Hana

Hana's POV

I hate coming to bars, and this one was no different from what I expected it to be. The smell of spilled beer and stale cigarette smoke clung to me as I walked inside. I wasn’t here for a good time or to get drunk off my ass. Yet, here I was.

The old bat shoved this bag, and whatever the hell was inside at me. She threatened me and told me I better be at this run-down place at 8 am sharp or I will be a toad stew.

I didn’t open the bag. I have no desire to know what is inside. Honestly, I didn’t even want to know what type of person would ask my grandma for anything. More so because my grandma isn’t just anybody, she’s the High Witch.

Somehow, I got lucky, or maybe unlucky enough, to be the sole heir to the throne. My mom was a loose cannon, my grandma told me, and disappeared one day. The whispers I heard in passing said she ran off with my dad, as she didn’t have any magic, or she was cursed but my grandma.  Shaking that thought from my mind, I sighed loudly and deeply. I wasn’t meant to be here to do errands for the crazy old lady. She threatened me that if I read another book that the goddess of Erza, mother of witches, would burn me to a cinder. I can’t help it, I like a good spicy book filled with smut. My guess is she forced me out of our estate to be in the real world and do whatever this was.

My hand tightened on the old, worn leather bag pressed to my chest as I scanned the bar. The place was crawling with humans, but I could tell that the humans were a part of the Crescent Moon pack. The thought of being here twisted my stomach. Why the hell was my grandma delivering who-knows-what to someone in a place like this? I hope this isn’t some bizarre test of hers; gods know how many she throws at me.

Loud laughter echoed from the back of the bar where a handful of men leaned against a pool table, black leather jackets patched with the Crescent Moon insignia stretched across their backs. The wolves of the Crescent Moon ran Dusckreach; the alpha brought in human enforcers to bring more money into his pockets. They are a gang on their own and don’t follow the rules that the local law enforcement has in place. It’s a constant battle, the human government vs the Crescent Moon pack.

Great.

My grandma sent me on a mission that should’ve gone to one of her shadows, not me. Why did I agree to this? The witches usually stayed in their lands, the Shadowlands to be exact. We don’t like to mix with humans or wolves.

I take a deep breath, keeping my head down, avoiding any eye contact, especially with those men over by the pool table. I just need to find who I am looking for, hand off this bag, and get out...

Movement from the other side of the room catches my eyes, heavy footsteps cut off the laughter in the bar, and even the bartender froze in place. One of the pool playing guys was walking towards me.

Fuck.

“Hey there, beautiful. You look like you could use a drink and a good time,” His breath smelled like he had swam in whiskey and cheap beer.

I’m not good with confrontation, or public places, really. I prefer my room, the library, and a good book in hand. I’d be good for life with just that. Missions like this? Not my thing. My heart was beating so fast that I thought it would jump right through my chest.

“I’m just grabbing a drink and meeting my boyfriend. It’s been a long day.” I flashed a smile, hoping that he would get the hint and go away, especially about the lie about my boyfriend. Gods know that I’m single as they come.

He chuckled, winking at me with a smile that had seen to many cigarettes. His voice was low and filled with authority. He definitely was the type who doesn’t like being told no. “That right? Then why don’t you come keep me and my boys company? We didn’t bring any ladies with us tonight. Forget that boyfriend of yours, I can show you a better time.”

His gaze dropped to my chest. Heat burned my face, rage and embarrassment tangled together. I hate men like him.

Another one of his pals set down his pool stick and started toward me. The bar got even quieter, if that is even possible. Not a single person was going to help me; I was on my own. I glanced around the bar, and everyone’s faces stayed buried in drinks. More people I hate, this is why the alpha easily took control of this forsaken Duskreach. Humans don’t have backbones.

Where the hell was the person who I was supposed to meet? Are they scared and hiding now? I could feel my eye twitching. I told my grandma I wouldn’t use my magic, but from the looks of this bar. I think these people are too scared to speak of it, even if I did.

“Back the fuck off.” A voice that was low, dangerous said.

A man stepped out of nowhere. I could have sworn he was covered in shadows. He was tall, with hair white as snow and icy blue eyes that glowed with an eerie light. He wore a plain black leather jacket, no patches, and no insignia. His eyes locked onto mine for a moment, just so briefly, and he grinned at me.

For some reason, that grin pissed me off.

That grin he showed wasn’t because he found my situation funny.

No.

It was predatory.

The drunk in front of me stiffened but tilted his chin up anyway, his back still toward me, Crescent Moon insignia glaring for everyone in the bar to see.

You don’t fuck with the Crescent Moon pack. Everyone knew that. Humans in the pack were just as dangerous and just as crazy as the wolves at the top.

But this man, this stranger, didn’t care. I could see why in the way his grin sharpened into a deadly smile.

He was a wolf. And not just any wolf.

An Alpha.

One who shouldn’t even be in Duskreach.