Page 3 of Mason

"No one's here," I say as Hex starts toward the door.

Hex's brow furrows."Are you sure?"

"No heartbeats."

He pulls out his phone and checks it."No messages.Maybe he's running late and forgot to let me know.Let's go inside and wait."

Hex takes a key out of his pocket and starts for the door.He's got a key to another man's house.It drives home how serious he is about this Kory person.

"Mason!Come here."The urgent tone in his voice has me across the gravel path in seconds, and I see what has him worried.The door is cracked open.

He runs his hands above the doorknob and I know he's searching for residual magic.When he's done, he shakes his head and I toe the door open while Hex holds his hands up, ready to use his powers if needed.

I take in the scene before us as the lingering scent of cherries reaches me, blending with the coffee scent Hex always smells of.My wolf instantly takes notice and something shifts inside of me.

Mates!he says.Fated!

Hex turns to me, eyes wide."I can feel you."He rubs his hand over his chest.

My wolf pushes forward, a partial shift coming on as I cage Hex against the doorframe.The urge to bite him, give him another mate mark, is almost irresistible, until I catch sight of the trashed living room out of the corner of my eye.Hex and I are indeed Fated, but our bond isn't complete.I breathe in the scent of cherries again.We need Kory to be whole.

Stepping away from Hex, I enter the cabin and assess the destruction.Broken lamps, books scattered, couch cushions on the floor.I delve beyond Kory's scent to see if I can get any other clues.

"There are two other scents, but no blood."

"I don't feel any magic," Hex says, coming into the room."Let's check the rest of the cabin."

Leaving Hex to check the bedrooms and bathroom, I take the kitchen.Whatever happened didn't touch too much in here.The trash is tipped over, but everything else appears to be in place.

Back in the living room, I start a more thorough visual inspection of the chaos, but refrain from touching anything.I'll need to consult with Hex to see whether he feels we should call in the cops, or if this is an MC matter to be handled internally.This isn't an official mission for the Coven, so I'll follow his lead.

Light glints off something on the floor by the fireplace.Stepping closer, I look down and see a picture frame.The photo is of Hex and another man – Kory, I presume.Hex is right, he's adorable.Messy brown hair and big brown eyes behind thin glasses frames.

Mate!My wolf says, simmering just under the surface of my skin.Find mate!

We'll find him, I assure my beast.

"The guest bedroom and bathroom look fine, but Kory's room is in shambles," Hex says, breaking my attention on the picture.Now that Kory's scent triggered the Fated bond, I can feel Hex's worry and how he's fighting to control it."That was taken the day he gave me the key to the cabin."He nods toward the photo as he steps up beside me.

"We'll find him," I reassure my mate as I did my wolf."Do we need to call the cops, or is this Nefarious business?"

Hex raises an eyebrow.

"I'm only asking because the two scents I'm picking up smell human."Not that it completely rules out a paranormal of some kind.My pack all smell human because we're cursed, not bitten or born."It could be a simple robbery."

"I doubt it.The TV and game systems are still here."Hex pulls out his phone and makes a call.I hear Kory's voice for the first time as his voicemail greetings kicks in.My wolf whines internally and I rub my chest.After me resigning him to being away from our mate for so long, the sudden intensity of his despair is a physical ache.

Hex doesn't leave a message, but makes another call.I recognize Cipher's voice when he answers.

"Can you tell me where Kory's phone is?"Hex asks.

"Yeah.Give me a second."

Hex taps his foot a couple of times, then begins to pace while he waits.

"Are you pranking me, Hex?"

"No, why?"