The Found One

Chapter 30

Rowan POV

It was a struggle for Rowan to hold himself outside the door, the hand still curled into a fist at his side from knocking wanting desperately to drop all the pleasantries and bash the thing down. He could easily pick up the movements through the thick door, his enhanced senses letting him know that the room was still occupied and his target was awake. A power play. He thought, eyes narrowing as his wolf's instincts pushed forward. After all, they were on the hunt – his wolf's specialty – and his animalistic instincts were pushing to take over, to drop the human veil of civility and punish the one responsible for hurting his Izzy.

Thoughts of her asleep above his head was enough for him to regain control. To hold himself still as he tracked the man slowly making his way to the door where Rowan waited. He felt Austin and Hayden shift at his sides. Derek remained calm and patient at his back, unaffected by the blatant disrespect and offence that the man was deliberately showing Rowan. It wasn't a far reach to believe the rumors that Derek would prove to be one of the most level-headed and calm Alpha's their world had ever seen, some even called the young heir too patient and level-headed, claiming him unfit to lead. Rowan knew better, Derek would be a formidable force and he was glad that he seemed to have inherited everything his brother had not from their grandfather.

Only the knowledge of the dangers Izzy would face if this wasn't done right kept him still as he sensed the presence pausing on the other side of the door – deliberating making him wait, making him the weaker one in their encounter, trying to assert his dominance over their meeting. Foolish pup.

At last, the lock tumbled and the door was thrown open, cool air spilling out and into the hall. But not even the breeze from the open windows was enough to dispel the lingering scent of cigar smoke and in the air, and it didn't take their wolfish senses to pick up on the reek of bourbon that hung on the man's breath.

"Awe Mr. Nox glad you could make it down, please come in." Tony said stepping to the side, looking Rowan up and down and taking in the still rumpled and car-traveled clothes he wore with displeasure, his arm gesturing to the well-appointed living space and the beige sofa.

Rowan smirked as he sensed Tony jump finally noticing the presence of his Cousin, Austin, and Derek behind him. "My associates." Rowan said without turning.

"Of course." Tony answered, his voice less sure and steady this time, the overconfidence and smugness evaporating as Rowan's three comrades made their way into the room without a formal invitation.

The usually expensive, casually polished, yet careless outfits they normally sported were gone, replaced by the standard uniform of the Royal guards. Clad in head-to-toe black the three wolves were the picture of intimidation and menace. And with the matching serious expressions they wore, even the most reckless would second guess trying to take them on. Without needing to be told or saying a word Austin moved to stand at Rowan's shoulder, his eyes watching the rest of the hotel room, his body shifting towards the closed door that would lead to the bedroom anticipating any potential attack at Rowan's back. Hayden and Derek stayed near Tony as he closed the door, his body tenser than it had been as he threw glances at the two Alpha wolves who dwarfed his office-soft frame. With the click of the door, Tony took an uneasy step backwards, his heartrate spiking as Hayden threw the lock, his and Derek's bodies closing rank in front of it, their eyes staying on the now slightly panicky lawyer.

Rowan sensed as another pair of Royal guards barred the door from the other side. Two more pairs positioning themselves on either end of the hall and covering every means of exit or entrance to the floor. The others they had travelled with were spread between the floor where his mate slept, and the lobby and parking lot. Stationed to cover all the entrances and exits to the building.