Chapter 2

This wasn’t fun. The music was too loud, the room was too crowded and there were too many werewolves standing way too close to me. I knew it was a bad idea and yet I’d still let myself be talked into it. Corrine hadn’t let up on me, she’d kept on and on until the easiest thing had been to give in and agree to her plans for my birthday. I’d learned my lesson, never again would Corrine get to decide our weekend plans.

“Isn’t this amazing?” My blonde-haired friend bounced up to me, drink in hand and a huge grin on her face. “I’m so glad you agreed to come.”

“It sure is different.” I just about managed to turn my lips up into a smile, but it felt more like a grimace. “How long do you want to stay for?”

“We just got here, Ruby. Relax, have a drink and try and enjoy yourself.” She shoved her glass into my hand and stared at me until I’d taken a sip. Nodding she turned and headed back towards the bar.

I should have known the night wasn’t going to go well when Corrine’s ‘friend’ had turned out to be a creepy-looking guy in dirty jeans who didn’t seem able to do anything more than grunt. The next sign that I should have stayed at home was when we’d had to crawl through a small hole that had been cut into the wire fence and my shirt got caught on a jagged edge. Still, here I was tucked into a dark corner of the bar, praying that none of the werewolves would notice me. Not that there was any shortage of humans, Corrine hadn’t been lying when she said that loads of non-wolves hung out here.

“Hey, you’re human aren’t you?” A cheerful voice pulled me from my thoughts. Standing in front of me was a short guy wearing glasses.

“What gave it away?” I knew he was human, no werewolf would ever need glasses.

“The fact that you’re desperately trying to blend in with the wall. Plus, you keep checking your watch like you can’t wait to get out of here.” He smiled and it lit up his face. “I’m David.” He stuck out a hand.

“Ruby,” I replied shaking his hand.

“Let me guess, this is your first time here?”

“Definitely and hopefully my last. No offence but this isn’t my scene at all.” Understatement of the century.

“None taken. I’ve been here a few times, but I get that it isn’t for everyone.” He moved to settle back against the wall, clearly planning on staying for a bit. That was fine by me, hopefully, it would keep everyone else away.

“Why do you come here?” I had to ask. “I mean, there are bars in the human section, why risk getting into trouble coming here? It isn’t exactly the nicest of places.” My feet which were currently stuck to the grimy floor proved my point.

David’s brow furrowed as he considered my question. “I guess I like the idea of showing werewolves that they really aren’t so very superior. They come here just as much as the humans.”

“Maybe they’re secretly laughing at us?” It wouldn’t surprise me, from what I knew wolves really did think they were above us all. “I just don’t see how this place is worth the risk of punishment.”

The first time a human was caught in the wolf section of town illegally they were fined. The second time they were jailed for 30 days, the third time they were shipped off to a work camp in the North for an unknown period of time. Of course, this wasn’t fair, wolves could go in and out of the human section whenever they wanted with no consequences. Fair wasn’t a word that could be applied to human/wolf relations and we just had to accept it.

“You’re right, The Dirty Den isn’t worth the risk, but getting one over on our lords and masters is. Call me a rebel.” He tipped his glass up in a salute, clearly enjoying seeing himself in the role of a disrupter. If I’d seen him walking down the street I never would have guessed it, he looked so straight-laced.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I saluted him with my glass in return. “Can you point me towards the bar? I need to find my friend.”

“I’ll do one better, follow me.” He began to wind his way through the crowd and I had no choice but to follow him. Hopefully, Corrine hadn’t got herself into any trouble or made friends with the wrong person.

***************************

“Please can we go now?”

I’d reached my limit and I wasn’t above begging. This was a birthday I’d definitely be remembering, sharing space with this many werewolves was literally seared into my brain. I could go the rest of my life without being so close to so many of the monsters who thought they were so much better than me, just because they were born with fur.

Corrine looked over at me, finally registering that I wasn’t joking. “Oh Ruby, haven’t you had any fun?”

“It’s been…kinda…I mean…” I had nothing, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

“Let me finish my drink and we’ll go.” She leaned over to hug me. “At least you weren’t sitting at home alone on your birthday.”

“You’re right, being here definitely means I wasn’t alone.”

I sagged in relief knowing that we’d be getting out of this cesspit and I’d never be coming back. Corrine could pester me or look at me with sad eyes or try to bribe me, but I was never going to cross into the wolf section ever again. I could already picture curling up in my bed and sleeping for the next twelve hours and forgetting all about…

“Everybody stay exactly where you are.” The music was cut off as a loud voice boomed across the room. This didn’t sound good.

Light suddenly flooded the space, leaving me blinking in shock. Corrine had my arm in a death grip as we both watched wolf enforcers surround the room. On the other side of me David looked to be frozen in shock, although there was a definite dose of fear in his eyes. I had to wonder if this was going to be his third strike.

“All humans to the back of the room, all wolves to the front.” The loud voice spoke again, steely with authority. “And no one try to hide, we’ll sniff you out.”

We were caught up in the sudden surge of hundreds of bodies rushing to do what they were told. Corrine and I clung to each other as we were swept to the back of the bar, my heart racing with fear and my brain unsure if this was actually happening. I couldn’t afford a fine, I could just about cover rent and food and there was never any overtime. I’d have to sell something, maybe an organ.

“It will be fine.” Corrine’s shaky voice pulled me from thoughts of livers and kidneys. “We’ll be fined and sent home. It will all be fine.”

“Uh-huh. It’ll be fine.” I agreed even though I was internally shaking my head. Nothing about this was fine.

“Oh crap.” This was from David who had somehow managed to stick with us.

“What? Has this happened to you before?” I didn’t know the guy but that didn’t mean I thought he deserved to be locked up. He looked really scared.

“Yeah, I’m definitely screwed, but that’s not what has me worried.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “See that guy over there?”

I followed the direction of his trembling finger and in that moment it felt like the earth shifted under my feet. My eyes were caught in a shimmering pool of blue fire that seemed to burn me from the inside out. I couldn’t look away.

“Who is it?” I just about heard Corrine’s question or the roaring in my ears.

“It’s him. We are in so much trouble.”

“Him who?” Corrine sounded confused.

“The King. The guy who rules the world.”

If David said anything else I didn’t hear it, all my attention was focused on the intimidating man moving towards us. I managed to tear my gaze from his eyes long enough to take in his large muscular frame, encased in a tight black t-shirt and dark jeans. The harsh lights of the room glinted off his coal-black hair and his eyes were the deepest blue I had ever seen. The King of the monsters was beautiful.

“What’s he doing here? Why would the King come to a dump like this?” I finally managed to find my voice, although it sounded hoarse to my ears.

“Apparently sometimes he likes to get his hands dirty, see how his laws are upheld.” David now sounded resigned to his fate. With their King here there was no chance any of the enforcers would be swayed toward leniency.

Finally, his royal highness reached our group of quivering humans and up close I could see he stood at least a foot taller than my average five foot five. This guy was power personified, it rolled off him in waves. His eyes swept over us before they eventually came to settle on me and before I could stop myself, I took a step back. A slight smirk lifted his full lips.

“You. Come.” The King crooked a finger at me. I stepped forward, hating that I did it without question. The aura surrounding him made it impossible to do anything but obey. “Who are you?”

“Uh, Ruby Mason.”

We stood there in silence, the rest of the room falling away. I had no idea what was happening but I’d never felt so terrified and so excited at the same time. Maybe being in the presence of the King of the Wolves had this effect on humans.

“Everything ok, sire?” A new voice broke whatever connection had been holding me and the King still.

“Of course. She comes with us.”