"It's a big ask, Grayson," my grandad says as I pace around my office. 

"I know but I need to do it, I need to find her" I reply, the stress in my voice apparent. 

"I know you do but it's not me you have to convince. I can call him but whether he wants to help you is a different question." 

"I know. Please ask him. I need this."

"Very well," my grandad says calmly before pulling out his cell phone and dialling the number. He makes a face at me and I roll my eyes back at him. 

"Hey Steve, how ya doing?" my grandad rumbles cheerfully. 

"I'm good thanks. So, my grandson is finally trading in his favour and - oh I know, I'm surprised he didn't use it sooner too" he chuckles, looking at me for a moment and winking. 

"Anyways, the favour he asked for was for me to call you because he needs your help." I watch for a moment as my grandad listens to what he has to say, nodding silently before offering me the phone. 

Nervously, I walk over and take it from him before holding it to my ear. 

"Hello?" I ask slowly, running my hand through my hair. 

"Grayson! I haven't spoken to you in forever. How are you, boy?" Steve's voice bubbles back happily. 

"I've been better, yourself?" 

"I've been good. So, what's this favour your grandfather speaks of?" 

"Well, you see" I start nervously. 

"Recently I found my mate. Long story short, she was kidnapped from her old pack by some rogues when she was a child and she recently escaped, ending up on my territory by mistake/ However, she's been kidnapped again - my fault, don't ask - but I don't know where the place they are hiding her is. However, she mind-linked me today and we sorted out a plan, and that plan is for me to try and find the base through her scent and the mate bond but I need to be untraceable otherwise it won't work. So-"

"You need a scent-masking serum, right?" He asks calmly, cutting me off. 

"Exactly!" 

"Look, Grayson. I told your grandfather when I was retiring that I was done making that kind of stuff. It was a side job and nothing more. I'm really sorry Grayson but-"

"Please Steve, I beg you, just this once. I know you're retired from that line of work now but it's important. I need to find my mate, without her, my pack doesn't have a Luna. Please?" I beg quietly, tears prickling in the back of my eyes. 

"I'll do anything, pay you anything, please Steve?!" I wait nervously for his answer, silence at the end of the line till I hear a sigh. 

"Fine, but just this once," he says, reluctantly. 

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I yell, relieved. 

"Welcome kiddo" he replies chuckling. 

"So what would you like in return?" I ask, making my way over to my new desk that had been put in the old one's place. 

"Nothing Grayson, you are calling in a favour. We are even. I just want you to find your mate." 

"Please? I don't care if it's a favour or not, I want to repay you." 

"If you must, you can buy and collect the ingredients for me," he says chuckling. 

"Sounds good. Send me the list and I'll get on it." 

"Sure thing. As soon as you get everything, come to my place and we can start making it, I assume you'll want a few litres of it?"

"Yes please." 

"Very well. I guess I'll see you when I see you then." 

"Yeah, I'll text you and let you know when I'm coming, though it will probably be within the next day or so. Thank you again, Steve" I say happily. 

"You're welcome, Grayson. Bye for now." 

"Seeya" I reply smiling before ending the call and handing the phone back to my grandad. 

"Looks like you've got some work to do," my grandad says grinning before getting up and heading to the door. 

"Thank you, grandad," I say, grinning at him. 

"No problem, just promise me you'll never let her go once you get her back." 

"I promise" I reply warmly as my phone buzzes. My grandad nods, smiling before walking out and I stare down at my phone. Steve's list. 

"Let's get to work then, shall we?" Dante says excitedly, causing me to chuckle. 

"Yup," I reply, rolling my eyes as I open up my laptop and get to work.

"Well I think that's everything, now to just go and collect it all" I mumble to myself, closing my laptop. I look down at the list that I've written over the past hour or so. Hopefully, I'll be able to collect everything today so I can go see Steve this afternoon. 

"What ya got there big brother?" Bella asks curiously out of nowhere, causing me to jump. 

"When did you come in?" I ask, slightly annoyed. 

"Only a minute or so ago. Did you get any sleep last night?" 

"Yeah, I did. I think I went to bed around one and then I woke up at six. So I guess that's about five hours of sleep. Why?"

"Just wondering. Anyways, what's the list for?"

"It's a list of ingredients and where to find them". 

"Oooooo that's cool. What are you making with them? A cake, an apple pie maybe?" I roll my eyes as she sits down excitedly. 

"Well for starters, I'm not the one making anything. Steve is the one making stuff. You remember grandad's friend Steve right?"

"Ummmm, tall guy, right? Tan with black hair and glasses?" 

"Yeah, that's the one. Anyways, he is making me a scent-masking serum". 

"Oh. Wait, is this part of the plan you were talking about? To find Acacia?"

"Yup" I reply, calmly. 

"Ooooo goody. Can I come?" she asks sweetly. 

"Bella, I-". 

"Please Grayson" she whines before plastering a huge smile on her face. "I'll be good and plus, you know that alchemy and perfumery and that kind of stuff interests me. The werewolf council are always looking for people like that, hence why Steve worked with them from time to time, so if I got good at it, I could make a profession of it. Please, Grayson? I'll love you forever". 

I roll my eyes as Dante smirks. 

"Fine. Just don't bring Beckett. I need you to need to take this seriously, it's not some joke or fun adventure you get to muck around on" I reply sternly, as I stand up, list in hand and walk around to the other side of the desk. 

"Yay! Thanks, big brother" she says grinning. I make my way over to the door and stare back at her. 

"Aren't you coming?" I ask her, raising an eyebrow at her. 

"Wait, what? Are we going now?" she replies confused. 

"Yeah, we have to go and get the ingredients" I reply, waving the list at her. 

"Oh right," she replies as she gets up and rushes out the door. I groan, already mildly regretting my decision as I close my office door and follow behind her to the garage.

"Right. We need cedarwood for the base note, bergamot and rosemary for the middle notes, and pine for the top note, plus ninety-nine percent alcohol" I say to Bella as I drive down the highway. 

No reply. I turn and glance at her and notice she's staring out the window in awe. 

"Why are human cities so pretty?" she asks quietly. In my peripheral vision, I see her turn to me and I shrug. 

"How come we don't come here more often?" she continues, watching me carefully. 

"Because you've never had an interest, I guess. If you had asked, I would have taken you. Or you could have gone with dad whenever he goes. He goes a couple of times a week actually." 

"Really? Since when?" 

"Since forever. I would usually go too but I haven't recently because of everything that has been happening." 

"Wow, I didn't know that." 

"Well, you learn something new every day" I reply, my eyes focused on the road in front of me. 

"Grayson?"

"Yes, Bella?" I sigh, quickly glancing at her. 

"Why don't you ever let me drive your car?" she asks, grinning at me. 

I groan and run a hand through my hair. I know she is just trying to lighten the mood but it's starting to really bug me about how chill she is with this whole situation, especially considering it's her Luna that has been kidnapped.

"One, because you only just got your licence and two because this car is expensive and I don't want you crashing it." 

"Seriously? It's just a mustang Grayson". 

"Just a mustang" I scoff, rolling my eyes. 

"This is a black 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, to be precise, and I know perfectly well that you adore this car just as much as I do so don't play dumb with me, missy." I watch as she rolls her eyes and looks down at her hands. 

"That's what I thought," I smirk. Eventually, we pull into the parking lot of the local candle and aromatherapy store and I park my car near the front. We get out and a few people stop to look at us before moving on. 

"Come on," I say before walking into the store, Bella running in behind me. 

"So what's first?" she asks, smiling as she looks around the store, her eyes wide in awe. I roll my eyes and smirk. She really wasn't listening in the car. 

"Cedarwood" I reply, heading towards the oil section nervously. This should be a breeze, right? Fingers crossed they have everything, otherwise, I'm screwed.

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Hey Guys,

I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I'm so that it's taken me so long to update, life's been a bit crazy recently.

Thank you so so much for reading this book and voting, it means the world to me! Please vote and comment on this chapter, letting me know what you think and I'll talk to you in the next chapter!

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Thanks,

- Allamy xx

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