Chapter 20: Out

-Nova-

The bar was full of werewolves. It was clear it was run by werewolves too, and they had made it so only werewolves could get in. It was quite nice, with soft lights and lots of tables and chairs. The bar had a golden glow to it and it was filled with alcohol. Anything you desired they could bring you. I had never before even been in a bar. I was not allowed to go far from home, and we had lots of alcohol there, so why should I leave? Not that I drank a lot, it was my brothers’ words. They, on the other hand, had no problem leaving the house to go drinking. The rules were just different when it came to me.

I grabbed harder onto Rhys’s hand, as he walked in front of me, leading me around, and I saw him look over his shoulder and smile, as he felt me grab his hand harder. He seemed to like that I was relying on him. He turned away, and we walked over to a big table with a big couch going almost all the way around it, and two extra chairs standing there too. It could easily fit us all, but Rhys made sure to place us at the end of the booth. He could see how everyone was rather displeased with having me here, and I felt rather uncomfortable just being here. Only Serena and Rogan actually seemed to be fine with it, they were watching us sometimes, a smile on their lips. How could the terrifying Alpha Rogan be fine with his beta being mates with me? It made no sense unless he was really just happy for his friend.

Maybe it didn’t matter I was a rogue because his friend’s happiness meant more. Could it be Alpha Rogan actually had a sweet side? I had only known him as a ruthless tyrant, but then again, he was mates with a hunter now, and I could see there was only love between them. As they looked at each other, I saw nothing but happiness in their eyes, and when they talked to others, it seemed so easy. No one blamed Serena for being a hunter, nor Marcus’s mate either. They seemed to accept me a little easier too, but I felt a lot of the others, and not only at our table, glaring at me. Rhys had said I smelled good, but he was also my mate, I might just not smell as good to others. My eyes gave me away too. They were completely dark, and it was said that for other wolves it felt like staring into an endless void. It made people very uncomfortable. I couldn’t see it, since I was a rogue too, and I was not sure if Rhys could since he was my mate.

“Come, let’s get some drinks,” Rhys said.

We got out of the booth and walked to the bar, while the group was shouting to get them some drinks too. I noticed how everyone was just laughing and having fun, and I saw another side of Rhys too. He was smiling, and he seemed so relaxed. He seemed nothing like the tough beta I had heard he was. Everyone knew of Rhys too. He was, after all, Rogan’s beta. They were both brilliant fighters, and very dangerous. I didn’t see that right now though. I didn’t see the dangerous part.

When we came to the bar, Rhys quickly wrapped an arm around my waist and brought me closer, before kissing my temple. I was so surprised by his gentle behavior that I gasped a little shocked. He just turned to the bartender and started to order some drinks, before he allowed me to order for myself. I just wanted a vodka and soda, and when the bartender went away, Rhys turned to me.

“Have they scared you off yet?” he asked.

“Scared me?”

He nodded.

“Isn’t it more the other way around? I mean, have you seen how some people are looking at me?” I asked.

I had never seen myself as very scary, but my smell and my eyes were enough to make other people fear me.

“They were looking at the hunters like that too, when they came here in the beginning. It will change,” he said.

“You really think that?” I asked.

“Why not?”

“Well … rogues have been hated for a long time,” I said.

“Well, you never gave anyone any reason not to,” he told me.

I crossed my arms, looking at him angrily.

“Don’t act like you pack members are such saints,” I said.

Rhys sighed and pulled me closer.

“Let’s not fight. I didn’t mean anything by it. I am just saying how we look at it,” he told me.

I wasn’t so sure I should believe him, but as he started to stroke my hip with his thumb, it made me instantly relax, and I knew he knew it. He saw the changes in me happen so fast when he was touching me like that.

“It’s okay, Nova,” he said. “No one here will hurt you. I promise you.”

“Really?”

“You find it very hard to trust me, don’t you?”

I nodded.

“You don’t trust me either,” I said.

“You’re right, but we are going to change that,” he said.

“How?”

“With time and secrets,” he said.

“Secrets?!”

I was suddenly scared that he knew more than he was saying, but when he saw the look on my face he just smiled.

“Yeah, I mean sharing them,” he said.

“Oh …”

Oh, he meant we had to share them …

I couldn’t share them. He could never know who I truly was, or he would have me killed. Besides, his parents had been part of killing mine. I had not been very old, so I didn’t remember much of them, but there was a lot of bad blood between us. It could never work.

“I’m not good at sharing,” I said.

“Me neither,” he said, yet the sound of his voice and the look in his eyes told me he meant something else.

He saw the confused look on my face and started to laugh.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“Rhys!”

“I was just teasing you, little mate,” he said.

“How?” I asked, confused.

“It’s not important.”

“Should we not trust each other? That means telling each other everything,” I said, not that I was really going to tell him everything.

Rhys thought it over and then nodded, before his grip on me tightened almost till it hurt. I was confused by this rougher touch.

“I just mean I will never want to share you with someone else,” he said.

“Why would you?” I asked.

He chuckled a little and his grip got looser.

“Exactly, little rogue,” he said and kissed my temple again.

“Were you thinking about doing it?”

He shook his head.

“I just want you to know if anyone tries to get too close, I will kill them, and if you get too close to them, I will punish you,” he said.

“Punish me?!”

He nodded, and I looked at him scared. Rhys quickly saw it and shook his head, which only confused me, so he leaned closer, so he could whisper in my ear.

“I will punish you by throwing you over my knee and spanking your ass until it is all red and showing my handprint, and I won’t stop until you understand the only one who gets to touch you like this is* me*.”

I swallowed hard, as I felt my pussy grow warmer from his words. Did I like that? Or was it the possessiveness in his words I liked? It was all very confusing, and when Rhys pulled back, his eyes were glowing a faint yellow. His wolf was close to the surface.

“Do you like that idea?” he asked darkly.

“I …”

“I would gladly do it if you asked me to,” he said. “I bet you will beg me so sweetly to stop when it starts to hurt a little.”

I didn’t think I would like that, but the thought of dancing on that edge between pain and pleasure made my heart beat faster and made me clench my thighs.

“You are driving me crazy, Nova,” he said and was about to move closer to me when suddenly our drinks were placed in front of me and Rhys was distracted.

He thanked the bartender and then took the tray of drinks with one hand before taking my other with his free one and leading us back to the table, where people only seemed to find it easier to be around me the more they drank.

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