Running Red: Lost Moon

Chapter 33: Contacts

There was a knock at the front door as Laik was starting to head up the stairs. He was in the middle of trying to pull the top off of a yogurt cup. He just wanted to get something in his stomach while it was agreeing with him. With a sigh, he walked over to the door. He opened it and pulled the spoon from where he had been holding it in his mouth to give the man on the other side a once over. He leaned against the doorjamb as he greeted him. "Hello. Can I help you?"

The man frowned at Laik before answering. "My mother sent me up this way to look for my brother." Pale blue eyes narrowed as he watched Laik rip the top of the yogurt off. "I'm here to talk to the Alpha."

"He's currently in a meeting." Laik shoved the spoon into the cup as he quirked a smile at the man. "Give me your name, and I can let him know."

"Wyatt Evens." Chin-length light brown hair was covered by a ski cap. Even bundled up in a thick snow jacket, the man still felt cold. No, if Laik had to choose a better word it was distant. He was closed off and hard to read.

"Cool. You can sit on the porch swing. It should be dry by now." Laik closed the door and turned. He caught the huff of annoyance from the other side of the door and couldn't help his grin. Well, not completely closed off.

Laik shoved a spoonful of yogurt into his mouth as he walked into his grandfather's office space. His grandfather and Bryce had been going back and forth with select members of their pack, trying to figure out how and where the other group was hiding. The plans were laid out on the desk and coffee table. Some had backups and others were flimsy at best. Laik looked over a draft of one on the desk as he waited. The one he was more worried about was a what if and one he was worried would most likely happen.

For the last two days, Levi had been in a bad mood. Was still in a bad mood. It was quiet, but it was there and it was mostly directed at him. Laik was worried that Levi wasn't trying to convince everyone to let him help in some way. He mostly either sat in the spare room or was downstairs with the others playing games. Echo was ever present at his side or draped over his lap sleeping. The young lynx was still healing, slowly but healing. Nikky had stopped by that morning to check up on the lynx and wasn't too worried by the slow healing.

It felt like everyone was waiting for the metaphorical other shoe to drop. Only, he was worried something would happen before that shoe would drop. That something was currently sitting in the basement, avoiding everyone right now. He sat the plans down to take another bite of his yogurt cup when Kevin called out to him. Looking up, Laik gave a questioning hum.

Kevin gave an amused smile, "I asked if everything looked alright on the plans you were just frowning at?"

Laik shrugged, "They're plans. Not all plans go right." He waved his spoon over his shoulder. "Anyways you have a visitor. Might want to clear up in here, it's that guy with the missing brother."

"Alright. Can you let Levi know I would like him to stay downstairs for now?"

"Yeah, about that. Might want someone else to tell him. He's still mad at me."

Kevin heaved a weary sigh. "What did you do?"

Laik shrugged as he took a bite of his yogurt, and Kevin narrowed his eyes as Bryce facepalmed. There were a few snickers from the other pack members in the room. Pulling the spoon from his mouth, he answered, "May have shoved snow down the back of his shirt trying to entice a snow fight." Also saw something that may have made Levi feel like a line was crossed. But he didn't say that out loud. No, that will have to be brought up another way, a more gentle way.

Kevin rubbed his temples, "Go tell Levi what I said. And fix whatever you did wrong."

Laik made a sound in the back of his throat, "I have tried."