Book 1: Chapter 18

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my drink and downed it. “I don’t get how you can be so level headed about everything.”

“It’s my job. It was my job to keep you and Nate out of trouble. Now, it’s my job to make sure I keep trouble off the streets of my town. It takes a level head and an understanding of how the world actually works. Not just the little bubble you’ve grown up in.”

Charles handed me a beer bottle as I leaned against the wall, looking at the mess our game had become. Shaking my head, I took a swig of the bottle.

“Let it go, Silas. Hell, they might even be helpful keeping any other rogues in order that come through.”

“Nate said we have had zero issues with rogues as of late and usually we have issues with them crossing into our territory once a month at least.”

Charles rolled his eyes. “See. Maybe get your muzzle out of your ass and start seeing how good it might be that they were there.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “You fucking her?”

Charles coughed into his bottle and took gasping breaths. “God damn it, Silas. No, I’m not fucking her. Jesus Christ. She lives with two hot wolves who absolutely fuck her. I’m sure I would end up with broken bones. At the very least from her robotic arm.”

“Robotic arm?”

Shaking his head, he placed his que up on the wall. “Come with me. Maybe if you quit fucking seeing red, you maybe see something that might make you change your mind.”

He pulled out his phone and made a call as he walked up to the bar. Throwing his card down, I followed him, putting my bottle on the counter. “I was gonna pay.”

“You pay at the next place.” He covered the phone to speak to me before telling the other person on the line where we were.

Going outside, it was completely dark. It was already ten and he pulled out a cigarette and handed me one. We smoked quietly for a few minutes before I saw Nate’s Jeep pull up. Shaking my head, I wasn’t quite ready to see him.

“Don’t say shit. Just get in.” Charles warned me and I clamped my mouth shut as I saw the glare from Nate in the rearview mirror.

He peeled out of the parking lot and out of town. Pulling up to The Wayward Tap, I growled at Charles but he glared right back at me.

“Like I said. None of them did anything. Quit seeing red and use your eyes.” Charles got out after Nate and I slammed the door shut. 

Walking behind them, they pulled out there ID’s and I did the same. The kid in front scanned our IDs and motioned us in. I was impressed. No wonder the kids couldn’t get past the front door. I doubt that was even the first level of security in this place.

As we walked in, it was crowed. Much more than the bar we came from. I saw two of the three rogues working the bar. It was Solaris and the shorter of the wolves.

“Nate! Charles! Welcome!” The male behind the counter smiled and nodded to them. They parted a little, allowing me to be seen and I saw an immediate drop of his smile.

We walked forward and his scowl was planted firmly on his face. “We don’t want trouble tonight boys.”

Charles chuckled. “Don’t worry, Finn. I’m keeping his ass in check tonight. Can I get a neat whiskey?”

“I’ll grab a White Russian.”

I gave Nate a look but realized Finn was waiting for my order. “Just a beer.”

“Just a beer? Any beer? Would you like me to piss in a glass and call it an IPA?”

Charles snorted and Nate laughed. It did crack a smile on my face. “How about your favorite?”

Finn rolled his eyes but moved further down the bar. Solaris was on the other end of the bar and I looked at her. She was reaching up for a glass. Her shirt was a tank top with the words ‘Top Bitch’ written across her breasts and some shorts that seemed illegally short for someone who was coming into their thirties. But as my eyes roamed over her body, I realized that Charles was right. Before I had seen her right eye that was magic but her arm and leg were also a mix of metal and magic. It didn’t seem to deter her at all as she flipped the glass over and quickly mixed up a drink, sliding it down the bar to it’s owner.

She was an enigma, I realized. The rest of her body was covered in a ridiculous amount of tattoos but how a werewolf had been hurt so bad that they couldn’t heal seemed impossible to me. However, she was a werewolf, that much I knew. Even with the crystal around her neck blocking her scent. Her short black hair was swept to the side but there was an air about her. Something more than just being from an Alpha family.

“Order up.”

I looked down at the glass in my hand. The beer looked in between a dark and a light. Taking a sip, I raised my eyebrow at Finn. “What is it?”

“It’s a Hawaiian brew. We got it in and it’s damn near perfect. We ordered a shit ton more barrels after we tasted it. One of our best sellers. Enjoy boys. Hollar if you need anything.”

Charles nodded and headed away from the bar to a table near the back. He sat down and swirled his glass. “So?”

“Why does she have so much magic on her?”

Nate chuckled. “She’s not shy about her hate for Hunters, though she doesn’t project it as much as you do.”

My eyes narrowed at Nate. “How do you know that?”

“You hang around here often enough at odd times and you get some stories. You pick up shit.”

“Do I need to worry about my Beta becoming an alcoholic?”

He rolled his eyes and leaned back in the booth. “It’s better than feral.”

I sighed. “You and I both.”

Charles looked between the two of us and shook his head. “The two of are going to go crazy anyways. I’m going to be stuck here with a pack with no leadership running amok in my town.”

Nate and I laughed. “All on you, chief. Good luck.” I lifted my drink to him and kicked me under the table.

“Since when did we become depressing old men?”

Nate shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I’m not thirty yet.”

“Next year, Nate. Next year and you’re joining the old lonely men club.”

“Fuck you, Charles.”

I laughed and took another sip of my beer. Damn, it was good. I wondered what it took to get these barrels in. I looked over at the bar and Finn had been switched out for the shorter wolf, he had deep circles under his eyes and was a grey color. Wrinkling my nose, I turned back to the group.

“What?”

“That Finn is a damn mountain. If he had any Alpha blood, he’d be a fucking force to be reckoned with.”

Nat chuckled. “Our Alpha, feeling insecure? Who would have thought.”

“I’m not! Fuck…I give up.” I slumped in my seat. “I give up.”

*'Now, go apologize.'*

I winced. *'I’m not apologizing.'*

*'Fine. I will'*

Eros pushed forward and in my drunken state I was too weak to fight him off. He came forward and Nate sat up, looking at us with wide eyes. Charles also put down his drink and eyed me warily.

“Give me a second boys.” Eros’ voice was just a smidge deeper than my own.

The both of them narrowed their eyes but Eros got up and headed to the bar. Solaris had moved down where Finn was and Eros was able to lean up against the bar. Solaris was moving at lightening speed but stopped when she saw us. Leaning in, she narrowed her eyes.

“What can I do for you, Alpha?”

I felt Eros shift, which was weird as he looked at Solaris.

“I wanted to apologize. For my actions the other day and for the headache I caused you.”

A smirk fell onto her face. “As much as I appreciate the apology, it would need to come from the person who actually did it. Not his wolf.” She winked.

Reaching out, she ruffled my hair and my whole body went stiff. Solaris seemed to realize this and pulled back quickly.

“If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.” She moved away from us quickly, taking other orders and pouring drinks.

Eros stepped back from the bar and as he walked back to the table, he fell back. But he didn’t just fall back, he disappeared into the deep recesses where even I couldn’t reach him. I plopped down in the seat and looked at the two guys. Running my hand through my hair, it made me shiver. No one had ruffled my hair, not since my sister was taken. She was the one who always did that.

Aelia’s power and level of maturity always was at a level I couldn’t ever really understand. All Nate and I knew was that we had to protect her. She would teach herself because my Dad refused to let her go to school with her power but then didn’t do anything for her education. So she would take our books when we got home and work through them. Usually, a lot faster than we would and eventually she would help us with our homework.

“You okay?”

I looked up at Charles. “Yeah, it was just…”

“Weird?” Nate offered.

Shaking my head, I furrowed my brow. “It felt…normal?”

I watched Charles look down at his drink before taking a drink. At first, I thought it was just work but now, small things he did, something was definitely off with him.

“Charles, what the hell is going on with you?”

His eyes widened and looked at me. “What do you mean?”

“I thought it was work but you’ve been more on edge than I am.”

He glanced at the bar before sighing. “I’ve just got a lot going on. Between my work and my family. Did I tell you they tried to set me up again?”

Nate rolled his eyes. “They need to chill with that. Honestly, your parents are psycho.”

“And that’s coming from someone who was raised by my father.”

We laughed and Charles shook his head. “They want me to marry again and I just am not all in it. They also want me to take over my Dad’s company and I’m happy where I am. They don’t get that. It’s been a mess. Plus work is…well…work. Sometimes some weird shit comes through and I have to explain it without getting into details that this was a vampire attack or something.” He grumbled and got up. “I’m getting another, anyone want anything else.”

“Another one of these for me.”

“I’ll have the same.”

He nodded. “Three beers, coming up.”