I sigh. Mad at myself for jinxing us. “We didn’t give us a chance? Danny, you ran back to Melissa without giving us a chance. Not we. You!”
He takes a step towards me and reaches out to pull me into his embrace. “I’m here now.”
I knew this would happen, once Danny gets an idea in his head there is no changing it. No matter what you say or do. I step back shaking my head, vigorously. “No… it’s too late.” Five years too late.
The door bursts open and I send up a prayer, as a naked Kelly walks in without a care in the world. Used to seeing him naked I don’t bat an eyelid. Going by Danny’s wide surprised eyes and slack jaw, he isn’t quite sure what to think.
Kelly let’s out a wolf whistle. “Frank, you look hot!” Ignoring Danny, he strides over to me and kisses me on the cheek as he leans around me to grab his clothes off the wicker chair. “You okay?” he whispers as his lips brush passed my ear. I nod in reply as he steps back.
“You… You’re…” Danny stutters as he stares wide eyed at Kelly’s manhood. leaving his mouth open catching flies.
“Hung like a horse?” Kelly finishes for him. “I know,” he adds with a shrug.
Getting a handle on himself, Danny quickly tears his eyes away to make eye contact with me. “Are you two…?”
I don’t blame him for jumping to that conclusion, seeing a guy walk naked into a girl’s bedroom, would give you that impression. I could say yes and he’d probably leave tomorrow. And I know Kelly would go along with me, no matter what I said. But I don’t want to have to pretend to be with Kelly all night. I’ve made a deal with Jesse. I want to follow through with it. I’m sick of feeling conflicted about all these men. It’s time me and my wolf make a decision and choose one. If I was a normal wolf I wouldn’t even have to choose a mate. I could be a free agent for as long as I wanted, just like Kate and all the other girls in the pack. My wolfborn status, and the ability to freely have children makes it too dangerous for me to be unmated. Although, being mated will make things safer regarding the men in my pack, unfortunately it might not make a difference to the wolves outside our pack. regardless of that I need to make my decision, and make it tonight. I shake my head. “No, we’re not.”
Kelly tucks himself into his jeans and zips up his fly whilst glancing out the window. “Nate’s here,” he states for Danny’s benefit, knowing I’d heard the pick up, and felt Nate through the bonds, just as he had. As you become closer in proximity to a pack member the bond, like a rope, flexes and you feel them get closer.
I pick up my clutch off the bed. “Let’s go party,” I say, walking past Danny — who still seems to be deciding whether there’s anything going on between me and Kelly.
My heart skips a beat as I open the door to the kitchen to find Nate dressed in a pair of black fitted jeans — by fitted I mean they must’ve been sprayed on. He’s wearing a knitted sweatshirt, like the one he had on the first night I saw him. It leaves him looking mouthwatering as it molds to all those muscles. We Stand in silent appreciation of each other. Our scents telling us exactly what we thought of each other. The room becoming thick with arousal.
I feel Gareth step up behind me as Kate walks in behind Nate wearing a red version of my little black dress. It looks amazing with her long blonde wavy hair hanging over her shoulders and her bright blue eyes sparkling in the light.
“You look amazing Kate,” I say, walking around Nate and pulling her into a hug. Only feeling slightly guilty for ignoring Nate as I did so, knowing that if I did paid any attention to Nate, neither of us would be able to control ourselves enough to seem normal in front of the two humans who were now in the room — Danny and Kelly having entered behind Gareth. It’s not a big kitchen, and with two male werewolves, two large human males, Kate and myself: it’s starting to feel minuscule.
Kate pulls back and flashes me a grin. “We’re gonna knock ‘em dead.”
“I’ve definitely died and gone to heaven,” Gareth states in an unusually deep voice causing me to glance back at him to see his lust filled eyes focused on Kate. She replies with a flirtatious laugh, causing Nate to storm out of the house with a growl.
“Now you’ve done it.” I whisper with chuckle in her ear. Nate isn’t keen on Gareth or Danny as it is. Gareth coming onto his baby sister isn’t going to win him over. Kate told me she’s actually the oldest, by twelve minutes, but Nate is the protective type — as all werewolves are. I’m pretty sure, even if Kate was twelve years older he’d still treat her like his baby sister.
Looking at Nate’s Colorado, it’s obvious that there aren’t enough seats. “We won’t all fit.” Dan says pointing it out.
“Sure we will, I’ll sit on Handsome’s knee,” Kate says giving Gareth a wink and taking a step close to him.
I watch as a blush spreads across Gareth’s face and he clears his throat. “Sure…that’s… cool with me.”
Nate’s objecting growl makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. “Kate, you can ride shotgun, I’ll sit on Kelly’s knee.” I insist, hoping to calm Nate down before he has to drive. He’d probably run us off the road if Kate sat on Gareth’s knee for the trip.
As we walk into Big Mac’s bar, The Wolves Den, I’m surprised to find it isn’t as big as I’d expected it to be. It’s a long narrow room, five metres wide at most. The shiny wooden bar runs the fill length of the room along the right hand side. Most of the stools placed along the bar are taken by customers. In the dark of the room I can just make out a stage at the back of the room with a small dance floor before it. The rest of the room has high tables scattered around, a handful of stools accompanying each one.
I’m not sure how busy a small bar like this would get but it’s packed tonight, people dancing wherever they stand. I can feel through the bonds that most of the pack here but some of the customers feel like regular humans, with no werewolf energy coming from them. I sense a strange vibe coming from the three barmaids I can see, making me think they may be some other form of supernatural beings.
We head to the front edge of the bar where there’s a small free space and Big Mac strides over to serve us. “Hi guys, what are you after?” Nate and Kelly both order a large whiskey, Gareth and Danny ask for a bottle of larger, and Kate and I both order a Captain Morgans and Coke. “Coming right up,” he says as he starts pulling together our drinks.
Beyonce’s Run the World (girls) comes on and Kate starts singing and dancing away next to me. The way she's already grinding against Gareth tells me she is far from shy. My eyes flick from Kate to the door, a second before it opens and Jesse walks in. I just knew he was there and going to walk in the door, which is strange since I hadn’t even noticed he wasn’t here in the first place. Jesse is sex on legs everytime I see him. But the tailored black suit he’s wearing now with an emerald green shirt and loose black tie just screams sexy. His body is full of muscle, which would catch any females eye ,but it’s his energy that gets my attention. Not the power he radiates from being an Alpha but the connection of energy we have between us. My inner wolf is drawn to him like a magnet.
His eyes find mine in an instant, as if he feels the magnetic pull too. Although I doubt that’s it, he really had no choice but to make eye contact with me, since I’m standing directly in front of the door. I’d be hard to miss staring at him with my tongue hanging out of my mouth.
Danny taps me on the shoulder, pulling me out of my drool over Jesse moment. “You’re not listening to a word I’m saying are you?”
I tear my eyes away from Jesse and turn to Danny with an apologetic look. There’s no point denying it, I couldn't even hazard a guess to what he’d been saying. “I’m sorry, what was you saying?”
“I was telling you… I’ve not given up on us. I’m going to win you back.” The truth in his words hit me. He means it.
Jesse’s come to a stop behind me. I can feel his energy playing along my skin. I hear Kelly offering to buy him a drink. Jesse’s voice as he replies sends goosebumps over my skin,
and realise I need to put Danny straight because no matter what Danny does, he’s not the man for me.
Someone hands me my drink and I take a large mouthful before opening my breaking the news. “Danny, I care about you. We were close friends at one time,” He opens his mouth to speak but I held my hand up in a stop gesture. “Let me finish. Please…” he nods and I carry on. “We haven’t spoken for five years. A hell of a lot has changed in that time. I’m not the same girl you knew back then. Please don’t waste your time on me,” I plead before walking away and heading to the toilets before he can argue. No amount of arguing was going to change my mind. Danny blew his chance years ago.
Kate grabs me with a hand on my forearm, before I get two steps away and drags me towards the dance floor. “This is going to be hilarious,” she states.
The DJ’s voice flows through the speakers before I can question Kate. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we’ve got a special performance for you. One night only, Carter and Tim perform LMFAO’s Sexy and I Know It.” Kate had positioned us in the front row giving us a perfect view of the stage. The DJ sweeps his arm towards the far side of the stage where there’s a curtain that must conceal a changing room. The music rings out and they stride out from behind the curtain. Thankfully, fully clothed. Hearing the song I’d imagined the worst. Within thirty seconds, I’m kicking myself for even having the thought as they both pull at their clothes effectively tearing them off to reveal metallic gold budgie smugglers.
I turn to Kate mortified. “We’re gonna be scarred for life.”
Kate pats me on the back in mock sympathy. During my mortification the crowd had erupted into laughter at their performance. They both have great bodies but they also know it, just like the song says. I’m sure I can’t be the only person that finds it a turn off when someone loves themselves that much? The song finally ends and the bar fills with applause and wolf whistles.
I brush past Gareth and Danny as I head to the bar, and hear Danny grumbling under his breath. “Love themselves much?”
I squeeze into a space at the bar. After letting Danny down gently and seeing my ex wiggling it on stage, I'm feeling the need for a good strong drink.
“Hey Beautiful Lady, what can I get you?” Big Mac asks leaning across the counter so I could hear him over the noise. He's wearing the same MC vest, a black tee and jeans, I'm guessing he's not a man for colours. Being a big guy, as his name suggests, he's not really made to fit behind a bar. The girls serving must have to go under his legs if they need to get past him because there's barely an inch between the bar and his big burly body.
“Morgans on ice, you better make it large.”
He scoops the ice into a glass and pours over the amber liquid. “Things can’t be that bad, surely?”
I look at him, eyebrows raised in disbelief. “I don’t have a job. I got stabbed, almost died and then changed into a werewolf, turning the world as I knew it upside down. My best friend was murdered by someone who was trying to kidnap me. Tracey smashed a bottle over my head trying to kill me. Four pack members tried to rape me.” Giving me a pitying look he pours an extra shot of Rum over the ice. “Oh, and lets not forget the Ex who I haven’t seen in almost five years, turning up on my door step expecting me to jump into bed with him. My life is just rosy.”
He slides the glass to me and I hand him the cash before downing the glass and sliding it back towards him. He refills it without a word, waving away the cash I offer him. “On the house, Love.”
I flash him a grateful smile. “Thanks, Big Mac.”
“I might be able to help you on the job front. Unfortunately there’s not much I can do about your other problems though.” He reaches his hand over, placing it on top of mine on the bar. His wolf comforts mine at the small touch, it’s as if someone’s stroking the fur on the top of her head. “We all miss Joey,” he adds his voice breaking on the name.
“Thanks. I forget you all knew him too,” I admit before changing the subject, so the tears I can feel building won’t have chance to fall. “What’s the job?”
“How do you fancy a bit of part-time bar work? I can only offer you a couple of nights a week to start, but people are always coming and going I’m sure I’ll be able to offer you more in a few weeks.”
“Really? I could kiss you.” As the words leave my mouth I pull myself up on the bar, just enough to reach his lips with a thank you peck. “Thank you,” I say, letting myself drop back down.
Big Mac clears his throat before speaking. “Not a problem, Frankie.”
Feeling eyes boring into me I turn to find Jesse standing where I’d left him with Nate and Kelly earlier. His eyebrow raised in question. I shake my head, no, knowing exactly what he’s asking with that brow. Big Mac? His eyes shift over my shoulder just as a hand lands on it. The anger that crosses his face causes me to turn to see who he could be so angry with. I find myself face to face with Carter, thankfully clothed.
“Hi,” he says, sounding unusually timid, his hands in his jeans pockets and his shoulders hunched. “I’m sorry about Saturday.” He shakes his head in what looks like disbelief. “I swear I had no idea, you have to believe me.”
Knowing it was true, I can’t blame him for being played by Clarissa but I know my wolf will never want him. Not after he put sex before obeying an order of protection, that’s a weakness she wants nothing to do with.
“Hey,” I say with a genuine smile. “It happened. No amount of apologising can change that.” It sounds blunt even to my own ears but it’s the truth. “I think Jesse is angry. Has he punished you for disobeying his order yet?” I add, quickly feeling a little guilty about my bluntness.
He mock laughs. “Ha! You think? I can feel his energy whipping me from here. No punishment yet but I’m not foolish enough to think he’ll forget. Jesse never forgets.” Resignation shows with his half hearted shrug and I stroke his forearm to comfort him. He pulls his arm from under mine. “I disobeyed my Alpha and I deserve whatever punishment he may have in mind.” He gives me a quick peck on the cheek before striding across the room to face Jesse’s wrath.
I watch him go as the DJ’s voice comes over the speaker. “Time to slow things down a bit for those of you with a lovely lady. If you don’t have one, go and find one to drag on the dance floor for Adele’s ‘Someone like you’.”
Nate, who’s standing next to Jesse catches my eye and flashes me a smile before walking over to me. He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he works his way across the room, looking at me like I’m the only person that exists. Stopping before me he offers his hand, palm up. “Would you like to be my lovely lady for this song?”
“I’d be honoured.” I answer, placing my hand in his. He leads me to an open spot on the dance floor before pulling me close. I rest my head against his chest and allow him to glide us gracefully around the dance floor.
I feel his lips brush a gentle kiss on my hairline before his breath blows against my cheek as he whispers in my ear. “I know you’re going to pick Jesse.” I pull back enough to be able to look up into his face, to see if he’s serious. His defeated look tells me that he is. I open my mouth to deny it, but with a shake of his head and tugs me back into his arms so that I’m resting my head against his chest once again, and no longer able to see his face. “I’ve known all along, Frankie,” he breathes the words into my ear. “You’ve got a connection with him, nobody else can compete with. Hell, he’s been your best friend since you were seven years old. You’ve always loved him, just like he’s always loved you.”
He guides us to a lone stool at a high table, in the quiet corner near the front window of the bar. Sitting me on the stool and standing before me, he makes us the same height. “Do you know he has never shown any interest in anyone as long as I’ve known him? That was…until you released your wolf.” He looks at me with sad eyes. “You’ll be happy with Jesse and he’ll take good care of you. I’m happy knowing that.”
Listening to him spell it out like that I’m finally able to connect the
dots. Causing my wolf to prance inside of me. Happy, that I’m on the same wavelength as her. Deep down she’s known all along that Jesse’s it for us. With tears in my eyes I reach up and cup Nate’s face. “What about you?”
Nate brushes an escaped tear off my cheek. “My mate is out there somewhere and I’ll find her… Someday.” Placing a gentle kiss on my forehead he turns and walks away, towards Kelly.
I don’t stop him leaving, because as much as I’m attracted to him, I know we could never be mates. My wolf just doesn’t see him like that. Nothing would stop us dating and becoming lovers, but we would be hurting each other in the long run by keeping one another away from finding a mate. A wolf never quite feels complete, without their mate.
I watch him order a drink and join in Jesse and Kelly’s conversation. If anyone can find their mate, the gorgeousness that is Nate, can. Whoever it may be, she will be one lucky gal.
My eyes linger on Jesse. I know he is the one. Jumping off my stool I decide it’s time to show Him what I think of our stupid deal by giving him the kiss of his life. I’d barely taken two steps before Tim steps into my path.
“I think you owe me, a thank you,” Tim says. A salacious grin crosses his face and he speaks again. “In fact, I think I deserve a thank you kiss, at least.” He’s right, I do owe him a thank you, but there’s no way he’ll be getting a kiss.
Leaning forward, I give him a platonic hug, making sure to turn my face away so he can’t get his mouth anywhere near mine. I stiffen as I feel his lips brush against the pulse in my neck. He pulls me close with his hands on my lower back. Close enough to feel his erection between us, as his hands slide down my back and onto my arse. Shocked out of my stupor, I bring my knee up to crush into what lies at the base of his erection. Once my knee makes contact I push at his chest with all my might, effectively shoving him away from me. Stumbling backwards, I manage too stay upright as I put more distance between us.
Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1) Page 18