already late Saturday and still no word.
Really? Did he forget about me already?
“So, Jacky—”
“Not tonight, Joey,” I snapped, putting my phone down, cranky there was still no contact. I’m going to call him tonight, and he better pick up. He promised to keep me in the loop. If anything happened to Jabari, I deserve to know.
“Whoa. Okay…” I heard him back away from the bar. Before he got too far away, I slammed his fresh drink on the countertop and stepped away so he could get it without being snapped at by me. I continued to pour drinks and line them up, ready for my regulars to come get them. Without Joey bothering me, there was no one speaking to me at all. The news was playing softly on the TV in the back corner, and country music was a bit louder, but I naturally tuned it out. I could feel Heath’s approach, like every Saturday. Again, he was coming without Landon.
I hadn’t talked to anyone from the small werewolf family since Monday. I was plagued by the idea I was doing something wrong or would get them into trouble—improbable, fear-driven thoughts, but once I had started to think them, I couldn’t stop.
So, I tended my bar and avoided them all week—two missed calls from Carey, three texts from her, and one call from Heath.
Now, the wolf was coming to the bar.
I shined a glass impatiently as I felt him draw close and enter the parking lot. I got annoyed as it felt like an eternity for him to get out of his car and walk into Kick Shot. I made his drink and set it in his favorite spot as he came inside. Grabbing it, he moved further down the bar toward the back, near the emergency exit and the back staircase. He didn’t say a word to me, but the hardness of his eyes told me I was in trouble.
I followed him, and he bared his teeth.
“We’re talking after you close,” he said with a snap.
“Fine,” I snapped back, continuing with my job, turning my back to him.
For most of the night, I flat out ignored him, checking my phone when I had time. Nothing happened until nearly midnight when Joey, drunk as he normally was on a Saturday night, walked up and looked between us.
“Aww, trouble in paradise between the Alpha and the bartender? What happened, J—”
“Shut the fuck up, Joey,” I growled, unable to hold back the very real animal sound that came with it. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Heath stand up quickly. If the stool wasn’t bolted into the floor, it would have fallen over. “He’s not my Alpha, and my personal business isn’t yours. Go fucking play pool or go home. If you want a drink, let me know. Other than that, get away from me.”
It was the harshest I had ever been with any of my customers. People looked over at me with wide eyes, staring until they realized I knew they were.
All was quiet for the rest of the night. The people who normally told me goodbye, didn’t, instead scurrying away like misbehaving children, hoping not to catch their teacher’s eye. I held the door open for them, locking it once the last of them was gone, glad to be done with another week. It wasn’t completely over, not yet, but it was close. I just had to deal with the wolf behind me.
“Heath,” I greeted, turning on him. “What do you want to know?”
“Where have you been all week? Carey said something was wrong on Monday, then you avoided her all week. I promised to find out tonight.”
It sounded simple, but it wasn’t. He was eyeing me as if he was sizing up a possible threat, something he hadn’t done in a long time. He couldn’t beat me and knowing that kept the more predatory behavior at bay between us.
“I…” With a sigh, I realized I needed to tell him. For Carey’s sake, he deserved to know what was going on. “Two werecats were killed up in the Pacific Northwest. It’s made me edgy.”
“I didn’t hear about that. Do you have any idea who killed them or why?” His temper deflated, but only a little.
“No. Someone is checking it out, but I haven’t heard an update in a few days. It’s just had me distracted. That’s all.” I tried to wave it off, not wanting to realize just how badly it distracted me.
“You’re not allowed to