The tone in her voice caused tingles to wash over Franklin's skin.Axar's lips sealed, and a new wave of unease washed over Franklin.Was she forcing him to follow her orders, or had she conditioned him to?Either way, it wasn't how a grown man acted around his mother.
The look Axar gave Franklin as he exited the bar had him ready to rush after them.It was filled with trepidation.
"Fuck."Elvin rubbed a hand over his mouth."That was...It was..."
Franklin nodded, not sure what it was, but good it was not.
* * * *
Chapter 5
NovemberFranklin was slamming one of the plastic trays they used in the dishwasher against the conveyor belt before he reached for the next one with dirty glasses and pulled down the top of the dishwasher over it and got it started.It was the last thing he needed to do for the night.
All customers had left, and he'd sent the others on their way as well.His skin didn't fit, and it didn't help to shift.He'd gone on a run before he came in today, but nothing helped.
"I know it sounds crazy--"
He spun around with a snarl, only to still when he spotted Elvin leaning against the door frame.He'd been sure he'd left for the night.Forcing down a breath, he shook his limbs out."What is?"
"Neoma."
Franklin frowned."Who?"
"The kid said Neoma."
It was too late for his brain to form coherent thoughts."Whose kid, and who is Neoma?"
Elvin grinned."Your kid.The guy with the ghosts."
"Axar.He's not a kid."Younger than Franklin, but not a kid.He rubbed a hand over his mouth to prevent himself from wincing.If he were thirty, he was still fifteen years younger than Franklin.It didn't matter.He was his mate, but he couldn't do anything about it until he was sure about Axar's situation.And even then...It was Axar's right to reject him.Having mates from a different species wasn't ideal; they didn't feel the same pull.And he suspected psychics were the worst of all, since they technically were mortal enemies.
A chuckle wasn't the response he wanted."Axar then.He said Neoma wanted him to come here."
"Yeah."Was it Neoma?He couldn't remember which name he'd said.
"Remember when we were kids.We came here from time to time, if Alpha Lenox--" Franklin flashed teeth.He'd killed the bastard.Elvin nodded as if he could tell what Franklin was thinking.The room Franklin had turned into an office had been used as a card room, and there had been all kinds of shitty deals going down there.Lenox got all hot and bothered over extortion and did his best to force everyone into a position where they owed him something.
Franklin had put an end to it.
"The woman who served the drinks back then, her name was Neoma."
Cold fingers curled around his spine.He remembered her.A beaten-down little thing."What happened to her?"She hadn't been here when Franklin took over the pack.She was a wolf; she'd been part of the pack before, and yet she wasn't there now.Her name wasn't listed anywhere.
"I think we should ask your boy."Elvin looked grim.
"How?It's been five weeks since he--"
"I have his address."
Franklin froze."What?"
Rolling his eyes, Elvin took a step into the kitchen."How many men called Axar do you think there are in Foolshope?"
"He never said he lived in Foolshope."
Elvin shrugged."Fine, but I have an address to an Axar Dusan in Foolshope.I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's him."
Franklin's heart was beating fast enough to hurt."We can't...It's Averett's territory."
