Fight for Me

Nick and Kyle stand next to each other at attention in an upright posture, chin up and shoulders back with their arms to the side, as the four council men continue to argue.

“How the hell can this happen?”

“To think we had more to worry about than just the ghost killer.”

“Alpha Torres is livid of his son’s death.”

“What if he withdraws his forces from our army?”

The men go back and forth almost almost forgetting about the other two’s presence.

“How many were there?” Braham asks the two men again as he steps forward with his cane.

Kyle looks at Nick who doesn’t seem interested to answer and speaks up instead. “From the scents in the room, about three.”

“Three? And you only managed to catch one of them?” Braham says in disappointment.

“Someone was otherwise occupied.” Kyle sneaks another look at Nick, but he isn’t fazed at all.

“What?” Ruhan steps forward with his fiery rage. “You think we have time for your tattling? We sent you there to keep Esteban Torres safe. To keep an eye out for the Ghost killer. And now we find out that Esteban and two of his pack-members were mutilated by a bunch of rogues. And neither of you even have a scratch on you.”

“You do realize that failure to comply with the council’s requests is equivalent to treason, don’t you?” Victor says as he scratches his itching scar.

“Is that a threat?” Nick’s deep and soft voice finally fills the space.

“It’s a warning.”

“To what? I did what was requested of me. I kept the ghost killer from Esteban. Everything else is not my concern.” He gives Morik a pointed look. The one who’s always quiet but always has more information at hand.

Silence fills the air as the council members evaluate Nick’s words.

But surprisingly, Morik speaks. “He’s right.” They all look at him. “What happened to Esteban was his own fault. There is evidence to what that captured rogue has said. They attacked Esteban because he was trafficking their pups.”

Nick can see the look of shock on everyone’s faces at the new news.

Morik always seems to know more than what everyone thinks.

“FUCK!” Ruhan roars and starts panting. “You two.” He points at Nick and Kyle. “You’re coming with us to our next meeting.”

Nick raises an annoyed brow, getting Braham to stomp his cane on the floor again.

“You really want to drag them along? Haven’t they proven to be useless?” Morik says suggestively.

“We can’t take any more risks like this. Not with this meeting.” Ruhan elaborates and looks back at the two men. “We’re having a meeting with one of the witch elders. Tomorrow.”

Kyle coughs in shock and Nick finally looks Ruhan curiously in the eyes.

From what Tristan told me, the witches aren’t interested in fighting. And those that are have made it clear they won’t be joining forces with us wolves.

“No one knows of this meeting. Yet.” Ruhan continues. “It will be in a secluded area and we will be bringing patrols with us, about ten. But you two will focus on not letting anyone who gets past those patrols get away.”

Nick looks at him suspiciously. “Why so many patrols, for one witch elder?”

Braham stomps his cane as Ruhan sighs out heavily. Though, as Nick glimpses at Morik, he notices just as he tries to hide an impressed smirk. Victor though, doesn’t seem pleased at all.

Ruhan combs his hand through his dull orange hair as he looks back at Nick and relents. “The vampire queen may make an appearance as well.” Getting another gasp from Kyle. But Nick just listens to the news of this ominous meeting. “Though, nothing is for sure. She has not confirmed her attendance, yet.”

First a witch elder. And now the vampire queen. Are they all in on this?

“Do you understand your duties now?” Braham break the silence with his strict voice.

Kyle hesitantly looks at Nick again and quickly speaks up, eager to take lead. “Yes. We will bring you the head of the ghost killer.”

“No!” Victor shouts, rendering Nick’s growl soundless.

The crowd looks at Victor’s serious expression. But he straightens his suit jacket, gaining composure again.

“You will not kill the ghost killer. You will bring him to us, alive.”

Alive?

“Alive?” Kyle asks confused.

“Yes. Alive.” Victor starts breathing heavily from frustration and starts scratching his scar again. “He’s obviously working for someone. We need to find out for whom. Understand?”

“Yes, council member.” Kyle offers him his understanding and respect.

Though, Nick is just staring at the four council members, trying to get a read on their intentions.

Braham is annoying enough with that fucking cane of his. But he hasn’t expressed any specific requests. Ruhan is clearly handling all these meetings. Though, all he ever talks about is staying on top of this war and ending it before it ends all of us. Morik is becoming very confusing. He’s clearly doing things behind their backs, knowing things that not even the other council members do. And yet, that smirk he just gave me has me believing that he’s not so much against me, than he is for something or someone else. And Victor? He’s a major red flag. Requesting the ghost killer alive convinced me of that.

He must suspect Layla. Well, he might not know who she is, but he might suspect what she is. He might be working for the hunters who have been looking for her because they suspect her to be a Michaelson.

They can’t know of her other abilities. Everyone who knows are either dead or have sworn fealty to me.

“That will be all.” Ruhan speaks as he drags Nick from his thoughts.

Nick nods as he turns and leaves the building.

Just as he gets in his car, his phone starts to ring. He takes it out of his jean pocket and stares at the unfamiliar number.

The only one with this number is Tyler.

He sighs as he figures who would be on the other end of the line.

Answering the call he breathes into the phone. “What?”

He hears an annoyed sigh from the other end. “You really need to work on your manners.”

“For you? Never.”

“Nicholas……….Forever the ungrateful child.”

“What do you want now, father?”

He chuckles. “I’m hurt. I just called to talk to my son.”

Nick rolls his eyes as he sighs out loudly and annoyed.

“Tell me Nicholas. How is life, taking orders from the council?”

“The same when you were the one giving me orders.”

“I’m guessing that means you’re doing a good job then. You always deliver. So what dirty work have they got you doing now?”

“Fishing for information now? Are you’re minions not reliable anymore?”

“I’m just making small talk. Why do you always have to make things so difficult? You never tell me what’s going on in your life. I’m always the one asking, just to have you suspect me of something, as always.”

“Well, you always are up to something.”

“Last I checked, I’m retired.”

“Sure.”

His father scoffs. “Really? I just wanted to know if you’re alright, Nicholas. It’s not like you care enough to ask me the same.”

“What? Whether you’re okay?”

“Well, yes. If you haven’t realized it yet, I just lost a very good friend of mine a few days ago.”

Uncle Reid. Nick pinches his brow for almost forgetting that detail.

“You were there weren’t you?” He asks Nick.

“Mmh.” He confirms.

“I hear it was quick.”

“Mmh.”

“But you haven’t caught the assassin yet.”

“No.”

“So much going on…………..Have you found your mate yet?”

Nick clenches his jaw, annoyed with the sudden change of topic and fisting the steering wheel tighter.

“News spreads quickly. It wasn’t that long ago you told me you were going to fight for her, just to hear that she disappeared in the middle of the night.”

“And?” What does he want?

“So I’m guessing that’s a no? What was the point of your speech if you were going to let someone else take your mate from you?”

Ggrh. “There’s a war going on. And I am currently at the behest of the council. I don’t have time chasing after a human mate that may already be dead.”

“Mmh? So you haven’t heard from her?”

“…..Why would I?”

“She’s your mate Nicholas. I’m sure you’ll be one of the firsts she’ll reach out to, should she get free from wherever she is.”

Nick remains quiet.

“You should find her. Before it’s really too late.”

Nick can hear the warning in his father’s voice. Or rather, the threat.

“That will be between me and her.” Nick says before he hangs up the call.

He sits in the car for a few more seconds, just staring at the steering wheel.

“Fuck!” He grunts out as he crushes the phone in his palm into pieces.

He knows.

He knows something about Layla. First he tries to convince me to let her go because she’s nothing but a weak human. And now all of a sudden he finds some lame excuse to call just to ask me about her. Now he wants me to find her?!

What does he know? What does he want with her?

“Fuck!”

I have to find her before he does.

He turns the key and drives off.