Bonds

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

-Maya’s POV-

The familiar scent of stale beef and leather greeted me as I pushed open the door of The Rusty Compass. My eyes scanned the bar, immediately landing on Riley. She was hunched over, concentrating on pouring a drink, her hair cascading down her back like a fiery waterfall.

As she straightened, our eyes met. A jolt passed through her, and she flinched, taking a step back. “Hi,” I greeted, my voice softer than usual.

Her response was a shaky, “Hey.” Even from a distance, I could see the dark circles under her eyes, a stark contrast to the vibrancy I remembered.

Concern tugged at me. “Ar

me. “Are you okay? Can you

take a break so we can talk in the back?”

She hesitated, her gaze flickering around the room, before nodding slowly. She excused herself to a nearby coworker, who readily agreed to cover her duties.

As soon as the swinging door closed behind us, shutting out the bar’s low murmur, I blurted out, “You look exhausted. Haven’t been sleeping?”

She sighed, rubbing the circles beneath her eyes. “Yeah, not really. These past two days… I don’t even know who to trust anymore. I mean, anyone could be like you, right? And all it takes is one bad mood for them to rip me to shreds.

”

“Riley, interjected gently, placing a hand on her arm to stop her from spiraling. “Werewolves aren’t bad people. And I’m so sorry I’m putting you through this but no one is going to hurt you.”

Her eyes, wide and searching, locked onto mine. “How do you even ex st?” she whisper yelled, “Were you bitten by one? Do you, like, transform every full

moont

I chuckled, the sound offering a welcome break from the tension, “No, not at all, I was born this way. Being a werewolf is part of me, it’s in my blood. And actually, werewolves can shift wheneverthey want, not just at full moons.”

A shadow crossed my face. “Although, I haven’t let my wolf out much lately.”

replacing some of the fear in her

admitted, sinking deeper into the worn leather barstool across from her. “One I don’t like to talk

studied me intently. “So, this wolf… is it like

as strong emotions and

her voice tinged with a mix of awe and apprehension. “So, when you, uh, shifted a

surface. That night with the bikers, though… everything happened so fast. My wolf sensed danger and reacted before I

you did control

hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper,

Werewolves have heightened senses, and our eyes change when we shift or when our wolf is close to the

control how much of the wolf you let

Thu, 20 Jun

Chapter 23

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I replied cautiously. “There’s constant training involved, learning to manage the wolf’s urges and channel its strength without succumbing to its magn.

widened. “Do you have, like, a secret werewolf gym

of werewolves, and they have ways

chair. “So, there are other werewolves

of unease creeping into my voice. “But the werewolf world is a complex one, with its own set of rules and secrets. Which is why it’s important that you keep what you saw the

forget something like that? And what about the whole monster thing? Don’t werewolves eat people?”

whoa,” Theld up my hands in mock surrender. “Hold

We have a…

with humans, but violence is a last resort. Mostly, we just try to live

muttered, shaking her head. “This is all so much to

smile. “It’s a lot to process. But trust me, I wouldn’t have told you any of this if I didn’t think

cheeks flushed a faint pink,

exactly,” I chuckled. “But you have a good heart. And

a small, hesitant smile touched her lips, “Alright, Mays. I’ll try my best to keep your secret. But you have to promise to answer

I know you work at a bar and now it sounds really dumb after you just poured one for someone else, but I

into a small laugh. “Sounds good. Just promise me you won’t turn into a giant wolf and devour the entire bottle in one gulp,” she

echoing warmly in the dimly lit backroom. “No promises,”

the swinging door, she called out, “Hey, Sarah! Can I take a ten–minute break? I just

behind the bar. “Sure thing. Take

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