Chapter Four

It was a dark and chilly Thursday evening when Lucas pulled his car into the parking lot of a bar located just a couple of blocks away from the college. It was a relatively new establishment, having only opened its doors a few weeks ago. 

He stepped out of his car, dressed in a leather jacket and jeans, his senses heightened as he scanned the area for any signs of danger. It wouldn't do for him to come in his usual formal attire since he wanted to blend in. He walked into the bar, his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting, and immediately had his senses flooded with a mixture of smells ranging from strong alcohol, smoke and sweat.

The interior was done up in dark wood, giving it a slightly modern feel, and the overall design was all about clean lines, minimalistic furnishings, and a focus on high-quality materials. Loud music was blaring from the speakers which were at various points of the bar.

The walls were painted in a muted black colour with dramatic lighting to create a warm and inviting ambience with the high ceiling, giving the space an open and airy feel even though it was filled with gyrating bodies dancing to the playing music.

Artworks adorned the walls, from large-scale abstract pieces to smaller framed photographs, adding a touch of sophistication to the space.

The bar had a distinct air of danger about it and the occasional clink of glasses and murmur of voices could be heard over the dull roar of the city outside.

Scanning the patrons present in the bar, he noted that it had already gained a reputation as a place where criminals and other unsavoury characters would congregate. The patrons were mostly a rough-looking bunch, with leather jackets and tattoos adorning their bodies.

The waitresses serving drinks were dressed in provocative outfits that seemed to gain nods of approval from most of the male occupants of the bar who were leering at them.

He moved through the crowded space with ease, his senses still on high alert. He could sense the tension in the air, the feeling of unease that hung over some patrons like a dark cloud. But he was not afraid. In fact, if the occupants of the bar knew who had just entered, they would run for the hills.

As he approached the bar, he could see the bartender polishing glasses behind the counter. He had a scarred face and looked up as he approached, eyeing him warily. 

"Give me the strongest drink you have." Dropping a wad of cash on the table, the bartender visibly relaxed and took his order.

The bar area was the focal point of the space, featuring a long, polished concrete bar top with a sleek, modern design. He noticed it was stocked with top-shelf liquors, premium beers, and artisanal wines, all displayed on open shelving or behind glass cabinets for easy access.

As he sipped his drink, he subtly scanned the room, searching for any sign of the rogues he had been tracking. Focusing his senses, he caught a faint whiff of something familiar. The scent of a werewolf, his knuckles gripped the cup tighter as he brought it to his lips.

He quickly scanned the crowded bar, trying to trace the source of the scent until he spotted a group of rough-looking men sitting in a corner, their eyes darting around the room suspiciously. Grabbing his drink and slowly taking a sip, he kept his eyes trained on the group.

To his left, he suddenly noticed a commotion near his barstool. A young waitress was slowly backing away from a burly man who seemed to be getting aggressive.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" He asked, dropping his drink on the counter and turning to face them. The man turned to face him, his eyes narrowing in anger. "This little lady spilled my drink all over me," he growled. "I demand an apology."

The waitress looked terrified, her hands trembling as she clutched her tray. "I-I’m so sorry, please! Someone bumped into me from behind and I–" 

"Shut up you stupid cunt! I'm going to teach you a lesson and have a word with your manager." His face was growing red and he looked furious. 

Lucas could sense the man's hostility and knew that the situation could turn violent at any moment.

"Sir, why don't we all just calm down?" He said, keeping his voice level. "I'm sure the young lady didn't mean any harm. Let's just talk this out like reasonable adults."

The man turned and sneered at him, clearly not impressed. "Who are you, some kind of hero? Mind your own business, pretty boy."

At that moment, the man lunged towards the waitress, his hand raised to strike her. Lucas reacted instinctively, his werewolf strength allowing him to move with lightning speed,

He caught the man's arm and twisted it behind his back, locking his arms, he backed the waitress and pulled the man towards him and leaned into his ears so he could use his alpha tone on him.

"You're going to fucking calm down and pay for the drinks, apologise to the young lady and get the hell out of here," he menacingly whispered into his ears.

The man struggled and cursed for a few seconds until the compulsion sank into his mind, going lax immediately but Lucas still held him in place, not letting go quickly so any observer wouldn't notice what he had done. 

Anyone watching would think he only threatened the burly man who became terrified and decided to leave hurriedly to avoid any trouble.

Slowly releasing his grip on the man, he looked around to see if any of the other patrons paid them any mind but the crowded bar was so noisy and confrontations weren't anything new, but it was better to be safe. He couldn't risk revealing his nature and scaring off the werewolves he was tracking.

The trembling waitress who had moved backwards to avoid getting hit caught his attention, her eyes brimming with tears. 

"Thank you very much mister," she whispered. "You saved my life."

"Nah, it's nothing serious. You just need to be more careful when you're passing through the crazy dancers." She nodded at him and tried to wipe a few tears that threatened to escape. 

Now that he could see her clearly, he couldn't help but notice that she looked very young. She had an innocently alluring face, expressive blue eyes and very long hair tied up into a high ponytail. He tried not to look below her neck at the provocative outfit when he noticed she was suddenly trembling and seemed like she was on the verge of a panic attack. 

"Are you okay?" He questioned worriedly. The waitress nodded, still shaking from the ordeal. "I'll be okay," she said. 

"Come with me. You need to step outside for a moment to gather yourself together."

Before she could protest, he gripped her hands and pulled her with him as he tried to make his way out of the bar, navigating through the sea of bodies pressing against them.

As soon as they both stepped out of the bar, he led her to a quiet spot just beside the building and let go of her hand. He knew what the early stages of a panic attack looked like, having suffered it quite frequently while growing up.

The waitress held the empty tray to her chest and was taking deep breaths.

"That's it. Just calm down, you'll be alright."

He already made up his mind to use his alpha voice on her if she didn't calm down but it seemed the outside air was helping her relax.

"Thank you once again sir," she was breathing normally now and her voice sounded clearer. He noticed she wouldn't meet his eyes and seemed to be blushing. 

"I-I feel better now and I'd better go inside to continue my shift." She stammered out with her head bowed in gratitude and quietly went around him and returned to the bar.

He didn’t know what possessed him to help her. Maybe because he was right there and knew he could do something to stop it. Unlike back then…he snapped himself out of it.

Recalling the werewolf he was watching, he went back into the bar and found out he had left. Had the werewolf noticed him? Did he suspect he was onto him? He cursed internally. 

He'd lost his chance because of the waitress but he wasn't too angry. He was going to be patient, after all he had all the time left in the world.