Blood Moon's Tears

“What does a dead man have to do with this? Why are you bringing up your mentor all of a sudden?” Lucian inquired, confusion evident in his voice.

“See the way you got uncomfortable from his name lets me know that you already know the answer to that, Alpha Lyall. I was trained by him and taught to do things that most wolves like you were never taught to do. If you still doubt my skills, then fight me right now without using your wolf and without destroying my precious bar. I paid a lot to have it built and maintained, you know,” Kenji retorted with conviction.

Lucian fell silent, contemplating Kenji’s words. After a moment, he let out a resigned sigh. “I’d rather not. If you like her, just say so,” Lucian conceded.

“Like her? That’s the last emotion I’ll have towards her. I’m doing it because of the promise I made to Scott. It’d be best to mind your tone with your elders, little wolf. I may be half-human, but I do still have the strength of a wolf of your calibre,” Kenji replied firmly.

“Yes, yes I am more than aware that your great-grandfather was an alpha in his time. No need to bring it up every time you want a fight. If you insist on having her here then the money I gave you should cover the expenses of getting her a proper bed to sleep on. The future lunar of my pack deserves to sleep on something soft and not on a filthy attic floor. I’ll stop by later tomorrow to bring back what I owe you for the front door.” Lucian assures, passing the empty alcohol glasses back to Kenji.

Kenji cleaned the glasses as Lucian’s intense gaze bore into him, the weight of their conversation lingering in the air. The sound of glass against glass filled the silence, a subtle reminder of their shared tension. Sensing the need to address the situation, Kenji broke the silence.

“Is there something else I can assist you with Alpha?” Kenji’s voice held a hint of curiosity, his eyes fixed on Lucian’s face.

Lucian’s brows furrowed as he pondered the question, confusion intertwining with his words. “Why did you not even take the time to consider me taking her back to the packhouse? You got so defensive all of a sudden,” Lucian inquired, his voice laced with genuine confusion, though his expression remained stoic.

Kenji paused, carefully choosing his words. He placed the cleaned glasses aside and leaned against the counter, his gaze meeting Lucian’s unwaveringly.

“Today was the first day I had a relatively normal conversation with her. Considering that she prefers to break into my bar’s attic to sleep than to be willingly accepted into her mate’s pack; where she can have all the protection and warmth she needs, says to me that she’s comfortable here. She trusts me even though she hasn’t said it…”

Lucian’s eyes narrowed, a mix of surprise and concern crossing his features. He listened intently as Kenji continued, revealing a side of Lele that Lucian hadn’t yet witnessed.

“The first day we met, I told her that if she wants a place to stay, then she can come to me whenever she needs to,” Kenji admitted, his voice carrying a tinge of regret. “If only I had known that offering her that much meant that I’ll be signing up as her personal emergency medic, always seeing her covered in bruises when she does show up. And having me clean her naked body off because she always passes out before she can clean herself.”

Lucian’s anger surged forth, his voice dropping to a deeper, more threatening tone. “You what?” he growled, his inner wolf beginning to stir at the thought of another man touching his mate. He couldn’t contain the anger he felt and lunged at the bartender.

Kenji swiftly dodged Lucian’s lunge, his hand delivering a precise strike to the back of the alpha’s neck. It wasn’t enough to incapacitate him, but it stunned Lucian momentarily, giving Kenji the opportunity to restrain him in a headlock.

“With your sense of smell, I advise that you don’t breathe in until I let go,” Kenji cautioned, his voice firm. “My cologne is mixed with wolfsbane—not much, but it can definitely make wolves with a strong sense of smell delirious for a while if too much is taken in. Be a good little wolf and listen to what I have to say.” Lucian’s eyes changed colour, a visual cue that caught Kenji’s attention. Curiosity mingled with the anger in Lucian’s gaze as he listened to Kenji’s explanation.

“I never once touched her inappropriately,” Kenji clarified, releasing Lucian from the headlock. “She tends to find trouble on her own. Her pheromones, as a she-wolf who hasn’t been taking suppressants, are strong. That alone attracts unwanted attention for omegas so imagine the dangers of that for an alpha like her. Whenever she sleeps here, I wipe her off with a mixture that lessens the scent a bit because if I can smell her, then everyone else with a good nose can as well. If she doesn’t trust her mate enough to stay with him why force her into a situation she is going to hate you even more for? I’ll take care of her as long as she’s willing. If we get along and she trusts me enough I’ll have Chase bring her back to your pack. In the meantime, if you really want her to get to know you and build a bond then you should stop by more often. Winter is here and I highly doubt she’ll be going anywhere any time soon.” Kenji finishes.

“Fine. If you’re way takes too long I can’t promise you I won’t take her by force. She’s mine and there is only so much a wolf can take being separated from their mate.” Lucian admits.

“Right. Just be sure to call me before you stop by if you’re coming early. I’d like to avoid continuing the war you and my front door have been dealing with since the start of this year.” Kenji states.

Lucian lets out a light chuckle. “Alright. I’ll keep that in mind.” With that, Lucian left the bar. Once out of sight, Kenji sensed a presence nearby.

“You’re awake. Apologise if I made too much of a ruckus.” Kenji said as he made his way to the staircase leading to the attic and looked up. There, at the top stood Lele staring back down at him, her light green eyes locked on him, their depths betraying a myriad of unspoken emotions.

“I see. So you smelled him, yet you decided to keep away instead of greeting him. Such an odd one.” Within seconds Lele was standing directly in front of him, leaning in ever so slightly and furrowing her brows when she got a scent she didn’t like. “You can smell the wolfsbane huh? Don’t worry you’ll get used to it. If you take in small amounts. Your dad taught me that.” Kenji explained, offering her a slight smile. “Anyway, should I make breakfast for two or for three?” Take note that her wolf was still in control even after smelling wolfsbane.

Lele contemplated his question for a moment, her mind still lingering on the recent encounter with Lucian. “Two is fine,” she replied, her eyes returning to their regular colour.

As Kenji turned to head towards the bar’s kitchen area, Lele followed suit, settling herself on one of the stools at the counter. She watched him through the kitchen’s saloon doors with a mix of curiosity and concern, her eyes filled with an unspoken question.

“Did you not sleep?” she inquired, her voice gentle, reflecting the genuine care she felt for him.

Kenji chuckled softly, a hint of weariness in his response. “Sleep is for the dead, my dear,” he replied, his gaze meeting hers briefly before he turned his attention to the kitchen. There was a playful twinkle in his eyes, an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

With a sigh, he paused, his gaze fixed on Lele as if making a silent plea. “I’ll sleep once you agree to behave and drop the attitude for the rest of the winter, as long as you sleep here,” he stated, his voice tinged with a mix of sternness and affection.

Lele furrows her brows in disapproval but as Kenji stood there not making breakfast as he normally would whether or not she responds to his questions she sighs in defeat and nods, agreeing to the terms he set.