Hagen, Lynn - Murphy's Madness [Brac Pack 15] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Read Free

the human customers to notice his strange behavior. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, fighting the change. The need to claim that scent was riding him strong.
    “Where’s Tangee?” He desperately needed to know. His mate had been here, and from the scent, just recently.
    “He’s taking his break in the kitchen with George.” Cody tossed his thumb over his shoulder, looking at Ludo like he had lost his mind.
    Panic began to set in. What if he had been a tourist who was at this very moment driving away from here? Ludo knew his mate was a male. There was no doubt in his mind.
    Ludo slammed the palm of his hand against the double chrome doors leading into the kitchen, making the mates behind the door jump.
    “Could you tell me who was in that corner booth last?” Ludo growled, making the smaller mate pull back.
    “Ludo, what the hell’s gotten into you?” George huffed when he witnessed Tangee’s reaction. The Alpha would kill anyone who abused a mate, and intimidating them fell into that category. Ludo knew better, but his instinct to find his mate was making him crazy.
    Ludo cleared his throat, trying to still his racing heart. The thing was about to beat out of his chest. His mate had been here, his mate . After two hundred and twenty-six years, he was this close to finding him. The level of apprehension in him rose with the thought of his mate gaining miles away from him.
    “I apologize. Could you tell me?” Ludo bit his bottom lip. “Please,” he added on.
    “Which one?” Tangee slowly stood, heading toward the door. Ludo had to take a calming breath. The urge to shove the mate through the door quickly and point the booth out was making him edgy.
    Following Tangee, Ludo’s hand shot out as he pointed to the booth he was referring to, getting more agitated by the second when the mate took his time answering him.
    The dinner rush hadn’t gotten underway yet, so it shouldn’t be that damn hard to remember. Ludo took a step back. The need to throttle the slow-walking mate made his hands itch.
    “Oh, yeah, now I remember.” Tangee smiled up at him as if he was waiting for Ludo to ask who…again.
    “Well?” Ludo gritted his teeth, almost positive a few were going to crack at the restraint he was using to keep his hand from cuffing Tangee on the back of his head.
    “Murphy sat there.”
    “Murphy?” Ludo was about to explode. He had a name. That was a start. “Could you tell me who that is?” he asked through clenched teeth. He was feeling achy and agitated. Not a good thing when he needed patience right now.
    “The bookstore owner.” Tangee looked at Ludo with a duh expression.
    Ludo left the mate standing there. He raced from the diner and rushed the few doors down to the bookstore. He racked his brain trying to remember if he had ever seen the man before. He’d never been to the bookstore, but had he ever seen him in the diner? He couldn’t have if he’d never been there. God, he was losing his mind.
    When one of the mates wanted to go there, the warriors had to escort them, but Ludo had never pulled the short straw for babysitting them while they browsed.
    His mind raced at what his mate looked like, how his voice sounded, and how fast he could throw him down and claim him.
    Everything came crashing down around him when the big blue and white sign hanging in the door told him his mate had closed early. “Fuck!” Ludo shouted in frustration as he fisted his hands at his side. Now what? Did anyone know where his mate lived?
    Turning on his heel, Ludo walked at a fast pace back to the diner, almost ripping the door off of its hinges as he sought out Tangee.
    Spotting him talking with a customer, Ludo tapped his booted foot, waiting. He shoved his thumbs through his belt loops as he fought for patience once again.
    How long did it take to write down an order? God, this was frustrating. He wanted to shout at the people sitting there to make up their damn minds. Good god, there were only