Kasey put the tray of dirty cups and dishes on the kitchen bench and gave a sigh of relief as she glanced at her watch. "Four forty five pm... fifteen minutes to go then I'm free for the night!" She shook her head for a moment reminding herself how much she both loved and appreciated her job at the Chow Down Café, a café in George St, one Sydney's busiest streets. The café itself looked like any of the modern type coffee shops scattered throughout Sydney, the only difference being that the food was homemade on the premises. Australian and Italian type dishes cooked fresh each day by the owners Maree and Henry Williamson.

Maree and Henry have owned the 'Chow Down' Café for over ten years and having no children of their own had become self appointed parents to both Kasey and her friend Chrissy who also worked as a waitress at the café.

Kasey had been working there for just over three years now and knew the job and its regular patrons well. Chrissy a couple of years younger than Kasey's twenty four years and who took full advantage of being the 'younger of the two' at times, had only been there just on a year. Although Chrissy was always respectful to customers, she wasn't averse to a little flirting when she felt it was warranted.

Kasey walked to the front of the café and found a dreamy eyed Chrissy fanning her face and batting her eye lashes like she'd just been hit on by the hunkiest of hunks. Kasey rolled her eyes at her friend and stepped up when Henry gave a low whistle to let the girls know that the next coffee order was up. "Table 6", he said and Kasey headed out with a double shot cap and a skinny latte.

Just as she reached the table she heard her cell phone go off in the back room with the sound of ACDC distracting her somewhat. She placed the coffees on the table and murmured something along the lines of "enjoy," and headed for her still ringing cell phone.

Braedon felt restless as he waited to be served his coffee. He wasn't quite sure what was going on but sensed that whatever it was it would be huge. He looked at his companion and tried a smile, more to comfort himself than to reassure his friend.

"All is well Jacob, David has things well in hand and we should be able to leave for the compound in a day or two." He glanced up and nodded to Jacob to let him know their coffee was on the way.

"It's about time," stated Jacob. Jacob was usually a patient man, but seeing his Alpha and friend so agitated seemed to unsettle him as well. Braedon laughed off his friends' reaction and waited for his server to place the coffee in front of him.

Braedon had barely acknowledged the girl when he heard the sounds of ACDC in the distance... a rather tinny version of 'Back in Black'. For some reason this caught his interest and as he lifted his head he caught the scent of his server as she retreated and froze!

Jacob was on immediate alert, searching and scenting the entire area for any danger to his Alpha. When his eyes finally came back to Braedon he could see confusion and shock written across his face. He took a slow breath, breathing in and out before speaking. "Brae?"

One word, a word filled with of a multitude of questions, all of which Braedon would hopefully be able to answer. They had known each other since they were pups, were friends damn good friends and he knew if it came to it, he'd give his life for Braedon and not just because he was his Alpha. Braedon was Jacobs's best friend; he was family.

"Drink up Jacob, we need to go." Braedon said as he lifted his coffee to his lips. Jacob followed suit, but remained wary not knowing what was going on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kasey headed for the back room where she retrieved her cell phone from her backpack and hit the receive button. As she did so she just knew that she wouldn't be headed home for a bubble bath, a lean cuisine and whatever the Friday night movie might be.

"Kase?" She heard on the other end of her cell.

"Hey Gerry, how's it going?" she said.

"Hey yourself sugar, how you set for tonight?" he said sounding up beat with a hint of desperate.

Kasey closed her eyes for a second knowing that even if she could, she wouldn't say no to Gerry, not even when he called last minute like this assuming she'd be available to help out.

"I'll be there at 6.30 Gerry, and you owe me! I had plans for tonight." There was no need to let him know what those plans were. Because that'd just make her sound a little too sad now wouldn't it.

"I'll make it up to you Kase, no worries; I'll even have a surprise for you before you start."

Kasey pressed the end button, dropped her head to chest and held her breathe for the count of five, knowing what was coming. She sensed Maree standing in the doorway and yep she had her hands on her hips looking for all the world like she was ready to hit someone... possibly Gerry.

"Kasey," Maree began, "you let that man take advantage of you every time. You need to tell him you can't do it, just once so he won't think you will always run when he needs you."

"I know Maree" Kasey said with a sigh, "and I would, but Gerry was there for me when I had no one, he gave me a job and helped me find a place to live. I owe him."

Maree shook her head and her face gentled, "Owing is one thing child, being taken advantage of is another."

Maree said no more but gave Kasey a hug before letting her go so she could grab her bag and jacket and make her way back through the café and to the front door.

She didn't even get past the coffee serving area when Chrissy grabbed her arm saying, "Well?"

"Well what?" Kasey replied.

The look of incredulity on Chrissy's face brought a grin to the corner of Kasey's and she waited, knowing that her friend would tell her exactly what she was 'welling' about.