Page 16

Anders

My “Uber” ride is… uncomfortable. I keep my eyes on the driver the entire way there in case he tries anything.

So far, things have been confusing but relatively peaceful in this timeline, but I know how swiftly things can go awry.

When we stop outside the club, I allow myself to breathe more easily as I exit the car.

As I approach the club, my reservations only increase.

The noise coming from beyond the doors makes me gnash my teeth.

Already, I want to turn around and demand the driver take me back to my mate and our pup—Jamie and Jace.

But it seemed important to Jamie that I bond with Jess and Bailey, and as I’ve learned, I am incapable of ignoring any request of his.

No. Not incapable. I simply don’t want to.

Clenching my jaw, I make my way toward the club.

The noise inside is worse than outside, so loud it throbs in my chest. Overhead, colors as bright as the northern lights swirl over the crowd of dancers.

The air reeks of sweat and alcohol, clouding my senses.

How can humans enjoy this? I feel like prey with my senses so diluted, waiting to be ambushed.

Before I can panic, my gaze lands on Jess and Bailey sitting at the bar, enjoying drinks. My feet freeze in place as I grapple with sudden uncertainty. I’m not as eager as I thought to encounter the woman I shouted at this afternoon. The uncertainty eats away at me, and it’s a feeling I loathe.

Just be yourself! Jamie had said before I left.

But when I’m myself, people tend to die. Or get hurt. Or despise me.

He’d frowned when I’d told him that.

But don’t you have any friends? he’d asked, and the question had given me pause, making me cast my mind back.

Had I ever had friends? I remember aching for friends outside of my pack.

Most people fawned all over Wulfric for being the Alpha’s heir.

There was no reason to bother with me. It used to upset me how Wulfric captivated others without even trying, simply for having something I didn’t.

All the other pups in the village wanted to be his friend, wanted the Alpha-heir’s attention. Never mine.

I don’t need friends. I earned the respect of others through my skills at arms and as a hunter. And of course, my prowess in the bedroom earned me many lovers, though none as appealing as Jamie.

“Boo!”

I jump out of my bloody skin.

Bailey claps a hand over their mouth. “Got you!”

Grumbling, I fold my arms. “I was only humoring you.”

With a bark of laughter, Bailey tugs on my arms. “Come on! Sit down and have a drink before we die of old age waiting for you!”

“Do humans age that quickly?” I ask as Bailey pulls me over to the bar.

They must not have heard me over all the noise. “What do you want to drink?” Bailey asks, plopping down beside Jess, who has yet to acknowledge me.

I can’t even read whatever is on the menu. “Uh… I’ll have whatever you ordered.”

While the bartender makes our drinks, I observe the room. People dance or cluster in groups, laughing loudly and yelling to hear one another over the music. It’s so loud in here it’s like a physical assault on my eardrums. Tension swells within me, making me curl my hands into fists.

“Bailey,” Jess shouts past me, making me jump, “have you seen the Red, White & Royal Blue movie yet?”

Bailey groans. “I’ve been too scared to! Did it follow the book at all?”

“Alex and Henry’s relationship was just like the book. So cute. The book is always better, though.” Jess takes a swig of her beer.

Sipping their cocktail, Bailey says, “I wanted to do a reread before watching the movie, but my Tbr is way too long.”

“I feel that,” Jess says. “I have, like, twenty books I haven’t read, and I just keep adding to my hoard.”

I have no idea what they’re talking about, but I want to be able to return home and see Jamie smile when I tell him I bonded with his friends.

“What is… Red and Blue?” I ask.

Jess takes a sudden interest in her beer, but Bailey smiles. “It’s a rom-com about the Prince of Wales and the US president’s son falling in love. You should totally read it!”

My neck warms when I picture telling them I haven’t a clue how to read.

They’d laugh at me, no doubt. In the silence between us, the bartender hands me my drink.

The glass is cold when I grip it, and there are chunks of something floating in the drink.

I pick one out and gasp. It’s cold as ice in my palm.

I crunch on it. It is ice. Humans use ice to keep their drinks cool.

That’s… rather brilliant. Someone snickers.

Both Jess and Bailey are watching me with amusement.

I spit the ice back into my cup, then take a sip. It’s nothing like mead. There’s a sweet, almost bubbly quality to the alcohol. It hits my stomach in a cold ball.

“So. What stories do you know?” I ask them.

Bailey shrugs. “I’ll read pretty much anything as long as the author isn’t a turd. I’m trying to write my own book.”

“You’re a skald?”

A confused look crosses Bailey’s face.

Great. Have I used a word that doesn’t exist in this time? “A, uh…” What’s that word Jamie uses? “An author?”

Bailey grins. “I’m trying to be. Writing is hard as hell.”

“What is your story about?”

After a gulp of their drink, Bailey explains. “It’s… sort of a romance? I mean, there’s a romantic subplot, but it’s not the main focus. I really wanted to do a queer story about a nonbinary character whose experiences matched my own. I’m thinking I’ll self-publish it when it’s finished.”

I only sort of understand what they’re talking about. They use words I’m unfamiliar with, but I understand enough. “Storytelling is important. It’s how we preserve our culture, our history, for the next generation.”

“It is!” Bailey says. “I want to tell the kind of story I wish I had growing up in the South.”

“Is the South dangerous?”

Bailey twists their fingers together on the bar top, anxiety oozing into their scent. “It can be. Nowhere is really safe if you’re different.”

“No, it isn’t,” I say, knowing all too well what it’s like to be hunted simply for not being human. I wouldn’t have imagined humans would feel the same. They are usually the ones harming my kind. “That’s why you need a pack. People who can understand you.”

Bailey’s face brightens when they smile. “I know. I wish I’d found Jamie and Jess a lot sooner. Hey, bartender, another round!”

As we drink and chat, a tingling spreads through my limbs, and though the room tilts a little, I feel as if I could take on the world!

When the music gets louder, Bailey leaps from their seat.

“Come on! Let’s dance!” They grab my hand and Jess’s and pull us toward the dance floor before I can protest. Somehow, my reservations have disappeared.

My limbs tingle as I mimic Jess’s and Bailey’s ridiculous dance moves.

I must look silly, but I don’t care about anything.

Jess meets my gaze, and a laugh escapes her. “Nice moves, dude!”

The room gets warmer, making sweat drip down my body. At some point, the music went from being obnoxious to impossible to resist, moving through my body and making me sway. Jamie’s packmates really aren’t that bad.

After all the drinks I’ve had, the urge to make water is too uncomfortable to resist. “I’ll be back!

” I call to Jess and Bailey and dance my way back out the door.

The frigid night wind lashes me as I hurry outside, weaving side to side.

My feet carry me along the side of the building, where men and women mill about, smoking or talking.

Finding a secluded spot between two dumpsters, I fumble with the confusing zipper to my jeans and almost piss myself before I’ve got the damn thing down. A sigh of relief escapes me as I piss against the wall.

The tap of shoes on the pavement draws near, stopping right behind me. “Well, well. Anders, son of Erik,” a cheery man’s voice says.

My spine stiffens, and though I try to stop pissing long enough to turn around, I can’t now that I’ve started.

Damn it. I’m vulnerable. With a growl, I inhale, and my nose stings like I’ve been zapped by electricity crackling in the air.

The hair on my body stands up straight. All ulfhednar know that scent.

A witch.

Shoving my prick back in my trousers, I zip up and whirl around, teeth bared.

My heart sinks when I count four in total behind me.

They’re dressed normally without a staff in sight, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a threat.

They could be glamouring themselves to appear normal. Just my luck, it’s a whole damn coven.

Damn, Loki must be having a laugh at my expense.

Curling my lip over my fangs, I growl, “What do you want?”

A man approaches, fair and blond. He wears dark jeans and a leather jacket.

Though he has a slight build, the magic emanating from him is powerful.

Underestimating him would be a bad idea.

“We are enforcers of the Time Traveler Agency.” I recognize his voice as the one who first spoke to me.

“And we know you are not of this world, Anders.”

Swallowing my unease at how he could possibly know that, I stare the witch down. “You’re good at pointing out the obvious, aren’t you?”

With a carefree smile, he lifts both hands. “Easy now. I have a flair for the dramatic. Forgive me.” He clears his throat. “Let’s start over, shall we? Blessings of Freya upon you. I’m Arlo, and I enforce the rules laid out by the Travelers Council.”

As our eyes meet, my wolf stirs. My instincts tell me that this Arlo is important. That won’t stop me from harming him if he threatens me.

“A pleasure,” I say, not meaning it at all.