Chapter 3
The stranger smiled at me as I took his hand. He held my hand in his for just a second longer than I was used to with a handshake. We looked at each other awkwardly for a second, and then he gestured at the barstool next to me.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked.
I cleared my throat, hoping my voice wouldn’t come out too squeaky like it sometimes did when I was nervous. “No. No it’s not.” I replied simply.
“Mind if I take it?” the stranger then asked as he pulled out the barstool.
“No, of course. Be my guest.” I replied, immediately cringing at my awkward reply.
1 watched as the burly stranger pulled himself onto the barstool, which seemed laughingly small considering his sturdy build. Although he wasn’t unusually tall, his chest was remarkably broad, and he had a powerful natural presence. Once he was seated, he smiled at me again and repeated, “It’s nice to meet you, Marlie. Are you from the area?”
I nodded. “I live a few blocks away. How about you?”
The stranger looked up to the ceiling as if to formulate his response. “Nah, I’m from out of town myself. Just passing through on business.”
The bartender approached us. “What can I get you, sir?” he asked the man to my left, whose name I realized I’d already forgotten
“I’ll take a blood tea–type O if you have it. And whatever the lady is having, he replied, gesturing towards my empty glass. As he spoke, I felt the sensation in my neck arise again. It was as if this stranger and his voice were both electric.
“Whiskey sour. And thank you,” I replied, wondering if the bartender could tell what I was feeling.
If the bartender had any idea I was feeling this sensation, he didn’t let on. He whirred around, mixed up our drinks, and set, them down in front of us.
“So, a fan of the human drinks, I see?” the stranger inquired, gesturing towards my whiskey sour. Normally, I would find this sort of obvious question from a stranger odd, but in this case, I could tell from his eyes that this man was kind and honest. He was just trying to start a conversation and learn about me,
I decided to be a little more open than usual in return. Maybe it was the pull of the mate bond. Maybe it was the confidence I was feeling as a single lady out on my own for the first time in years. Or maybe it was a bit of both.
“You know, I really am. I was with someone for years who really preferred blood tea, and I don’t mind it, but now that I’m off on my own, I’m going to order what I like. And tonight, that whiskey sour.”
The stranger chuckled warmly, and I wondered if I’d shared too much. All of the advice columns, human and werewolf always warned against talking about your ex on a first date. Of course, this wasn’t a date, but those etiquette guidelines probably still applied, and I just violated them
Luckily, the stranger seemed happy to lighten the inood. Leaning back on the bar stool, he stretched his arms behind him. and I couldn’t help but admire his musculature once again. “Newly single, then,” he replied. “Good for you.”
I giggled. “I suppose it is.”
“So, tell me about yourself, Marlie. I mean.. besides no longer being obligated to drink your ex’s favorite poison, what’s going on in your life?”
I thought for a moment. It was kind and comforting that diis stranger was actually asking about me, rather than groping me or making sexual comments like so many young wolves our age
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18:18 Fri, Oct 25
Chapter 3
“Well, I’m a sort of… librarian, I started to explain. “I run a mobile book truck.”
that
The stranger nodded. “Wow, that’s unique. Is this a human thing? Do you live independently here?”
It had been so long since someone asked whether I lived independently. It was just presumed that all Burlington area wol did, being that there was no official pack in this area. The question threw me for a minute, but I was able to reply without long of an awkward pause.
“Yes, I grew up in Fairwood, but I became an independent part way through college. Has its ups and its downs, you know? It’s pretty good here in Burlington, While we don’t have a pack, there are at least 100 of us around, and having this bar helps.”
The stranger raised his eyebrows, taking a sip of his blood tea. “Fairwood, you say? Up in Maine?” he asked.
“Yes, exactly. You know the pack?” I asked, excited to potentially be meeting someone from my neck of the woods.
The stranger tipped his hand from side to side. “So, so. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard a lot about you guys through the grapevine. You have a reputation for being pretty progressive up there in Maine,” he explained,
“Ah. yes. Yes we do,” I replied, simply. I wasn’t often comfortable talking politics with strangers. I crossed my fingers that thi stranger was not too far on the traditional side. Then again, we were mate bonding. If I was feeling this strong of a natural draw towards him, then we must be compatible on important issues like politics, right?
Luckily, the stranger seemed to sense my unease and put it to rest. “Yeah, I’m used to the older members of my pack raggin on you guys. If you ask me, though, the rest of us could use a bit more of that. The wolf world and the human world have been comingling for so long now. Only makes sense that we teach the younger wolves how to better integrate and embrace their human side.
I let out a big sigh of relief and smiled at the kind stranger. He smiled back.
“Exactly.” I replied. “You’ll have to forgive me. I feel so silly admitting this, but I have completely forgotten your name already.”
The stranger chuckled, leaning back from the bar. “Happens to the best of us. It’s Cain,” he said sweetly.
Cain then reached out and put his hand on top of mine. Shivers ran down my entire body.
Cain’s POV
The way
she asked my name again was so adorable. It was as if she didn’t want to admit that she, this perfect little wolf, was capable of forgetting something. I told her my name again, and then I made the move. I simply put my paw–err, hand- on top of hers. My mate back home, Charlie, always swore by this move with the ladies, but if I was being honest, it was my first time trying it.
Marlie smiled at me warmly, and I could tell she appreciated this small, but gentle gesture of affection. I motioned to the bartender.
“Shots for progressive Fairwood?” I asked.
Marlic giggled. “Oh, why not. I don’t have to work tomorrow, anyways”
I turned back towards the bartender. “Can we have two shots, please? I’ll take whatever good Scotch you have, and Marlie will have”
Marlie looked startled by the idea that I was giving her a choice of drinks. I saw her swallow before replying, “Dark run if you have it
I admired her willingness to order something different than I h. Most women would have just ordered the same as me, as if liking the same drinks was some sign of compatibility or kindness.
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The bartender poured our shots. I watched the way Marlie picked up the shot in her tiny hands and tried to imagine wi she must look like in her wolf form. Her big, brown eyes could almost put someone in a trance, and the way her dark h hung over her shoulders made her impossible to look past. I imagined that as a wolf, she must have really sleek, dark fu tried to imagine what her tail might be like. I did always love ladies with thick, lush tails.
“To Marlie from Fairwood, the best newly single librarian I have met in…. Well… ever.” I roasted awkwardly, holding my
in the air.
Marlie clinked her glass against mine and shook her head. “If you say so!” she quipped before taking her shot.
I slammed my own shot glass down on the bar, perhaps a little too loudly. A few of the other wolves turned to look at us was momentarily worried Marlie would be embarrassed by the attention I had drawn, but she seemed to shrug it off.
“So, Calvin.. tell me more about yourself,” Marlie asked, looking into my eyes.
I couldn’t help but laugh. It had been so long since someone got my name wrong, and I almost found it… refreshing. “It’s Cain I corrected her calmly.
Marlie immediately turned a bright shade of red. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I’m so embarrassed,” she moaned.
I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “It’s okay! Really Happens all the time. Well, actually it doesn’t, but I can’t blame you. We just met, and you’ve had a few drinks.”
This seemed to help Marlie forgive herself. She took a deep breath and repeated herself. “So. Cain… see, I got it right that time… tell me more about yourself.”
I momentarily considered how much to share with this girl. I felt really drawn to her, and I really wanted to be open and honest with her, but I wasn’t sure whether letting on who I was in public, in Burlington no less, was a wise move.
“Well, I’m from a colony a few hours from here. I do run a lot of the training for the young wolves there,” I finally replied.
I reassured myself that this was a totally okay response. After all, it was true. Training the younger wolves to fight was certainly a part of my duties.
Marlic smiled at me warmly. I found myself, once again, picturing her as a wolf. I imagined the corners of her mouth curling up as she smiled. Would the whiskers on her face quiver, too
“You’re an educator, too, then?” she asked.
“In a way, I suppose,” I replied, hoping she would not press me too much further.
There was an awkward silence as Marlie sipped her whiskey sour, I decided to fill it.
“I hope this is not too forward,” I began, “but you have the most incredible eyes”
Marlie blushed, looking down at the bar. “Thank you,” she said sweetly, I then noticed she scooted a little closer to me on her barstool.
I looked around the bar. Things were starting to quiet down, as was typical at a werewolf club in the city on a Tuesday. I knew I had to head back to my pack in a couple of days, so if I was going to make move on this girl, it had to be soon.
I mustered my courage and put my arm around her. Much to my relief, she leaned her head against my shoulder, returning my gentle affection.
Marlie was still for a moment, and then she pointed at an odd battle behind the bar. “Do you see that bottle with a skull on It” she asked. “What do you suppose that is?”
I chuckled at her apparent innocente “Not anything too exc mezcal.
Fin afraid Pretty sure it’s just a brand of tequila. Maybe
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Chapter 3
how many
“Ah, cool,” Marlie replied, giggling. “We used to drink that back in college. I mean, not the kind from the skull. We couldn’t afford that. But tequila. That was our jam. Lots of wild nights with the humans drinking that stuff. I can’t tell you times I almost transformed in front of them without thinking”
I laughed at Marlie’s story. For such a sweet girl, she seemed like she’d seen and gotten to know the world. Most of the female wolves I knew back home would never admit to getting drunk with humans, especially in front of someone they just
met.
“You went to a human college, then?” I asked.
Marlie nodded. “Sure did. Majored in English literature at Ithaca College. How about you?”
1 shook my head. “Nah, no college for me. My parents were a bit too traditional for that. Some of the pups in our pack are just starting to attend human college now, and still, not everyone’s happy about it”
Marlie shook her head. “It’s too bad they’re so opposed to it. Time of my life, really. I can’t imagine who I’d be if it weren’t for college.
“Hey!” I replied, faking anger. “I didn’t go to college, and I turned out just fine. Don’t you think?”
Thankfully, Marlie realized I was joking and laughed, almost sliding off her barstool in the process. “I guess so,” she replied. rolling her eyes. “I mean… I just met you and all, but you seem pretty nice for a pack wolf.
I chuckled. Nobody had ever used the term “pack wolf” in a derogatory way towards me before, even if joking. I was enjoying Marlie’s sense of humor.
“Pretty typical coming from an independent,” I quipped back
Marlie giggled and poked me in the ribs playfully. Almost without thinking, I took the opportunity to place my arm her and pull her towards me. Our lips were inches away when gravity seemed to take over, pulling us together.
around
1 felt a tingle run through my spine as we kissed. I did my best to be gentle and kind, taking her all in, enjoying her scent and the sweetness of her lips. Then, not wanting to push things too far too quickly, I quietly pulled away.
Marlie blushed, looking off behind the bar. I saw the bartender quickly turn away, not wanting us to know he’d been watching us.
“I’m just kidding. In fact, I admire you independent wolves. We rely on our pack for so much back home. As traditional as they can be, it’s hard to imagine living without that support network.”
Marlie shrugged, leaning against my shoulder once again. “You build up your own community, in time. It’s just more of a community of choice rather than by birth.”
As Marlie spoke, I could feel her trembling against my shoulder As much as we were both trying to move on with the conversation and not mention the kiss we’d just shared, I could tell it had turned her on as much as me.
The bartender finally came back over to us. I winked at him in an effort to thank him for giving us some space. He raised his eyebrows back at me, then looked at Marlie. “Anything else I can get you two? We’re closing in a half hour, so consider this last call,” he explained
Marlie sighed. “No thank you. I’ve probably had too many already. How about you, Cain?” she asked, apparently bragging that she remembered my name.
“Just a water if you don’t mind,” I replied.
The bartender turned around to get our water. I imagined saying goodbye to Marlie for the evening, but before I really had tire to think about it, my inouth started moving “I need to get hotel room for the night. Any chance you’d like to join ine? Jasked.
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Chapter 3
79%%
Almost immediately once I said it. I regretted it. I was being far too forward. This girl was recently single, incredibly charming, and here I was inviting her back to my hotel room on the very first night. I started to backpedal. “I mean… no pressure to do anything. Nothing at all. Just… if you wanted to talk some more, watch some TV. I’m really enjoying getting to
know you.
Marlie looked at me with her big brow
