The Serenade

Octavia’s POV


The Bartender approaches jared, looking him down with a smile. “What can I get for you tonight hot stuff?” She leans closer to him, with a large grin plastered on her cherry coated lips as she chews her bubble gum.

“I will have a Jameson on the rocks,” He turns over his shoulder, leaning towards me with a wink. “And a hurricane for this ten over here.”

The woman behind the bar looks over at me, with a cringe. She tucks her red hair behind her ear and looks me up and down slowly, her previously smiling lips now pulled together in a thin straight line. She seems unsatisfied with my looks, *yet I could care less.*

“Same tab?” She questions him, quickly pulling out a glass and scooping in some ice. No longer eyeing him. “Yes.” He answers her, in unison with my “No.”

Before I can protest further he slaps down a twenty dollar bill, covering our current drinks.

She places his drink down beside him and walks away, probably making my drink. *And spitting in it.*

“”*Im* paying. It’s the least I can do for you… after what happened earlier.” He smiles, stepping closer to me and taking a sip of his fresh drink. “Besides how could I allow such a *beautiful* girl to pay for her own drinks?”

I decided not to pressure him into allowing me to pay, since I am trying to save for my ‘leaving home’ fund.

And well, after how polite he’s been… I feel like it might be rude to turn down a free drink. “Thank you…” I smile, my hair falling in my face as I nod politely.

The bartender comes back with my red drink, placing it in front of me and simply walking away before I can ask her for anything else.

“So whats a lovely woman like yourself doing *here* tonight?” He suggestively points around us, at the bar. Then leaning forward and sipping his drink, while maintaining eye contact with me.

“Well, my *fun* friends decided to drag me out of the house tonight. Though I would have been perfectly fine in my sweatpants, with some popcorn and a movie…” I look up at him as he stares back at me, the *adoration* in his eyes burning into mine.

“Well… let's just say I am not much of a party girl.” I clear my throat, uncomfortably.

Lucia laughs at me internally, commenting on the fact that he is openly showing his interest. *’This human, **thinks he has a chance with us.**’* threatening to leap forward, but I keep her down.

*’Why is she so testy lately?’*

“You still seem like an amazing girl, even if you aren’t much of a partygoer.” He grins at me, as the hair on the back of my neck stands. I start to feel cornered, and stressed. *’What has me so… on edge right now?’* I think to Lucia, expecting a rude answer.

She doesn’t respond, instead she releases a low growl.

*’She’s probably still mad at me.’*

I hear the sounds of the band starting up the live music, like the static of the amps being plugged in and the tuning of their guitars.

I silently take a sip of my drink as Jared speaks again, softly running his fingers through his hair and letting out a chuckle. “First you bump into me on the bus, then I save you here tonight… it must be **fate.**’*

I choke, spitting some of my drink down the front of my shirt. The mic screeches in unison with my action as it is turned on, causing many of the people around me to jump as I cover my ears and look for the person responsible.

That's when my eyes saw him, my heart began pounding like a drum, matching the drummer as he set the beat for their song.

*’How could I not notice him before?’*

The music starts up, and his voice floats through the air like a cloud. My chest heats up like a furnace and Lucia yelps inside me, causing me to forget the fact that my shirt is now soiled.

I stay there, my body completely frozen with my eyes locked on him and my lips parted slightly.

*”If you loved me,”* He sang as he ripped through his guitar, the rock tune pounding in my ears. *”you would be right here, you wouldn’t make me **plead.**”*

Standing at the lead microphone, *basically calling out to me in his song*, was my **mate**. Dressed in leather, white, and skinny jeans… while ramming a hot red electric guitar.

His dark hair whipped around as he moved with the music, pulling me into a strange trance. His green eyes shimmered in the stage lights, glancing at the crowd…not noticing me behind everyone.

After days of attempting to not think of him, here he is. On stage, *singing*, right in front of me.

*’What am I supposed to do?’* I ask Lucia, frantically.

*’GO TO HIM!’* she basically *screams* at me, jolting us into a standing position.

Jareds voice had become a small whisper in the background, barely noticeable.

Until his grip burned into my skin, and tore me away from reality. “Hey, are you alright?” He asked, with a concerned look on his face. I turned to him, attempting to pull my arm from his grip. “I'm fine.” I snapped, but he didn’t budge.

“Let’s get out of here, and clean you up.” His tone and face changed, sending a chill down my spine. He tightens his hand and pulls me away from the bar, basically dragging my stiff body across the dance floor.

“I just got here.” I stated, sensing his intentions and trying not to panic. “I don’t want to leave yet-”

“Let’s just go get you a new shirt. Then we can come right back.” He chuckles, interrupting me and trying to brush off my answer to pull me towards the exit.

Lucia begins getting angry, a small growl resonates at the back of my throat as I use up my last drop of patience.

*’Tell this **bag of shit** to get lost!’* she snaps at me aggressively.

*’Something about this guy is really setting her off right now.’* I think to myself, feeling like I am about to throw up from fear.

“It’s okay, really. It will air dry.” I shrug trying to seem relaxed, yet I’m growing more nervous and uncomfortable by the second.

He hesitates, but continues to pressure me. “Aw come on. I have a clean shirt in my car, let’s just go get you changed.” He laughs lightly, not realizing how much of an *asshole* he looks like right now.

At this point all my patience is gone. With this jerks hand still tightly gripping my arm and Lucia howling about Mate in my head, *I’m about to lose it.*

“I said *No.*” I grew louder, and more firm. His eyes go narrow and he starts to pull me roughly towards the exit, completely ignoring that I am struggling *and everyone is staring.*

“Stop it!! Let go of me!!” I shout, attempting to pull my arm away from his grip as I shake and start to cry. “Get. OFF!!”

During my frantic attempt at escaping, everyone just stares at us. No attempts to step in, *Nobody tries to help me.*

*’Where the hell are your **useless** friends when we need them!’* Lucia screeches, trying to force herself forward to attack him.

Just as I am about to lose control of my *spirited* wolf, I hear a loud smack!

When I realize what happened Jared is on the floor rubbing his bloody face, and no longer gripping my no bruised arm.

“She said *No.*” a deep voice speaks firmly, spiced with a growl.

Something flutters in my stomach as I look for him, immediately recognizing his now very close scent. My eyes find his, which are now filled with a glowing green and concern.

My mind enters a drunk daze, not from the *one* drink I consumed… but from the delicious scent of my one. My other half. My *Mate.*

His strong arms, covered in leather, wrap around my waist and lift my body off the floor bridal style. He begins walking towards the backside of the bar, where the employees exit is located, with no obvious intentions of stopping.

*’I can hear his heartbeat…’* I think as I rest my head on his chest, listening to the excited pitter patter of his heart.

He bursts out the back door of the building as I look up at his face, contorted with a huge mess of emotions.