Behind The Alpha Series Book 6 Oliver

EZRA

“What can I get you?”

“4 beer!” The young man yells as he holds up four fingers.

I rush to the fridge and get his order. I’m exhausted, frustrated and my wolf wants out bad. I have to fight every minute to keep her down. I thought I could do a month between hits, but the way she wants my control, I’ve been shooting weekly. My bottle won’t last as long as I need to.

It probably doesn’t help that my cabin in the woods has been taken away. I can’t leave town too often because the wolves watch the path I take. The black wolf is making sure he finds me. I won’t let him find me.

“Jane! Hurry up!” Paulie yells from the other side of the bar.

I wipe my hands on my jeans and blow out a breath. “Right.”

I serve a few more drinks and drop a beer in the bar. A guy grabs my hand. “Hey, baby. Why don’t you come with out back for a break?” He smirks.

“Let go.” I warn.

He narrows his eyes. “No. Come with me out back.” He repeats.

I lean toward him. “I’d rather fuck a cactus.” I growl.

He stands up and pulls me to him. “What the fuck you say?”

I feel my wolf rise and I dig my claws into his hand. He screams and lets go. “Did I fucking stutter?!” I yell back.

He backs off and shoots anger my way.

I squint at him. “Leave!” I bark.

The guys at the bar turn to him then turn back to their drinks. No honor among thieves apparently.

He turns and disappears into the crowded bar. I wipe my hand and grab a beer out of the fridge. “I swear, these guys are getting worse.”

Paulie makes a bunch of shots. “Just keep your head down and your mouth shut. They pay us remember?”

“You can’t tell me that was good.” I say.

“It happens. Try not to piss anyone else off. Just get to work.” He caps the bottle he has and takes the shots to the bar.

I rip off my apron. “I’m going on a break.”

I walk to the back and into the employee washroom. I lock the door and sit on the floor.

I pull out my Croak and syringe. My wolf felt like lots of blood and death. If that guy was anymore pushy, I would have let her go and laugh in his dead fucking face. I still might. Men like that don’t deserve to live. For the sake of my job, I’ll drown her in Croak and keep her silent.

I release the band and my arms flop down to the floor. I feel better already as it fills my mind and strength. The world spins and lean on the toilet.

The bar behind the door flows away in the river of mind and I float. Just float in my peace and perceived completeness. The forms of me and my wolf melt in my mind and its just me again. It’s more than me. I feel the power at my feet.

I watch it swirl around my shoes and I slowly raise my head.

The sight of yellow/green eyes, evil growl and dripping canines is right at the end of my nose and I scream.

I jolt awake on the floor of the bathroom, panting out breaths. My heart beats like a drum in my chest and I rub my eyes to get Michael’s horror off them.

I stand up and go to the sink. Splashing water on my face, I feel the trip of the Croak fade and I become a person again. My wolf is raging somewhere off in the distance and I can function again.

Composing myself, I clean up the Croak and go back out to the bar. The noise of it hits my ears and I slightly wince.

“About fucking time!” Paulie barks.

“Sorry.” I mumble and tie my apron back on.

The men shout orders and demands. They run me ragged and it takes everything I have to not flip out.

“I haven’t got all night, sweetheart! Hurry your ass up!” A man yells. I slam a glass up and pour his whiskey.

I glance up to see a dark eye looking at me from behind his head. He walks slowly like he’s stalking me through the trees.

I instantly heat and my wolf gets infuriated. She can feel him and she doesn’t like it.

I narrow my eyes as I watch him walk to the end of the bar and sit. He lights a fat cigar and leans on the bar.

“Whiskey!” He says with the cigar in his teeth.

I stare a little longer. “Coming right up.”

I stand in front of him, put a glass down and pour.

“Tough night?” He blows the smoke up in the air.

“Maybe.” I mumble.

“It is or it isn’t. Maybe isn’t an answer.” He folds his arms on the bar.

“It is. Enjoy your drink.” I side eye him and go back to work.

I can feel his eyes on me the whole time he sat there sipping his glass. He didn’t talk. He didn’t dance. He didn’t do anything, but watch me with suspicious eyes. I’m starting to get nervous. I want him to go away. Why isn’t he going away?

I serve a few more and I see him wave me down in the corner of my eye.

I drop what I’m doing and grab a towel. “I’m very busy.” I grumble.

“I didn’t catch your name.” He twists his lips and ashes his cigar in the ashtray.

“That’s because I didn’t give one.” I say as I wipe my hands.

“I want a name?” His deep voice is so deep, it tickles my ribs even in the noise of the bar.

I arch a brow. “Any name?”

“Your name.” He looks me over for the hundredth time.

I study him for a minute and think. “No.” I push off the bar and serve the next customer.

“Tell me your name.” He demands. He folds his arms on the bar with his cigar sticking up. A trail of white smoke rises into the air.

“Why do you…” I twist off a cap and drop the bottle on the bar.

“I said…Tell me your name.” He narrows his eyes.

I walk back over to him, lean my hands on the counter and tilt my head. “You’re not used to the word no, are you.” My wolf pushes and I push back. It’s like a secret argument, that he can’t see, about whether he should live or die. I shove her down hard and she stops.

He puffs his cigar and blows out the smoke. He watches himself roll it in the ashtray to form the end. “No…I’m not. I’m also not used to women talking back.” He slyly arches a brow and rolls his eye to mine. It looks like a warning.

The corner of my lip ticks up. “Get used to it, buddy.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out money. He pulls a hundred dollar bill out and holds it in his fingertips.

I cross my arms. “What would you like?”

He eyes me. “Your name.” He coolly puts the bill down on the bar, thumps his thick finger on it and pushes it my way.

I flick my eyes between the money and his eyes. His stare doesn’t break.

Like a wild animal nervous about taking food, my hand slowly reaches for the money. At the last second, he pulls it back.

“The name.” He says low.

“Jane.” I hesitantly answer.

His eyes penetrate. “Jane what?”

I place my fingers on the bill and tug it slightly. He still has pressure on it. “Jane Smith.”

“Really?” He gives a questioning look.

“Yes, really.” I clench.

His fingers pop off the bill and I rip off like the animal running away with the gift. I stuff it in my apron and go to walk away.

“Jane?”

I look over my shoulder.

“Manners.” He remarks as he places the cigar in his lips.

“Thanks.”

I go back to work and don’t look his way, but still feel his eyes on me.

I shouldn’t have done it because I feel owned by him somehow. My wolf certainly doesn’t like his attitude, but right now, we don’t need to stir up trouble. I just want to lay low and hopefully he’ll forget I even exist.

****

The night wore on and by the end of it I couldn’t wait to get some sleep.

After cleaning up, all I had left was to empty the tables and stack the chairs.

I was so focused on getting out as quick as possible, I didn’t know there was still a guy here.

“Hey, sweet thing.”

I turn around to the guy who was aggressive with me earlier. He runs his hand through his graying blonde hair and rubs his unshaven chin.

“Me and you still have to have that talk.” He slurs. He’s clearly drunk and still wanting to cause shit. My wolf gets her back up. I’m thinking I actually might need her.

“We're closed. Get out.” I demand.

He lifts a finger and wags it as he stalks me. “Nah…Don’t work that way, sweetie. I give the orders. You obey the orders. This here, makes you think your in charge, when you’re actually not.”

“I said, get out.” I grit. “Final warning.”

“What are you going to do, little girl?” He gives me a drunk smirk and gets in my space.

“Back off.” I shove him back and he almost falls on his ass.

His brows cinch and his eyes flare. “You need to be taught to behave, little lady.”

He rushes me, I pick up a chair and throw it at him.

He bashes it out of the way and I run for the front door.

He catches up and grabs me by the back of the head, pulling my hair. I struggle in his grip, trying to get his hands off. I hold my wolf back.

‘Not yet!’

He grips my throat and places his lips on my cheek. “We're gonna have some fun.” He growls.

He starts to pull me to the back and I’m pushed to the floor. I hear a dark, scary growl and I whip my head in time to see the guy fly across the room and hit the wall of the bar.

I find dark eyes staring at mine. He slowly turns to the guy with a snarl of his lips.

The guy whines and tries to stand. “I-I'm sorry…A-Alpha.”

He ticks his head. “You’re not sorry enough yet.” He rumbles.

He strides across the floor, picks the guy up and slams his head twice into the brass rail across the bar. The guy screams in agony and the Alpha grabs his jacket. He delivers two very hard punches to his face.

I have killed many people, but that made me wince and cringe.

He picks him up and drags the guys whimpering body to the door.

I get up off the floor and walk to the door as he throws the guy out onto the parking lot pavement.

He throws his finger out at him. “You show your fucking face around here again and I snap every bone in your fucking body!!” He points to me inside the bar. “You even come within a 100 feet of her anywhere…I will kill your ass!!”

He walks back into the bar and looks me over. “Did he hurt you?”

“You didn’t have to do that.” I wrap my arms around my waist as I try not to look at him.

He leans to my eyes. “Yes, I did.” He holds up a card. “If he shows up, call me.”

I take the card and read the name. “Oliver.”

He looks to the rail. “Sorry about the blood.”

I turn and see the rail splattered with the guys blood and whine. I just cleaned that. “Thanks.” I mutter and turn back, but he was gone and the front door was closed.

My brows stitch up and I look at the card again. I can bet this whole thing would have gone different if he knew what I was. I don’t even know what I am. All I know is, people of my kind are killed by him. I can’t have this. He’s too close.

I rip the card up and throw it out. It’s safer that way.

It did feel good when he stood up for me. I know my kind never would unless Michael told them to. We don’t work like that. In my people, it’s get killed by Oliver or them. Either way, it’s better to be alone.

Together gets you dead.