Page 6 of A Wolf's Treasure
So, she’d waited and she’d watched, keeping well out of the sight and smelling distance of the others who lived there. And then one night, he’d climbed into a Jeep the color of the trees and left.
Ryanne had followed him. Though he’d driven fast, she found she could easily run behind. And when he’d hit the main road, she’d kept up with just a little more effort. In this way, she’d traveled with him all the way to this club.
Again, she’d watched and she’d waited, quickly picking up how to blend in with the other patrons so she could further study this wolf who lived with humans and Faeries. As someone who didn’t want to be found, Ryanne tended to keep her distance from anywhere that drew large crowds.
He came here quite often, and for reasons she couldn’t quite comprehend, was a big hit with the “ladies”. She assumed it was because they considered him a good dancer, for it certainly wasn’t his silver tongue. The one and only time he’d spoken to her, he’d tripped over his words so hard she’d had no idea what he’d been trying to say.
So, yes. He was a handsome male. But perhaps not very intelligent. Still, for some reason, she was intrigued.
After the first few times he’d come here, she’d stayed away from his home and the threats within. Instead, she frequented this place. Even on nights he didn’t show, it amused her to watch the humans, and the bar was dark enough and large enough for her to make a quick escape if needed. Ryanne had never spent so much time around them before, and it was really quite fun. She knew how the world worked, for the most part. She just preferred to stay in her part of it and under the radar.
Sometimes, she even spoke to the more virile males and allowed them to buy her a gin and tonic, a drink she’d heard someone else order and discovered she liked a lot. She drew the line at shuffling around the dance floor, though. That was just silly. And besides, if she was out there, she wouldn’t be able to hold down her spot at the bar where she now sat. The one that gave her a perfect view of both the entry door, the bathrooms, and the dance floor.
Right on cue, the door opened and in walked her shifter.
Ryanne smiled when she saw him, much to the consternation of the human man who was attempting to hold her attention.
As though he sensed her there, the shifter’s bright green eyes darted around the room until they landed on her. They narrowed when he saw the man standing beside her chair, vying for her attention. And to Ryanne’s surprise, he started heading in her direction, fists clenched at his side, before he caught himself and abruptly stopped. With a look of confusion, he shook his head, unclenched his hands, and made a beeline for the closest female. With a wink and a smile, he had her out on the dance floor.
Ryanne watched with interest, noting how his eyes kept finding her, and how he would pull the woman closer when he saw she was watching him.
The man beside her stepped into her line of vision, and she realized he was saying something. She raised one eyebrow in a silent question.
“I asked if you’d like another drink, or if maybe you’d just like to get out of here?” he asked her.
She took a good look at him for the first time. He was tall, and not bad looking with his dark hair and eyes. His skin was a light brown, and his teeth were straight. A bit on the thin side for her taste, but overall a rather attractive human. “And where would we go?” she asked him.
Scenting a conquest, he pressed closer to her and took one of her curls between his fingers. “Anywhere you’d like, pretty lady. Although I was thinking somewhere a little less crowded so we could get to know each other a little better.”
Did this kind of thing really work on human women?
Something hit her sensitive ears. A growl. Distant. Quiet. But definitely there.
Curious, she leaned around the human and found the wolf watching their little exchange. His dance partner was watching them, too. Probably wondering who, or what, was taking his attention from her. She didn’t look happy.
“What’s your name, anyway?” the human asked her.
“Ryanne,” she told him.
“That’s a damn pretty name.”
“Do you think so?” she said. She’d never really been a fan.
“So, what do you say, Ryanne?”
She gave his offer some serious consideration. The wolf would be here for a few hours, of that she was quite certain if his past behavior was any indication. It would give her plenty of time to go have a little carnal fun with the human and be back before he left. For she had no doubt that was exactly what this human had meant by “getting to know each other better”.
And she sure could use a little fun.
Ryanne weighed the risks involved. She wasn’t there to pick anyone up, but then again, if the offer was there, why not take it? And maybe she needed something to distract her from this shifter. Her interest in him was bordering on obsession and more importantly, it was veering her off course. She hadn’t come to this part of the country to follow a werewolf around. No, she had much more important things to do. Another to find.
She smiled up at the human male, nodding along with her words to make sure he understood her over the music and shouted conversations. “Okay. Let’s go.”
The look of surprise on his face was almost comical, but he recovered quickly and pulled out his wallet. Tossing a few large bills on the bar— way more than the drinks could possibly cost, even with a tip - was it supposed to impress her? —he stuck out his elbow.
Ryanne hopped off her bar stool and took it. If he wanted to throw away his money, who was she to stop him? Besides, the humans behind the bar deserved it for putting up with some of the behavior in this club.
Forging a path through the throng of people vying for the space they’d just vacated at the bar, they were halfway to the front door when it was flung open and a group of three males came in.
