Pride to Pack (The Mount Roxby Series) (3 page)

I put my bag on the floor under the hooks, not wanting the weight of my bag to pull the hooks off the wall.

The office is finished off with a metal desk in the middle of the room with a wooden chair from out of the bar. The walls are painted a cold grey/blue colour. It isn’t a very inviting office.

I go back into the bar to find three more customers.

Misty shows me how things run behind the bar, explaining that the customers mostly order cocktails since they’re mainly werewolves. I know better than anyone that we find it hard to get drunk. A big mix of alcohol like you get in a cocktail gives a little buzz at least.

The guy from the couple that has been in here since I walked in
, waves me over to the far side of the bar to take his order.

My first order, here goes nothing.

I give him a big smile as I reach him. “Hi. What can I get you?”

“Can we get two Russian Roses, please?”

I look at him puzzled, wracking my brain to think of what that drink could be, with no luck.
Why couldn’t he have picked something simple like a Cosmopolitan?

Noticing my predicament Misty shouts the ingredients across the bar as she points each one out. “Shaker, vodka, triple sec, pink grapefruit juice, rose syrup, basil and the juice of two lime wedges.”

“Thanks Misty. I haven’t heard of that one before.” Great, my first drink and I don’t even know it. What kind of cocktail mixer do I think I am?

“No worries Bel. Ya’ll probably get a few ya don’t know. Ya’ll get used to them all eventually. There’s a book in the office in case we get a real obscure order but most of the customers
know what they are ordering. If in doubt ya can always ask them. Although ya might get a sneaky customer or two trying to catch ya out on purpose. We have some jokers like that around here,” she says, mixing drinks for one of the new customers.

I’m just squeezing the limes into the shaker for the Russian Roses, as I get a whiff of Werewolf. I barely get chance to register the scent before I get hit with a rush of power that can only come from an alpha. The alpha’s
power wakes the wolf inside me; she starts to stir, making my skin restless and my heartbeat raise. I knew there was a large werewolf pack here but I never imagined I would meet the alpha within the first couple of hours of arriving
. I thought I’d be able to meet a few submissive wolves first; instead I get the most dominant of them all. Great!

I put the lid on the shaker and start to shake it. I turn around to get a glance at the alpha and can’t believe my eyes.
He’s the gorgeous guy that the men’s toilet door painting is based on. I am doing everything possible to not run off to check he’s not just stepped out of the painting. He’s got a lovely muscular body - but most weres are in good shape - he’s about five-foot-eight, with strawberry blonde hair, and he’s wearing dark jeans and a baby blue t-shirt.

I pour the drinks out and take the guy’s money. I hope he gave me the right money because I can’t concentrate enough to count it or even think about change. He’s started a conversation with a new customer next to him so I don’t think he is waiting for change.

I can’t stop glancing at the painting guy.

Just as I’m about to go and take the painting guy’s order, Misty beats me to it. “Hi, Theo, how are ya today?”

Smoking hot! Is how he is!
I think to myself. While I’m admiring him I realise he is looking at me as if waiting for me to answer a question I didn’t hear him ask. I look at Misty hoping she can clear it up.

“This is my new cocktail mixer, Bel. You could have warned me there was a new Were in town, I thought the wards were down when she walked in here,” she jested.

Painting guy - Theo, Misty called him - puts his hand out for me to shake. As our hands meet a tingling sensation shoots from my hand through every fibre of my body. I jump and try to pull my hand back but Theo is just staring at my hand as if he’s never seen a hand before.

What the
hell was that?
I’ve felt other weres test power but it’s never felt like that before. A test of power feels more like a pressure against your skin but then I’ve never had a werewolf test my power before, maybe they feel different to werelions.

His gravelly voice breaks my inner dialogue, “I’m Theo, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He lifts my hand up to his mouth and places a gentle kiss on it. I notice his nostrils flare as he takes in my scent.
Okay... Weird!!

As I look into his alluring emerald green eyes, that look just as much like real emeralds as the ones in the painting did, I distractedly reply, “The pleasure is all mine
.” Did I really say that out loud?

Oh my goodness, please let the floor open up and swallow me.

Any time now would be nice.

He just lets go of my hand and laughs.

Nice one Bel, you look like a bloody idiot
, I chastise myself.

I notice Misty is back at her end of the bar again, thank the angels she didn’t witness me act like an idiot.

Okay ask him for his order already, he’s only a guy.

“What can I get you?” I can’t seem to wipe the embarrassed look off my face. I can feel the flush in my cheeks.

“Do you know what a Johnnie Black Sazerac is?” He’s still smirking as if he can’t quite stop laughing at my idiocy. Thankfully it’s one of the cocktails I actually know. I have made enough of a fool of myself for one night.

“That’s Johnnie Walker Black and Pernod isn’t it?” I ask with a questioning look.

Better to be safe than sorry, or embarrassed again in this case!

As I look at him I feel myself wanting to reach out and touch him. I want to feel that power again. I stop my hand before it moves towards him.

“You’re good; I usually always have to list that one up when someone serves me for the first time.” He seems like a nice guy. I’d expect an alpha to be more serious and commanding. I don’t feel at all intimidated by him. I just want to rub myself against him, I’m glad the bar is between us, because it’s the only thing that’s stopping me.

“The last place I worked was full of men, and that’s a man’s drink, so to speak.”

As I’m mixing his drink I notice there’s a picture of a wolf howling at a full moon on his t-shirt. “That’s fitting,” I say with a chuckle.

He looks down to where my eyes are looking and gives his own hearty laugh, “I like to state the obvious,” he says with a shrug. “Did you put a request in to come i
nto town?” he asks as I’m admiring the shape of his body through the tight fitting t-shirt.

“Request? I didn’t know I had to,” I inquire with a worried face.

“Any supernatural being that wants to come into town, whether it be for a long or short stay, needs to make a request to me or the leader of the Mount Roxby Vampire’s. He likes to be called the King.” He raises his eyebrows in exasperation. “I’d recommend me, I don't bite, unless you ask me to,” he jokes.

“Oh. I’m
sorry; I didn’t know anything about it. I’m from a small town that didn’t get many newcomers; it’s mainly just the pride that lives in the town.” I catch the confused look on his face as I say the word pride and quickly clarify, “I was brought up in a werelion pride.”

“A werewolf in a werelion pride. That’s new. I can put you on the system if you want?”

“That will be great, thanks,” I say as I pass his drink over. He gives me some money and I place it in the till like Misty showed me.

“How did they react to you leaving? Being brought up with
them; they would have seen you as one of their own, wouldn’t they? I wouldn’t have thought they’d be very happy to see you leave,” he asks.

“Far from it. No, they were glad to see me leave. They had never really accep
ted me; even though my Auntie was married to one of them.” I stare off into the distance, thinking about how I was treated by the Pride.

“Once I turned eighteen I was challenged nearly every day and I didn’t even want to be classed as Pride. It was duel after duel, I needed to get away.” I snap out of my memories, realising I’m telling my life story to a stranger. He’s so easy to talk to, I feel like I’ve known him all my life. Realistically I’ve known him ten minutes, if that!

“I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear all that,” I say as I shake my head.

“Can I get another?” A customer down the bar waves me over thankfully, before Theo gets a chance to comment on me blurting all that out to him.

The bar seems to have filled with vampires and werewolves whilst I’d been distracted by Theo. I better get back on with the job or Misty will be firing me before I even really got started.

2. UNWANTED ENCOUNTERS

Theo

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.