BIRTHDAY AT THE ROCKING HORSE SALOON

The Rocking Horse Saloon was rocking, and Kiera Samuels could watch the action for once. She worked as a member of the waitstaff here, being run ragged serving and cleaning up.

She’d left the Fort Granger Pack she’d worked there since then. Everyone knew why Kiera left. Some were happy when she’d isolated herself to the buffer zone between the Fort Granger Pack and the Jasper Sounds Pack Territory.

They allowed her to work at the Rocking Horse because it wasn’t in town or in either of the packs’ territories. Partly because the locals couldn’t control what happened in the buffer area. As long as no one broke the law, they couldn’t enforce anything.

Other locals like the surrounding girls celebrating her best friend’s birthday. There weren’t many who would give Kiera the time of day. But these three did, and the birthday girl, Patricia Jonas, was the best. Also known as, Trisha by friends and family.

“So, April here’s been seeing Jerome Caine for a week! Can you believe it? At least she waited for him to lose the braces.” Kiera knew no other wolf shifter who needed braces, but Jerome. He’d been born with a snaggle tooth.

“One date. He’s cute now. Give him a break. Mary’s disappearing with that new combat trainer after class. Why aren’t you on her back about that?” Kiera smiled and listened to the girls laughing and gossiping with each other. This was a reminder of how she no longer belonged. She had nothing to contribute, and no one asked. They knew her life sucked.

“Kiera, you should come back even for a visit.” Trisha said, trying to rope Kiera into the conversation. It was something she always brought up at least once.

These girls had a small rebellious streak, and that’s probably why they were all here.

Why would no one want Keira around? Simply put. They’re wolf shifters. A year ago, so was Kiera, but today…

Today, she’s a dreaded Lycan. Lycans literally were a manmade creature. No one knows much about them, including the Lycans.

Quite literally, history was repeating itself. Shifters, vampires, and many supernatural creatures were created by the Fae centuries ago as disposable soldiers. After a small group of humans banished the Fae, and freed them from their slavery. The humans turned on them, forcing them into hiding ever since.

Few humans knew of their existence. One group used them for otherwise illegal genetic experiments because there weren’t laws against it. When their experiments came to light by the human population, supernatural creatures were discovered as well.

Kiera was one of many who were kidnapped and survived long enough to be saved. But changed forever more into a thing no one understood.

They failed to realize how different the Lycans were. They knew nothing. Not their lifespan. Could they have mates or pups? Did they resist diseases? Were they violent? Smart? Crazy?

Stories spread with no fact verification, and many were testing and studying Lycans now.

Kiera opted out. She never wanted to see another needle, hazmat suit, or white lab coat again.

So, here she sat with her few friends, pretending like nothing’s changed, but it has. Kiera felt like the poor kid pressing her nose against the sweetshop window, dreaming of tasting just one treat. She’d pretend everything was okay for tonight. Trisha knew the truth and respected Kiera’s privacy.

She was enjoying herself so far. Then Dean Jonas, Trisha’s brother and Alpha of the Fort Granger Pack, came over to the table. All six feet of deadly grace, his dark hair needed a trim, and his dark eyes kept flicking to Kiera, while he approached. There wasn’t a smile on his face until he set a present on the table and looked at Trisha. Kiera hated that. She didn’t know what he was thinking when he looked at her like that.

“Happy Birthday, pup. Now don’t blow it all in one place.” He genuinely loved Trisha, and his only other relative other than his mother, who raised them alone. How did he get the position of Alpha? The traditional way, he fought for it and the scars he carried proved it.

“You remembered or did mom buy it for you?” Trisha asked this every year. Their mom had stopped buy things like that for him years ago.

“Really? That’s rude squirt. Anyway, I wanted to come over here and remind you that you’ve got an hour before curfew starts. So enjoy your time.”

“Aw, you won’t stay, Alpha Jonas?” Mary asked in a teasing, wheedling manner.

That was Kiera’s cue to excuse herself from the table. She couldn’t stay there with an Alpha that called her a liar and be stared at. She’d had enough of that over the last year.

Kiera headed for the bathroom through the dimly lit and noisy bar. Kiera hated the fact she’d lost her sensitive hearing that she had before her kidnapping. She’d lost her heightened sense of smell and hearing as well. But gained heightened sight and touch. It meant she hated and missed the feel of being touched by others and sunny days were almost painful. Fabric and clothing were hit and miss these days.

Lost in her thoughts, Kiera didn’t notice Dean leave the table and follow her. The noise of the loud music made it difficult for Kiera to hear her footsteps or Dean’s. But she felt the electric spark of his hand on her forearm, preventing her from entering the bathroom.

It wasn’t as loud back here, and she heard his words clearly enough.

“Alpha Jonas, if there is a problem?” Kiera didn’t want to ruin Trisha’s birthday, but she didn’t want to deal with her ex-alpha.

“When are you going to come to your senses and come home?”

“I won’t change my mind. You might not believe me, but I won’t be forced to listen to all of it.”

“It’s not safe for you to live alone. It’s not healthy either. You need a pack.”

“I will say this again. I’m not a wolf shifter. No one knows if Lycans need a pack like wolves. But there’s nothing that says I need to be reminded repeatedly in a day that I’m not what I used to be and no longer belong.”

“Kiera, that was no one’s intention. You’re being overly sensitive.”

“Look, as long as you don’t see it and resist dealing with it. I won’t come back. Heck, I’m happy where I am right now and maybe I won’t leave it ever.” Kiera hated this. She’d been through so much and she believed she shouldn’t have to face critical words and unnecessary judgements for something she didn’t ask for. Why they had to blame her for what happened, she didn’t know.

The country music switched to a popular song everyone danced to, and Lacy Addams and her pampered person interrupted them.

“Alpha Jonas, come dance with me. I’m bored and want to have some fun before curfew starts. It’s our song.” Lucy Hinds was another annoyance in Kiera’s life she’d mostly left behind when she walked away from the pack. Kiera was relieved that day to see the last of her and her nails.

Kiera knew his expression was dark and disapproving before Lucy’s interruption, but it got darker than soon as she spoke. “Not now Lucy.” Lucy dated Dean and half the pack’s males before graduation from high school. She was known her nails and matching makeup.

“Come on, please. One dance. I’m sure I can show you a better time than that beast. The song will end soon before we get to the dance floor.” Kiera wasn’t sure what she saw. Dean was staring at her face with a firm grasp on her arm. The next moment, his back was to Kiera, and he loomed over Lucy.

“I said no. Go find someone else to pester. We’ll also speak later about calling people beasts.”

Kiera saw her opening. While frustrated and angry, she slipped into the bathroom. Dean saw the bathroom door close behind her and frowned in frustration.

He brushed off Lacy’s cream sickle coloured painted nails. The she-wolf was a menace to all males. It didn’t matter the species as far as he knew. She’d tried something with her eye makeup to match her nails, but to Dean she looked ridiculous. Kiera was far more pleasing to his eyes these days.

He waited outside of the bathroom for several minutes, but she didn’t come out. Dean figured he’d be nice to her sister and her friends for a bit. Then he’d find a seat out of the way to have a drink and watch his sister and the pack members with them.

He hated the fact that Kiera left the pack and made up stories about why she’d left. He could see that most still loved her for who she was and not what she now was. Well, Lucy and her cronies were an issue he’d eventually have to deal with. Now, most nights, he kept a detail of two enforcers watching her in the evenings, just in case something happened.

She may have abandoned the pack and her life there, but Dean, in his quiet way, hadn’t abandoned her.

Rob had settled down with a beer when he saw her come out of the bathroom. She didn’t get far, though.

James Duncan, the jerk, were blocking her path. Dean knew James had no business with Kiera, so why was he talking to her?

Dean couldn’t confront him here inside the Rocking Horse, but the parking lot was fair game. He’d have to wait for that.

Kiera couldn’t hide forever in the bathroom. Once Dean left the table, she left the bathroom and was about to paste a smile on her face, but that ended when another bane of her existence appeared blocking her way.

“Alpha Duncan, what a surprise. I’m sorry. I can’t help you tonight. It’s my night off.”

“We need to talk, Kiera. You need to join my pack, or I can’t predict the danger you’ll be in.” James loomed over her like he usually did when he wanted to mess with her. She didn’t buy this anymore than she bought anything he told her during their time at school.

“Or else what’s going to happen? Seriously, Alpha Duncan, I need to know what you’re talking about.”

“You need to pick a side, Kiera, or else.”

“Else what? What’s going to happen?” She hated this. “Look, if you want to scare me great. But I’m sorry you failed now. I have a birthday party to go to. Have a good evening.” She tried to be polite, but it was difficult after all these years.

The two alphas must be fighting again and threatening to go to war again. It was tiresome, and it got old very fast.

Kiera slipped around the alpha and returned to the table. “Hey, what did I miss? Anything good?”