September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)(15)

“Wait here.”

The bouncer gestured to a table covered in empty beer bottles and a plate of chicken bones. With a grimace, I pushed the mess to one side and sat down. Shaz and I exchanged a look. He gave a small shrug and sat back to wait while I perused the vicinity.

The dance floor was littered with women dancing to a fast-paced country song. More than a few heads turned to catch a glimpse of the attractive newcomer, but Shaz was oblivious to them. Most of the men occupied pool tables. Those that didn’t were gathered around a small stage where a pole dancer did her thing, inciting shouts and cheers.

My palms grew sweaty, and I wiped them on my jeans. The fact that I felt more at home in a bar full of vampires did not sit well with me. This should be the place I felt comfortable. This was where I should have belonged.

I was painfully aware of the approach of an Alpha couple. The dominant power oozed from them like a balloon with a slow leak. Subtle but constant. The Alpha male slid onto a seat across from us, glared at the mess on the table, and with a sweep of his hand, shoved the whole thing onto the floor. Bottles shattered and chicken bones flew. I squelched the urge to grimace.

“Somebody clean up this goddamn mess,” he barked. “What the hell am I paying you for?”

He was older than I’d anticipated, in his fifties or sixties I’d guess. His short hair was more silver than brown. Hard blue eyes gleamed with the predatory spark of his beast. Average height with a bulky build, he carried himself with the confidence of one who has learned to fear nobody. It was impressive and intimidating as hell.

My gaze was drawn to the totem moon tattooed on the side of his neck. It was a crescent moon made up of tribal-style curls and twists with one thin line joining each point, making it a full moon as well. It was a perfect match to the one adorning several other wolves.

“Sorry about that,” he said, his gaze lingering on us each in turn. “It’s hard to find good help these days.”

Several waitresses and a bus boy rushed over to clean up the mess. Another placed a fresh beer in front of the Alpha before asking if we’d like anything. I declined while Shaz asked for a beer.

The Alpha female slid onto her seat and immediately offered us her hand. “Please ignore the disruption. I’m Hanna, and this here is Dayne. We’re the Alphas of the Doghead pack. The head pack of the three existing city packs.”

“Alexa,” I said, grateful for her show of hospitality. “Former Alpha of the Stony Plain pack.” Shaz jumped in with his introduction. Hanna laughed and commented on the uniqueness of his name while I sat there awkwardly, unsure of what to say next.

Hanna was close to Dayne’s age from what I could tell. Tall and thin, her athletic build was draped in expensive high-end clothes. Her smile shone in her hazel eyes, but I could see a ruthless glint beneath the surface. The deep auburn red of her hair seemed like it should have come from a bottle, but I was pretty sure it was natural. She too bore her pack tattoo on her neck beneath her left ear.

“We don’t get outside wolves in here very often,” Dayne said, his voice as gruff as his manner. A muscle twitched in his sharply chiseled, square jaw. “This is well protected territory.”

“We’re not here to infringe on your territory. We just want to talk.” Shaz’s demeanor was calm, subdued. Coming across as aggressive would be a big mistake.

“So talk.”

Shaz looked to me, letting me take over. I didn’t know where to begin.

“We were the Alphas of a small town pack. The Stony Plain pack,” I began. “Now it’s just the two of us. It seemed appropriate to reach out to your pack. I was hoping you would consider a friendly alliance.”

Dayne’s frozen stare bore into me. The wolf behind his eyes seemed to surface for a moment, regarding me with a haughty glare. “I know who you are, Alexa. Rumor has it, you’re more vampire than wolf now. So tell me, why would I want to form an alliance with you?”

I could answer that many ways. Having him look at me like I was something he’d found on the bottom of his shoe made me want to tell him he was lucky I didn’t force his hand with a power play. I knew wolves though, and that would only start a war I wasn’t prepared to fight. I currently had bigger problems.

“I am still wolf. If you know that much about me then you must know that a demon has staked his claim on this city and every person of power within it. You included.” I paused, giving them a moment to appreciate the severity of my words.

Dayne pulled a cigar from the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He took his time lighting and puffing on it, all the while never taking his eyes off me. “Is that so?” He finally said. “And what might this demon want from my pack?”

“Servitude. He wants me to lead the vampires and werewolves of the city, to work for his cause, as servants in his empire.”

Dayne moved fast. He was on his feet, cigar in hand, in my face with a menacing sneer. “You think you can take over my pack, bitch? Just f*cking try it.”

Shaz was at my side, putting himself between me and the big wolf. “That’s not what she said.” He held his hands up in a sign of surrender. “Please, let her finish.”

Hanna grabbed Dayne’s arm and pulled, but the big man remained rooted to the spot. “Sit your foul-tempered ass down and listen, honey.” To me she said, “Sorry, sweetheart. Men. You know how it is.”