Loud music surrounded me, when I pushed myself through the people occupying the bar. Edgehollow was a little town. Seems people had nothing else to do this evening. The bar was packed. But it was one of my only evenings off and I wanted to get a feeling for the people of the town.
Ultimately it was the place my little daughter should grow up. I spent three years looking for this place. One person in particular. And it just felt right. The moment I stepped into this town surrounded by massive mountains it just felt right. The hollow unsettling feeling in my middle eased a little bit every moment I spent here. Even not planed, Edgehollow was the unknown destination of my journey.
The bar crowd consisted mostly of shifters. Most of them big and ripped men. Not in the bodybuilder way ripped, but with the power of the Bestia residing in their midst. The looks were just part of their way.
I surveyed the faces in the crowd, taking them in. Before my eyes the Bestias of the shifters shifted in front of their human shell. No shifter could go unnoticed from me. I always knew what kind their animals were, no matter how determined they were to hide it.
Some people glanced my way while walking to the bar. It happened all the time. The sides of my dark red hair were shaven off and on top my long hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. My turquoise eyes were not helping going unnoticed. A huge dark haired men made space for me, when I arrived at the bar. I looked at him shortly. A bear, big an dominant, was hiding behind his blue eyes. I nodded shortly, when he made his way to the pool table, before I turned my attention to the blond haired woman behind the counter.
Her smile was warm. Human, but with close connections to a Gorilla Shifter. Maybe a mate.
"You are new in town, right?" her gentle voice carried over the loud music. Sie was slim and her delicate face was beautiful. She wore her blond hair was on a messy bun on her head.
"Yes. Just arrived today. Would you make me a water, please?"
"Layla, this woman need something stronger than plain water." A deep voice pierced the noise. When I looked for its origin, I found it two seats down. A stunning men was seated there. A bear with broad shoulders and narrow hips. His dark shirt clung to his muscles like a second skin. Leaving not much to imagination. His hair was dark, longer on the top and single strands falling in front of his eyes. A trimmed beard covered his cheeks and his chin. He had something on him. Something different from all the other shifters in the crows. He was powerful. But that did never catch my attention before. His massive black bear stood behind him. Tilting it's head, his piercing golden eyes flashed in the dim light. His nostrils flared as he scented me.
"Thank you, but I'm good." I told him, before returning my attention to the bartender.
"I'm Layla King." She told me, holding out her hand. "And I'm very glad, to meet someone, who doesn't turn in a little heap of wet panties, when she sees shifters." I grinned at her.
"Synne Ellis. Glad to be of service as panty blocker." She gave the man beside me a unfathomable look, when I shook her hand. I saw him smirk quickly.
"You have to apologize Theron's behaviour. He's not used to the fact, that someone isn't actually throwing himself at his feet. Since the shifters came out last year, there are huge groups of people visiting here. "
"That's the reason for the vacation bus at the end of the street? Well happens to everybody." I winked at her before turning myself at the crowd of the bar. There were mostly male shifters in groups. Dominance reeked through the air. The crews were all trying to control themselves, but I could bet it wouldn't take long before trouble arrived.
I saw Theron slipping on the now free space right next to me. Even seated I just reached his shoulders. He was a giant. His nostrils flared, when he took in my scent. He frowned, came closer and smelled again. His nose brushed my hair before whispering in my ear.
