There’s a new wolf in town.
Nigel smells him the instant he arrives, sweet and spicy both with just a little bit of something special.
He’s been in the states for over a year now and gone through his fair share of every type of shifter but a wolf. They aren’t common on this side of the world, and the thought of one reminds him of home.
“It’s a terrible fucking idea,” Darko says, handing him cash from last night’s till.
They co-own a bar in downtown LA called Shift. It’s a shifter bar, open to all kinds, and from the very first night they opened quickly has become the most popular in the city.
“I haven’t searched for him yet,” Nigel murmurs, sticking a cigarette between his lips.
“Good,” Darko snarls, “You don’t need that shit, and I most definitely do not need that shit. You’ve been perfectly happy with nameless humans and shifters alike. A wolf…”
Nigel lights his cigarette and takes a drag, blowing out smoke. “A wolf is so much more.”
He says no more to Darko, or anyone, but decides to go search for the wolf just to see what he’s missing.
When he finds him Nigel is struck by the sight.
He’s sitting on the edge of fountain, pencil in hand as he sketches, and when he smiles to himself Nigel aches.
A prettier wolf he’s never before seen, not ever, and the sun seems to shine just a bit brighter off his copper curls. He sits cross legged on the edge of a fountain as he draws, his hand hard at work as he creates, and Nigel cannot help but draw near.
All at once the wolf tenses, looking up at him in anger.
“You said you’d leave me alone.”
Nigel blinks. “I’m not sure—“
The wolf jumps up clutching his sketchbook and runs off into the crowd.
He could just let him go. It would be the reasonable thing to do, really.
Nigel has never been very reasonable.
He takes off running, the scent of the wolf so far in his nose Nigel thinks he could find him anywhere. The minute he catches those copper colored curls his wolf snarls, taking over as he rushes forward.
The wolf drops his sketchbook when Nigel pushes him against the wall, his eyes lit yellow as he stares.
“Just kill me,” he says, tears in his eyes, “I’m not going back.”
Nigel sniffs his neck and wants to drown in him.
“That bastard thinks he can control me just because I was silly enough to let her bite me? I made a mistake and they’ve got her now. They don’t need me. She’s…”
Nigel lifts his head and stares into the wolf’s eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Eucalion,” he says, “He’s got Vivian and she’s his wife. They’re happy. He doesn’t need to get rid of me. I don’t want her.”
Nigel knows the name, Eucalion. The asshole alpha of this shit pack of vicious wolves back in Bucharest. The wolf’s American accent proves he’s not from home but obviously his wolf is.
He moves back and relaxes at once. “I’m not with that bastard or any other alpha, Gorgeous. I promise you that.”
“Why should I believe you?”
my gift to @insanelyartful for the @spookyhannibalficexchange
