Looking up at the man Elise had to do a double take. There was a combination of dread and excitement swirled in her belly at the handsome barista from her favorite coffee shop. It shocked her that she hadn’t caught on to his presence before he spoke. One of the perks about being a wolf was her heightened sense of smell, it helped her track down many members of her old hunting party, much to their detriment. But tonight she must have really let her guard down. “Oh yes, so adventure seeking”, she told him holding up one of the magazines that was not hers. “Better Homes and Gardens, screams adrenalin junkie.” She turned away slide the misplaced mail into the slot. When he addressed her by an unconventional name she could help but get goose bumps. “It’s going”, she threw back. “Nothing particularly exciting. How bout you, Tate, right?”
Having been born to a lineage of Holloway Pack members, Tate knew virtually every wolf in town, even if they didn’t know him off-the-bat. Anyone he didn’t know from the Pack, he knew from growing up in town, or from his day job at the local coffee shop. He was familiar with Elise, of course, though he couldn’t recall a time they’d spoken at length, past casual conversation when she came into the shop to place her coffee order. Tate’s eyes fell to the magazine in her hands, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “Don’t make fun, those Martha Stewart obsessed housewives are nuttier than fruitcakes. In my experience, at least.” The white picket fence life wasn’t one Tate had ever been able to imagine himself getting behind, and in fact was one he frequently poked fun at, simply to prove his own point. This instance was no different. His eyes scanned Elise’s outfit before he spoke again. “Looks like something you’d really dig though. Why not keep it for yourself, I’m sure they won’t miss it.” Tate laughed, shaking his head as he slid his hand into his pocket, retrieving a metal cigarette holder. “Nothing exciting, huh? Funny. You look like you’re headed to the party of the millennium. Yeah, you’re right. It’s Tate. Eh, no solid plans at the moment, I’m sure I’ll find something to change that, though.” Turning, he began to head towards the exit. “You coming, Blondie?”