Luke Lombardi dropped a bundle of mail on the counter in his kitchen, grabbed a glass, and filled it with tap water from the sink. As he guzzled down the beverage, he noticed the green light blinking on his answering machine. He had just cleared the messages this morning before his run, yet the screen indicated that he'd gotten five new messages since then.

When the warmer months started rolling in, business for his mountain lodging company came pouring in too. He wasn't complaining since there was once a time when campers and vacationers stayed clear of the area. But with his niece and nephew now away at college, he was having a heck of a time keeping up with the day to day operations. He'd held off for the longest on hiring full-time employees. Other than himself, only a few contractors came through every once in a while to make sure the lodging cabins were safe for guests and passed the state standards.

Luke pushed a button on the machine, hoping that someone suitable had answered his help wanted ad for office help. He toggled through the recordings. A couple messages were from other businesses trying to sell their services and a few more inquiries came from campers looking for group rates and such. The last message was from Neil Grey, his old roommate from college. Actually, he considered Neil a very good friend.

"Hey Luke. It's Neil. I've been trying to reach you. I know you're busy up there with the seasons changing, but I really need a favor. Please call me ASAP."

Speaking of being busy, Luke was a little disappointed that no other job seekers had replied to the ad. The last three candidates he'd interviewed didn't quite make the cut. Then again, he had to admit that he was being a little picky. His niece had left detailed instructions on what she did on a daily basis, but he knew no one could replace her. Sending those twins off to school in another state had been difficult for Luke, but he knew in his heart that this was best for both of them. At least they had each other.

He picked up the handset and dialed Neil Grey's phone number. Neil picked up right after the first ring.

"Hey Luke. Thanks for calling back."

"You seem worried. What's up?"

"I need a huge favor," he said.

Who didn't need a huge favor these days?

"Why do I get the feeling that you're in trouble?" Luke asked.

Neil laughed nervously. "It's not me this time. It's Cassie. She ran into some issues at work and she needs to lay low for a while. You remember my sister, right?"

He'd never officially met Cassie, but he'd seen her for a brief moment eight years ago right after the college graduation ceremony. At the time, her most striking features were her thick mane of curly mahogany hair, a cute button nose, and an innocent, but devilish smile.

"Yes, I remember Cassie. What's going on?"

"She's a journalist for the Aspen Valley Times. She was working on a story with a work colleague and she caught a lot of heat behind it. We agreed that she needs to get out of town for a few days, maybe even a few weeks until things settle down and the cops can catch these guys. I have to travel on business and I can't reschedule this. I'd be devastated if anything happened to Cassie while I was gone. We don't have anybody else, you know?"

Neil and his sister Cassie had lived together without their parents for five years now. They'd died in a plane crash that had taken the lives of several other Aspen Valley residents too. Neil had become his sister's guardian, but if Luke's estimates were correct Cassie was no longer a child. But as a man who had adopted his niece and nephew, Luke understand the necessity to keep them safe would never leave—no matter how independent they had become.

"It's that bad, huh?" Luke pulled out a chair from under the kitchen table and sat down. He began sorting through the stack of mail. "You know, I've got family out in Aspen Valley. What kind of story was she working on?"

"It's the case involving the shifter murders. About how they're being led astray and then gunned down."

Luke's back stiffened. He swallowed down his rising suspicions, but no amount of force would chase down the lump in his throat. He knew about the murders. In fact, every wolf in the valley was trying to find the creep—or creeps—responsible for the murders. The murders had slowed down following the Pack being proactive in looking out for their fellow neighbors, but the sporadic killings had gone on so long that Dane Magnus, Alpha of the Pack, had set up his own protection crew within the Pack to keep the members safe.

"She says she actually requested the assignment," Neil continued. "Would you believe it? She just got the job and has barely finished training and they're already giving her these high-profile dangerous cases. She's been acting out lately like she doesn't give a shit about her safety or anything. I don't get it."

"Sounds like someone else I know. Someone like the highly-successful detective that solved every crime he was assigned to in Aspen Valley," Luke commented.

Neil snorted. "Yeah, I think she got the brunt of my dad's drive to succeed at nearly everything." Neil's dad had been a police detective in Aspen Valley before his death, pursuing most of the area's dangerous cases.

"What do you need? You know I've got your back."

"Her home address has already been compromised so she's going to be staying at that log cabin I bought three years ago. With me still living in a one bedroom apartment the mountain cabin was our only decent and quick option. It's close enough to you that I thought you'd be able to look out for her while she's there. It doesn't have to be every day, but if you could just check in on her while I'm up in Maine."

"Sure."

"I really appreciate it, man," Neil said. "And we've gotta get together again, just like old times. Maybe when I'm done with this trip and if you have time, we can catch up. Last time we ran into each other, you were grocery shopping with your niece and nephew."

"Yeah, they kept me pretty busy."

"Cassie's packing right now, so we'll be driving up there either tomorrow morning or the following day."

"I'll see both of you when you get here," Luke said.

"Thanks man, I'll owe you big time for this one."

"Don't even mention it."