Franklin slowly shook his head despite not being sure."I think she tried.She told me to stay away from her son, and I could feel the command wash over me, but I shook it off."
"So she can't control shifters, and he can only see shifters."Elvin waved a hand."It's irrelevant right now.What I wanted to get to was, could she speak to him through your front door and get him to open it?"
Ice crystals formed in his veins.Could she?He wanted to say yes, but his voice wasn't working, so he nodded.
"But you believed he'd left of his own free will despite scenting her there?"Elvin snorted."The boy might not have a clue about how matings work, but he came to you, and he left with you to get away from her.I don't think he'd go with her voluntarily."
Franklin couldn't breathe.The entire night and most of the day had passed, and he hadn't searched for Axar.Instead, he'd spent hours feeling sorry for himself while Axar might be trapped in a command he couldn't break.Shit, he was stupid.
"You think he would've stayed if he had a choice?"
Elvin rolled his eyes."As I said, I don't think he has a clue you're his mate, but he's come running to you every time."
"Because of the ghost."
"When he came yesterday, he said he needed to see you.Had it only been about what the ghost wanted, I could've shown him the murder room."
Franklin blew out a breath."Are we gonna keep calling the office the murder room?"
Elvin shrugged."I talked to Boris yesterday.He remembered Neoma, said she'd transferred here from another pack, but only stayed a short while.Not strong when it came to dominance, and he had the feeling she was hiding from someone."
"Did he know what happened to her?"
"No.One day she was here, the next she was gone.Lenox had told everyone she'd moved on."
Franklin groaned."Great word choice."
Elvin pursed his lips."Could mean anything, right?"
Franklin rubbed his forehead.He hadn't been able to sleep."I need to talk to Axar."
"Yeah.Maybe it was good you waited this long--"
"Good?"Franklin hadn't meant to raise his voice, but he'd left his mate when he might be in danger in favor of wallowing in misery.Pathetic.
"Yes, good.They were most likely prepared for you to come running after him, but you didn't."
Franklin winced.What kind of mate didn't come running?He didn't deserve Axar.
Elvin snorted as if he'd plucked Franklin's thoughts from his mind.Maybe he had.They'd been friends for a long time.Living side by side for forty years taught you how to read a person.
"We'll get him back."
"What if he doesn't want to come back?"
Elvin patted his hand."Then you'll have to woo him.You can be charming when you're not snarling at everyone."He grinned."First, we need to talk to him."
Franklin nodded.
"Tell Averett we'll be traveling through his territory again."
Groaning didn't help, but he did it anyway.He didn't want to tell Averett anything.
He sent a text.
* * * *
Chapter 8
