Page 30 of Bound to Enemy (Wolf Billionaire #3)

CHAPTER 1

ARLENE

“ L ife is fucking peachy,” I said into the phone for the millionth time that night, even though I didn’t believe a single word. My life was far from peachy, and just thinking about it catapulted me into a loop of depression that I always had a hard time clawing my way out of.

I was tired of being overworked, sad, and pessimistic. But most of all, I was tired of always being exhausted.

I needed a break, but I would have more luck being a purebred than having a day off anytime soon.

“Say it like you mean it,” Leah said.

I sighed, pulling my jacket tighter around me. The sound of cars zooming past and the crickets’ distant hum filled the air.

If my life was perfect, I would be cuddled up in bed right now with Coral, watching a crappy reality show about uptown wolves trying to find their fated mates.

It would be awful, and we would laugh at the people who thought they could find their fated mate on television when there was a literal one percent chance of finding a fated mate out in the real world.

But because my life wasn’t amazing, I walked down a dark, shady alley that smelled of garbage and urine as I headed to my night shift.

I sighed. “My life is great.”

It was hard to manifest anything positive when my life was on the verge of imploding. Work was literally hell, my rent was due, my car had suddenly decided to stop working, and Coral was sick. It was like the universe was having a laugh at my expense.

I wished I could be all sunshine and rainbows like Leah, but Leah was like that because she didn’t know the first thing about struggling, and sometimes I wished that?—

Nope, not tonight. I shook the disruptive thoughts out of my head.

I took a deep, shaky breath and let it out, my exhale visible in the cold air.

“Ally, you have to take this more seriously,” Leah said on the other end of the phone. I could picture her eyebrows furrowed together in a frown, and her lips jutting in a slight pout.

“Leah, if I took things more seriously, I’d be an even bigger ball of stress,” I said, dodging a puddle on the sidewalk. “And I’m not sure my sanity can handle that.”

This was our evening ritual. I wore my skimpiest skirt and a crop top under a huge coat as I strolled—practically waddled, because I was freezing—two blocks from my studio apartment to the bar, while Leah kept me company on the phone.

We’d been doing this since I started working at the bar two years ago, and even though I always grumbled like I hated it, we both knew it was the best part of my evenings.

Also, the Eltons were doing nothing to protect the downtown district, so crime had been rampant for a while. And Leah, as always, had pulled up a study which showed that people on the phone were less likely to be attacked than those who weren’t.

I’d learned not to ask any questions about all the facts and studies she could recite off the top of her head—it was much easier to just go along with them.

“You’re not taking this seriously.”

I rolled my eyes. “What am I supposed to say?”

“You’re supposed to say it like you mean it. You know, fake it until you make it. Manifestation works, I promise,” she whined.

But I didn’t need words; I needed money, and a whole lot of it, to keep Coral and me afloat. To give her a fighting chance at life. Working five-hour shifts with tips that grew with the less clothing I had on wasn’t the best way to get her that life, but it was all I had.

But yay, manifestation.

I sighed for the hundredth time before saying, “My life is amazing.”

As the words left my lips, a part of me believed it, but almost as quickly as the feeling crossed my mind, it disappeared.

“See? How hard was that?”

Very.

I shrugged even though she couldn’t see me. “Not too hard.”

Leah obviously took the bait and changed the topic, much to my relief. “So, how many hours is your shift tonight?”

“I’m gunning for six to seven hours. But we’ll see how it goes.”

“That’s a long time.”

“Yep,” I agreed. “But someone’s gotta keep the drunks in line.”

Leah snickered. “Yeah, Commander Arlene to the rescue.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Hey, they’re more scared of me than Connor, and he’s built like a tank.”

“Then they’re smart to be scared. You’re a hybrid with a very short fuse.”

I threw my head back and laughed as I kicked a loose pebble, watching it skitter across the sidewalk. “Thanks, Leah. I needed that. Sometimes it’s just…a lot, you know? The full moons, the transformation hangovers, trying to fit in when I’m not really one thing or another…”

“I can only imagine. Well, you’ve always got me. Remember that.”

“I definitely will.”

The call ended just as I arrived at the front of the bar. The familiar building was practically hanging on its last legs, the exterior covered in posters and graffiti.

A flickering neon sign hung above the entrance, its buzzing light casting an eerie, uneven glow. The letters spelling out “Mark’s Bar” were missing a few bulbs, so it looked more like “M_rk’_ Bar,” but it had its charm in a rundown sort of way.

I headed to the door and pushed it open, the handle cold. I was instantly greeted by a blast of warm, slightly stale air that smelled of beer and cleaning supplies.

I carefully squeezed my way to the front of the bar and was surprised that it was packed this early in the night. It was just a few minutes past nine, and we didn’t usually get rushes until at least ten.

“Ally!” Connor yelled, and I headed to meet him behind the counter.

“Hey, Connor. Big night?” I asked, nodding to the crowd quickly forming inside the bar as I put on my apron.

“There’s a rumor we might have a special guest,” Connor responded with a glint in his eyes.

“Good thing I wore my extra short skirt tonight.” I smiled, wiping down the countertop. “Any idea who it is?”

It was rare for us to get well-known people at the bar because it was located in the middle of nowhere. No high-profile individual would leave their comfortable uptown bars to come downtown, where the crime was at an all-time high.

Rogues roamed the streets here, and barely any laws stopped them from wreaking havoc.

Connor shrugged, his grin widening. “No clue, but whoever it is, they’re causing quite a stir. Everyone’s been buzzing about it since this afternoon.”

“I hope they tip well,” I responded, completely uninterested, as I tossed a rag over my shoulder and stepped up to take my first order of the night.

I had already started doing the math in my head. The bar was full, which meant more tips. Whoever this mystery individual was, they might have the cash to be a good tipper. I was also manning the counter and serving tonight, which meant double tips.

I glanced around, noting the faces in the bar, some familiar, others new. The bar’s clientele was usually a blend of downtown workers unwinding after their shifts, local college students, and the occasional rogue.

“What if they’re an Elton?” Connor whispered.

I sneered. “They wouldn’t dare. They’re too uppity for downtown life, and they’d be signing their death sentence by coming to this bar. Half the wolves downtown would have their heads if they showed up here.”

“Are you part of that half?” a voice asked me. I looked up into the bluest pair of eyes I’d ever seen in my life.

For a moment, I was stunned, my retort caught in my throat. Those eyes were intense, captivating, and challenging. I’d never been stunned into silence, but I was utterly dumbfounded at that moment.

Those eyes taunted me, urging me to answer. I could’ve sworn that Connor and I had been whispering, so whoever this was, he had very sharp hearing.

The man tilted his head to the side, a slight smirk playing on his face, which was equally annoying and insanely attractive.

“I’m waiting for an answer.”

The bar seemed to hush around us, the usual clamor fading into the background. My heart raced and I knew, without a doubt, that tonight was about to get a lot more interesting.

Shawn

The black, air-conditioned car shook as we drove down the dark, uneven road. I peeked out of the car’s tinted windows, trying to get my bearings. The streets were poorly lit, potholes dotted every few feet, and storefronts were boarded up along dirty sidewalks.

“The rogues have made a mess in this part of our district,” I said, looking at the map on my tablet. Red markers indicated incidents of rogue activity, and this bar was right in the middle of a sea of red.

Ethan, my friend and beta, peered over my shoulder. “They’ve been causing more trouble lately. Attacks, territory disputes, you name it.”

“This district has been completely neglected. We need to take care of it to ensure our own safety!” I said through gritted teeth, knowing full well why this had happened.

My father had a hand in everything that happened in this city, and as long as the uptown wolves were unaffected, he didn’t care how bad it got downtown.

People said that Alexander Elton was the most powerful and richest alpha who’d ever lived. He controlled the entire town with an iron fist, and he expected me, his son, to follow in his footsteps. But unlike him, I couldn’t just ignore the chaos and suffering going on down here.

As the car moved through the narrow roads, I couldn’t help but think of the countless arguments I’d had with my father about our approach to the downtown district. He saw it as a place of little consequence, a buffer zone that kept the rabble at bay. I saw it as a powder keg ready to explode, one that could destabilize everything we’d built if not handled correctly.

When the rogues got bored of attacking the poor downtown, they’d set their sights on bigger possibilities, all of which were uptown. No one was safe, and the sooner we curbed this issue, the better.

“But why do we have to go undercover at a downtown bar? We have people for that,” Ethan grumbled.

It had taken a lot of convincing to get him to come with me, and only when I’d pulled the alpha card did he give in.

“So we see firsthand what’s happening,” I responded, my eyes still glued to the tablet.

“But we could have gone to Riley’s and had a great time. We’d be safe there, and our people could send us updates about downtown,” Ethan pointed out.

A short silence extended between us when I didn’t offer a response, and suddenly, his eyes dilated in realization.

“You’re doing this to spite your father,” he said with a snort.

I shrugged, not doing anything to deny it. “Spite is a strong word.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair, a smirk crossing his lips. “Maybe, but it’s fitting. Alexander would never set foot in a place like this. It’d be too beneath him.”

“That’s precisely the point,” I said, scanning the street we’d just driven onto. “If he doesn’t take responsibility for what happens in this city, I will. And I’ll do it my way.”

Ethan shook his head, still amused. “You love getting under his skin, don’t you?”

A small smile played on my lips. “I actually do.”

Getting under my father’s skin was a big part of why I was doing this. I knew he didn’t care much about the wolves downtown, even if it was a part of our district. But the other reason was that I couldn’t handle another Friday night surrounded by women at Riley’s.

Riley’s was the bar that every purebred, high-profile wolf in the city visited during the weekends. It was also the major networking spot in the city.

It was exhausting. Superficial conversations, fake smiles, and the ever-present shadow of my father’s expectations loomed over me.

The car hit another pothole, jostling us and dragging me back to the present.

“Well, this is going to be dangerous. But I’ve always got your back, and I’m prepared for anything,” Ethan said.

“I’m ready,” I said, tucking the tablet into my briefcase as we neared the bar we’d decided to visit.

Ethan sighed, nodding reluctantly. “Alright, but let’s not underestimate them. Desperate wolves can be unpredictable.”

I chuckled, a low, menacing sound. “Desperation is their weakness. And we will exploit it. They know better than to attack us.”

Ethan shrugged. “It might not be a physical attack, but we still need to be careful.”

As the car stopped in front of the rundown bar, we both stepped out into the cool night air. I surveyed the bar, my ears and eyes hyperaware, ready to catch any untoward sound or movement.

I quickly took off my watch, which looked like it could buy a huge part of the downtown area, but most importantly, it had the Elton sigil inscribed on it.

“We should just take off our suits, because we don’t look like we fit in at all,” Ethan whispered, and I chuckled.

“I had no idea we were doing this tonight, or I would have tried to blend in,” I said.

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Next time, give me a heads-up. I don’t want to stand out like a sore thumb.”

I nodded, appreciating his concern. “We’ll be fine. Let’s keep a low profile and get the information we need.”

We stepped into the bar, which smelled awful, and I noticed it was crowded.

“I thought you mentioned that the bar is pretty empty at this time?” I whispered to Ethan.

“That’s what I saw last time, but apparently not tonight,” he responded, his eyes scanning the bar for somewhere to sit.

“Do you think they were tipped about our arrival?” I asked, heading toward the table by the bar’s far end, which was squished next to another table filled with rough-looking wolves.

“I hope not.”

We slid into the booth near the dartboard. Behind us, a group of older wolves nursed their drinks. They looked like they had seen it all, their eyes filled with the wisdom that only came from years of surviving in the roughest parts of town.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked, keeping my tone respectful.

One of the older wolves, a grizzled veteran with a scar running down his cheek, glanced up at me. He nodded slowly.

“It’s a free town, son.”

“It doesn’t look too free to me,” I said with a smile.

“What are you doing?” Ethan whispered to me.

“Trying to get as much intel as I can. You should be doing the same.” I turned back to the older wolf. “It doesn’t feel too safe down here.”

The older wolf shrugged. “The rogues are out and about causing havoc again. What else is new?”

I nodded.

He peered at me, a look of interest in his eyes. “What’s your name, boy? You don’t look like a local.”

I contemplated using a pseudonym, but something about the man’s demeanor told me he probably didn’t give a fuck about the Eltons.

“My name is Shawn. I’m just looking to keep the peace.”

The man smiled at me. “That’s what we’re all doing.” He turned to one of his companions. “A beer for my good friend Shawn, please.”

A few minutes later, a cold glass of beer was placed before me. I nodded in thanks.

“So, Shawn,” the man said, leaning back in his chair. “What’s got a young wolf like you interested in this part of town? Most of your kind stay uptown, where it’s safe and shiny.”

I looked down at the beer in my hand, but didn’t drink. “I just want to make a change.”

He nodded. “We need change around here.”

“A word, please?” Suddenly, Ethan pulled me to my feet and away from the table.

“What’s up?” I asked him.

“What’s up?” he echoed in an incredulous tone. “We came here to get info, not dillydally with the locals.”

“I am getting info, Ethan.”

“By telling them who you are?” Ethan ran a hand through his hair, obviously stressed. “Fuck, Alexander will kill me if he finds out I didn’t stop you.”

I spread my hands and motioned around the bar, my right hand clutching the glass of beer. “Look around. Everything is fine. We’re fine.”

Ethan sighed, glancing around warily. “Alright, fine. But let’s put a pin in you getting information. Stay out of it, and I’ll take over.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Fine, but I’ll be right by the bar if you need me.”

I slid up to the bar and dropped my drink onto the counter as Ethan walked away. At the far left of the counter, I could see a man and a young woman talking. I took my beer and was about to have a sip when she shrugged off her coat to reveal a barely-there top and an even skimpier skirt.

I dropped the beer back onto the counter untouched and took her in—gorgeous raven-black hair, green eyes, and legs that seemed to stretch forever. I watched as she talked to the man, a small smile on her face. She was breathtaking.

But this was dangerous. This was not the kind of game I played, and women were not indulgences I allowed myself, not anymore. I’d been off the chain a couple years ago, sleeping with everyone and anyone uptown, but not anymore. That part of me was long gone. Now, I was focused on assuming my role as an alpha and not letting anything distract me. It was easier to stay levelheaded this way.

But watching this woman—whoever she was—work was doing a number on me. The desire I felt took over my entire being, and it scared me. I would have blamed it on the alcohol, but I hadn’t even taken a sip yet.

I could hear bits of their conversation, and my interest was piqued. I focused a bit and tuned out the other noises in the bar. Suddenly, it was like I was standing between them as they spoke.

“I hope they tip well,” the woman said as she tossed a rag over her shoulder.

“What if it they’re Eltons?” the man asked.

She sneered. “They wouldn’t dare. They’re too uppity for downtown life, and they’d be signing their death sentence by coming to this bar. Half the wolves downtown would have their heads if they showed up here.”

Wow, feisty. Another downtown Elton hater. Surprise, surprise.

“Are you part of that half?” I suddenly asked, before I could stop myself.

She glanced up at me, and I could see the shock evident on her face. I knew she’d had no idea they were being listened to.

I smirked at her, loving the effect I had on her. “I’m waiting for a response.”

“You shouldn’t eavesdrop on conversations that have nothing to do with you. It’s not polite,” she spat out, and as if on second thought, she asked, “Do you need anything?”

I looked down at the beer. “I’m fine for now. My friends over there offered me a beer.”

Her eyes moved from me, to the men I’d been sitting with a few minutes ago, and then back to the beer.

“I wouldn’t drink that if I were you,” she said.

I looked down at the beer, my brows furrowing. “And why’s that?”

She walked over and leaned on the counter in front of me. The scent of vanilla mixed with mint wafted from her, making me dizzy with need. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me.

“Too much fizziness, the color doesn’t look right, and it has a foggy surface. I’ve served enough beers in my lifetime to know that this one is poisoned.”

My gaze returned to the beer, and I suddenly remembered the pin on my lapel with the Elton logo. A chill ran down my spine as I understood what was happening: the rogues must have recognized me.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” I said, pushing the beer away. “Guess I’ll stick to water tonight.”

Her eyes lingered on the pin for a moment before meeting mine again. “It’s not safe for you here, you know. Wearing that,” she said as she nodded toward the pin, “is like waving a red flag in front of a bull.”

“But they should attack me physically instead of being cowards.”

She shrugged as she wiped a beer mug clean. “Going against the Eltons without a real plan is a death sentence.”

“And you?” I asked her. “Where do you stand?”

Her eyes locked on mine, and I felt something within me stir, something I’d never felt in all twenty-nine years of my life.

“I’m just trying to make it through the next five hours of my shift.”

There was a weight in her gaze, a quiet strength that both intrigued and drew me in. My wolf, usually restless and aggressive, seemed oddly calm in her presence, almost…captivated.

Ethan nudged me, breaking the spell. “We need to go, Shawn.”

I nodded, but my eyes lingered on the waitress for a moment longer.

“Thanks for the warning,” I said softly.

She gave me a small smile. “Stay safe, Shawn.”

As we slipped out of the bar and into the waiting car, I couldn’t shake the image of her from my mind. Her scent, her eyes, the way she carried herself—it was all-consuming. And the fact that she was a downtown wolf, the kind my father would never approve of, only made the attraction stronger.

And if liking a downtown wolf drove my father into a spiral, well, that was just a win-win.