Specifically, where the favor he wanted was for me to come sex up a pregnant Omega, if I was going to be honest.
Chuck’s sigh came through my receiver loud and clear. “We caught a case where the Omega is pregnant and suffering from a severe case of neglect.” His voice softened slightly. “He’s carrying twins, Sy. If I can’t find a willing Alpha, we’re going to lose all three.”
Pain flared through my heart. “Not a fair play, Chuck.”
“I know,” my old friend agreed, “but we’re desperate, Sy. He tried to commit suicide, Sy. I’ve got a volunteer working with him, but the Alpha already has a mate and it isn’t taking well. I need an unbonded Alpha from a strong line.” Chuck paused. “By the time I can submit a formal request for services through the council, it will be too late.”
Fuck.
“Where’s the sire?”
“It’s complicated.”
Well, crap.
I glanced at the huge old-fashioned wall clock next to my shop door. “I can be there in three hours.”
I swore I could feel Chuck’s relief radiating through the phone.
“I appreciate this, Sy. There’s more to the story than I can tell you and some of it really needs to be his choice to share, but this is a huge favor that you’re doing us.”
“Not us,” I corrected with a snort. “You. And it’s not a favor. You had my back more times than I could count, likely more times than I even knew. This is a small attempt at repaying the debt.”
“There is no debt, Sy. There never was,” Chuck’s voice had thickened slightly. “But I appreciate this so much. You’ve always been one of the good ones and I know how hard this is for you. Thank you.”
I waved his comments off even though I knew he couldn’t see me through the phone. “The sooner we hang up, the sooner I’ll be there.”
"Möge das Mondlicht deinen Rücken bedecken."
A smile crossed my lips at the sound of the homage that hadn’t reached my ears in too many years. "May the moonlight cover your back as well, my friend. I’ll see you before the sun sets.“
Disconnecting the call, I shoved my phone into my pocket and headed for the house, mentally running through the contents of the go bag I always kept packed by the front door. With the addition of a few small items, it was entirely possible that I could be on the road in under twenty minutes. After all, I had a friend to help, my past be damned.
Chapter One
Paul
“Why are you here again?”
Looking up from the magazine I was thumbing through, I scowled at Abelstanding in the doorway to the solarium. “It’s your business why?”
From across the table, Bari surprised me by butting into the conversation, something he rarely did. “He’s keeping me company. Is there a concern with that?”
“Um, no,” Abel stammered, his cheeks turning red as he continued speaking to Bari. “I, ah, was asked to check on you. By the director.” He hesitated again. “He, ah, was wondering if he could have a word with you.”
“He may,” Bari agreed. “I’ll be here for another hour or so, if you’d care to inform him.”
“Um, right.” Abel shuffled his feet for a moment, his eyes widening when Bari raised a curious brow at his continued presence.
“Did you need something else?”
“No, I guess not,” Abel said. “I’ll, um, go tell him.”
I barely managed to hold back my laugh until Abel was out of sight.
Bari raised a brow in that imperious manner he had. “Something amuses you?”
“Oh, it does,” I chuckled. “You know that the director was summoning you to his office, right?”
