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Authors: Natalie Shaw
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call.”
Craven looked concerned. Hill was one of his oldest and dearest friends.
“The alpha will see you straight away. I have some uniforms in the office. You're welcome to take those if they fit.”
“You look great,” Craven said.
I looked anything but. The smallest uniform was at least three sizes too large for me. Even after I'd turned up the sleeves and legs, I still looked ridiculous.
“You don't look so hot yourself.”
Craven had exactly the opposite problem. He'd only just managed to squeeze into the largest of the uniforms which looked like it might burst at the seams at any moment.
“Oh my!” Hill laughed. “What have you two come as?”
He was lying in bed—looking pale and drawn. At least he had been, until he spotted us. Now his cheeks were red from laughter.
“Who needs medicine? Seeing you two dressed like that is the best tonic I could ever have.”
Craven smiled, but I could see the worry lines etched on his forehead.
“If I'd realised this was the reception I'd get, I'd have gone straight to Maja.” Craven stepped closer to the bed. “How are you, old friend?”
“I've been better. I'm glad you got my message.”
“What message?”
“I thought that was why you'd come back. I sent word for you to return and resume your role as alpha.”
“I never saw it. We're en-route to Maja in search of Marlow.”
“Who?”
“He was the one who got Louise out of Maja all those years ago. He also rescued me from Lawler territory. We both owe him our lives.”
Hill began to cough. It was several minutes before he managed to compose himself again. “It sounds like you both owe him a great deal. I can understand why you'd want to find him, but Terroun needs you.”
“We've made our home in Darmoor territory. The alpha there has just asked me to succeed him.”
“But Terroun is your home.”
“It used to be. And it will always occupy a special place in my heart. But Darmoor is where we belong now. I'm sorry.”
“Is there nothing I can say to make you change your mind?” Hill said, as he fought to hold down another cough.
“I'm sorry, old friend. What about Rayma?”
“That's part of the problem.” Hill took a long sip of water from the glass on the bedside table. “Rayma has disappeared.”
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“What about Freda?”
“She's okay. Except of course she's sick with worry. Will you speak to her?”
Craven glanced at me. I was desperate to set off in search of Marlow, but what could I say? Hill and Craven went way back. He couldn't simply walk away. “Sure,” I said.
We spent almost an hour with Hill. By then he was beginning to flag.
“Should you call Freda to let her know we're coming?” I asked.
“It'll be better if I go alone.”
Before I could object, he continued, “I'll give Grosvenor a call. He's head of Territory Security. I'll clear it for you to go over there and see him. Tell him everything you know about Marlow. He may already have some intel. If not, he can get his people onto it.”
“Okay.” It made sense for me to get the ball rolling on tracing Marlow while Craven spoke to Freda.
Chapter 9
CRAVEN
It had hurt Craven deeply to see how sick Hill was. He couldn't help but wonder how much of his demise had been the result of taking on the role of alpha. If Craven hadn't left in search of Louise, Hill would have happily continued in the role of second-in-command. Although Craven wasn't prepared to return to Terroun as alpha, the very least he could do was to ensure a smooth transition to the next pack leader. From everything Hill had told him, and from what he'd seen himself on his last visit, Rayma was the ideal candidate.
“Come in,” Freda greeted him at the door. She still lived in the same apartment. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“No thanks.”
She led him through to the living room where they took a seat at the dining table.
“What happened?” Craven
Craven looked concerned. Hill was one of his oldest and dearest friends.
“The alpha will see you straight away. I have some uniforms in the office. You're welcome to take those if they fit.”
“You look great,” Craven said.
I looked anything but. The smallest uniform was at least three sizes too large for me. Even after I'd turned up the sleeves and legs, I still looked ridiculous.
“You don't look so hot yourself.”
Craven had exactly the opposite problem. He'd only just managed to squeeze into the largest of the uniforms which looked like it might burst at the seams at any moment.
“Oh my!” Hill laughed. “What have you two come as?”
He was lying in bed—looking pale and drawn. At least he had been, until he spotted us. Now his cheeks were red from laughter.
“Who needs medicine? Seeing you two dressed like that is the best tonic I could ever have.”
Craven smiled, but I could see the worry lines etched on his forehead.
“If I'd realised this was the reception I'd get, I'd have gone straight to Maja.” Craven stepped closer to the bed. “How are you, old friend?”
“I've been better. I'm glad you got my message.”
“What message?”
“I thought that was why you'd come back. I sent word for you to return and resume your role as alpha.”
“I never saw it. We're en-route to Maja in search of Marlow.”
“Who?”
“He was the one who got Louise out of Maja all those years ago. He also rescued me from Lawler territory. We both owe him our lives.”
Hill began to cough. It was several minutes before he managed to compose himself again. “It sounds like you both owe him a great deal. I can understand why you'd want to find him, but Terroun needs you.”
“We've made our home in Darmoor territory. The alpha there has just asked me to succeed him.”
“But Terroun is your home.”
“It used to be. And it will always occupy a special place in my heart. But Darmoor is where we belong now. I'm sorry.”
“Is there nothing I can say to make you change your mind?” Hill said, as he fought to hold down another cough.
“I'm sorry, old friend. What about Rayma?”
“That's part of the problem.” Hill took a long sip of water from the glass on the bedside table. “Rayma has disappeared.”
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“What about Freda?”
“She's okay. Except of course she's sick with worry. Will you speak to her?”
Craven glanced at me. I was desperate to set off in search of Marlow, but what could I say? Hill and Craven went way back. He couldn't simply walk away. “Sure,” I said.
We spent almost an hour with Hill. By then he was beginning to flag.
“Should you call Freda to let her know we're coming?” I asked.
“It'll be better if I go alone.”
Before I could object, he continued, “I'll give Grosvenor a call. He's head of Territory Security. I'll clear it for you to go over there and see him. Tell him everything you know about Marlow. He may already have some intel. If not, he can get his people onto it.”
“Okay.” It made sense for me to get the ball rolling on tracing Marlow while Craven spoke to Freda.
Chapter 9
CRAVEN
It had hurt Craven deeply to see how sick Hill was. He couldn't help but wonder how much of his demise had been the result of taking on the role of alpha. If Craven hadn't left in search of Louise, Hill would have happily continued in the role of second-in-command. Although Craven wasn't prepared to return to Terroun as alpha, the very least he could do was to ensure a smooth transition to the next pack leader. From everything Hill had told him, and from what he'd seen himself on his last visit, Rayma was the ideal candidate.
“Come in,” Freda greeted him at the door. She still lived in the same apartment. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“No thanks.”
She led him through to the living room where they took a seat at the dining table.
“What happened?” Craven
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