I can't stop staring at Bel, the new barmaid. I can't believe it… But I felt it. The tingle when we touched, my wolf nearly burst out of my skin. That shouldn't happen.
Unless… No.
She can't be.
There's no other explanation though.
I'm dying to touch her again to see if it happens a second time. It's taking every ounce of concentration to stop myself from vaulting the bar to get to her. Her floral scent is making my mouth water.
A heavy hand on my shoulder pulls my attention from my staring. "Who's the hot new barmaid?"
A growl leaves my throat before I can stop it. Thankfully I catch my energy before it flares. I don't need the whole pack's attention. I turn to face Eddie who is standing with his hands up in a gesture of surrender.
"Whoa, obviously someone I shouldn't be looking at." He sits on the empty stool next to me.
"Sorry Ed, she's called Bel. New wolf in town,” I say as Bel walks past to serve someone further along the bar. I watch as Ed's nostrils flare when he catches her scent.
"Fuck, she smells good."
As much as my wolf wants to rip his head off for even scenting her, I hold it in. I have no claim over her. I'd only met her not long ago.
My wolf disagrees, Mine, he thinks as he pushes against my skin trying to get to her.
"Did you track the vamp down?" I ask Ed. Ed is one of my enforcers or soldiers as some people call them.
Ed grunts. "I couldn't find anything to substantiate the reports we received. Not one person I spoke to has seen any evidence of a rogue vampire. Sorry, boss, but I think it was a time waster." He waves at Bel as she glances in our direction.
"Hey guys, what are you after?" She flashes Ed a friendly smile.
Ed reaches over the bar and offers her his hand, “I'm Ed. It's nice to meet you; I’ll have a Jack on the rocks, thanks.”
I watch in anticipation as their hands touch, my eyes flashing between them to see if they have a reaction.
"Bel, nice to meet you. Ed."
I let out the breath I'd been holding when she walks away to get Ed's drink with no sign of reaction.
"Hey, Theo!” I turn to chase the voice that belongs to someone I usually manage to avoid. Unfortunately I was too distracted with Bel and didn't even feel or smell her early enough to make a run for it.
I plaster on my best fake smile. “Hi, Chloe. How are you?"
She stops in front of me, trailing her fingers up my forearm. “Much better now I've seen you,”
I force myself not to cringe. It’s not like Chloe is repulsive - with her beautiful blonde hair, legs up to her armpits, and bright baby blue eyes, she’s far from it. She turns plenty of heads. Unfortunately, she likes to go for the guys that aren't interested, and never takes no for an answer.
I’ve never casually dated a pack member and I don’t intend to start now. Being an alpha, I’m stronger with a mate. A wolf knows his mate when he meets her - I’m pretty sure I found mine tonight. Just imagine the hassle my future mate would have when she joins the pack if it was full of my jealous ex-lovers.
I'm not celibate; I have been in relationships – just not with pack members. I gave up on finding my mate and married a human when I was young, stupid and wanting to settle down. My marriage ended when she cheated on me. To be honest, the failure of our marriage was my fault. I hadn’t told her about being a werewolf, yet I expected her to give me children.
"Can I buy you a drink, Theo?" Chloe asks in a seductive tone.
I glance at my watch to make it look like there’s somewhere I need to be. "Actually, I'm just about to leave; I've got a meeting to get to.”
Chloe mirrors my actions, glancing at her own watch. "It's a bit late to be having a meeting, isn’t it?”
She has no right to question her Alpha, but I don’t want her turning up at my house later so I answer her. “Vampires."
Bel makes her way over to us placing a drink in front of us both with a shrug. "I saw you were empty too.”
I pull the glass towards me and pass her some money, making sure to brush her hand with mine. I feel it again, almost like an electric shock shooting from where we touch all the way through my body to my wolf. He jumps up alert and ready to claim. There is no mistaking it this time. She's my mate. I look into her eyes as they change from chocolate brown to her wolf's amber eyes. She feels it too.
Her wolf knows.
“Thanks, darlin’.”
She snatches her hand back, looking at it like it was an alien. "Sorry about that, it must be static electricity or something,”
"Or something," I growl as she rushes off to serve another customer.
After downing my drink I say my goodbyes and quickly leave, to make my meeting look genuine. My wolf is antsy enough as it is, I can’t handle any more Chloe tonight. He doesn’t like that I am leaving Bel behind, he’s already calling her “Mine”.
Pride to Pack Page 7
