"Hey, Hugh. Where's your lady? Shouldn't she be here by now?"
Hugh looked at the clock. It was way past the time when Mary Elizabeth usually joined him. “Yeah, she should. Maybe she took a nap. I'll give it another hour before I call her,” he told Ralph, his other cook.
Business picked up in the diner and before he knew it, another two hours had passed. Realizing she still hadn't arrived, he fixed a “to go” dinner to take to her. “I'm taking a break. I'll be back in an hour."
"Okay, boss."
He went out the back door and started up the stairs. He was halfway to the door before he realized her truck wasn't in the parking lot.
Stopping, he turned and started back down the stairs. Surely she wasn't still at work. It was after eight o'clock. She should have been home hours ago. He crossed over to the Hummer, put her food on the passenger seat and drove the few short blocks to the store. Mary Elizabeth usually parked in front. There was no sign of her vehicle and the store was locked up tight. All of the lights were off inside.
He sat in the vehicle, trying to think of where she could be. She was still new in town and didn't know too many people. That left Kiesha, Mary Elizabeth's best friend and the reason she was here. He backed out of the parking space and made a u-turn in the middle of the street. He was going to find the one person who would know where his mate was.
Kiesha was jumpier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Every time the phone rang, she expected it to be Hugh, demanding to know Mary Elizabeth's whereabouts. Alex informed her that no one was allowed to interfere in the bonding process between mates, not even Alphas, a rule she'd forgotten. Those who did ran the risk of being ostracized by the Pack. When Hugh did come calling, and she had no doubt that he would, she would have two angry males on her hands.
They both looked up at the sound of a vehicle in the drive.
Alex said, “That sounds like Hugh. Wonder what's so important that he had to drive all the way out here instead of picking up the phone and calling.” He headed to the door.
Kiesha got off of the couch and began to ease up the stairs. She knew it was useless to run but she had to try any way. There was no way she could just sit there, knowing what was coming. She was halfway up the stairs by the time Alex opened the door for Hugh.
"Come in and tell me what's wrong."
"Alex, sorry to disturb you but I need to speak to your mate. It's extremely important."
Alex gestured toward the living room. “Sure, she's right in here. Where did that woman go? She was right here a minute ago."
Kiesha flinched when one of the stairs creaked under her foot, knowing they'd heard.
"Kiesha, there you are. Hugh is here to see you."
Kiesha slowly turned around, knowing the look on her face screamed her guilt.
Seeing her expression, Alex asked, “Kiesha, what have you done?"
She straightened up her shoulders and held her head up high, deciding to brazen it out. “I didn't do anything. I was simply heading for the bathroom."
"Then why do you look guilty?"
Hugh butted in. “Kiesha, do you know where Mary Elizabeth is? She's not at home, nor is she at the store. I was hoping she was here."
Kiesha began to fidget. The moment she dreaded was at hand.
Alex got a suspicious look on his face. “Kiesha, you know where Mary Elizabeth is, don't you?"
"Well, technically I don't, not really.” She wasn't lying. Mary Elizabeth hadn't checked in yet, so she didn't know where she was. She just knew where she wasn't, and that was in Refuge.
Hugh, obviously holding onto his patience, asked, “Why don't you tell us what you do know.” His voice was strained, like he was trying not to yell.
"Watch how you're speaking to my mate,” Alex said with a hard look.
Hugh returned his look with one of his own. “As soon as your mate tells me where mine has disappeared to, I'll leave and be out of your hair."
"Your mate? Mary Elizabeth is your One? Damn, that's great news. I was hoping this would happen.” Alex grinned from ear-to-ear and slapped Hugh on the arm, congratulating him.
"It would be fantastic news except for the fact that she seems to have disappeared, and your mate is the only one who knows what happened,” Hugh said dryly.
At this, they both directed their attention to Kiesha, who had managed to climb up two more steps. “Love, don't you move, not one more step, you hear? Otherwise I might be forced to come and get you. Where's Mary Elizabeth?"
Kiesha stopped, knowing he wouldn't hesitate to do exactly as he had said. She could occasionally push Alex, but she'd learned not to cross him. She took a deep breath and blurted, “She left town.” Her hand gripped the rail and her body was tensed to run. If they came after her, she wouldn't have much of a head start.
"What do you mean, she left town?” The question came from Alex. Hugh was too busy growling, not a good sign. She had no desire to see an angry bear. Shannon's words came back to her.
"Well, she sort of found out by accident that she was mated to a shifter, a fact she didn't know,” she turned to glare at Hugh and quickly turned back to Alex when she saw how furious Hugh was. “She freaked out and needed time to think, so I sent her on a business trip.” Seeing the looks on both men's faces, she spoke faster. “She was just going to run but I slowed her down and gave her something constructive to do while she was gone. She'll be back once she's had time to settle down."
Hugh was so furious his eyes shifted and his jaw elongated, making his face look funny.
Alex was in Alpha mode. “And how did she, as you put it, ‘accidentally’ find out that she was mated to Hugh?"
"Well ... she came into the store and Shannon was there. I asked her if she was wearing new perfume because she smelled different but Shannon recognized Hugh's scent. Mary Elizabeth mentioned that she and Hugh were seeing each other and well, you know how it is. One thing lead to another and before it was all over, it came out that Mary Elizabeth and Hugh had done the whole bonding thing only she didn't know about it and when she found out about it she freaked.” Kiesha dragged in a huge breath of air. She'd gotten all of that out without stopping to breathe, wanting this over and done with.
Hugh closed his eyes and looked a little hopeless. “Do you know where she went?"
Seeing the anguish on his face, Kiesha felt her heart melt. This man really loved her friend. She was sure he had a good reason for keeping what he was a secret. “No, I'm sorry Hugh. She's supposed to be going around to the neighboring towns to check out the area thrift stores, seeing which items really sell so we know how to stock our store. I made her promise to call each night and check in or I told her I would send you after her. For what it's worth, I think she really does love you. She just needs time to get her head straight and think things through. She would never have allowed you this close to her if she didn't care."
Hugh's shoulders dropped in defeat. “Promise me you'll call as soon as you hear from her."
"I will, Hugh. I'm sure she won't be gone long,” Kiesha tried to reassure him as he walked out the door.
Once Hugh was gone, Alex turned to her with a look on his face she didn't like. “I see we need to have a little talk about staying out of other people's business.” He locked the door and started up the steps toward her.
Kiesha turned and ran, knowing he'd catch her but doing it any way. Alex would never hurt her, but the man had a way of getting his point across that left a deep impression, one to be avoided at all cost. She'd barely made it to the door of their room when she felt him behind her. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind them.