The DarkNess Within Him | ✔

Chapter Twenty Three

"I have no idea why I agreed to do this." I admonish with a small breath, trying to regain my bearing.

"At least you're enjoying it, right?" Carter chides, playfully shoving my arm in the process as the bartender comes closer to us. Carter turns towards him. "Rum for me, vodka for the lady. Our lovely Alpha Kayla."

I struggle to sit properly on the bar stool. The atmosphere is thick with liquor, hot air, sweat and music. The caustic mixture burns my lungs when I look around to see the bodies intertwining themselves together. Females grinding against males. Males feeling up females. Dancing is a mere excuse to touch body parts and give in to hormonal longings and guilty pleasures with no regrets.

Yeah, this is a bar alright and I have no idea why I agreed to come here. Carter and I haven't been spending alot of time together lately and he called me today to ask me if I was up for going out this night. I agreed and that's how I got here.

I cough slightly when I look back at the bartender who is pouring vodka into a shot glass. I know him. He was one of Logan's 'friends', Owen. I only remember his name because he was actually nice to me.  Respectful towards me.

"Kayla, you don't strike me as a drinker." Owen notes with a smile when he pushes the shot glasses towards me and Carter.

"I'm not." I clarify, dragging my gaze over to Carter to give him a pointed look. He just laughs and pushes his blonde hair backwards while I mutter "the things I do for the sake of friendship."

"Loosen up Mikay!" Carter quips, squeezing my arm, his lazy hazel eyes amused by my small snarl. "You used to be so fun. Where's that Mikay?"

"That Mikay never drank. Have you forgotten what happened the last time I drank?"

I'm referring to the incident almost three years ago. Carter and I snuck into a bar and got drinks. After one shot, I got so high that I got on the bar table and started dancing. I think I might have performed a strip tease even. Well, let's just say that my father nearly kicked me out of the house for that one. I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since then.

At least until now it seems.

Carter bursts out laughing, clutching to his stomach and despite the dim and distorted multiple coloured lighting from the disco ball, I can see his face go red.

"I knew things had gone south when you started unbuttoning your top screaming that you wanted to be free like a bird. The most hilarious part was when Mason had to drag you off that table before you took your pants off. He carried you on his shoulder all the way home and you were kicking and screaming saying how you wanted to be free."

I take the shot and drink it in my flimsy attempt to ignore a mocking Carter. The vodka burns my lungs brashly and very wickedly. The bitter taste attacking my taste buds and the minute I set the shot glass down, I grimace, my tongue completely violated.

"I get it. I get it." I scoff out, my mouth feeling off and Owen comes to pour more vodka into my shot glass. Carter picks up his own shot glass and in one go, he gulps down his rum.

Someone hits me by mistake and when I turn, they give me an apologetic look and go back to dancing.

This bar seems to be the only place in this pack where no one seems to be bothered by me. No one seems bothered that I'm the Alpha yet everyone regards me with kindness. It's like they don't care but at the same time, it's nothing about me or my competence. It's just that they're more interested in having fun.

I look back at Carter next to me who is gulping down another shot of rum. I follow in his steps and lift my own vodka shot to my lips. Once again, I drink the bitter liquid and it burns my lungs but not as harshly as the first time. Carter's hand on my arm has me looking back at him.