Chapter Five

The music was pounding through the speakers, causing the floor to vibrate. The deep thud of the bass was spreading sexual tension through the air. The club was alive with energy. I had sworn on multiple occasions I would not be coming here tonight, but here I was.

Club Velvet was living up to expectations.

“Another!” Chase yelled, slamming the empty glass down and reaching for another shot. He pushed one in my direction and, following his lead, I threw it down, the alcohol burning my throat on its way down.

Blake had been busy making moves on other women all night, while Chase and I were making it our mission to drink the bar dry.

“Look, he has finally landed one,” Chase yelled in my ear while pointing out Blake and a skinny blonde.

“It’s taken him all night.” I was swaying to the music, standing next to Chase. “I thought he was in for sure with the brunette.”

“That’s Blake for ya.” Chase shrugged his shoulders. We spun around to lean against the bar and looked out at the dance floor.

While many couldn’t understand Blake and my’s relationship, to us it was perfection. Humans want exclusive relationships, but, for us, dating just didn’t work like that. While most do try, Blake and I figured it would be easier this way.

We were boyfriend and girlfriend, I suppose, or perhaps friends with benefits was a better label. Either way, at school he was mine and I was his, but, on the weekend, we would split up, and he could chase other women, as it really didn’t bother me.

He wasn’t my mate, and I wasn’t his so we knew we wouldn’t be together forever. This way we didn’t get too attached, and we still kept that wedge between us to keep us from falling madly in love.

Chase threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his side, leaning down to my ear. “Want to dance?”

“Why, Falcon, I think that is the best idea you have had all night.” I grinned, taking his hand and leading him to the floor. The crowd was thick, and it took a while to weave our way in.

When we found a spot, Chase let go of my hand, and his hands snaked around my back.

Chase and I were friends, nothing more and nothing less. He was a hot head, just like his brother, but Chase did have a softer side to him. Unlike Blake, he wouldn’t attack you for just looking at him.

Chase was, I guess, the nicer twin.

There was barely any distance between us, both of us moving together to the deep bass music.

For a few moments, everything drifted away. That was until I felt him. I didn’t have to see him to know he was here. I could feel him, and he was close.

Just like every other time before, my pulse quickened, and I felt my whole body alert to his presence.

Chase’s hands were running down my back, and it was his touch that kept me from searching the crowd looking for Zane. I felt my head fill with tension and I instantly knew my thoughts were no longer my own.

‘Don’t you have the wrong twin, Allie?’

‘Didn’t know you took much notice,’ I snapped back into his mind. His mind was slightly blurry, perhaps he had been drinking.

I went up on my tippy toes to speak into Chase’s ear. “I think I need another drink.”

He nodded, letting go of me. “Want me to come?” I saw his eyes flicker to the very skinny girl who was dancing next to us.

“Nope, all good.” I smiled, turning my back on him and weaving my way to the bar. Chase and I were friends, and I wasn’t going to hold it against him for ditching me for another.

If Chase had a chance with that chick, I would keep my distance and let him have some fun.

Maybe I could head home.

‘You didn’t answer my question,’ Zane’s voice demanded.

‘You didn’t ask one.’

Talking to Zane in my mind often felt like I was talking to myself.

‘Why are you all over Falcon C, instead of Falcon B?’

‘I never said I was exclusive to Blake.’

“No, you didn’t, but usually when you say he is your boyfriend that is normally assumed.” Zane was standing next to me, and, for once, his alluring velvet voice was out of my mind, and I could hear it for real.

My eyes widened, taken aback by his sudden appearance. “Well, you know what they say, you shouldn’t assume things.”

I could feel the inner beast inside of me alert and ready to pounce on her mate. While she might be bathing in his closeness, my nerves were on fire.

“Are you leaving?” Zane glanced at the phone in my hand.

I had already brought up the taxi number. I didn’t really see the point in staying any longer. Blake and Chase were busy with other people, and I didn’t mind the idea of heading home and perhaps watching a movie before falling asleep. Plus, I knew for a fact there was a re-run of Misfits on.

“I have a date.”

Zane’s face dropped slightly from shock.

“Not like that.” I laughed. “With the TV,” I explained. I didn’t want him thinking I was some crazy girl who slept with heaps of men.

“You’re heading home, leaving all this,” He gestured around the club, “To go home and watch TV?” He didn’t get it, and I didn’t expect him to.

“Guess I’m weird.” I shrugged my shoulders.

Somehow during our conversation, we had stepped closer to each other. I blamed it on the thudding music which made it so hard to hear.

“Your mom is out of town, isn’t she?” Zane asked, before finishing his drink.

“Yeah, she is, how did you know that?” Mom had left yesterday for a long weekend with the girls. What she needed a getaway from, was beyond me.

“She went with my mom,” Zane explained.

It was these kinds of moments I hated being a female, and I hated the fact Zane could just reach into my mind and read what I was thinking. He would find out, that right now I was admiring his every feature. God, he was an attraction.

He was wearing a tight t-shirt which had a low neck, slightly showing his toned chest.

“Or not, I don’t have to?” Zane snapped his fingers in my face, and I just caught the end of whatever he was saying.

“What?”

Zane grinned as if he knew I had been distracted by his God-created body. “I said, do you want me to take you home?”

“No. It’s fine. You don’t have to leave because of me.” Why was my stomach twisting like this? I was sure I was about to spew up. Just the thought of being alone with him had my body erupting in nerves.

“It’s right.” He waved it off like it was nothing and put his glass down.

This was happening - this was actually happening! My heart was pounding harder than a heart attack victim’s.

I was following Zane’s board-wide back through the crowd. For a few moments, I was scared I was going to lose him on the way out. Without thinking, I reached out, slipping my hand into his overly large one.

He hadn’t looked back in shock like I expected. Instead, he wrapped his hand around mine gripping it tightly.

God, what his touch flared within me wasn’t human. It was pure need, and my wolf gloated in it.

The taxi ride home was quiet. We talked about how cold it was, how busy the club was, and we avoided any possible serious subjects. We also had kept to different sides of the taxi. I knew he had felt the electric buzz between us when we touched and while, at the moment, it felt like bliss, afterwards it was terrifying.

The taxi pulled up to the curb outside my house. This was why my stomach twisted into a tight knot.

“So, umm…” My hand hovered on the door handle.

He looked at me amused but confident. Did Zane ever get nervous? “I’ll walk you to the door.”

I mumbled an ok before stumbling out of the car and quickly walking to our front door. I had no experience with this. Blake and I kept things simple; he was a friend before we added the benefits, so things were just easy. I didn’t get nervous, and we didn’t have awkward moments.

My back was against my front door, and my eyes were glued on Zane. I didn’t know what to say or do.

“Stop that, would you,” Zane snapped.

“What?” I had no idea I was doing anything.

“Biting your lip and looking all doe-eyed.”

My expression changed immediately. I wasn’t nervous anymore, it was Zane after all. Really, Allie, get a grip. He would either leave or stay and whatever he chose to do, wouldn’t affect me.

“So, do you want to come in or what?” I looked for my keys in my bag.

By the time I had them out, and in the door, he had finally made up his mind.

“Sure, whatever.” He pretended to be all cool and collected. Pity for him I could hear his heartbeat, and it was pounding harder than mine. Hearing it made me feel a bit more relaxed.

 

***

“I can’t believe you have never seen it,” I told Zane through the closed closet door.

“I can’t believe it was your first time at Club Velvet,” Zane shot back.

I pulled the tank-top over my head. The awkwardness had disappeared, and, while I was getting changed, Zane was watching the start of Misfits. How he had not seen it, I didn’t know.

After pulling my PJ pants on, I flicked off the light and walked into my bedroom. “This is my favorite show.”

Zane was against my headboard, his eyes flickered to me for a moment before landing back on the TV. Zane Harris was lying on my bed. That fact still hadn’t sunk in.

“So, Blake doesn’t care if you get it on with his brother?” Zane arched an eyebrow at me.

“I didn’t get with his brother. We were dancing.” I flattened all his ideas before they had a chance to bloom. “I’m just friends with him.” Why did Zane make it sound like more, and more importantly why was he so interested?

“Right, friends.” He looked at me questioningly.

“Oh, come on, you are friends with Ebony.” I looked at him slightly disgusted. How he could stand that woman was beyond me. Seriously, she was a complete utter bitch.

“Ebony is alright.” He stuck up for her, causing my hate towards her to grow.

“Whatever.” I looked back at the TV. Nothing he could say would make me think differently of that chick.

“So, want to tell me why you’ve only got two friends?” He changed the subject, and if I didn’t know better, I would think he was trying to get to know me.

“I don’t make friends easily.” That was the honest truth. I just didn’t seem to click with people. It didn’t bother me now because I was used to it, but at first, it was hard.

“Maybe it has something to do with that attitude of yours.”

I looked over my shoulder and stared at him in disbelief. “I only have an attitude because of them.” My attitude wasn’t the problem it was the side effect. “People don’t like me, and you know what? I really don’t care anymore. Hell, at least I don’t waste my time befriending two-faced bitches.”

“You sure you’re ok with that?” Zane scoffed, picking up on my sour tone.

“Just drop it,” I grumbled.

Zane was the kind of guy that avoided emotional situations. I didn’t have to know him that well to know that, so he dropped the subject. I doubt he wanted to deal with an emotional Allie.

“So, do you do this much?” Zane nodded between me and the TV.

“I’m not going to lie. I spend a large amount of time in front of the TV.” My attention was back on the show now. “You can call me a loser, or geek, or whatever. I don’t mind.”

“So, you would rather be by yourself than with people?” He sounded confused, and I turned to look at him. “You are the complete opposite of me.” He shook his head.

Complete opposite, why does hearing that off his lips make me feel sad?

“Tonight, why did you go out?” He dropped his head to the side, interested. It was like he was finally asking a question that had been bothering him all night.

“I’m not a hermit all the time.” I smiled at him shyly.

“You’re a weird girl, Allie.” He shook his head. “Why I got you I don’t know.”

“We’re certainly a strange combination.”

Seriously, out of all the men in the world, I got the one who was so not right for me. How we would ever work was a mystery.

“So how come you left the club? And don’t give me that speech ‘because I was worried about you,’” I said.

“Ebony had hooked up and so had Taylor.” He sighed, stretching and putting his hands behind his head. “I just couldn’t see anyone worth chasing tonight.”

“Way to make me feel flattered,” I scoffed.

“You wanted the truth.”

Damn me for asking. Really, Allie, what was I expecting him to say? “So at school, what’s with the ignoring me thing?” I hated it. Sure, I wasn’t thrilled being his mate, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be treated like an invisible blob.

He looked angry for a split second before looking me in the eye. “It’s easier.”

“Easier?” Really, because I think having two personalities would be harder.

“If we talk, or if we get on, people are going to ask questions.” He cringed. “And, well, you know, we are going to have to give answers which means we are going to have to lie. So, it’s easier if we just…. you know, keep it, um, normal.”

He was embarrassed about me. He hadn’t said it, but I felt it, and it rocked me to the core. Maybe if I weren't the hermit freak, he would be proud to openly be friends with me.

“Ok then.” I was suddenly glaring at the TV. I hated this. I never asked him to be my mate. I never wanted this but having him openly say he didn’t want people to know we were even friends hurt.

“Don’t be like that, Allie,” he groaned, with regret in his tone. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

I kept silent. Times like these called for silence.

“Allie, you are barely a meter away from me, I can feel you’re, um… hurt by what I said.”

My lips formed a tight line, and anger consumed me. For once the beast within me wasn’t making excuses for him, she was just as mad as I was. We were both hurt by his open rejection.

“Look, Allie.” His hand touched my stiff back, and I flinched away from his touch.

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, moving further away from him.

Hurt flashed across his eyes before he took control of his emotions. “Well, don’t be all moody then,” he snapped. All the care that was on his face a moment ago was gone. “Look, Allie, you said you didn’t want to be my mate. I thought we were on the same page with this.”

“You said we should be friends,” I reminded him. “I didn’t know your version of friends with me meant closet friends.”

“I…” He groaned, running his hand over his head. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything.” I sat up, crossing my legs under me. “I get it you know.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not a high-profile catch.”

“It’s not about that,” he snapped at me, looking angrier by the second. “You don’t get it. If anyone, ANYONE, finds out about you being my mate, that’s it, everything is over.”

I swallowed sharply. The fierceness in his voice made me realize he wasn’t joking.

“Are you ready to be looked at as the next pack leader, because that is what you will become, Allie. Your life won’t be your own anymore.”

Was now the time to tell him that I wasn’t planning on staying here? Oh God, what was I thinking? We can’t be friends. “No,” I said bluntly. I didn’t want to get stuck here and having any type of relationship with him could cause that to happen. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

He looked disappointed. “Well, there we have it. You and I just have to keep things on the down low.”

I nodded my head. One day I would have to make a choice, him or freedom but, right now, we could just prolong that day.

“It sucks.” Zane sighed. “Not being able to talk to you at school. I don’t like it.” He wasn’t lying; the seriousness and honesty on his face told me that. “That’s why I’ve been in your head a lot.”

“Which is really annoying,” I piped up. “Seriously, Zane, do you know how many times I have nearly died out of fright hearing your voice in my head! Then people look at me funny, because of the faces I pull while talking back to you.”

“I know.” He smirked. “You always looked so focused.”

“You know staring is a sign of stalking,” I teased, smirking back at him.

“Well, I guess that means I’m your personal stalker then.”

He hadn’t meant it sexually, but for some reason, it drove my hormonal levels up.

“Stop that look.” He pointed at me. “I have control over my wolf, but not that much.”

I look away from him quickly, blushing. “Sorry.”

“No, I’m the one who is sorry. Sorry I can’t do anything about it.”

That made me blush more, and I was sure my cheeks were bright red. “So, we should, um, watch this.” I pointed pathetically to the TV.

He laughed. “You look cute blushing.”

“Well, I better never blush again then.”

“I could get you to blush in a second.”

“Mighty confident, aren’t you?”

“Let me just say, I know what effect I have on you.” He moved closer to me, placing a hand on my thigh. “And I know how to use it to my advantage.”

I turned to look at him, my cheeks slightly faded. “Two can play at that game.” I pulled on my own control and confidence. I would not let him get the upper hand.

“Ok then, let’s make a little bet.” He kept his hand on my thigh, and it was driving me crazy. My skin was tingling with joy and pleasure. “I bet I can have you begging for me before you have me begging for you.”

A game of jealousy and emotions - it was sure to end in disaster. “Deal.” I smirked at him.

“You do know this is going to end with me banging you, don’t you?” he spoke with confidence, and his eyes flashed with need and desire.

 “Like I said, Zane, you’re too confident.”

We both knew we shouldn’t be doing this. We both knew this attraction we felt for each other was going to overcome us one day but, right now, why not have fun with it and I wasn’t going to back down or lose. If there was one thing I hated more than this town, that was losing.