Chapter 3

ELLA

 

“Mate!  Mate! Mate!” Lily chants in my head as she tries to push herself forward.

 “Would you fucking stop,” I growl at her.  “You are going to give us away.”

 Lily pouts as she retreats to the back of my mind.  She curls up in a ball and lets out a frustrated huff.  Rolling my eyes at her behavior, I cannot believe my luck.  Who would have guessed that a thousand miles from home I would find my mate. I refuse to let this deviate me from my plans.  

 Turning my back to the door, I tidy the glasses that just came out of the dishwasher.  I can feel his presence behind me, but I refuse to give into the urge to turn around and look at him.  His aura is suffocatingly strong.  If I were a lesser werewolf it would have brought me to my knees, but I have spent years learning how to defy Alphas, this chump doesn’t stand a chance.  He has to be an Alpha or at least from an Alpha bloodline.  I hear him clear his throat, trying to grab my attention.  Desperately I look around the bar for Sophie, but she isn’t back yet.  He clears his throat again and I know I will have no choice but to serve him.  Taking my pencil out of my apron, I place it behind my ear before turning around.  

 As soon as I turn around, my eyes are immediately drawn to his and I have to suppress the gasp that threatens to leave my mouth.  They are the most unique eyes that I have ever seen.  One is a royal blue, and the other is a dark emerald green.  Forcing my gaze from his, I take in the rest of him.  He is absolutely massive, bigger than any Alpha I have ever seen.  His jet-black hair is neatly style and I have the urge to run my fingers through it just to mess it up.  Even wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans he looks out of place in the Wolf’s Den.  He does not smile as he looks at me.  Instead his eyebrows are knitted together in confusion.

 “How’s the weather up there, Big Guy?” I quip, trying to break the tension that is filling the bar.  It appears that everyone in the bar has stopped what they are doing, and their eyes are on my Dark God.  

 I swear I see a hint of a smile flicker across his lips before he wrangles it in.  I can see the muscles in his jaw tense before he speaks.  “Is that really the best you could think of?”  He asks, trying to remain unamused.

 “I was not expecting a full-grown ogre to walk into the bar tonight or I would have had something better lined up,” I flash him a smile that he doesn’t return.  “What will it be?”  I ask needing him to get away from this bar.  His scent is overwhelming me and making it hard to concentrate.  

 Before he has a chance to answer, I feel someone grab my hand and spin me around on the spot.  Sophie is staring into my eyes, and I can feel the fear rising through her body.  I wonder if she knows who my Dark God is.  Pleading to her with my eyes to help me out of the situation, she does the unthinkable.  Pressing her lips to mine, she snakes one of her hands into my hair, and pulls me in closer to deepen the kiss.  Her lips are soft and sweet and mine open on their own, allowing her tongue access to my mouth.  Our tongues twist around one another’s and I can hear he the crowd erupt into chaos as they watch us kiss.  Pulling apart, we stare at each other breathlessly.

 “You go take a break,” she whispers.  “I will take care of the big guy and his friend.”

 Looking back at my Dark God he is the only one not clapping and cheering at the show that Sophie and I just put on.  His eyes are no longer colorful, they have changed to pitch black, and he is glaring at Sophie.  Noticing the guy that is with him for the first time, he is staring at me with a smirk on his face.  I hesitate to go on my break because I worry about leaving Sophie alone with this man.  But she taps me on the butt and sends me out the door.  

 Stepping out of the back door I inhale deeply trying to rid my senses of his scent.  Leaning my back against the cool brick wall of the bar, I light the joint in my hand and take a long drag.  

 “That’s not healthy,” a voice comes from around the corner of the bar.  I groan when I see that it is my Dark God, sauntering over to me like he already owns me.  

 Coughing a little, I sputter on my words.  “Do you want a drag?” I offer holding it out for him.  He holds is hands up in refusal.  “Suit yourself,” I say as I take another hit.

 “You aren’t what you appear to be,” I freeze on the spot at his words.  Unable to answer or even look at him.  “You appear to be human,” he continues, “but I know better.”

 Regaining a little composure, I blow out a puff of smoke in his direction.  “Is that so?” I raise an eyebrow, challenging his knowledge of me.

 Waving the smoke out of his face he’s odd eyes stare deeply into mine.  “I do,” he states simply.  “Like I know those marks on your arms are not just tattoos.”

 Holding up my arms in the moonlight, I twist and turn them in front of my face.  The symbols glitter in darkness, almost like they are glowing.  “They look like tattoos to me.”

 “I do not take kindly to witches coming onto my territory,” he growls in my direction, throwing his aura over me.

 I laugh directly in his face.  “Okay Mr. Know-it-all.”  I turn to head back into the bar when he reaches out and grabs my arm.  Tingles from the mate bond travel up arm and I have to stifle the moan that is daring to escape from my lips.  I look from his face to his hand before yanking my arm away from him.  

 “I know you feel the bond,” he says with a cocky smile on his face.  

“Look,” I growl at him.  “Whatever you are offering, Alpha Boy.  I am not interested.”

 Storming back into the bar, I let the door slam heavily behind me.  Tying my apron back around my waist, I come up behind Sophie and wrap my arms around her waist pulling her in for a hug.  “Thank you,” I whisper into her ear.  

 She turns and looks at me with the same fear in her eyes as before.  Her mascara is smudged under her eyes like she has been crying.  Cupping her face in my hands I wipe the remnants of mascara from under her eyes.  “He is dangerous,” she whispers in a low voice.  “I cannot tell you how or why I know that, but he is powerful.  Be careful.”  

 Placing a little kiss on top of her nose and then another on her forehead I give her a smile.  “I know it doesn’t look like it, Soph.  But I can take care of myself.”  I reassure her before turning back to the bar and seeing one of my favorite people sitting down at the end.    

 “Why hello there, Sexy,” I say as I waltz up to Alec.  

 Looking up from his phone, Alec gives me a giant smile.  The kind of smile that would normally make me melt, but now it just feels wrong.  I must be frowning because Alec reaches across the bar and grabs my hand.  

 “Hey… Are you okay?”  He looks concerned.

 The smell of honeysuckle fills the bar again and I know that my Dark God has come back in.  Placing my other hand on top of Alec’s I give it a little squeeze.  “It is nothing I can’t handle.”