3

It had been two weeks since His beautiful mate had run off without so much as a good bye. Brandon was sitting slouched down in the packhouse living room as the Conal and his cousin debated about how high they pile shit. Brandon wanted to say that Conal's cousin was named Lyle, or was it Larry? He wasn't really sure but didn't really care at the moment. Not even the loud pounding on the front door could pull him out of his stupor. But the shouting that followed did.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE!" The scrawny man bellowed at Lance.

"See Conal, they do stack shit pretty high. About 6 foot 2 inches high to be exact." He grinned as he watched the man. It was clear that he had no respect for him.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR BULLSHIT! WHERE IS DAWN!!" The angry stranger grabbed Larry by the front of the shirt.

"I don't know. Take your filthy hands off of me." Lyle growled menacingly.

"Liam. Stop growling. Sir who are you looking for. Maybe we can help locate-"

"MY FUCKING DAUGHTER DAWN!!" He did not seem willing to believe Liam. "I KNOW YOU ARE HIDING HER YOU SICK BASTARD! NOW WHERE IS SHE!!!" He had gone a shade of maroon that Brandon did not think possible.

"You're luck you fucking coward. I don't feel like having to clean up a huge mess and shit splatters when hit. Nevertheless don't forget who owns the house you live in." He had a calm sort of rage boiling just beneath the surface. Fiona stood up from her chair and seemed worried.

"Liam you're scaring me." She whimpered quietly.

"I don't have her and if I did I wouldn't tell you shit." Liam snarled in the man's face.

"She had better hope that she gets home before I find her!" The threat was obvious to everyone.

"Get out." Liam had a dark countance rolling off of him and Brandon knew he was seconds away from snapping the man's neck. He seemed to realize that he had no power in the packhouse and odds were against him.

"I'm coming back with the police!" He sputtered as he fumbled for the door. Once all was quiet again Brandon turned to Liam.

"Who is Dawn?" He asked bluntly.

"My sister..." Liam hesitated as if not sure whether or not to tell him something. He must have decided that he might as well tell the whole truth but what came out of his mouth next surprised everyone in the room. "And your mate." Silence followed this statement. But it only lasted seconds as Brandon began barking orders as he made his way out the door.

"Find her! Now!" He bellowed as he lept from the porch shifting in mid air, Liam Conal and Owen right behind him. Several warriors split up into the woods but Liam shoved Conal in a different direction. He had an idea of where to start his search.

**************************************************

Liam burst through the door of the house ten minutes later. John, as always, was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels. A huge mess of food wrappers and soda cans littered the immediate area. Liam stormed over snatched a can from the table and launched it full force at the TV.

The screen shattered as it rocked back with the force of the impact. Then it ever so gracefully fell forward to the hard wood floor. "NOOOOOOOO!" John shouted just before Liam dragged him off the couch by his throat and slammed him down on the coffee table with just enough force to knock the wind out of him. They didn't have time for any shit today. Liam needed answers and he was going to get them.

Conal stood back looking around the room in disbelief. It was a total dump. There was trash every where and just as Conal's gaze reached his cousin he registered that he was demanding an answer from the terrified boy. "WHERE did she go Johnathan? I know that you have at least some idea of the direction she went."

"Liam." He said and glanced about when Liam looked up. "Johnathan, how long has Dawn been gone?" He asked calmly.

"Three days." The boy wheezed.

"So just before that bad snow storm hit. And what direction did she go?" Johnathan seemed to think it best to answer Conal's calm direct questions but Liam knew that it was how Conal operated. He would allow someone else to be irrational as he quietly observed and then calmly ask direct pointed questions that always got answered. What Johnathan didn't know was as soon as he got all the answers he needed it was a death sentence.

"She ran into the woods."

"The backyard is surrounded by woods on three sides. Which direction did she go in?"

"North I think." He said pointing.

"Okay." Conal nodded as if thinking about what the information meant.

"Conal." Liam said almost as if he was pleading. "He is my brother. He may be a piece of shit but he is still my brother."

"Say thank you Liam." Conal said as he looked calmly into John's eyes.

"Why would I do that? He came in here and assaulted me." John snapped angrily. "He busted the tv-"

"And just saved your pathetic life. Such as it is." Conal said firmly. "I was just going to kill you." This statement seemed to knock some sense into the young man. "In our culture, it's called a life debt."

"What does that mean?" John looked between the two men terrified of the answer.

"It means that at some point in the future I am going to come to you and ask for something. It will not be a small favor and your first instinct will be to say no." Liam explained calmly. "You will not be able to deny me."

"What if I do say no?"

"Well you could, just remember that I can end your life at anytime. As far as the pack is concerned, your life belongs to me."