INTERTWINE (Sex With A Beast Series #3)

|CHAPTER 22 |

I turned into the parking lot of the bar just outside of town. Slowing down as my tires ran over the heavy gravel that made up the lot right before I came to a complete stop.

Zeiden, who I told numerous I did not need his assistance, opened up the passenger door right before he stepped out.

"White Diamond." I heard Zeiden speak; his stare drawn to the flashing ran down sign of the pub. "You smell that?"

Zeiden questioned; his attention solely on the second uninvited party. Aaron.

"What?" He looked confused.

"Liquor, bad food and bad decisions." He inhaled the musky scent that came from the establishment.

We all knew the track record of the White Diamond pub. It was no luxurious place of course.

There were overly priced beverages, flavorless foods, and many overly friendly men and women who would pick your pocket in a blink of an eye. Physical altercations were regular. The night ending on a drama free night was unheard of.

It was a place I forbid my more untamed members to be.

"I still don't know why we are even meeting with this guy here." Zeiden questioned as he waited outside of the entrance way for me.

"No. I was meeting here." I corrected. "You two are just....here."

No matter how many times I have tried to get rid of Zeiden, it seemed almost impossible to do so. He was a ball and chain; a person who kept his presence around even when he was told to go.

Sadly, I was not completely against it. It seemed to be a sure way to keep his mouth closed, especially ever since he and Maya have been in contact. I thought it would be a sure way that he did not run his mouth too much.

Then there was Aaron. A character who thought his presence was needed.

Honestly, I just considered him to be sort of jealous.

With Zeiden tagging along with me much more often, Aaron had become suspicious of not only his place as Beta, but his place as a friend as well.

"I wonder if I would ever break a guy's hand then meet him for cocktails later on in life?" Aaron smiled; inhaling as he snatched in the fresh air.

"Sounds like one of those crazy reality shows right?" Zeiden and Aaron laughed, despite how serious things had actually become.

"Shut up."

They began to quiet down as they followed me into the pub.

There was a small crowd of people. The regulars who came in for drinks when the sun went down and the rest of the town had gone to bed.

This was not the place someone would want to get caught up in in the middle of the night alone. It housed some of the rough necks; the shady and scammers, the fighters and the murderers from every town within a fifteen mile radius.

Walking in, I scanned the bar, analyzing each and every face that turned my way before I found the bartender.

A short almost stubby woman. A mixture of grey and black hair that was always tied up into a ponytail.

She wiped down the counters with her white cloth before she turned to me. She nodded. Not a greeting but more of a nod toward a direction that I may be going.

Silently, I thanked her. In return, she offered me a quick flash of her dark eyes that confirmed her loyalty to me. Her loyalty to her pack family.

Sitting at a booth, alone as he confirmed, was Carl.

"I thought writing alone on the letter was a sign to, you know, come alone." Carl stood his height great but not well enough to top mines, Aaron's, or Zeiden's.

"Be lucky I'm here."

Carl stared at me. In return, I gave him an ultimatum. Sit down and explain to me why I was here, or I walk out of that door without ever contacting me again.

"Please..." Carl gestured. "Sit."

Zeiden and I sat down. Aaron, being a little more cautious, opted to stand instead.

"Now, why am I here?"

"Well, I know you and I have had our disagreements..." Carl wiggled the fingers to his hand. The one I have had the pleasure of breaking. "It was a thing of the past however I believe an alliance should be made."

"Alliance?" To me, this was a joke.

"Yes." I could see how serious Carl had become, even despite the snickers that came from Aaron and Zeiden. "I don't believe we should be enemies, especially when we live in the same town. A small town at that."

"Enemies? Allies? Neither one of them described our relationship."

"Then what do you consider us to be?" He questioned.

Leaning forward, I answered.

"Nothing. We are two people who live in a small town." I confirmed. "Now, are we done here? I have shit to do."

I stood from my chair; boredom written across my face when I realized how foolish I was for actually attending this meeting.

Carl, with a look so calm, watched as Aaron and I stood and began to walk toward the exit.

"I have always known werewolves to be enclosed within their own." He spoke in a low, calm whisper. Just low enough for only us to catch.

I looked at him; greatly surprised by the words that actually left his mouth. By the looks on Zeiden and Aaron's face, I could see that they were taken by his words as well.

Sadly, we were surprised for different reasons.

Them, they were sort of surprised that such an accusation would be made.

"What are you talking about? Werewolves?" Zeiden played coy; denial was his go to.

"Are we going to finish this meeting?"

"No." Aaron laughed just as Zeiden did.

"Yeah." My eyes glaring into Carl's, I took a seat across from him once again. I watched him grow nervous; the irregular heartbeat and shifty eyes quickly tore through his sterner look.

"I know you are reading me." He swallowed.

"Reading you?" Zeiden looked confused. "What the hell do you think we are?"

Carl looked at him.

"I never said you all." He nodded into my direction. "I said him."

"What the hell do you think he is?" Zeiden asked.

"What I know he is. A werewolf."

"A werewolf?" Aaron and Zeiden began to laugh. "You are insane. What sort of fairytale are you living in?"

I listened. I listened to them laugh and snicker, their denial pointless when it came to what he knew.

"You are right."

The laughter came to a sudden stop.

"I'm a werewolf." I stated before I whistled across the bar, catching the attention of the bartender before I flagged her down for a round. "I'm assuming that is why you conjured up a meeting in a more...active location?"

"I'm no fool." Carl picked up his beer and sipped it.

"Is that right?"

Carl seemed almost confident in his choice; picking a location that was outside of town but also active with others that may be witness to any problems that may occur.

"I thought hunters were a little more clever. A cage or some dungeon or something?"

The surprised looks from the others, as well as Carl, seemed almost amusing when I spilled the secret of the town Hunter.

"I see she told you."

She knows? Did he give my mate that information without my knowledge?

"No one had to tell me. It was not difficult to figure out."

He swallowed hard as we all began to witness the tension quickly build...