Wild at Heart

My head was spinning from both the information Reggie gave me and the lack of food. Why I didn’t just go home and stay there until Nick came back was way beyond me, but here I was in the middle of the training center.

“Are you okay?” Alan asked me as he searched my blank eyes.

“Sorry.” I shook my head. “I might call it quits early today.” Alan didn’t look like he minded. His forehead was dripping with a fresh layer of sweat from our sparring. I was proud of how far he’d come in such a short period of time. At this point he would be giving Emmett a run for his position in the Omegas. I closed my eyes tightly and allowed the image of Emmett’s face enter my mind. It shouldn’t have gone down that way. He should be here training the Omegas just like I have been training Alan.

“Emma?” I zoned out again.

“Huh?”

“I said that’s fine, I have to get to a meeting soon anything.”

“A meeting?” I asked. I didn’t remember Nick saying anything about having a meeting with the Omegas.

“Yeah, something about some changes.” I looked at him puzzled. Why wouldn’t Nick tell me of some changes he wanted to make?

“Oh yeah.” I nodded like I wasn’t left in the dark. “Thanks, Alan, I’ll see you around.” I went into the training center’s locker room. It was unisex, so I passed by a few males as I made my way to my locker to change clothes, but no one paid any attention to me. They all knew what their Alpha would do if they were caught with wandering eyes around the Luna.

I was leaving the training center and heading back to Nick’s house when I noticed I was being followed. I could tell by her scent that it was Octavia. I had no idea what she thought she was going to accomplish by following me in broad daylight, but I was sure as hell going to find out. I turned a corner into an ally I knew would be empty and sure enough, Octavia followed. I jumped her, tossing her body into the wall and holding her throat with my forearm.

“Want to explain yourself?” I asked her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She croaked.

“Why are you following me?”

“How do you know I’m following you?” She was playing dumb with me, and I was not in the mood. I put pressure on her throat and she gagged. Her hand reached up to my arm and tugged at it, but it wasn’t enough for me to let go. “Alright, alright.” She surrendered. “I was going to warn you.” I let her free and she doubled over with a cough.

“Warn me of what?” I questioned. “The only threat I see is you.”

“I’m not your enemy.” She stood up straight as she rubbed her neck.

“You followed me into the woods the other night, and now you’re following me again. Why?”

“I told you.”

“Warn me of what?”

“My father.” A shiver went down my spine.

“What about him?”

“Don’t believe everything he tells you.” The feeling I’ve gotten from Reggie was never good, but it wasn’t bad either. I didn’t trust him, but I didn’t feel threatened by him. “He’s desperate for this alliance to work, he’ll feed your pack whatever you want to hear.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked her.

“Derek.” I held my breath and tried not to cry at the sound of his name. “I loved him.” It seems as though tears come to both of our eyes at the mention of the wolf. “And I know he loved you. You may feel threatened by me, Emma,” Octavia reached up to me, but I held still. Her hand gently brushed my hair behind her ear in a very shockingly affectionate way. “But I’d never find it in my heart to bring you harm. I couldn’t disrespect Derek’s memory in such a way.” She turned from me and walked out of the ally as I stood in utter disbelief. I wasn’t entirely sure of what just happened, but I felt something in the pit of my stomach. Holy sweet mother of the Moon Goddess, I needed to get the hell out of here.

I went back to my bar to get some food and check up on Lucas. I feel like I threw him in the lion’s den with a fresh cut steak attached to his neck. I went back into my office while I waited for my food to be cooked and leaned on the door.

“How’s it going?” I asked.

“Great!” Lucas smiled at me and it seemed genuine. “I was just getting payroll sent out before your dad gets here.”

“My dad’s coming?” I asked.

“Yeah, he’s been spending a lot of time here, actually.” I was surprised by this information. When I took over the bar I could barely get him to show up once a week. “He said he’s lonely at home.” I frowned at the image of my dad sitting at home by himself practically all day. This wasn’t new for him. I haven’t lived with him in years, so he’d been home alone since. I wonder what changed his mind. “I actually wanted to run something by you.” He turned his chair to face me.

“Okay, sure.” I nodded. He stood up and reached up to me, and I suddenly flinched.

“Sorry.” He backed off instantly. “I was just going to shut the door for some privacy.” I have no idea why I would flinch at Lucas, but not Octavia. What was wrong with me?

“Don’t be sorry, I’ve just been a little extra jumpy today.” I lied. I couldn’t pinpoint what made me do it, but I had to brush it off. I turned and closed the door myself, shutting us in to talk. “What’s your idea?” I asked.

“I was thinking about making Krista a shift supervisor.” He said with a grin. “She’s a real hard worker and I think with a little more responsibility would do her good. She could take care of the front of the house stuff so I can really focus on the bar as a whole.”

“Yeah, sure. I like it.” I nodded at him again and he clapped his hands together.

“Excellent, I’ll let her know.”

“Okay.” I nodded again, but the security camera behind Lucas caught my eye. Natalie was walking into the bar with a familiar wolf around her shoulders. What. The. Hell. I turned around and opened the door, walking out without a single word to Lucas. Natalie smiled at me the instant she saw me.

“Oh, Emma! Hey there! I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.” I ignored Natalie as my eyes locked on the ashy gray eyes of the wolf in front of me. “This is my boyfriend.” My eyes narrowed at the word. Natalie has never once referred to any of her boy toys as “boyfriend”. What made this one so special? “Emma, Chase. Chase, Emma.”

“Nice to meet you, Emma.” He stretched his hand out to me like this was the first time we’ve seen each other. I don’t know what this wolf’s game was, but I’m not playing.