“Why?”
“Well,” he said, meeting my eyes, “one of you seems like more than enough.”
I snorted. “You don’t even know me.”
His gaze held mine, steady and warm. “I know enough.”
Something in my chest eased, just a little. My wolf settled, content, like it agreed.
And for the first time that night, I didn’t feel quite so alone.
3
MARK
The night was winding down when I paid my tab at Griffin’s bar.
The bass from the speakers still pulsed through the floorboards, vibrating under my boots, but all I could really hear was Zack’s laugh echoing in my head.
That bright, animated tone that hadn’t changed at all. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about music or his band.
I’d told myself I came here to unwind after work. Maybe grab a drink, listen to live music. That was a lie. I’d known Zack would be here.
I’d overheard a couple of the guys at the compound earlier in the week. Apparently Griffin was hosting a Caribbean night.
My wolf had perked up immediately, tail wagging in my chest like some overeager pup. I told myself I wasn’t going to show up. That I didn’t care.
That what happened two years ago was a one-time thing. We had a good night, a great night even sure, but nothing more.
Then I found myself parking outside Griffin’s, heart hammering like an idiot’s.
And the moment I saw him up on that small stage, hands moving fast over the kit, curls falling into his eyes, all the excuses I’d built came crashing down.
He looked amazing on stage. When those gorgeous eyes scanned the crowd and landed on me, just for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
At first, he didn’t seem to remember me. I’d smiled back, quietly said to myself it didn’t matter, but inside, my wolf growled in quiet disappointment.
But something must’ve clicked later, because there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Like he’d finally pieced it together.
After that? Talking to him had felt effortless.
Now, sitting here with an empty glass and a heart full of static, I couldn’t shake the memory of his smile. His distinctive scent still clung to me like smoke.
My wolf was restless beneath my skin, pacing, nosing at the edges of my control like it wanted to find him again, but I didn’t.
Because what was I supposed to say?Hey, I’ve thought about you for two years even though we barely knew each other?
Yeah, no. That wasn’t me. I’d been burned once before. I still had the scars to prove it.
I told myself Zack was just nostalgia. A ghost of a what-if. Something safe to want from afar. Except when I saw him tonight, nothing about it felt safe.
The attraction was still there, electric and immediate. My wolf knew it too.
The moment Zack’s scent hit me, the animal part of me went still. Not out of threat, but recognition. Likefinally, there you are.
And that terrified me more than I wanted to admit.
I tossed a few bills onto the counter and nodded at Griffin, who gave me one of those knowing looks that said he saw right through me.
