Anew: Kindred Series Page 4

  Ten minutes later she was walking into the diner. Kristy met her at the door and greeted her with a hug and a smile. “Mindy’s having dinner before she heads over to the bar. Do you want to sit with her?”

  Glad to have company for dinner, Cynthia nodded and followed Kristy to a table by the window.

  Mindy’s face lit up. “Cynthia, have a seat, we’ll keep each other company. Wow! You look hot. Are you coming to the bar tonight?”

  She gave Kristy her drink order and took a seat across from Mindy. “Oh … I … I don’t know. I wasn’t planning on … I mean, I’m not dressed for a bar.”

  “Nonsense, you look great. I think you might even be a little too hot for our little town population. You might have every guy in there swooning.” Cynthia felt her face heat and was suddenly self-conscious. Was she overdressed, or worse, underdressed? “Really, Cynthia, you look great, and you’ll fit in just fine. It’ll be fun, I promise. I’ll be working, but I can sit with you for breaks throughout my shift. I won’t leave you alone. I promise. Besides, it’s Saturday and the band’ll be playing.”

  Kristy came back with her drink and she ordered today’s house special: roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. Kristy left and Cynthia looked at Mindy, who was waiting expectantly for her answer.

  She took a deep breath, feeling her stomach tighten with nerves. “Okay. I’ll go have a drink, but I don’t promise I’ll stay long.” She couldn’t even remember the last time she went to a bar.

  Dylan had always been too busy to take her out dancing after they had married, so she knew it had been at least that long. Nervous over the ordeal, she ate her dinner as her and Mindy talked. Conversation with her was so easy that Cynthia felt herself relaxing. Mindy could be a great friend, she had no doubt about it.

  An hour later she was pulling into a parking spot outside of a bar on the edge of town. The parking lot was dimly lit and almost full. On any other occasion, Cynthia would have left as soon as she saw the near-full parking lot. Thankfully, Mindy parked next to her car and patiently waited for her.

  A fluorescent sign hung above the door, showcasing the name of the bar: The Wolf’s Den. Mindy smiled reassuringly and pulled the heavy door open, ushering her in first.

  The smell of cigarette smoke hit Cynthia’s nose as she stepped into the bar, while Mindy closed the door and motioned for her to follow. The patrons were all busy in their conversations, so not many bothered to give her a second glance. Thankful, she took a seat at the bar. It was quite full, she noticed after a quick glance.

  Mindy sat beside her and smiled, yelling over the music. “So, what do you think? It’s not a high-end bar, but everyone is friendly.”

  Cynthia smiled back. “I like it.”

  A tall man with lean muscles and peppered gray hair approached them from behind the bar with a friendly smile. “Hey Mindy, this your friend?” He wore a flannel shirt and worn jeans, and had a white towel tucked into his back pocket. His eyes were light blue and friendly, and his lips had slight laugh lines on each side.

  Mindy nodded and made introductions. “Yes. Joe, this is Cynthia, Cynthia this is Joe. Joe owns the bar. He’s also the best bartender you’ll ever meet.”

  Joe actually blushed, and Cynthia liked him immediately. Joe’s voice carried above the music. “What can I get you, Cynthia?”

  Cynthia looked around the bar, not knowing exactly what to order. All she ever drank was wine, and she doubted this type of bar carried any. “Um … well …”

  Luckily Mindy stepped in and saved her. “How about a beer? We serve a really good draft. You’ll like it.”

  Cynthia nodded and smiled at Joe. “Draft for the lady then.” He turned and served her a beer in a mason jar. It reminded her of Toby Keith’s song ‘This Bar,’ and a smile appeared on her lips. It looked like this was going to be a fun night after all.

  Three beers later, Mindy interrupted their conversation. “Hey, I have half hour before my shift starts and line dancing is starting. Come on?”

  Cynthia shook her head. No way, she’d never line danced. “I don’t think so. I don’t know how. I’ll make a fool of myself. You go, I’ll watch from here.”

  Mindy stood, pulling her off the bar stool. “No. Come on, you’ll like it. Besides, it’s easy. All you have to do is follow the instructions and repeat them over and over.”

  Before she knew it, Mindy had dragged her to the middle of a dance floor. Wow, she hadn’t noticed there was a dance floor when she walked in. People formed three lines across the floor as they cheered happily at the band. Mindy dragged her to the last row, and Cynthia, despite her slightly buzzing state, instantly felt self-conscious. She was in the back, but totally exposed to the people sitting in the tables behind her.

  Before she had a chance to make a run for it, however, the music started and she found herself moving to the instructions coming from somewhere in the room. She knew the song playing, so she sang along. By the third song, her body became accustomed to the moves. Soon she was following the steps and moving her hips to the beat of the music. Mindy was having a blast, and as Cynthia loosened up, she was too. Something she hadn’t allowed herself in a long time.

  All of a sudden, a crash interrupted the music and she spotted a tall figure toward the back being held by two guys. As she looked at the events unfolding in front of her, she noticed the guy being held down was Mr. Gorgeous from the grocery store.

  Mindy stepped next to her and pulled her toward the bar. “What’s going on, Mindy? I thought you said it was relatively safe to come here?”

  Mindy smiled apologetically and stood next to her by the bar as Joe headed toward the back where the three men stood struggling. “Don’t worry, Joe will fix it.”

  Curious about the dark-haired hottie, she couldn’t help asking Mindy about him. “Do you know the guy they’re holding down?”

  Mindy smiled widely, and a pang of jealousy coursed through her. She immediately crushed it and waited for Mindy to answer. “Yeah, he runs the realty office in town. He’s a usual here, and normally he’s a really nice guy. Don’t know what could’ve caused this.”

  As Joe sat down with the three men around a table, the mood in the bar changed, and the music was back on. Patrons went back to dancing and conversation picked back up. Mindy looked a little out of sorts, but Cynthia didn’t feel comfortable asking her what was happening; it just seemed like a personal matter that she had no right to ask about.

  Mindy leaned close. “I have to start my shift now.”

  Cynthia figured she had more than enough excitement for one night. “Thank you so much for inviting me. I really had a great time, this was really fun.”

  Mindy smiled and pulled Cynthia in for a hug. “We’ll do this again soon, on a day I don’t have to work.”

  “Let me know when and I’m in. Please say bye to Joe for me.” She paid for her tab, leaving a nice tip for Joe, and walked out of the bar.

  A sense of being watched crept up her spine as she stepped onto the parking lot. She quickened her steps and locked the car door as soon as she was safely inside.

  At her cabin, she realized it wasn’t that late, but she did feel tired. Her feet were aching from the dancing and she still felt a little buzzed. Not wasting any time, she walked into her room, stripped her clothes, and went to bed, not even bothering with pajamas. Who was going to see her anyway? She was by herself and, if she wanted to sleep nude, she could.

  Luke

  Luke had spent all day working around his cabin in an effort to avoid any thoughts of the fiery redhead from invading his mind. He had cleared a more than necessary perimeter, he had chopped as much wood as he could find and piled it neatly outside his backdoor, and now he stood drenched in sweat, with a buzz of energy coursing through his blood that hummed with the need to see the woman he had spent the whole day keeping out of his thoughts.

  His wolf paced in the back of his mind. The animal wanted to be let loose so he could find their mate. His muscles twitched as
the wolf growled and pushed against his hold. If he was being honest with himself, he wanted to let the animal free, too. He knew the wolf would find who they both yearned for; the one being they both knew would bring them wholeness. The wolf would find their mate and tie her to them, not letting any human nonsense get in the way. But that wasn’t what the man wanted; no, he wanted her to want him back, to accept him and his wolf just as they were.

  Realizing he’d just admitted to himself she was their mate and that both him and his wolf needed her, his hold faltered, a breath escaped his lips and the wolf forced his way through. With one final shove the wolf threw him into a shift, shredding the jeans he’d been wearing as it landed on four paws at the edge of the woods.

  Well, there goes a pair of good jeans, he thought as the wolf took off at a run.

  Luke fell back, allowing it to ease his need to run freely. After a while, the wolf took off in the direction of her cabin. Her scent grew stronger as he neared the edge of the woods that came up to the back porch, and the wolf crouched low to make his way around the cabin, spotting her near one of the windows. He took a spot under some brush and stood guard, hoping to get a glimpse of their mate. A low whine reverberated the still of the forest as the wolf yearned to be near her.

  They stood watch for a long time, catching glimpses of her sitting at the small desk near a side window. As the sun began to set, she stood and stretched her long limbs. The wolf stared as she bent over to turn off her laptop and then sauntered away.

  Taking this as their cue, Luke took control and headed back home. A tightness wrapped around his heart like a vice as he made his way home, making each step that put distance between them harder to take. His wolf whined, the beast’s distress evident. Luke promised to figure out a way to approach her, though he had no clue how to explain who he was to a human.

  He had acknowledged that Cynthia was important to him and his wolf, but he battled with the thought of the changes this would bring to his life. He never thought he’d find his destined mate, let alone a human one. Not to mention a part of him still rebelled against the thought of settling down. Tonight, he needed a couple drinks, or as many as it would take to help him forget his current predicament. He showered and dressed, then headed over to The Wolf’s Den.

  Layla sauntered over to his table, looking sexy as ever. She smiled at him, her usual invitation, but he chose to ignore it tonight. He was afraid he’d have a repeat of the night before. Layla pouted as she took his drink order, but didn’t push him. It was part of their agreement, no strings attached, and it worked just fine for them both. If she fucked anyone else in between his visits that was her deal. Though, to his knowledge she only bedded him.

  Matt, and James his fourth, walked in and joined him at their table. A few minutes later his second, Evan walked in. Dan completed his four chosen dominant pack mates, being third in pack hierarchy. Dan, however, was mated and rarely came around the bar unless he was needed, so he didn’t expect to see him tonight. Looking at his longtime friends, sharing rounds of beer, he began to relax.

  Light conversation filled the air as beer after beer was consumed. Joe stepped out from behind the bar. “Luke, anything I can help you with?”

  Luke gave Matt a warning stare to keep his mouth shut, and made sure he had a straight face. “I’m fine, Joe.” Luckily, Matt said nothing.

  “You know I’m here to help, and if you need to talk I’m a good listener, too.”

  “What makes you think I need to talk?”

  “Let’s just say Layla has been, well, not her usual self lately.”

  Evan’s voice came from somewhere behind Luke. “You mean she’s been acting like the bitch that she is.”

  Luke took in a deep breath. He needed this conversation to end. “Can we get another round of beers? I’d just like to sit back and relax tonight.”

  “Very well, have it your way.” Joe went back to tending the bar, and sent the requested round of beers to Luke’s table.

  Luke had just relaxed again when the sweet scent hit him like a ton of bricks. He scouted the room from where he sat and, before his line of sight reached the bar, the curvy redhead appeared next to Mindy.

  Matt took notice of his line of sight and gasped. “Shit! Is that her? Is that who your wolf has claimed?”

  Luke turned to Matt and noticed James gaping at him. “I don’t know, but her scent is just ... I can’t explain it ... it calls to me.”

  Matt looked at her again as she sat at the bar with Mindy. “Only way it’s her is if shifter blood flows through those pretty little veins, except … she doesn’t have a wolf scent, so the only other option is that she has magic in her blood.”

  “Or somehow she’s a human in tune with the magic in the world. What concerns me is that this changes everything. My whole life, the way I live—everything.”

  “I know you didn’t want this, man, but you can’t turn away. Your wolf will fight you, and he’ll win. There’s no rejecting a mate, whether she’s human or not. In her case, she’s gonna have to get a crash course in shifter matings, because the more you deny your wolf the more intense your wolf will become.”

  At that moment, James joined the conversation. “And the more possessive you’ll get. She’s gonna hate you if you don’t mate soon.”

  Luke stared at his friends and then turned to look at the red head. To his surprise, she wasn’t sitting at the bar. He knew she hadn’t left because her scent still filled his senses, so he looked around the room and found her on the dance floor flanked by Mindy. She looked nervous, and he immediately felt the need to reassure her.

  As he battled with his wolf over the intense feelings he was experiencing, the music started. At first, she seemed a bit stiff, but as the songs progressed her body began to sway and move to their rhythm. Her hips began to move and his resolve snapped. Luke jumped up, fully intent on grabbing her and dragging her out of the bar. He saw the other males gaping at her, and it enraged him. No one other him had a right to see her moving like that!

  Before he could take a step, Matt had one of his arms and Evan had the other. They urged him to calm down and take his seat, but all reason had left him. That fiery redhead was swaying her hips in a skin-tight pair of leggings that very delicately showed every curve of her ass. She was laughing and clapping her hands to the beat of the music; she was obviously enjoying herself, and he wanted nothing more than to be the one responsible for putting that smile on her lips.

  Joe appeared out of nowhere. “What’s going on, Luke? You seem upset and out of sorts.”

  “I ... I’m not sure. She’s just standing there shaking everything for everyone to see,” he growled. He motioned his hand in exasperation toward the dance floor.

  Joe raised a brow. “Mindy? I thought you guys had an understanding in place as far as your relationship went?”

  Luke shook his head, eyes wide and almost wild.

  Matt jumped in. “No Joe. Luke is referring to the pret— I mean the girl that came in with Mindy.”

  Joe’s eyes widened and he motioned for them to sit down. Struggling to get his wolf to settle, Luke took a seat between James and Matt. “Luke? What’s going on? Is it possible that she’s your mate?”

  Luke shook his head and gave a disgruntled sigh. Was she his mate? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t want this. “I don’t know, Joe. I’m kind of new to this. I’ve never even considered it. Besides, she’s human, she can’t be a mate to our kind. I don’t know what my wolf is thinking.”

  Joe sighed and rubbed his neck. “Luke, your wolf would not make such a grave mistake. He knows his mate. And by the way you’re acting right now, I can assure you he’s right.”

  Luke visibly tensed as Joe confirmed what he had been dreading. “Okay, assuming you’re right, what now? As far as I can tell she’s human, and it doesn’t look like she knows anything about our kind.”

  Joe smiled widely. “First off, if your wolf has claimed her then she has to have some amount of shifter blood, or at least s
ome magic in her. If it helps, we can track her heritage and find out exactly where her ancestry comes from. Other than that … well, Luke, it looks like you are going to have to woo the pretty redhead. I wish you all the luck. Though, she’ll feel a pull toward you, so it will make it easier on you.”

  Luke nodded. “Joe. I just never planned to be mated. I like my life just the way it is.”

  Joe steepled his hands above the table and leaned in. “Luke, a mate changes our lives, but for the better. You’re going to discover that what you’ve been doing until now isn’t living. She’s going to bring a whole new meaning to your life. Embrace it. Being a bachelor forever and sleeping around with one woman and another satisfies your physical needs, but in the end, it leaves you disconnected and lonely. You are our Alpha, and an Alpha needs his mate. She will make you stronger in every way, and she will give you an heir.”

  Before Luke could answer, Matt interrupted. “Well, his physical needs won’t be getting any satisfaction anymore, because his wolf already interfered in that department.”

  Matt and James laughed, making Luke suppress the urge to pound his frustration off on them.

  Joe laughed knowingly. “Have trouble performing, Luke?”

  Luke nodded, eyeing Matt with contempt. “Okay. Yes. I had a little mishap with Layla yesterday, but that could’ve been stress. And I get what you’re saying. I’ll try to at least meet her and see if she is in fact my mate.”

  “Alright then, I think my work here is done. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with Luke. The pack will be really excited to finally have the Alpha whole with his mate.” Joe stood and walked back to the bar where Mindy was serving drinks.