Chapter 3

Jessica was smiling to herself as her wolf loped through the forest on the outskirts of Springfield. She was finally out from under her parents’ thumbs and could be herself. Her parents treated her like a little girl. She was an Alpha she-wolf. At fifteen, she was more than what humans were at twenty. That was why Jessica had stolen her older sister’s driver’s license. She and Vanessa looked so much alike that no one would doubt she was twenty-two.

She paused near the treeline and watched the city before her. This was where she had always wanted to be. Jessica shifted and quickly dressed in dark-wash tight jeans, black high-heeled boots that hit the middle of her knee, and a low-cut black blouse that left little to the imagination. The fabric was just sheer enough to let a hint of her lace bra peek through. Jessica fluffed her long blonde hair with her hands and applied more makeup than she could ever remember wearing. She loved the look; her parents would hate it, and that was just what she wanted.

Jessica took the burner phone she had acquired from her bag and pulled up a map of the city. She had looked at it a hundred times, but she still wanted to confirm her location with the GPS. She was right where she thought she was. Nearby was a park, and just past it was the club, Hardline, that she had her sights set on. Music, drinks, and cute guys were just what she had in mind. There was also a hotel a block further into the city. While it wasn’t the fanciest, she was sure that using her sister’s license, she could get a room. 

She stuffed the phone back into her bag and began walking. Jessica inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of the city. It was different from what she was used to. The pack was a town, but it was much smaller. There, she could still smell the forest surrounding it. Here, all Jessica could smell was the city. Car exhaust, asphalt, humans, and industrial manufacturing filled her nose, making it itch. The forest she had just run through was still in view, yet Jessica could not smell it. That irritated her in a way that she did not expect.

By the time she reached the park, her wolf hearing was already picking up the music in the club. At that volume, Jessica would have to push her wolf to the back of her mind to keep it from making her ears hurt. Knowing that, she still wanted to go to the club. It was late, so it would not be open much longer that night, but it would give her a chance to meet someone and set up to meet them the next night. From there, she might even invite them back to her hotel room. They wouldn’t need to know that she was not Vanessa or her real age, she mused as she strolled past the park.

When Jessica reached the club, she flashed her sister’s ID and was admitted without a second glance. She stepped into the club to be met with blaring music and strobe lights flashing. Jessica smiled at a few guys as she made her way through the crowd to the bar.

“Welcome to Hardline! What will it be?” the bartender asked.

Jessica smiled at the man and purred, “I’m in the mood for something sweet. What do you recommend?”

The bartender grinned at her and replied, “That depends on if you are in the mood for something fruity or more of a dessert-type experience.”

“I think I will start with something fruity and then, if I need another round, I will go with the dessert one,” Jessica said, her eyes twinkling as she smiled at the man. 

“Sounds like a plan to me,” the bartender said. “I’ll make you something special.”

“I’d like that,” Jessica said with a smile that she hoped would let him know she was interested in him.

Jessica watched the bartender make her drink. She caught him smiling at her several times as he poured various things into a glass and mixed them. She bit her lip as the man approached. He slid the drink to her and leaned in close so he could speak softly and still be heard over the music.

“Try this. I think you’ll like it. It’s sweet with a little bite,” the bartender said into her ear.

Jessica said nothing as she picked up the drink and took a sip. Her taste buds were hit with a mix of fruit juices with a tang at the end that made her jaw ache. It was unexpected and delightful, even with the hint of pain it caused.

“This is perfect. What is it?” Jessica asked. 

“A little of this and a little of that. It’s my own special blend,” the bartender replied. “By the way, my name’s Sam.”

“Vanessa,” she said, introducing herself as her oldest sister and sticking her hand out to shake his.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vanessa,” Sam said, smiling at her and taking in what she was wearing. “Have you been here all night, because I’m pretty sure that I would have noticed you.”

“Nope. I just got into town. I thought I would swing by and check out the vibe before coming back tomorrow. That way I could find a different club if this one weren’t what I was looking for.” 

“So, do you plan on coming back tomorrow?” Sam asked.

“That depends. Are you working tomorrow?” she asked.

Sam chuckled, “I can be.”

“Good, then I will be back tomorrow,” Jessica said, finishing her drink and putting the glass on the bar. “Since I am coming back, I think I will call it a night.”

“Are you sure? You still have a second drink to try,” Sam coaxed.

“OK. You twisted my arm, but then I have to go.”

“It didn’t take much twisting.”

“It rarely does,” Jessica teased.

“Do you like chocolate?”

“I love chocolate.”

“I’ll be right back,” Sam said with a wink before he walked away to make her drink. 

Jessica watched him and thought about what it might be like to be with him. Sam was tall for a human, and a bit lanky. She wasn’t sure if he had ever set foot into a gym or if what muscles he had were from lifting crates and boxes as he stocked the bar. There was something about his unruly brown hair and warm brown eyes that she found alluring. If she had him for her first time, she would be happy with that.

“Here you go! One chocolate martini,” Same said with a rakish smile as he placed the drink before her. “Try it and tell me if you like it. If not, I’ll make you something else.”

Jessica took a sip and was in heaven. That drink had everything she wanted but didn’t know. She nodded her approval as she took a long drink from the glass.

“Good?” Sam asked.

“Amazing!” Jessica laughed, pointing to her glass. “This is what I want tomorrow. I plan on coming right after you open. Will you be here then?”

“I will be now,” Sam replied.

Jessica downed the rest of her drink, making Sam look at her with a raised eyebrow. She took a handful of bills from her wallet and laid them on the bar. Will that cover my drinks?”

“Um, yeah,” Sam said as he took the money. She had paid him more than twice the cost of the drinks. Sam tried to dismiss it as a nice tip added to her bill as he took the money. “I will see you tomorrow. Are you sure you are OK to get home?”

“I’m fine,” Jessica said as she stepped back from the bar. “I have an amazing tolerance for alcohol.”

“I’m beginning to see that. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Sam called after her as she worked her way toward the door.

When Jessica stepped outside, where the sound was dampened, she let her wolf take her usual place in her mind and begin clearing the alcohol from her system. She would never admit it to Sam, but the two drinks were making her feel dizzy. 

Jessica walked slowly to the hotel a block further down the street. When she arrived, she was disappointed. She knew the hotel was not the best, but as she stepped into the lobby, she was becoming worried about lice or bedbugs being a problem,

“Can I help you?” A woman behind the counter asked.

“I need a room for the night,” Jessica said. 

“No problem, sweetie. Most of our customers are from the club down the street who need to sleep it off for the night,” the woman said as she slid a book in front of Jessica, pointing to an empty section. “Fill that out. Check-out will be at eleven in the morning. One night without extras will be forty dollars.”

“What about with extras? While I did stop in at the club, I’m not sleeping anything off,” Jessica said.

“For full amenities, it is fifty dollars. That includes snacks, the wi-fi password, and cable with pay-per-view channels. We will add anything you watch on those to your bill. I am notified as soon as it happens,” the woman said as she pulled a bag from under the counter, filled with fun-size chips and candies, and placed it for Jessica to take.

“I’ll take the full amenities package,” Jessica said as she finished and pushed the registration book back to the woman. “You do take cash, right?”

“Yup. Prefer it to anything else,” the woman chuckled.

Jessica quickly took cash from her purse and paid for the room, took her key and bag of snacks, and hurried to her room. She used the swipe card to unlock the door. She opened it and flipped on the light switch. To her surprise, the room was neat and clean. Jessica smiled as she flopped onto the bed, sprawling across the mattress. This place was good enough that she might even stay here the entire time she was in Springfield. But how would a guy react if she brought him back to a cheap motel room? Jessica sighed; she would have to think of a solution to that problem, because she wasn’t sure that going to their place was the best option. Although at the moment, that was the only option she had.