Sighing, Willow snatched the bag and mumbled a thank you. “Have a great day; come by anytime to chat!” Willow waved her off and left.

The bag slapped against her leg as she wandered down the street. More pack members passed her with smiles and hellos. Since when did they get so welcoming? Willow snarled and glared at the members as she rushed past them. Without even thinking, she opened the next door on the street and went in.

“Oh, thank God,” she sighed. It was the town’s pub. The name above the bar read: The Wolf’s Den. She almost chuckled. She thanked God there were only two patrons and hurried to the bar. The bartender was an older man with a face aged with wrinkles, lines, and a full head of thick white and gray hair.

“What can I do you for, my Queen?” Willow’s jaw dropped at the title, and quickly she realized the two patrons had stopped talking. She looked over to see them watching her, expectantly. What the hell did that mean? Why were they watching her?

“Quit staring!” she yelled to the men. They quickly looked away and went back to their conversation. When she looked back at the bartender she fought the urge to blush. There was always something about yelling in front of older folks that hit her the wrong way.

“No need to take it out on them, they can’t help it.”

“Help what?” Willow grabbed onto her hair and pulled the cords until she felt a sting of pain. The second she was done, she realized she’d forgotten her hair tie. Just perfect.

“People are even more curious about you since they know you’ll be staying now. So what can I get you to drink?”

Willow’s mind spun.

“Whoa, wait. What do you mean I’m staying?” The bartender turned around and started pouring a cup of black, steamy coffee. Willow almost sighed at the smell as he placed it in front of her with a small bowl of sugar. “How’d you know how I take it?”

He gave her a wise, knowing look and shrugged a shoulder. “Tool of the trade, I s’pose. Drink up, you’ll feel better.” Willow sipped her sweetened coffee and let it soothe her stomach. She set the cup down after a moment.

“Okay, now tell me what you meant by that.”

“By what?” he asked innocently. Willow clenched and unclenched her fists while in her mind she pictured throwing the coffee on the bartender. Okay, she wasn’t that evil, but at least she could fantasize about it.

“What do you mean I’ll be staying here?” The old bartender smiled gently and rested his elbows on the bar.

Leaning towards her, he said, “Oh, that? The whole pack already knows about it. People are getting real excited. Seems like good timin’ to me too with the Winter Festival comin’ up.”

Willow took a long, burning drink of her coffee and slammed her cup on the bar.

“Answer me clearly old man, or prepare to fight.”

The bartender tossed back and laughed a hoarse, wheezing laugh until his cheeks turned red. When he finally calmed enough to look back at her, his eyes were watery with unshed tears. Willow bared her teeth at him.

“Alright, alright. No need to threaten an old man. See, people saw your show of affection yesterday. How you went to Lyonis after the news of little Stephanie.”

Willow waited for him to continue but he only picked up a white rag and started wiping down the already clean bar. As the white, swishing rag neared her, she slammed her hand on it to halt it.

“Answer me clearly and fully or I swear I’ll break every bottle of liquor in this place.” The bartender looked startled, then understanding set in.

“See here, Queen, I wasn’t trying to make you mad. I forget you’re not one of us. You don’t know the ways. See, you are what we call a wakipajan.”

A throbbing pain was starting slammed against her temple. “What the fuck is that?” Even she cringed at her language. Cursing was usually saved for at least ten in the morning.

“It means a fighter, a rebel of sorts. It’s a phrase we use when one mate is pursuing one that’s a bit more...defiant. You, Queen, are a wakipajan.”

“What does that have to do with what you said before?” The old man rolled his eyes like a sixteen-year-old girl.

“Aren’t you listening to a word I said? When a wakipajan takes the first step to comforting or helping the other in a rough time it’s the first big step towards becoming a mate.”

Willow dropped the coffee cup and dark liquid spilled over the bar. “Say what?”

The old man seemed happy by her reaction. “Everyone’s talking about how you helped the Alpha yesterday evening after the news with Stephanie. You helped to bring him down from his anger. Like I said, that’s the first step to becoming his mate.”

Willow grimaced and couldn’t bring herself to touch the fresh cup of coffee he set in front of her. “I can’t believe this. I was just...being nice. I didn’t even do anything.” Her mind scattered to remember every detail of that moment yesterday. Did she do something monumental that she hadn’t been aware of? She’d chased him out of the woods and hugged him. That was it. How the hell did that start the mating process?

“Hey now, don’t worry about it. The pack is happy is all. It’s a good thing too; we’ve needed some added happiness since Stephanie went missing. If you were looking for some advice, I’d say enjoy it. I’d say enjoy Lyonis too. He’s a great man. He’ll treat you as a man should.”

Willow snorted with disgust and slammed her twenty down on the bar before stalking out. As she wound her way through the streets she saw everything with a new set of eyes. So that’s why everyone looked at her like she was made of candy. They thought she was going to mate with Lyonis. If only they knew how wrong that was.

Willow finished setting up the bedroom. She had the rope and a set of chains with a padlock in case that didn’t work.

She felt like some kind of psychopath, but what the hell was she supposed to do? She was starving, literally, and she wasn’t about to let that sneaky Alpha with his sneaky little touches get the best of her.

She’d get what she needed from him, then be done. That was all. The phone rang and she went and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Willow.”

His voice was dark and husky; she actually shivered at the sound of it. Maybe it was just the way he sounded over the phone but it was absolutely decadent.

“What do you want?”

“I want you to meet me at headquarters.” Willow looked back up the stairs and thought of the rope and everything she had placed up there, ready to keep the Alpha in place.

“Why? I was sort of expecting you here soon.” Willow bit down on her lip as she almost said home instead of here.

“Trust me, you won’t want to miss this. Can you walk or would rather I pick you up?”

Willow thought about it and figured she could still go through with her plan. It’d just have to wait until he was done showing her whatever. She checked the clock and saw that it was already a quarter after ten.

“Alright, I’ll be right there. I’m walking; don’t, don’t come here.” God she didn’t know if she’d be able to not jump on him if he came here now. Her breasts felt heavy and achy, her sex wet.

He chuckled on the other end. “Very well, I’ll see you soon, Willow. Be safe.” The line cut out before she could reply.

Grumbling to herself, she grabbed her new winter coat and set off towards headquarters. Willow found Lyonis in the gym wearing a pair of baggy shorts and a sweaty white t-shirt that accented his defined chest and arms. He smiled at her as she came in.

“There you are. I missed you.” He came towards her and wrapped her in his arms. Willow returned the hug before she could think twice about it.

“Why did you want to meet me here?” she said pulling away. If possible, his scent was even more alluring now, saturating every inch of him. Willow’s mouth watered with the need to lick his salty skin.