Page 2 of Draven
I hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yeah, thanks, but uh, cancel the vanilla milkshake."
"Bad day?" she ventured, her voice laced with genuine empathy.
"Something like that," I murmured.
I slowly chewed on my bacon cheeseburger and fries. I shifted my gaze past the smudged windows of the diner, and to the roadhouse across the street.
The busted-up neon sign across the street flickered on and off, seeming like an unlikely invitation.
After settling the bill and leaving Lucy a generous tip, I made my decision.
I refused to spend another night stewing in my car, silently resenting Tom for his thoughtlessness.
Determined to make the most out of the evening, I strode out of the diner and crossed the street.
I caught sight of a few guys loitering outside the roadhouse, their laughter mingling with the haze of cigarette smoke.
Ignoring their presence, I took a moment to gather my resolve before pushing open the door and stepping inside.
The bar was a at max capacity, the air thick with the scent of alcohol and sweat.
Almost immediately, someone jostled me from behind, sending a shiver of unease down my spine.
Doubt gnawed at my resolve, whispering that this was indeed a terrible idea.
"Just stay for a little bit," my inner wolf urged.
"One drink," I told myself, trying to dismiss my rising apprehension.
Surely, one beer wouldn't do me any harm. Pushing through the throngs of people, I navigated my way to the bar.
By the time I reached the counter, I was panting, my energy levels already waning.
To my surprise, the bar was deserted, save for one lone figure perched at the edge, nursing what appeared to be his tenth beer.
I squinted, trying to discern his features through the dim lighting. Messy black hair fell to his broad shoulders.
He looked…slightly comical, his massive and muscular frame hunched over the tiny barstool.
I found myself silently wishing he would turn, so I could see his face and eyes.
As if hearing my silent plea, he swiveled on his stool, and I sucked in a sharp breath as his gaze locked with mine.
Golden-tinged eyes, set in a hawk-like face, bore into me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.
His aura, staggering and imposing, enveloped me in its grip, stealing the breath from my lungs for a few heart-stopping seconds.
It was a sensation unlike anything I had ever experienced before.
A leopard pard and its leader had settled in Red Vine a few years back, so I was familiar with the aura of a lead alpha, but this was something entirely different.
What kind of shifter was he? Where did he come from? I knew everyone in town, so he was definitely an outsider.
It was no wonder that both humans and supernaturals alike kept their distance from him in the bar.
Frozen in place, I stood there, feeling like a stunned prey animal caught in the gaze of a predator.
Seconds stretched into eternity as I waited for some kind of reaction from him.