"Sort of," Sali hung his head. "He's my dad, Ashe. What was I supposed to do?"
"I don't know, defend me, maybe? Say I’m not like that? But then you don't know, do you? Your brains are scrambled, so I’ll let that go. If Marcus doesn't want me in Star Cove, I think I can fix that." Ashe stalked out of the restaurant.
* * *
"Mr. Winkler, I messed things up. That's why Ashe didn't come back here." Sali fidgeted in Winkler's guest chair.
"What did you do, Salidar? Where do you think Ashe went?" Trajan stood near the door to Winkler's study, ready to go if Sali gave him a location.
"I told him the truth—that Dad doesn't trust him because he's Elemaiyan. Dad told me to bring everything I saw Ashe do to him and to Marco."
Winkler was cursing and dialing Marcus at the same time. "Get your ass over here. Now," Winkler snapped when Marcus answered the phone. "Salidar, you need to go. This is between the Grand Master, your father and me. I don't want your name in this. Trajan, get Sali out of here. Try Ashe's cell. See if he’ll answer." Trajan grabbed Sali by the collar and hauled him from the room.
"What?" Marcus was inside Winkler's study within ten minutes. The Grand Master was on speakerphone, waiting for Marcus to appear.
"Marcus," the Grand Master spoke, "If I have to take you down myself to keep you from torturing that boy, I will."
Chapter 12
"It doesn't matter how he found out. He likely has foresight, in addition to a few other things. And we have this." Winkler slapped a copy of the email sent by the one claiming to be Ashe's grandfather. Marcus read it quickly, and then again, more slowly the second time.
"What does he mean, guard him closely if you value your lives and your planet?" Marcus handed the sheet back to Winkler.
"I might have dismissed this as a prank or a lie of some sort, except that someone else has taken an interest in Ashe," Winkler snapped. Marcus knew he wasn't in Winkler's or the Grand Master's good graces at the moment.
"Who?" Marcus couldn't help asking.
Weldon Harper cursed over the speakerphone before saying one word; "Griffin."
"It's not something we can discuss—he and his race cannot directly interfere," Winkler sighed. "They're not dangerous to you, me or any of us unless we attempt to attack them. If you want to die and do it quickly, then by all means," Winkler flung out a hand. "Griffin has come to Ashe twice now. He's interested in this for some reason. Interested in Ashe for some reason. Marcus, do you believe that Ashe means you harm in any way? Do you? This is preposterous," Winkler rose and shoved his chair beneath the desk with another curse. "I don't think this one is lying when he says the survival of the planet depends on keeping Ashe safe. As much as we can, anyway. Marcus, if you’ve lost him for us," Winkler growled.
"What am I supposed to think?" Marcus defended himself. "I am Packmaster, here. It is my responsibility to keep the inhabitants of this community safe."
"And everything you’ve seen Ashe do up to this point leads you to think he’ll turn on you?" Weldon Harper snarled. "He saved Winkler and the others in D.C. two nights ago. That doesn't sound like someone who means harm to me."
"Those things took my boy," Marcus snarled back.
"And Ashe got Sali back. The Elemaiya came because they wanted Ashe. Zeke Tanner wanted your son and the other kids. Dom Pruitt led him right to your boy and the others. The Elemaiya came for Ashe, not Sali or the others. They only agreed to help Tanner to get to him. Dom Pruitt and Zeke Tanner led them here because they were after Dom's boy, Sali and the others. Now you're punishing the one who killed the Elemaiya that helped take Sali and the others. Ashe killed them, Marcus, to protect that community you're so worried about." Weldon was throwing things—Winkler could hear it in the background of Weldon's phone conversation.
"He won't be a nuisance to Marcus much longer—I’ll take him with me to the beach house and then to Dallas," Winkler pointed out. "I’m not worried that he’ll turn on me. The boy lifted me, Trajan and Trace into his mist the other night. Just picked us right up while we slept. He could have killed us in so many ways. Ashe saved our lives instead."
"What I’m concerned about is where he is right now." Weldon said. "Marcus, you'd better hope we find him and quick. The vampires took Aedan away, and that was one line of defense Ashe had. They’ve sent those other three to act as spies, no doubt. I'd watch my back with them instead of Ashe."
"Next time, maybe you’ll let me in on your schemes and secrets before I start thinking what any normal werewolf might think," Marcus snapped.
"You forget who you're talking to, Packmaster."
Marcus jerked back in his seat. "My apologies, Grand Master," Marcus muttered.
"This talk is getting us nowhere. I need to look for Ashe," Winkler said. "Grand Master, I’ll keep you informed."
"See that you do," Weldon ordered. "You, too, Marcus. Get some of those wolves of yours off their asses to help."
"I’m on my way, Grand Master." Marcus stood and walked through the door of Winkler's study without a backward glance.
"Marcus is pissed," Winkler muttered to Trace as he walked toward the door. "Any word from Trajan?"
"None, boss. I’ll call him now."
"Nothing," Trajan said when he answered Trace's call. "I drove by the beach house and didn't see anything. With Ashe, that doesn't mean a thing, though. I asked the workers—they haven't seen the boy."
"Keep looking," Winkler said. "We’ll do the same."
Winkler's cell rang shortly after Trace ended the call with his brother. Andy was calling. "Boss," Andy said, "I got a hit on Ashe's debit card—he used it in the café at the bookstore in Corpus."
"Drive," Winkler snapped out the order. Ace, who was driving a Winkler Security van with Winkler and Trace inside, hit the gas and sped toward Corpus Christi.
* * *
Ashe settled into a comfortable chair to sip his frozen caramel mocha and read a science-fiction book. An employee recommended it and Ashe was engrossed from the first page. "Ashe, we were worried." Winkler knelt next to Ashe's chair.
"Marcus doesn't want me in Star Cove," Ashe stuck a thumb in the book to mark his place.
"We heard. The Grand Master had a talk with him and set things straight," Winkler explained. "Your mother is probably wondering where you are."