The men and women linked arms as they spun each other around in circles and danced around the fire pits, chinking glasses and roaring between themselves with laughter. Main Street was full of people, and a festival was in full swing. Beer tents were laid out on every corner, and buskers and musicians were playing on small makeshift stages, all of their music clashing together, but also making a harmonious sound.

Esme stood watching them all as she leaned against a lamppost and ate her muffin and sipped her coffee. It was as if the town were in a constant party mode, as if they were always on holiday and every day was Christmas. The local ale was being served in big, glass tankards, and men and women were all jolly and red-faced as they said cheers and glugged it down.

“This place is crazy,” Esme whispered to herself as she sipped her coffee. “But I like it.”

She turned and began to walk toward the intersection that took her off to The Nowhere Bar, and she suddenly couldn’t wait to see Stacey and ask her if town was always this frantic and full of chaos.

She had visited so many small towns while she had been on her travels, but this place was completely different. It was as if the people there were ten times happier than anywhere else on earth.

As she turned the corner and saw the bar come into view, a smile played across her lips that she was unable to control. She was full of energy and excitement, and the nerves she had felt the night before had completely melted away. As she got closer and closer, she was feeling a pull. As if something had hooked itself through her navel and was pulling her forward, while her heart was pounding in her chest and her palms began to sweat.

The energy around her felt electric again, and her mind began to swirl.

“Not again,” she whispered as she steadied herself against a wall. “Come on, pull yourself together.”

She stopped and drained the rest of her coffee and threw it into a trash can on the side of the street, before she checked her composure and took another step closer to the bar.

She reached the front door and breathed a sigh of relief. She had gotten there and was fine. She reached up for the handle and pulled the door open, stepping inside.

It was dark, but the place was already open and there was low and gentle rock music playing out from a jukebox in the corner. The neon lights were on and buzzing away in the alcoves, and there were candles lit on each table and booth on the outskirts of the room.

She spotted Stacey with a tray, she was moving from one of the occupied tables to the other and taking orders, and Esme raised her arm to wave at her.

She slipped behind the bar and took off her coat, and she waited for Stacey to come back over to her.

“Wow,” Stacey grinned when she caught sight of Esme’s outfit. “Would you look at you. Sexy Momma.”

Stacey winked, and Esme laughed.

“I felt a little conservative last night,” she said with a shrug. “So I thought I would mix it up a little.”

“I love it,” Stacey grinned. “And it definitely suits both you and the vibe in here.”

Esme nodded, that was what she had hoped.

She tucked her purse away in a drawer underneath the bar counter and made herself an iced glass of water with a fresh piece of lemon, before she looked out and across the room.

There weren’t many people in yet, but she could see that at least six tables were occupied.

“I don’t think we’ll be too busy tonight,” Stacey said as if she had read her mind. “Last night was wild, we didn’t end up kicking out until nearly five AM.”

“Seriously?” Esme asked with disbelief. “I didn’t think there would be any chance of this place getting a license until then. Not in a quiet town like this.”

“Well,” Stacey laughed. “Technically, we don’t…” she trialed off and leaned in a little closer so she could whisper. “The cops and Sheriff kind of let us do what we want. I don’t know how it works exactly, but Zeke and the rest of the boys have some sort of agreement with them.”

The boys.

So there was a group of them that ran the bar… She wondered when she would have the pleasure of meeting the rest of Zeke’s crew. She sipped her drink and looked up toward the balcony where he had stood and watched her the night before and she felt a shiver roll through her body. But it wasn’t an unpleasant one… it was quite the opposite.

Since she had come into the bar, she felt awake and alive, and it was hard to believe, almost, that she had felt so strange earlier in the day and the night before. She brushed her wild hair behind her ears and smiled out at the room. She was ready to work.

“Town is crazy,” she said as she leaned into the counter next to Stacey as she fixed the drinks orders she had taken. “Is it always like that out there?”

“No,” Stacey smiled with a shake of her head. “But there is generally always something going on, it just tends to be further up the hill.”

“What’s further up the hill?” she asked.

Stacey looked behind her as if she wanted to check that no one was listening to her, and then she leaned in a little closer and began to whisper.

“You said you only arrived in town yesterday, didn’t you?” she asked inconspicuously.

“Yes,” Esme whispered back.

“Well,” she continued. “There’s a lot going on here that I guess wouldn’t be visible to most people…” she trailed off as if she wasn’t sure whether she was going to continue. “This town may look like all sunshine and rainbows and idyllic lives, but I guess it has its secrets too.”

Esme felt her heart flutter.

What kind of secret could a town like this be hiding?

She reached for one of the tickets Stacey had scrawled on and she started to help make some of the drink orders.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

She didn’t know if anyone was watching them talk, and she wanted to grill her and find out as much about the place as she could, she’d had the strange feeling since she had arrived that there was something different about Lost Creek. But she hadn’t been able to put her finger on it.

“There’s a little bit of animosity between some of the families around here,” Stacey whispered out of the corner of her mouth. “I don’t know the full story, but I know Zeke and the guys who own this place and some of the other businesses in town have a rivalry with the guy that owns Arlo’s bar and then some of the other taverns at the top of the hill. They also brew the Lost Creek beer. To be honest, things got so bad once, I’m surprised we still sell it.”

She shrugged her shoulder as she poured a shot of gin into the bottom of a tumbler before she topped it off with tonic.

Esme took it all in and just nodded.

“The fair that’s happening out there on Main Street tonight,” Stacey continued. “It’s the other families, so I can’t imagine Zeke or any of the other guys here will want to be out and about down there.”

“Oh, right,” Esme said. “That bad, huh?”

“Oh, yes,” Stacey agreed with wide eyes. “It’s that bad.”

She loaded the drinks onto the tray and lifted it onto her shoulder before she stepped out from behind the bar and began to walk out to the tables. Esme watched how she dipped slightly when she got to each customer and handed them their drink with grace and ease. She could only hope she would be able to master the same art very soon.

As she watched, she suddenly felt a tingle rise up her spine and felt rooted to the ground. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart began to pound.

She could feel something in the air.

She could feel him.

She looked up toward the balcony, and she felt a rush of disappointment when she realized he wasn’t there. But it was only short lived, as, within seconds, she realized it was because he was closer. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around.

The green eyes.

They were right there, and they were on her.

She tried not to gasp.

“Esme,” he said deeply as he stepped around in front of her and looked her up and down. She could tell the look in his eyes and it was definitely one of appreciation. He liked what he was seeing, and that was a good thing because so did she. His jeans were low slung and his t-shirt was tight and clinging. It revealed every muscle he had and she could see the dark mass of tattoos on his arms. It made her pulse quicken and her head spin.

This man was so fucking sexy, it should have been a crime.

“How did your first night go?” Zeke asked with a wry smile.

Esme tried not to look flustered as she adjusted her top and leaned against the wall, trying to appear nonchalant.

How did he have this effect on her? It was completely insane. One moment, she was held perfectly well together, and the next, she was a jabbering mess, feeling as if she was about to lose all self-control.

“It was good,” she smiled. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity.”

Zeke laughed and stepped closer to her.

“You say that like a true professional,” he smiled, and his incredible eyes glinted at her.

As she looked into them, she was transported back to the dream and she tried not to blush. In her dream, she had seen him naked. She had held him in her arms. She had pulled him close to her and ran her hands through his dark hair and kissed him like her life depended on it. Just standing next to him, in that moment, she felt as if she could unravel right there and then, her body was responding to him in all the most delicious ways she could ever imagine. But she had to remember her own warning to herself… he was her boss… and she really needed the job if she was going to stay in town.

“Did you watch the band?” he asked her as he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket and slid one between his teeth.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “They were pretty good. I can see why they pull such a big crowd.”

Zeke nodded his head.

“And the fair out there tonight,” she said hoping to entice a reaction out of him. “I couldn’t believe how busy it was, it looks like this town always has something going on.”

He nodded his head in agreement.

“We should go and check it out,” he said with a raised eyebrow. “I can’t imagine it’s going to be overly busy in here tonight…” he trailed off and let his eyes wander out across the main body of the room, and then they traveled back to meet with Esme’s.

She hadn’t been expecting that reaction. She had thought he may try and steer the subject in another direction altogether. He smiled at her and she felt her heart boom again. He made her nervous, but he also felt safe and like home. When he looked into her eyes, she felt as if she already knew him somehow; it was as if they had met long ago and had always been connected. She smiled back.

“I thought I was here to work,” she said playfully, and she tried not to grin too hard.

“Well, you are,” he said with an equal amount of mischief. “But it would be a shame for you to miss out on some of the fine things our town has to offer, especially when you’re new here.”

He slipped out from behind the bar and stepped into the middle of the room so he could look up toward the balconies above. He whistled up and waved his hand, and then a voice boomed down to him and they began to shout back and forth.

“Have any of you even come down to meet our new girl?” he called up with menace. “You’re all so fucking rude. Get your asses down here.”

Esme felt her face flame red.

Holy shit, she thought. What the hell is he doing?  

She watched as Zeke wandered back over to her with a mischievous look about him, and she cocked her head to one side.

“Okay, now I feel terrible,” she said. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Sure, I did,” he said as he crossed his huge arms over his chest. “They’re my business partners, and they should make the effort to come and introduce themselves.”

Esme was feeling hot and bothered, and as Stacey stepped back behind the bar and came and stood next to her, she looked at Esme sympathetically.

“They did the same to me,” Stacey said. “It was my second night here and I was still a bag of nerves, and they all started this big argument and I was at the center of it. I didn’t realize, for a good few minutes, that they were just playing with me. I was mortified.”

“That’s so nice, Zeke,” Esme said condescendingly.

He raised his eyebrows at her as if he was impressed by her feistiness, and then their little group chat was broken by the thunder of footsteps coming down the stairs.

Esme watched as the three men came into view. They were all big and dark, and menacing looking. They all looked of a very similar ilk to Zeke, but to her, they were all just background noise compared to him. She smiled widely and waited for them to approach her. Zeke hooked his arms around the necks of two of them and pulled them in close to him.

“Blu, Scar,” he said. “This is Esme, she’s our new girl.”

“Good to meet you,” they both smiled.

She looked from one of them to the other and she had the familiar feeling of something she couldn’t name. She didn’t know how exactly, but these men, much like Zeke, were… different.

She raised her hand to wave hi.

The third man dipped into view and he smiled at her too; he was as striking as the others and he held out his hand to shake hers.

“This is River,” Zeke said as she shook his hand.

“And altogether, we run this joint,” River said as he smiled back at her and then stepped away.

“Well, it’s great to meet you all,” she smiled. “Thank you for having me here.”

All the men looked at each other and grinned.

“You’re right, Zeke,” Scar said as he started to walk off and looked back over his shoulder. “She’s adorable.”

Blu started laughing, and then so did River, and they all began to make their way back up the stairs. Zeke watched them with a wicked smile and he shook his head as if they were all playing on some kind of inside joke.

“I’m taking her out of here,” he called up to them. “So get Colton in to help Stacey if we need him.”

The three guys all nodded and waved as they headed back upstairs, and Esme looked at Zeke as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“Do you want to explain that?” she asked with a laugh as he handed her coat to her.

“All in good time,” he smiled as he slipped his arms into a big, woolen coat and started to button it up at the front. He pulled on fingerless gloves and a scarf and smiled back at her. “It’s cold out there,” he said. “You got some gloves?”

She shook her head as she began to slip her feet out of her heels and put them back into her purse, putting on her snow boots.

“As if you two are leaving early,” Stacey said with a pout. “And for what? To go to the beer fair?” she asked with confusion.

Zeke nodded at her as if he didn’t want her to say anymore, but Stacey just shrugged.

“Well, have fun,” she beamed. “I’ll be here holding the fort, don’t worry!”

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Esme asked Stacey, suddenly feeling singled out and a bit guilty. She didn’t want to receive any special treatment. She was the new girl and wanted to make the best first impression. Why was she letting Zeke lead her astray?

“Of course, I don’t mind,” Stacey grinned. “Go on, you crazy kids, go and have some fun. But be safe…” she said it with a hint of warning and Zeke looked back at her over his shoulder and Esme was sure she saw him roll his eyes.

For a girl who worked for them, Stacey sure seemed to have a lot to say when it came to how Zeke should be acting and the way the rest of the guys ran the bar. Esme wondered if maybe there was more to her than it appeared.

Zeke passed her a scarf that he had in a stash behind the bar and a pair of gloves.

“What’s that?” Esme asked with amusement.

“We live in the mountains,” Zeke said. “We always have spares laying around, you never know when you might have to walk home in the cold.” He winked at her and it made her heart flutter a little.

He ushered her toward the door and she felt a little bewildered, but she also knew she wanted to be going out with him. Just having him around her made her feel wide awake and alive, and after she had felt so terrible earlier in the day, it was a welcome boost.

They stepped out of the bar and into the night. The sky was clear and millions of stars shone down on them from overhead. The moon was almost full, and it was in perfect view as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Esme found herself smiling as she looked up at the heavens.

“I think because this place is so isolated, it makes the sky even brighter, don’t you?” she asked him.

“I wouldn’t know,” he said as he followed her gaze. “I haven’t lived anywhere but Lost Creek.”

“Seriously?” she asked him, almost shocked. “I mean, that’s understandable, this place is great, but surely you must have traveled?”

“Of course I have,” he grinned. “But home is home, and when I look toward the sky and pay any real attention, it’s always here.”

He sounded wistful and romantic, and it made her want to move closer to him. They were getting closer to the sounds of the beer festival and she watched as he sank his hands into his pockets and smiled down at her.

“Stacey said they don’t do this so often,” she asked.

“No, not really,” he shrugged. “The people that have organized it usually concentrate on the other end of town. But with there being so many tourists here at the moment, we came to an agreement that they could bring it down here too.”

Esme took all of his words in and wondered what was going on between all the people there. It sounded as if there was plenty of drama happening behind closed doors, and it certainly didn’t fit in with the happiness that was evident on the exterior.

“Why did you want me to come out and see it?” she asked as she looked at him mischievously.

“Because,” he said. “It’s your first week in town. You should see some of the excitement… Even if its organized by people I can’t say I’m particularly fond of.”

Bingo, she thought. Now I’m getting somewhere. 

But her train of thought was instantly changed when she caught her eyes with his again and it made the butterflies dance deep in her stomach.

She really didn’t know how Zeke was inspiring this reaction in her, but it was fresh and fun, and it was making her feel alive. The closer she was to him, the more at ease and awake she felt. And in turn, when they began to drift apart in the crowd, she felt as if her energy was depleting and she needed to be back by his side as soon as possible.

They stopped by a crowd of people who were singing and dancing.

“Tourists,” Zeke mouthed down to her and she smiled back.

“Are they the bane of your life?” she asked him.

“No way,” he laughed. “I mean, sure, sometimes it can get a little frustrating when town is overrun, and you just want to go to the store and grab something quickly. But, generally, they make the place feel even more fun than it already is. And, of course, they bring in a lot of revenue. We all have our businesses to think about.”

“Sure,” she smiled. “It must keep things interesting, that’s for sure.”

He looked down at her and his whole expression was warm, like he was looking at an old friend or someone he had much affection for.

They moved from stand to stand, and Zeke bought them two big tankards of ale. They chinked glasses and sipped them as they sat on a bench by a firepit and watched some of the buskers singing and playing the guitars and accordions.

Esme knew she was being overly nosy, but she couldn’t help but let her mouth run away with her. As she sipped the beer, she remembered what Stacey had told her about the Lost Creek Special and wondered if this was in anyway connected to it.

“So, the beer,” she said. “I noticed there was a Lost Creek Special served in the bar, and Stacey said it’s brewed here in town.”

A dark look seemed to cloud over Zeke’s face, but he quickly shook it away. He took another swig as he nodded his head.

“Yeah, there’s a family of brewers here,” he said. “They’ve been making it for generations and its one of the town’s major selling points. It attracts some of the tourism and it all goes pretty well with the skiing. People love the après-ski, and the taverns we have up on the mountains,” he winked.

“I can imagine,” she laughed. “And I guess that makes sense as to why there’s a beer festival too, huh?”

Zeke nodded his head, but it looked like he had a bitter taste in his mouth.

“You said you didn’t like the people who organized the festival,” she probed, knowing she was prying way too deep. “So I imagine you’re not too keen on the brewers either…”

Zeke looked down at her and shook his head, before he took another deep chug of his drink and drained the glass. Esme looked down at hers and saw that it was still pretty much full, but Zeke rose to his feet and started to walk away. She got up too and went after him, while inside, she started to kick herself for being so nosy and asking too many questions.

“Zeke,” she said as she caught up to him. “I’m sorry.”

By the time she was by his side again, she felt a wave of relief. Being apart from him for that small moment had caused her to feel woozy again, and she couldn’t figure out what the hell was happening to her.

He turned and looked into her eyes, and it was like he could see her distress.

“Are you all right?” he asked her as he took hold of her arms with his big hands.

The touch of his skin was hot and different, it seemed to send a jolt right through her and it made her eyes light up. She gasped and looked deep into the deep sea of green and feeling as if she were being carried on the wave of a memory. Somewhere, deep in her past, she could see herself as a child… A child running around and playing in a half empty house, her mother sitting in the chair reading her magazines and drinking her iced teas, and then them both heading out for the day.

Zeke took his hands away from her shoulders and the vision broke and Esme gasped again.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he took a step backward. “This is all too much, too soon.”

“What?” she asked him, her mind a complete mess of confusion.

He bit his bottom lip and looked up at her with a genuine fear in his eyes.

“There is so much I want to tell you, Esme,” he said as he reached up and stroked her face. “But the time has to be right.”

He reached down and went to take her hand, but then he stopped himself and shook his head.

“Let me walk you home,” he said sternly, and then he began to walk away again.

She let him move away from her and she sat down on a wall at the side of one of the taverns. The further he moved away from her, the more her vision went blurred and the worse she began to feel. She gripped onto the bricks underneath her and tried to dig her fingers into them, bracing herself for the fall she was sure was about to come.

Before she slid forward and nearly crumpled to the ground, his big hands closed in on her again and pulled her to her feet. He held her face in his palm and looked deep into her eyes.

“I can’t see you like this,” he whispered as he traced a single finger down her cheek and to her lips.

She wanted him so badly, it was as if the second he was gone all of her energy was taken with him.

What had he done to her?

What was happening?

She closed her eyes and tried not to cry as he brushed the hair out of her face and then brought his lips to hers.

Their first kiss was like nothing she had ever felt before. His lips felt electric and warm and welcoming all at the same time. Her whole body tingled as they were joined together, and she fused to him as one. She ran her hands up the outsides of his arms and to his neck and held him there, as he walked with her backward and pushed her into the shadows and out of the way of all the wandering eyes.

His kiss was passionate and deep, and it was true and intense.

This kiss meant something to him, and she could feel it.

When they finally broke apart and he looked into her eyes, she had a feeling deep inside her chest that felt full and warm. He had awoken something in her, but he had also fixed something.

Before, where she had felt empty, she now felt complete, and she was confused, but at the same time, everything felt so very, very clear.

“You won’t be unwell anymore,” he whispered as he kissed her on the forehead. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” she panted, as she held him tight.

“Because,” he said sadly. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

He looked deep into her eyes again, and she knew what she saw now. She didn’t see a man, she saw something else…

She didn’t know how… But she saw a wolf.