Page 74 of Assisting the Alpha
I hang up and check my signal, but it’s fine, so I try again and hang up when it goes to voicemail again.
“Problem?” Teo looks up from his phone and frowns. My scent is probably giving away my growing concern.
“I can’t get hold of Ayo.” My gut twists as I dial Kit, who picks up on the first ring.
“Is it time for Thai yet? I need comfort food after all that bullshit.”
“Can you check Ayo’s location for me? He’s not answering his phone.”
Kit immediately switches to work mode. “Checking now, boss. Huh. No, there’s no location showing for his phone.”
“Shit. Who’s at the office? Anyone?” That twisting sensation is getting worse. My instincts are screaming at me that something is wrong.
I race down the nearest street, vaguely aware that Teo is hot on my heels.
“Raj headed back but he’s not there yet. He’s closest.”
“I’ll call him.” I hang up and immediately dial Raj
“Hey, boss.”
“I need you to check my flat. Ayo isn’t answering his phone.”
“Copy that.”
“Call me back when you get there.”
I hang up and concentrate on controlling my speed. There are times when I hate that humans don’t know about us, and this is definitely one of them because I have to limit myself to thespeed of the fastest humans I encountered in the army. It’s the end of the working day for most people so the narrow pavements are crowded with commuters, the streets are full of buses and trams, and my wolf is urging me to hurry the fuck up and get to our mate.
When we finally reach the building there seem to be more people milling about the foyer than usual, but I pay them no attention. Teo and I don’t bother with the lifts because they’re too slow, instead running straight for the stairs. Thankfully the stairwell is empty so we don’t have to stick to human speed, but the mix of scents in here is insane. It smells like a hundred people went through here today.
My phone rings as we reach the third floor. “Raj, tell me you’ve found him.”
“I’m at your place and he’s not here. The scent is a couple of hours old.”
“Fuck. Okay, we’re almost at the office. Meet us there.” I hang up and sprint up two more flights of stairs to the fourth floor, praying Ayo went down to the office for something. Maybe he left his phone charger down here?
Teo passes through the office wards without a problem, telling me that maybe he is a decent guy, or at least not out to hurt or sabotage any of us or the business. Not today, anyway.
“Ayo!” I don’t know why I bother shouting his name as I check every room, because I can’t smell him.
Raj bursts through the door just as I finish checking the bathroom, Kit hot on his heels.
“He’s not here. Fuck!” I run a hand through my hair, panic clawing at my insides. “Why would he leave? He promised not to leave.”
“There’s no signs of a struggle upstairs.” Raj’s expression is sombre. We both know there wouldn’t be a struggle because no one would get past Ayo’s wards.
Kit rushes into the conference room, opens their laptop, and starts tapping away as we follow. “I’m recalling Jet, Cal, and Skye, boss.”
Thank fuck my team know what to do without me having to give orders. First step, bring everyone together. Still, I need to calm my racing heart and chaotic thoughts long enough to figure this out.
“Raj, call the mayor’s office and let them know we’ve got an emergency. We’ll have to debrief Yasmine later. Kit, pull up the photos Ayo sent. Teo, I don’t suppose you speak Latin?”
“Not a chance.” Teo’s scent is filled with the same concern as the rest of us. Whatever I think of the cat shifter leader, I’ve never doubted his affection for my mate, which is why I’m not going to send him away.
“All right, Cal can read it when he gets here.” I scroll through my contacts, trying to think who Ayo might have called if he’d found something he needed to leave the premises for. I can’t think of a single reason why he would, but I call Zaiden’s number anyway. If we were all busy, he might have gotten in touch with his best friend.
Zaiden picks up on the third ring. “Hello?”
