Cole

“So what was that about, Dax?”

Dax shook his head, his dark brown hair falling into his face. “Nothing important. Just some lost shifter. Not even a Windego, my nose was off. So what are you going to do about Liam? And about our uncle?”

Cole stared into the fire. It was just him and Dax now, so he could speak a little bit more freely. Not that he wouldn’t have to answer to Olivia for assuming that Sam was a traitor earlier. He just couldn’t get a good read on the guy, and it wasn’t for Olivia’s lack of trying, either. He knew he needed to loosen up a little bit, but every time he tried, he was faced with something like this situation. There was just always some type of problem. That was what happened when you managed nearly a thousand shifters over three different clans. He didn’t have time for mistakes.

“I’ll send a message. Let him know that I’m aware of his lack of loyalty. Maybe I will even replace them in his position of power.”

Dax looked out the window again. “You don’t think his clan will lose it? We’re not trying to start some sort of battle here. Maybe you should contact Dad.”

Cole straightened his tie. “I don’t need him. I can handle this on my own. They left me in charge, Dax, don’t you forget it.”

He could feel his brother shrinking away from him; his alpha side had spoken and Dax wouldn’t question him again. His bear roared beneath the surface—he was making his position known, even if Cole didn’t mean for him to.

“Fine then, let’s at least go and relax a little bit before you make any crazy decisions. Have a drink down at the bar with me?”

Cole nodded. “Just us two? Everyone else has gone down to the dining room for dinner. Perfect time to slip away.” Sometimes he felt like with the whole family around, everyone was depending on him. But with just him and Dax, things were simpler.

“Yeah, let’s blow off some steam.”

Cole watched with interest as Dax left the room, but not before he looked over his shoulder out the window one last time. He knew it wasn’t just some rogue shifter that had been wandering along—Dax he had seen someone. Someone from the past, but who was it? He tried to shake the thought from his mind, because right now, all he wanted to focus on was the bottom of the beer glass. Just a moment to let loose.

* * *

Cole was on his second beer when Dax suggested doing some shots. “I’m not drinking tequila. The last time I drank tequila, I’m pretty sure you convinced me to get a tattoo of a skull on my ass. Never again.” Dax raised his glass and drank the shot by himself. Cole had gotten the stupid thing removed years ago, but it had still been a pain in the ass, quite literally.

Cole spun around on his barstool and leaned against the bar as he watched people play pool in the corner. Wilson’s Bar had been a staple in Crescent Valley for nearly thirty years. He remembered his father drinking at the same bar when they were children. The man who owned it, Drake Monroe, was a large, surly fellow. Cole always wondered if maybe he was part shifter, but he didn’t dare ask him. That man loved his beer and his bar and his dog. The bar itself was actually named after the dog, if that proved just how much he loved the old mutt. And what was completely odd about Drake’s dog was that Cole had no idea how old he was. That thing just seemed to live forever.

Just as Cole was about to turn back around, he heard some coins drop on the hardwood floor in front of him at a small table. An elderly woman was counting out some of her change and he realized that she couldn’t reach to grab the coins that had fallen. He hopped off his stool and strode over to her, picking up the few coins that had fallen beneath her table. Always a gentleman, his mother had taught him right.

He offered them to her outstretched hand. “Here you are, ma’am.”

The woman looked up at him; she had to be in her seventies, with short gray hair and dark green eyes. The wrinkles around her mouth and eyes showed years of laughter in her past.

“Well, aren’t you sweet! This getting old is for the birds, I tell you! You drop stuff on the floor and can’t even get it yourself anymore. Or maybe I did it on purpose so I would get to see your behind.”

Cole smiled but felt some blush creeping up his cheeks.

“Aunt Irma! You’re not supposed to say things like that to people.” Cole turned around to see a beautiful, fiery red head standing directly behind him. She was just a little bit shorter than he was, with the same sparkling emerald eyes that her aunt had. When he wasn’t looking directly into her eyes, he noticed the bridge of freckles beneath them that connected right on the tip of her nose. She was stunning.

“It’s no problem. I don’t get a lot of compliments like that these days. I appreciate when a woman speaks her mind.”

The older woman spoke up again. “Did you hear that, Juliet? He appreciates it. Now you both know what I would appreciate? If this young gentleman would buy you a drink.”

There was no way that Cole was denying that. “I mean, you’re supposed to listen to your elders.”

Juliet shook her head, the red ringlets sitting against her porcelain skin. “Aunt Irma! Good Lord. I swear to God I feel like I can’t take you anywhere.”

“She’ll have a chocolate martini. And don’t let Drake tell you that he doesn’t know how to make it, because that’s a lie. I watch that man drink one of those fancy drinks every Wednesday at five o’clock.”

“Chocolate martini coming right up, and for you?” He wasn’t going to walk away without offering Irma something to drink as well.

“A brewski.”

“Done.”

He walked back over to the bar and ordered both drinks while Dax smiled from ear to ear.

“What?”

“When I said to relax, I meant let your hair down a little bit, not try to take some old lady and her granddaughter home.”

“It’s actually her niece. And like you said, you told me to let loose.”

“Well you are still wearing a suit in a bar, so grandma over there probably thinks your loaded and that you’re going to take great care of her niece.”

Cole leaned in closer to Dax. “Well, we both know that we are loaded, and that girl is beautiful. So if she wants me to take care of her with my money. I’m happy to do so.”

Dax put his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Well, you three don’t get too crazy, I’m outta here. I’ve got a date.”

“What’s this one’s name?”

Dax took another shot of tequila and shrugged. “I don’t remember. Violet, Viola, Vivian? No idea. But she’s beautiful and blonde and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” He winked just before he turned around, and Cole watched his back before the drinks that he ordered were delivered to him. He shook his head at Dax—a new girl every week. But he could do whatever he wanted, it wasn’t Cole’s place to judge.

He grabbed the drinks and delivered them to his two new dates sitting at the table. Irma was chattering on and on about some sort of knitting group that she was considering joining while Juliet just stared at her drink.

“So I said to Celeste, Celeste, stop trying to serve such little food at these events. I mean, we’re not dead! We’re starving. I have to eat dinner before I go, and then pretend to nibble on her tiny little foods while I’m there! It’s a crime.”

Cole nodded, trying to appear interested until Irma finished her beer. “Well kids, this was fun, but I have to get going and Juliet hasn’t had even a sip of her drink yet, so she’s staying. Y’all have a good night!”

Irma toddled off faster than Cole had expected and suddenly, he was alone with a woman he’d hardly even met.

“She’s a trip.”

Juliet’s shoulders slumped forward. “Ain’t that the truth. Anyway, thank you so much for entertaining her, but I should really make sure she gets home okay.”

“I think she’ll be just fine,” Cole said as he placed his hand on her forearm, which was covered by a long-sleeved lace shirt. She didn’t seem quite as anxious to leave as she had just moments ago.

“She’s my mother’s sister.” She sighed heavily. “She significantly older than her and I came back to stay with her. I’ve only been in town maybe a year, but she’s just so much to handle! I feel like I never get a break. So maybe you’re right, she can walk herself home, I’m sure.” She looked towards the door longingly.

“You’ve been here a year?” Cole asked.

“Yeah, just about that. I am a teacher at the local high school over in Crescent Springs? Are you from around here?”

Cole nodded. “I live outside of town.”

“Oh. By the way you’re dressed, I just assumed you were visiting on business. And Irma didn’t seem to recognize you so… Sorry, she’s just a gossiper. Part of the small town rumor mill I guess, so since she didn’t know you, I just assumed you weren’t from here.”

“She probably does know me. She just didn’t realize it.”

“Why’s that?”

“When I said I live outside of town, I do. That’s true. But it’s because I own most of those lands.”

“Wait. You live in a castle up on the side of the mountain?”

“Yes. The Bradwick estate. That’s my family.”

She took one of her ringlets and curled it around her finger. Cole watched intently as his eyes fell from her face down to her chest. She was voluptuous in every sense of the word. What was this girl doing to him? He was hooked.

“That’s fascinating. I mean, I don’t know much about the town’s history, but everybody talks about your place.”

“Would you like to see it?”

What the hell was he thinking? Did he really just invite a human up to the castle? She could have a run in with one of Dax’s girls. Which he had been roasting him about and here he was trying to break his own rules? He didn’t even know this girl. But suddenly, he wanted to impress her.

“Yeah, maybe sometime. I think that would be great.” She took a sip of her martini and seemed to relax a little bit more.

“So you said you’re a teacher?”

“Yeah. I teach high school English. Poetry is my favorite, but the kids don’t really care about it.”

“I was a bigger fan of Shakespeare, honestly. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. Romeo and Juliet, your namesake?”

She pursed her lips just slightly. He hoped she was impressed. “You really know your stuff.”

“I guess I do.”

He looked into her eyes, falling into the beautiful green pools with every breath. He leaned in towards her—he hardly knew why, was he going to kiss her? But as she mirrored his image she knocked right into her drink, spilling the rest of the martini all over the table.

“Oh no! Such a klutz. I’m so sorry.” She immediately grabbed napkins off the table and began wiping it up before turning to Cole and blotting the arm of his suit jacket.

“I’m fine! It’s not a big deal.”

He saw as the blush crept up her cheeks, and she averted her eyes from his. “This stuff always happens to me. Here, let me just…”

As she leaned over to wipe the liquid off his hand, their skin met and a spark ignited between their flesh. She pulled back quickly, as though she’d been bit.

“Ow!”

She was right, it hurt like hell, and Cole had never experienced anything like it before. “What was that?”

Juliet just shook her head. “I have no idea. Listen, I’m really sorry about your jacket, I’ll pay to have it dry cleaned or something.” She took a strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear nervously. “But I should really get back home. It was nice meeting you, Cole. And I really appreciate the drink. I’m sorry I spilled it all over you. Bye.”

He raised a glass to her and stood as she did. She blushed slightly before grabbing her jacket and rushing out of the bar.

Cole sat back down ,dumbfounded. Was this how Olivia and Sam felt? Was this what Olivia had been saying about finding your true mate and just immediately knowing it to be true? He had been so completely disbelieving but now… Juliet… It all seemed so real. And was it just static electricity between the two of them, or something more?