Chapter 5

• I contemplated telling Dad I got a job as a waitress. If things hadn’t gone South, I would have been under him as a subordinate. It was a dream one that almost came true. Like I said the Moon goddess has a wicked sense of humour.
• “Where are you going?” Dad raised his brow from his coffee mug.
• “Uh… to work.”
• “Summer…”
• “Dad, we spoke about this. I’m not a kid. I need to make my own money.”
• “Under my roof little girl, you’ll go by my rules.”
• When would he stop treating me like a child? I placed my hand on my hip and stared him down.
• “It’s a bar. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
• Dad set his mug down and scratched his four o’clock shadow. “A bar, Summer?”
• I nodded. “I’ve worked the job before. Please, let me try to live a normal life.”
• “I guess that’s okay, I’ll always keep an eye on you. Did anything show up when you swore your loyalty?”
• “No, I guess not yet.”
• He dumped his cup in the kitchen sink. “Keep your eyes open. I can’t keep you here forever and we damn well can’t keep your secret forever. You know that kid.”
• We stared at each other for a while. “I know Dad.”
• “I’ll have someone pick you up when your shift’s over.”
• “Dad you don’t have to—” He was already up the stairs when I spoke. I didn’t need a babysitter.
• One bus later and I made it to a massive sports bar. I stopped at the door expecting to be hit with blends of smells but all I got was a strong smell of wine then I realized someone spilt a glass in the corner. I sighed and walked to the counter where a girl vehemently wiped down the top.
• “Hi…”
• She looked up and audibly breathed out. “You must be the new waitress. Even if you’re not they don’t need to know.”
• “I actually am. Where do I start.”
• “You change. The last girl was shorter.”
• It wasn’t so bad. My ass wasn’t sticking out. But my legs were out on display and the shirt left barely enough room for me to breathe. I pulled my brownish-blonde hair into a ponytail. I’d done the waitress gig before and I believed I was tough enough to withstand the macho wolves.
• “The real crowd gets going at seven. Lately, we’ve been getting a lot of visitors. Alpha doesn’t like it but he lets them stay.” My new co-worker Marley showed me the staff hangouts.
• Marley stood at five foot three with short black hair with bangs that covered her entire forehead. I assumed she was a shifter. She had a tattoo of a broken heart on her arm.
• “Why does he let them?”
• Marley shrugged, “Who knows? Don’t take them seriously.”
• “I can take care of myself,” I said.
• Marley’s brows dipped, “I’m sure you can but these wolves are entitled bastards.”
• “Oh Marley, you can’t save everyone. Give up will you?” A girl with turquoise eyes and a petite waist, dawning the same uniform as me but at least hers wasn’t a breath away from tearing in two.
• “Shouldn’t you be sucking cock?” Marley snapped.
• “Original,” the girl scowled.
• “Wipe some tables or something,” Marley waved her off. “That’s Wren but you don’t need to worry about her. Last bit of advice, watch out for Rachel. That one bites.”
• “Rachel?” I frowned.
• “Oh yeah, she may seem sweet but she’s got cards you wouldn’t expect her to play. Come on,” she said.
• Before Rachel walked in on my loyalty ceremony with Alpha Ezra I had no idea she worked at the Alpha’s house. Alpha Ezra wasn’t here.
• He was too busy to be here. As Marley said the crowd pilled in around seven. The sports bar was huge with upstairs and outdoor seating.
• As the night grew a sports game played on the massive big-screen TVs while music played upstairs. I’d been on my feet nonstop until Marley whispered to me to serve a table upstairs in the corner. Sounded shady but I grabbed the tray of vodka with two glasses. I left the cheering behind and entered into the fast-pounding music.
• The clients were spread out. Two men sat closely together at a corner table, obviously speaking in hushed tones. I kept my gaze down. The two men draped in dark leather leaned back and smiled.
• “The Alpha’s bar always has the best legs. Pour two glasses, sweetheart.”
• I nodded.
• I remained calm as they chuckled while I worked. One of them brushed their knuckles down my arm. I stilled. I couldn’t take them. I bit my tongue instead.
• “Do you service anyone else after the Alpha?” the one with green eyes asked.
• “Will there be anything else?” I asked instead.
• “Don’t go too far beautiful. I want to know how hot your fire is.”
• I swallowed the lump in my throat. I hugged the tray and scurried off. They laughed louder. I ran into a hard chest dressed in a black satin shirt. I stepped back and steadied myself.
• “I’m sorry.”
• “Summer.”
• I looked up at Ezra’s dark gaze. “That way.” He nodded at a black door with his name on it. “Now.” He pressed.
• I turned keeping my gaze on the ground. The laughter died. It felt like it was just the two of us. The door closed behind us in an office bigger than the one at the pack house. Ezra walked to his desk and reclined on the chair. His palms rested on his chest while his eyes zoned in on me.
• “Something wrong?... Boss?”
• He chuckled, “Alpha, will do just fine. Everything okay?”
• “Fine,” I said too quickly.
• “They won’t do anything to you,” Ezra nodded at the door.
• I puffed out my cheeks. “They’ll try but they won’t get anywhere.”
• Ezra smirked, “They won’t try because I marked you.”
• My heart slammed forward and my eyes turned to saucers. “Marked me with what?”
• “Possession.” He swirled a golden liquid in a glass casually.
• “You can’t do that. Gosh.”
• “Why not?”
• “Because I don’t belong to you!”
• He was off his seat in an instant. I backed up instinctively. Ezra was in my face seconds later, his hand on the small of my back.
• “You’re in my pack.”
• I swallowed, “I didn’t sell myself to you. I never would,” I whispered.
• The corners of his mouth twitched. “I marked you because you are human, Summer. It makes you easy prey. You can only imagine what your Father will do to me if anything happens to you.” He locked my jaw in his palm.
• “You know you demoted me to slave, right? Anyone can walk all over me.”
• “Not true.”
• “I know how this works.”
• “Yes, and it intrigues me. Humans shouldn’t know this much.”
• “Uh… Dad made sure I was informed.”
• He nodded but I doubted he believed me. “No one’s going to walk all over you. You’re my possession temporarily. It’s just to make sure no one grabs you. They’ll deal with me if they do.”
• I stepped out of Ezra’s hold. If he wanted me trapped in his embrace he would have done it.
• “Okay you’re not going to doc my wages, are you?”
• Ezra laughed and it filled his face. It made me want to smile but I fought it and looked away.
• “No, your shift’s done. Be here bright and early tomorrow.”
• “You got it, boss… Alpha.”
• I hurried out. His cologne was stuck on my clothes. The sound of his laughter echoed in my ears. I told myself to keep it together. He was just a drop-dead gorgeous man and there was none like him for miles. I had secrets that no Alpha would forgive.