CHAPTER FOUR

The Wolf

'Howling out your name, red like champagne, you're gonna feel the bite, when the wolf comes out tonight'

Alice's hand wraps around mine and her rings bite into my skin, but it's comforting to know she has a grip on me. She pulls me into the club, Eclipse, and I feel the immediate change in atmosphere from the cold evening air that was previously nipping at my skin. The warmth of the inside of the club envelopes me and the music is loud enough that the beat vibrates through the floor, pulsing through my feet. The feel of the beat spreads through my body and my anticipation to dance grows.

I internally laugh at all the different aspects of my personality. You'd think with my clumsiness and general awkwardness I would hate dancing but for some reason I adore it. It's the only reason I'll go out to be honest, I feel like a different person with a little buzz of alcohol running through my veins and a loud dance beat caressing my ears.

Alice and I arrive at the bar and I feel her determinedly pull me forward to the front. An attractive man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that she pushes in front of looks as though he's about to chastise her but I watch his decision play out clear as day on his face as he looks down her back, bare due to the cut of her bright green dress and steps back closing his mouth. I hope this guy isn't a poker player, I think to myself smiling wryly.

Alice orders us a couple of glasses of champagne declaring that we can't celebrate without champagne, and pays quicker than I can even move, staring me down with narrowed eyes awaiting my rejection of her paying for my drink. I know it's not even worth the hassle so I just blow her a kiss and grab my glass.

We move over to a high table so that we can stay standing, Alice actually standing taller than me due to her extreme high heels in comparison with my more modest ones.

"Congratulations B!" She shouts over the music, lifting her glass. I join her, clinking my glass to hers and smiling widely.

"Thank you so much my Ali. I'll miss you!" I say pouting theatrically.

"Don't start" she laughs, pulling her glass to her lips and drinking an impressive amount of the bubbly liquid. I arch my eyebrow at her antics and join in, lifting the glass to my lips and finding that the champagne tastes exceptional. It's nice to see this club stocks decent champagne, some of the places I've been in the past have had questionable champagne to say the least. I'm not surprised, really, at the quality because Alice filled me in on Eclipse on the cab ride over. It's supposedly one of the hottest clubs in Seattle, considering it's only been open about six months. It attracts very wealthy clientele due to the events they often put on and according to Alice another draw is the plush VIP floor, that's right, a whole floor not just a section. I'd asked her how she knew all this and she shrugged it off stating that she knew one of the bartenders from college and they'd stayed in touch. I would be willing to bet the poor guy had a thing for my best friend. I assumed her friend put her on whatever list needed too, as we waltzed straight into the club as she'd mentioned her name at the door, leaving the grunts of the line awaiting entrance behind us.

The club is in the heart of the city, set at one end of a strip of well renowned restaurants and boutiques, all with a similar feel. Despite living in Seattle for quite a while now, I'd never been to this particular area. It was known as overpriced but regarded as worth the money to the young professionals it tended to attract. From my observation out of the cab window looking along the strip earlier, the businesses and buildings appeared to be very attractive and modern without seeming too pretentious. I was impressed.

A movement catches my attention in the corner of my eye and I smirk as I realise the man from the bar earlier is coming to approach Alice. I nudge her slightly and she looks up, her brow furrowing in distaste and a small sigh only I can hear leaving her lips. He stops at the opposite end of our high table, facing us but with his eyes directly trained on Alice.

"Hi, would you like another drink?" the man shouts over the music, gesturing to her almost empty glass.

"No thank you" Alice replies, politely but very dismissively. The man doesn't give up, shrugging with a smile and resting his elbow on the bar to lean across closer to her, as her mouth sets in a tight line.

"Are you celebrating or do you always opt for champagne?" he asks.

I take pity on my best friend and try and divert attention from her, answering "We're celebrating because I got a new job."

He looks at me briefly, quickly getting out "Oh, congratulations" and then turns back to Alice.

"So what do you do?" He asks her. I bite down on my lip trying my hardest not to burst into laughter. This guy clearly cannot take a hint and can't read Alice's body language, tense and stand-offish.

"Listen…" She trails off.

"Garrett" he finishes for her.

"Garrett," she smiles but it's sarcastic. "I'm not interested." She says clearly and loudly above the thumping beat.

"Taken?" He asks, and I'm taken aback that he can't just respect what she's said. I'm ready to tell him to leave myself, and it won't be politely.

"No, I'm just waiting for my soulmate and that's not you." She says it with so much finality and emotion that it manages to be enough to finally make Garrett turn and walk away, his hand going up in a goodbye and a retreat.

I turn to her and laugh as she rolls her eyes.

"How do you know that guy couldn't be your soulmate?" I ask her, wiggling my eyebrows so she knows I'm joking with her. She just taps the side of her head again in reply and I burst into laughter, the bubbles clearly having gotten to my head, nudging her hip with mine.

We have a couple more glasses of champagne, though I sneak off myself to pay for the last round, and then we head to the dance floor. I can feel my bones vibrate in anticipation and I grab Alice's hand to drag her faster. We start dancing, full of energy and having so much fun, matching grins taking over our faces when we're not singing along. I feel joy bubbling in my veins and I pull Alice into a hug still swaying, grateful that I found such an amazing friend. I squeeze my tiny friend, feeling a little bittersweet about the new job now that it hits me that I won't be with her anymore day in day out. She smiles at me like she wants to reassure me even though I never voiced my thoughts, and twirls me around. We dance for hours, our energy only more fuelled by the champagne we drink.

I'm beginning to wind down when suddenly I feel a feeling unlike anything I've ever felt. Electricity hums through my body, like flames licking at my skin. The current that runs through me warms me but gives me goosebumps at the same time. The feeling is so strong that I stop moving and glance around desperately, wondering what could be happening. Looking for a clue, looking for an answer.

I can't see anything immediately but my body feels like a live wire, I feel antsy, the sparks still tickling my skin. I shake my head, trying to dispel the feeling, never in my life would I imagine something so strange to come out of nowhere. I wonder if some fresh air will help, so I ask Alice to grab us some water and tell her I'm heading out to the outside area. I've not been here before but I can see a large illuminated sign at the side of the club so I know where to head.

I head outside, the whole area is like a patio and it's slightly sheltered under a wooden slatted roof. There are a few plush sofas and high tables around the patio. It's not very busy out here, but I suppose it makes sense that everyone would rather stay inside as it's pretty cold this evening. I chastise myself internally for not bringing a jacket with me, knowing how cold it can get in the evening. I'm wearing black skinny jeans but I'm wearing an extremely over the top black leather and lace bodice that Alice talked me into, simply giving me a pointed look and saying "We're celebrating". This contraption may have felt like a good idea when I looked in the mirror, happy with the style, but it felt absolutely ridiculous now that I stood in this cold Seattle air with only thin straps and completely bare arms. I huffed too loudly, annoyed at myself, trying to fight the electricity still running through me.

"What's the matter, Princess?" I hear a sarcastic but still smooth voice bite out into the cold. I startle at the voice, turning around to the direction it came from.

Oh no. It can't be. I look up, now already knowing what I'll see.

Piercing green eyes.

He's leaning against the wall of the club, his arms crossed in front of him casually but his eyes trained on me in anything but a casual manner. He's wearing a dark green button-down which makes his eyes stand out even more than usual, black jeans wrapped around his legs showing every bit of strong muscle. His eyes are glinting in the outside lights, making it impossible to look away. I feel like I'm on a magician's stage, pendulum swinging in front of my eyes, drawing me in to a hypnotism.

What are the chances that I see this man yet again, for the third time in two days?! I swear I have the worst luck. He clearly is still sticking with his attitude, so my back goes up immediately to react in accordance.

"Nothing that concerns you. Are you following me or something?" I hiss, smirking as his nostrils flaring in reaction to my question.

"I should be asking you that. You're the one that turned up where I work" he answers smoothly, his voice not betraying his annoyance the same way his body language gave him away. His voice is so assured and confident, no noticeable hesitation before his answers.

His answer derails me and my eyes widen as I realise what he means.

"So you… work at Denali Design" I say slowly, not really questioning just waiting for confirmation, my body tense.

"Obviously" he spits out. What on Earth is this man's problem?! The electricity is still running through me and I utilise it, fuelling my anger. I step closer to him, leaning my body up to him as much as I can with our height difference.

"What the fuck is your problem? I'll have you know that I also work at Denali Design now. I'm not there to follow some egotistical prick around!" I screech back at him, pointing my finger into his chest as I finish.

"Wow, you're really worked up" he laughs in response, but his eyes are still furious. I doubt he took too well to being called an egotistical prick.

I huff, stomping off in search of Alice. I'm ready to leave, annoyed that I'm as worked up as this man implied. Luckily the antsiness and charge running through my body has died down, I must have channeled it all on my anger outside. I make myself calm down and smile before I reach her, because I know full well I can't take more questioning from her about this guy. I find her and pull her to my side, asking if she's okay to go home because I'm tired. She doesn't seem to question my reasoning, just nodding and linking arms with me to lead me out of the club.

I get home and lie in my bed, going over the unnecessary confrontation in my head. Ever the over thinker, I start to panic. I let myself get carried away with my reaction, I may have had a lot to drink and been angry, but what was I thinking shouting at a co-worker? He could be really high up in the business and try to get rid of me; but even if not it could still create an extremely awkward working environment. I wasn't thinking of any of that in the moment, but really how stupid could I be? I fall asleep thinking the worst, reprimanding myself for letting myself get so passionate, and not in a good way.