"Sounds good."
Tommy nodded, although he wasn't sure he was agreeing to anything exactly. More like nodding because that seemed like the thing to do. He needed to get home, not only to see Elliot but to talk to Nate about his friend Roane. Tommy needed to make sure that the man was on the up and up. He needed to know that Nate trusted Roane.
"So, Bishop … "
Bishop rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you can have the week off, but I expect to meet this mate of yours the minute you get things worked out."
"It's a promise." Tommy grinned. "I need to go, need to get back to Elliot. In his present state he seems to only listen to me and I don't want him hurting anyone." He glanced at Levi again. "You know where you can find us."
Levi nodded.
Tommy said his goodbyes and headed for the door. He tried to act casual as he hurried. He tried to not act like he was walking faster and faster, but the sudden need he felt to get back to Elliot was overwhelming.
Strange and disturbing thoughts began to race through Tommy's mind. His head swirled with confusion as a cold sweat broke out over his skin. Tommy clenched his fists when he felt his claws trying to extend.
Something was seriously wrong and Tommy knew his mate was involved somehow. As they hadn't completed the mating all of the way, Tommy didn't know how he knew Elliot was in trouble, but he did.
Tommy pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and flipped it open, dialing Nate and Joe's house. His heart pounded faster in his chest as he waited for someone, anyone, to pick up. He needed to know if Elliot was safe more than he needed his next breath.
If he wasn't in the middle of town, he would have shifted and ran to Nate and Joe's house as fast as he could. It just wasn't possible. Most of the citizens of Wolf Creek knew of the pack, but there were some that did not. Secrecy was what kept them alive and safe.
"Nate?" Tommy asked the moment someone picked up and said hello.
"Tommy?"
"Is everything okay there?"
"Funny you should ask." Nate laughed nervously.
"Elliot?"
"Yeah, um, here, you better talk to your brother."
Tommy felt like his heart was going to jump right out of his chest as he waited for Joe to come on the line. Fear and anger at himself for leaving Elliot unprotected began to knot inside him. If something happened to Elliot while he was gone, Tommy would never forgive himself.
"Tommy?"
"Joe, what's wrong? What happened to Elliot?"
"He's gone, bro."
"Gone?" Tommy gasped, realizing a shiver of panic. "What do you mean gone?"
"He's not here. He was in the kitchen lying down and Nate went to the bathroom. When he came back, the backdoor was open and Elliot was gone."
"Did someone take him?"
"Well, that's always a possibility, but I don't think so."
Tommy frowned at the hesitation he could hear in Joe's voice. "What aren't you telling me?"
"The backdoor was smashed from the inside, Tommy. I think Elliot left on his own."
In his heart, Tommy had always been afraid that Elliot would leave. Finding a mate that was so perfectly matched for him just seemed too good to be true. Just thinking of Elliot leaving nearly shattered something inside of Tommy.
"Okay, I'll be back to the house as soon as I can."
"Tommy, he could have just needed to go out for a run. Being a wolf seems to be kind of new for Elliot."
Tommy swallowed with difficulty and found his voice. "Yeah, maybe. Look, I'll be home in a few minutes and we can figure this out."
"Tommy, don't see this as more than it is. Elliot could have simply gone for a run or maybe he went searching for you. He doesn't seem to want to be separated from you. It could be as simple as that."
"That's funny coming from you." Tommy chuckled anxiously. "You haven't wanted him here from the very beginning and now you're telling me that I shouldn't worry when he's missing. That's rich, Joe."
"Look, Tommy, I may have been wrong about Elliot. I just-"
"May have been wrong?" Tommy snapped.
"Okay, I was wrong. Happy?"
"Not really. It would have been nice for you to accept my mate from the very beginning instead of treating him like the spawn of hell. Elliot has no control over who his father is, and he shouldn't be judged by the things his father does. He should be judged by his own actions."
"You're right, Tommy."
"Damn straight!"
Joe sighed deeply. "I promise to apologize to Elliot the moment we find him, but first we need to find him."
"Yeah." To Tommy's dismay, his voice broke slightly when he spoke. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his raging emotions. "I'll start looking this way as I head home. You start there and we can meet in the middle."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Okay." Tommy flipped the phone closed and shoved it back into his pocket. A cold knot formed in his stomach as he thought of Elliot being out in the world all alone. It didn't make sense because Elliot had been on his own for a number of years, but Tommy's feelings for the man after two days didn't make sense either.
Tommy clenched his hands as another wave of panic rolled through him. His skin prickled, a sure warning that someone was watching him and Tommy didn't think it was Elliot. He didn't get a good vibe like he did when Elliot looked at him. This felt cold, creepy.
Tommy slowed his walking and tried to shut out everything around him. He honed in on the feeling he got, sniffing the air until he found the scent he was looking for. It smelled like rotten flesh, a sure sign of something bad, usually someone evil.
Tommy immediately thought of Carl. He knew he had a natural hatred of the man because of the way he treated Elliot but there was something more to Carl than just that. Carl seemed to have an unnatural fascination with Elliot that caused Tommy to be very concerned.
The second Tommy figured out where the scent of rotting flesh was coming from, he changed directions, heading toward it. It was a foolish move, Tommy knew that, but he wasn't going to let anyone harm his mate.
Tommy followed the nauseous scent to an alley between a general store and a café. He tried to look casual as he pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. He didn't dial, just held the phone to his ear and paused in the entrance of the alleyway.
Tommy started talking as if there really were someone on the phone then nonchalantly glanced around him. His enhanced senses gave him better eyesight, better hearing, and a better sense of smell.
He was grateful for every one of his senses when he spotted Carl hiding behind a dumpster half way down the alley, and he wasn't alone. Tommy could sense two more men with him. He figured the odds were pretty much even.
Tommy snapped his phone closed and shoved it back into his pocket. He took a deep breath then turned and walked into the alley. Someone was going to walk out of this alley alive and someone wasn't. Tommy was betting it wasn't going to be Carl.
"Hello, Carl. I hear you may have been looking for me."
Chapter 9
The white wolf's mind was working overtime as he ran through the streets of Wolf Creek, dodging cars driving down the streets and people walking down the sidewalks. The fear gripping him was almost debilitating, and if his need to get to his mate wasn't so strong, the wolf would have collapsed right there in the middle of the street.
The need to reach his mate started out as a small trickle, almost a whisper across his mind. It grew stronger with each passing moment that the man was gone until the wolf couldn't ignore it anymore and he had to find his mate and protect him.
The wolf didn't know what was happening to his mate but he knew it wasn't good. The feelings flowing through him made his hackles stand up. They made him want to growl and howl and rip something apart with his bare teeth.
His paws flew across the pavement as he ran all out as fast as he could. He breathed in shallow, quick gasps as he ran. The need to reach his mate pounded in his head becoming stronger and stronger until he was almost mindless with panic.
He flew around the corner of a red brick building just in time to see a man hit his mate in the face. The wolf bellowed out his outrage as he watched his mate drop to one knee. Pure, blinding rage filled him until he saw nothing but the overwhelming need to kill.
The wolf charged the man hitting his mate, biting him in the arm. The momentum of his lunge tore the man away from his mate and took him to the ground. The wolf growled and ripped at the arm with his teeth, yanking and pulling. The bitter taste of coppery blood filled his mouth just as the man's agonizing screams filled his ears.