aye. Now git yer arse out of here before the other lads show up and give ye a hard time. They will nae harm ye. Ye 'ave my word."
The two wolves stood and shook hands again.
"Thank you again. I really appreciate it," Brock told him again at the door.
"Take this just in case I need ye." He handed Brock a cell phone. " Now, go get yer lass," Cedric answered.
Back on the streets of downtown Seattle, Brock couldn't suppress a surge of excitement. He couldn't wait to get back up to Nikulas and Emma's place and start winning over the woman who hadn't left his thoughts since she'd first opened her door to him. He realized he'd have his work cut out for him, now that she knew what he was, but he was confident he'd be able to win her over.
He picked up his stride when he saw the building just ahead. He was so anxious to get back there that he almost missed it.
Almost.
Just two buildings away, he caught an intriguing scent, a scent that he knew well. What was Heather doing out here? Following the path she'd taken, he discovered that she was heading towards the bus tunnels under Nordstrom's.
She was running? From a werewolf?
His smile widened.
And the hunt was on.