bChapter /bb14 /b

Skye’s POV

bThe /bss in my hand trembledb, /bsending amber liquid cascading across the polished bar top.

bThe /bexpensive bourbon I’d been pouring for one of qur regrs formed a growing puddle that quickly reached the edge and dripped onto the floor.fnde35 N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on FιndＮovel/fnde35

b‘/bbJesus/b, Skye!‘ Jessie eximed, rushing over with a rag. “You just wasted twenty bucks worth of top–shelf liquor!b” /bShe dabbed at the mess while giving me a suspicious sideways nce. ‘What’s got you so spooked? You’ve been jumpy as a jackrabbit all week.”

M forced ba /bsmile, taking the rag from her. “Nothing. Just clumsy tonight.”

But my beyes /bwere fixed on the entrance where he had just walked in–the werewolf with the ocean scent.

Only this time, he wasn’t alone. A woman with short ck hair walked beside him, her arm casually linked through his as they made their way directly to the bar.

bMy /benhanced senses immediately recognized what she was: another werewolf.

Jessie followed my gaze, her lips curving into a knowing smirk.

“Oh, I see what’s happening. Disappointed Mr. Tall–Dark–and–Delicious has a girlfriendb?/b” She nudged me with her elbow. b“/bCan’t me you. bI’d /bbe bcrushed /btoo if I had my sights set on him.”

bI /bbwas /bindeed shocked, but bnot /bfor the reasons bJessie /bimagined.

What were the odds bof /bbtwo /bbwerewolves /bshowing up in this tiny desert townb? /b

And why did they seem to be looking directly at me?

The woman was younger than I’d initially thought, maybe mid–twentiesb. /bbHer /bck V–neck tank top revea toned arms that bspoke /bbof /bserious trainingb. /bbHer /bbrown jeans hugged athletic legsb, /band she moved with the fluid grace unique to our kind.

When her eyes locked with mine, I caught a sh bof /bsomething that looked distinctly like suspicionb, /bperhaps even hostility.

They took seats directly in front of my stationb, /beliminating any chance of escapeb. /bI quickly wiped up the spilled bourbon, feigning calm bas /bmy mind raced through escape scenarios.

“What can I get youb?/bb” /bbI /basked, keeping my bvoice /bsteady.

The woman didn’t answer my question. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, studying me.

b“/bYou’re Skyeb, /bright? Adrian says you make amazing cocktails.b” /bbHer /blips curved into ba /bsmile. b“/bbMake /bme something you think I’d likeb./bb” /b

bI /bnced at the man beside herb–/bAdrian. So that bwas /bhis name.

He’d known mine since his bfirst /bbvisit/b, which meant bhe’d /bbeen asking questions. The realization sent a chill down my spine.

Focusing on the btask /bat hand, bI /breached for bottles with practiced efficiencyb, /bcreating a Blood Orange Sour–tart, bsweet/b, with an bunexpected /bbkick /bat the end. I slid the drink across the bar to her.

She took a small sip, then made a show of wrinkling her nose. Turning to bAdrian/bb, /bbshe /bstuck out her tongue childishly. “bShe’s /bnot that impressive bafter /bball/b.”

bAdrian’s /bresponse was an indulgent smile before he turned those whiskey–colored eyes bon /bbme/bb. /b

b“/bbPlease /bbforgive /bmy friend’s rudeness. I’ll bhave /banother Heartbeat b144/bb, /bbif /byou don’t mind.”

bI /bbmixed /bhis drinkb, /bbhyperaware /bof btheir /bbscrutiny/b. The woman watched bevery move /bI made with unnerving intensity.

b1/3 /b

bChapter /bb14 /b

bI’m /bNadia, bby /bbthe /bbway/bb, /bshe bfinally /bsaidb, /bbextending /bher hand across the bar. When I reluctantly took it, she used the contact to pull me slightly closer, brising /bfrom her stool to whisper in my earb. /b“I know what you are. Why would a lone wolf hide in a shithole like this?”

bMy /bblood froze. bI /bflicked a nce bat /bAdrian, who sipped his drink with apparent casualness.

So he had recognized me three days ago. He’d known exactly what I was and hade back with reinforcements.

b“/bbWhy /bshould I tell you anything?” I replied quietly, pulling my hand from her grip.

Nadia’s expression hardened. In one fluid motion that no human could have managed, she nted one hand on the bar top and vaulted over bit/b,nding gracefully in the staff area beside me.

She moved closer, invading my space, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

b“/bWhat’s your game? Who sent you here?” Her eyes shed with suspicion. “Nobody ends up in Boring, Texas by ident.”

I took a step back, my hand instinctively dropping to where I kept Tink–my silver daggerb–/bbstrapped /bbeneath my apronb. /b

This is employees only. You need to leaveb./b”

Our standoff caught Jessie’s attention. She immediately rushed over, wedging herself between bus /bwith protective indignation.

“Hey! Back off!” She gave Nadia a firm shove. “Customers stay on that side of the bar!”

Tension crackled in the air until Adrian’s calm voice cut through it. “Nadia, benough/b.”

To Jessie, he offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for the disturbance. My friend has had a bit too much to drink. We mean no bharm/bb./b”

Alpha. I’d been right about his status. My instinct to run intensified.

Adrianid several bills beneath his bss/bb–/bbI /bcaught a glimpse of two hundred–dor notesb–/bbefore standing. “It’s gettingte. We should bhead /bback.”

Nadia looked reluctant to bleave /bour confrontation unfinished, but after a moment of visible internal stoleb, /bshe rejoined Adrian on the bproper /bbside /bof the bar. bShe /bthrew me onest suspicious nce before they walked out together.

As the door swung shut behind themb, /bbJessie /bsnatched up the money Adrian had left, letting out an excited squeal. “Two hundred dors! For two drinksb!/bb” /bShe did a little dance, waving the bills. b“/bCan this guye every night? Pretty pleaseb?/bb” /b

When I didn’t respond, she stopped her celebration to bstudy /bmy bface/bb. /b“What’s wrong? What was that woman’s problem anywayb?/bb” /b

“Nothing,” I mumbled, busying myself with wiping down the bar.

Jessie wasn’t convinced. She leaned against the counterb, /barms crossed, eyebrows raised in expectation. “Oh, bI /bget it. She’s totally into that Adrian guy and bsaw /bhow he was looking at youst time. bssic /bjealousy.”

bIf /bonly it were that simple. Two werewolves showing up in this remote townb, /bone of them an Alphab, /bboth bof /bthem binterested /bin me–nothing about this was coincidence.

I moved through the brest /bof bmy /bshift mechanicallyb, /bbarely registering the customers or bJessie’s /bchatterb. /bBy closing timeb, /bI’d made bup /bmy mind. Three years of running had taught me when it was time to move on, Tonight was definitely that time.

bAfter /bthest patron stumbled bout /band Jessie’s boyfriend arrived to bdrive /bher homeb, /bI finished cleaning up alone. I’d talk to Buck tomorrowb, /bbmake /bbup /bsome family emergency that required me to leave immediately.

I bhad /benough savings to get bme /bto the next town, the bnext /btemporary job, the bnext /bshort–blived /bsanctuary.

bLost /bbin /bthought, bI /bbwalked /bto bmy /bbcar/bb, /bbkeys /bclutched in my hand. The parking lot behind the bar was bdeserted /bband /bdimly lit, bwith /bonly a single bflickering /bblight /billuminating bthe /bbarea/b.

was bso /bbpreupied /bbwith /bnning my bescape /bthat I didn’t notice bthe /bbpresence /bbehind bme /buntil strong barms /bbwrapped /bbaround /bbmy /bwaistb, /bbpulling /bbme /bbbackward /b