Hunting Mate

Chapter Eighteen

"Layton" I hear, I look around me and see Lionel "how was your Christmas?" he asks I shrug "don't celebrate it, where did you go?" I ask and instantly he looks down "Lionel, you better not have gone back there after I risked everything getting to here especially if you had the little ones with you" I say sitting up "I didn't go back there I met up with Mom, nobody else was there just us four she wanted you there but you are always awol" I look down after he tells me that I'm always awol "I'm not the greatest of brothers I know-" he cuts me off "Layton, you risked your life you save me, I would say you are a great brother" he says "yeah but if I was a great brother I would have gotten you out in the first place instead of leaving you there to grow the way you did"

Lionel stands up from sitting at the foot of my bed "everything happens for a reason" he says I just stare at him "I fell in love and I have a beautiful daughter, also if I didn't come looking for you, you won't have came a saved us so maybe I was supposed to stay to get you to save our little sister" he says "I've make waffles" he says before getting and walking out my room.

I have a weird brother, and I'm the one that turns into a wolf. Why do I get my wolf gene from? None of my siblings seem to be a wolf, just me. I climb out of bed, throw some clothes on and head downstairs "say good morning Uncle Layton, you sleepy head" Lionel says waving Jaycee-Mae's hand at me.

I sit down next to Laurel and eat my breakfast "you doing anything today?" Lionel asks me "just spending some time with Pandora, she's going back home tomorrow" I tell him "are you two an item?" he asks I shove more food in my mouth and shake my head slightly "but you want to be?" he says as I swallow my food "wow you don't miss a thing" I joke.

"Where do you always disappear off to?" Lionel finally asks the question I know he wanted to for a while "I work, but you don't so the question is where do you disappear off to? Upstairs you said I always go awol but the truth is I'm here a lot more than you are" I say he looks back "I like getting air, it helps relax me" he says I choke my food, that used to be my excuse when I didn't have a job or anything before the pack found out I was one of them and accepted me as a member, I look at him I want to ask him so bad but how do I ask without dropping myself in it, if it's just a drug issues or something? I rub my face thinking but nothing.

I look up at Lionel "have you ever had a big secret that you can't afford to tell?" I questions that was subtle Layton. Lionel looks at me confused "I guess but then it got found out and I lost the girl I love and got my daughter dragged into the mess called our family" I take a drink "not my family, you and these two girls are but that's it" I say "is that the only one?" I questions and he nods "why?" I look down at my plate "I just wondered that's all" I lie, again not subtly.

Lionel breathes loudly, it may just be my good hearing but there was definitely something there, in the way he just breathed "Layton, the reason I'm out a lot is because I'm trying to find my own place" he tells me I look at him "okay? Why didn't you say that then?" I question "cause I didn't want to disappoint you or make you angry or whatever" I fuse my eyebrows together.

Lionel stands up still holding his daughter "you don't really get around people, I don't want to leave you alone especially when you've just got us back" he says telling as he walks into the kitchen, I look at Laurel who smiles at me "do you think I'm a loser?" I questions and he chuckles, gosh he's right I am a loser "Li? It's okay that you are moving out, you are old enough and you have a child I'm not going to be disappointed or mad, don't worry about me" I tell him.

I get up "I'm going to get a shower and then get dressed, I shouldn't be long" I tell him before going upstairs, as the time passes it gets closer to my time to meet Pandora which means it's closer to her leaving me, I get in the shower letting the water taking away my thoughts. I feel something battering at my head which was letting me know Joe wanted to get in touch, he was the only one that could do that being the Alpha.

I climb out the shower and phase 'what wrong?' I question almost instantly 'I'm not sure' Joe answers back, I could hear other people asking questions so I know it's a pack thing 'pack meeting in 5 minutes' Joe says and cuts us off, I phase back is he being serious? I sigh and dry myself. I wrap the towel around my waist as I brush my teeth and shave at the same time. I towel dry my hair and quickly run a hair dryer over it and style it.

After I get dressed, I run downstairs "I'm going out, call me if you need anything." I say without stopping, I close the door and run to the barn "Layton?" I hear I dig my heels in the soil to stop myself "hey Tink" I say "where you off in such a rush?" she questions looking at me like I am crazy "meeting" I answer looking at the barn, I really need to get in there "can I come since we are supposed to be hanging out?" she asks "it's a pa-private thing, sorry but sit out here and I will be out as soon as I can, I'm sorry this was totally last minute" I say she nods.

I go inside the barn "glad you go join us, Layton" Alpha says, I put my head down "sorry Alpha, I was bathing, so I had to get ready" I answer "sit" he commands so instantly I sit on a hay bale "I need everyone to check if everyone is present" he says I look at Frankie and Will, who nod at me. I look around to see if I can spot anyone missing "Alpha, may I ask why we have to do this?" Jake questions "a member of the pack was injured but now I can't sense them" I freeze, another member of our pack has died?

I look around for Stuart and spot him in the corner, I see him mouth something at me 'slower' I mouth back 'Kai is not here' he mouths back 'Kai?' I had to make sure I got the name right; I look for the blond, that is Kai, nothing. I look at Alpha "Kai is missing" I say everyone looks to the spot where Kai usually sits; the whole place goes to silence.

Joe puts his head down "we need to find him, who can patrol tonight?" Alpha asks his eyes got straight to Frankie and I, I look at Frankie "I'm available but Layton can't tonight" Frankie answers Alpha looks at me "I will take Layton's place, Alpha" Will jumps in, I smile at him "I want three each side" Alpha says "Beta and myself will join a group" he adds.

They work out who will be where "even though there are groups searching I want you all to be on high alert, and if you find anything you know what to do, it is important that we find his body" Alpha says before dismissing us "how many of us are going to die before we can figure out who is doing this?" asks Will "it won't shock me if it was the other pack" snarled Frankie which made me stop and turn around "Alpha?" I question and everyone stops, the people that had just left come back in.

Alpha turned to look at me "what is it?" he asks "can we not meet people from the other pack and see if any of theirs are missing?" I question I see his eyes darken, he's not happy that I am suggesting this "it's just a question, cause I was just thinking that if we find that out, we will know if it's just wolves that are going to down or if someone is zeroing in on our pack specifically" I say.

Alpha and Beta look at each other for a moment "good idea, Layton. We will ask them tomorrow, you will come too. You may leave now" he says and instantly everyone walks out faster than originally "do you have a death wish?" Will questions "it was just an idea, I don't know what came over me the thought came to mind, I think it was because of Damien, I can't just let them walk free, I need to find out who did this to my best friend"