3. Gray/ Spike

3

GRAY/ SPIKE

GRAY

I thought the werewolves at the gate would stop me, but to my surprise, they simply waved my car through.

Still, I couldn't relax my guard entirely. Glancing over my shoulder, I half-expected to see another car with Jack in it, but the road behind me remained empty.

My nerves were getting the better of me.

With a self-deprecating laugh, I acknowledged how I was overthinking things.

Maybe Jack was genuinely just a good Samaritan, or perhaps that unsettling smile from the night before had simply unnerved me.

Either way, I reassured myself that I was out of the potential danger zone, back on the open road where I belonged.

That, I concluded, was all that truly mattered.

As the miles stretched before me, I allowed the hum of the engine and the rhythm of the road to lull me into a sense of calm.

Eventually, I turned on the radio to fill in the silence, humming along to a few of my favorite country tunes.

Singing at the top of my lungs eased the residual tension from my encounter at the pack house. Yet, as the miles rolled by, unease lingered.

It was when I noticed a dark blue truck in my rearview mirror that my unease became unreal.

At first, I dismissed it as paranoia, convincing myself that my mind was playing tricks on me. However, the persistent presence of the truck behind me made me reconsider.

Wondering if it was mere coincidence or a genuine pursuit, I decided to test my suspicions.

I turned the radio off and glanced at the rearview mirror again. The dark blue truck was still there.

Determined to confirm or dispel my growing apprehension, I made a spontaneous decision. I turned into a smaller road, half hoping my suspicions were baseless.

Yet, the driver of the blue truck followed suit, confirming my fears. Tension crept back, and my heart quickened its pace.

I kicked the accelerator, urging my car to surge forward in the hopes of eluding my mysterious stalker.

The speedometer climbed, the passing scenery a blur as anxiety coiled tighter within me.

I had no idea where I was going, and the pulsating panic was fueled by the realization that I couldn't rely on my cellphone.

Silly me had forgotten to charge it last night at Jack's pack house, and now it lay lifeless in my pocket.

To compound the horror, my car engine began to stutter, protesting the abrupt acceleration.

First, the heater failed me in the biting cold, and now this. My second-hand sedan seemed to have chosen the worst possible moment to act up.

Then again, I knew I should've had it checked months ago—I simply kept putting it off. Food and paying the bills always took priority, but now I regretted my decision.

Each cough and sputter of my car sent a jolt of panic through my veins. My eyes quickly checked the fuel gauge, hoping it wasn't on empty and making my situation even worse.

The last thing I needed was to be stranded on a desolate road with an unknown pursuer closing in.

A quick glance at the rearview mirror confirmed that the blue truck was still tailing me, undeterred by my attempt to shake it off.

My mind raced, and I couldn’t help but wonder what might happen if the car gave out completely.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my mind racing through possible solutions.

Tall trees bordered either side of the road, offering a potential escape route. In the worst-case scenario, I could abandon the car and shift into my wolf form within the cover of those trees.

It would make it much harder for my pursuers to track me, but the drawback was leaving behind all of my precious belongings.

I might not own much, but certain things meant a lot to me.

Besides, if my stalkers turned out to be Jack and Clive, I wouldn't stand a chance outrunning two alpha shifters on my own. What then?

"Think," I muttered angrily to myself, scanning the surroundings for any signs of safety.

In the distance, a roadhouse with a dilapidated sign caught my eye—the Dirty Stallion.

A flicker of hope ignited within me as I spotted a few vehicles parked in the lot.

It was a gamble, but perhaps seeking refuge in a public space could tilt the odds in my favor.

I veered towards the roadhouse, my trusty sedan somehow holding up despite its earlier protests.

As the gravel crunched beneath the tires, I found a spot in the parking lot and dashed straight inside the roadhouse.

The air was thick with the scent of smoke and stale beer. Surprisingly, there were a few customers scattered around, even though it was still morning.

The low hum of conversation and clinking glasses greeted me as I scanned the dimly lit interior for a place to hide.

My eyes darted toward the grime-coated windows, and my heart skipped a beat when I spotted Jack and Clive emerging from the blue truck. So, they were the ones following me.

The realization sent a shiver down my spine, a chilling awareness that I was caught in a situation I couldn't fully comprehend.

More questions raced through my mind like frantic shadows. Why would they go through so much effort to find me? I was nobody important—just a lone wolf trying to survive.

So, what was really going on? The enigma surrounding their pursuit gnawed at me, creating a knot of anxiety in the pit of my stomach.

For some reason, my mind drifted back to Olaf, the older alpha, and the seemingly polite interaction we'd shared.

The formal greeting, the firm handshake—it had felt significant, and now, there was an unsettling suspicion that there was more to that encounter than met the eye.

But I pushed those thoughts aside. Now wasn't the time to cross-examine past events. My safety came first.

Glancing around the dimly lit bar, I sought out the meanest, toughest guy I could find.

My gaze settled on the big and intimidating figure nursing a drink at the far end. There were two of them, but it was the dark-haired figure on the left who drew my attention.

There was an unmistakable aura of danger around him, and the patrons—both human and supernatural—kept a wide berth from him.

It was clear he was the biggest monster in the room, and he wore it like a badge of honor.

Clad in a leather jacket adorned with some kind of patch, he exuded a frigidly savage aura.

My inner wolf stirred, recognizing the imposing force before me. Grizzly, it whispered.

As if he sensed my scrutiny, the black-haired man turned, his dark blue gaze locking onto mine. A sudden lump formed in my throat, and I involuntarily swallowed.

Time seemed to slow as our eyes met. A jolt buzzed through my entire body. My heart raced erratically in my chest, caught between the conflicting currents of fear and excitement.

It was a strange sensation. I couldn’t tell if I was scared of him or attracted to him.

SPIKE

"There you are," a familiar voice said.

I grunted as Nitro took the empty seat next to me at the bar. Glancing at the beer bottles in front of me, I wondered if I was close to getting drunk.

Shifters naturally filtered out any poison entering their bodies, so it would take much more beer to dull my senses.

I was probably just out of it after visiting Austin's grave, so I didn't even notice Nitro entering the bar.

Nitro's concerned gaze bore into mine. "You haven’t been answering any of my texts, Spike,” Nitro pointed out.

I shrugged, attempting nonchalance.

“What are you, my babysitter?” I asked with a scoff. This was Nitro, I reminded myself. My best friend didn’t deserve a harsh brush-off.

“Sometimes, a guy just needs to be alone,” I grumbled.

His expression softened, understanding in his eyes.

"Austin's anniversary, huh? Still hits you hard every year,” Nitro said.

I nodded, taking a swig from the bottle. The bitter taste barely registered.

"Yeah. Some wounds never really heal,” I muttered.

Nitro ordered his own beer, saying nothing. Eventually, I caved and told him about my visit to Haven Brook.

Nitro sighed, his voice low. "You shouldn't have to face it alone, man."

Maybe he was right, but some demons were best wrestled in solitude. Another immediate thought then came to me.

"Wait, how did you even track me here?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes as Nitro gave me a guilty look.

"Well?" I asked after he remained silent.

"Fine," he grumbled, "I turned on the track-your-location function on your phone and linked it to mine."

"You what?" I would've punched him if he didn't look like a kicked puppy right now. "Did Tommy put you up for this?"

"Nah, Tommy told me not to, but I did it anyway," Nitro admitted.

"Of course," I said dryly.

His mate, Tommy, had more sense than him. I always wondered what Tommy saw in Nitro. I guess that would always be a mystery to me.

Nitro shifted uncomfortably on his stool.

"Look, I was just worried about you, Spike, especially with what happened last year,” he said.”

I huffed, taking another swig from my beer.

"Just needed some space, Nitro. You can't go playing big brother on me all the time,” I said.

He sighed, a mix of frustration and concern on his face.

"You know it's not just about that. We're family, Spike. You don't have to carry everything alone,” he pointed out.

I grunted, not in the mood for a heart-to-heart conversation.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just drop it,” I said.

To be honest, I had more to say, but the sweetest scent hit my nose, diverting my attention.

Sensing someone was looking at me, I turned on my stool and set my eyes on the most gorgeous man I'd ever laid eyes on.

Frightened brown eyes set in a thin face met mine. He had a mop of honey-brown curls I immediately wanted to run my fingers across.

Weird. I never thought that about anyone before. He smelled a little of vanilla and wolf musk, and when he gazed at me, I wasn't sure how to describe it.

He was looking at me like I was either going to eat him right up or I was his savior. Either way, I didn’t mind either options.

The air in the bar seemed to shift as he approached. His presence was magnetic, drawing me in. I couldn’t even focus on what Nitro was telling me.

For a moment, it felt like the universe had conspired to bring our worlds together.

He tentatively took a seat beside me at the bar. I wasn’t sure what to do—should I offer a friendly smile or introduce myself?

Dating had never been high on my list of priorities. Back in Moon Burrow, my MC brothers and I never lacked additional company, but this situation seemed different.

I had a feeling this lost wolf wasn't just going to end up being a one-night stand. There was a certain potential between us, an unspoken connection that even my grizzly recognized.

His hands fidgeted with the edge of his jacket, and he seemed overly nervous. There was a story in those eyes, and I was curious to find out what it was.

As the bartender approached, the newcomer spared me a shy smile, and I couldn't help but wonder what had brought him into my orbit.

Since he hadn’t said anything yet, I finally decided to break the silence.

"Spike," I said, offering a brief nod.

He seemed to relax a bit at the introduction.

"Gray," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation.

“Nitro,” Nitro unhelpfully added, giving me a thumbs up. I rolled my eyes; subtlety wasn't Nitro's strong suit.

Gray looked at Nitro and then at me, a little confused.

“What’s up with those names?” Gray asked, furrowing his brows.

Nitro chuckled, clearly enjoying the chance to be the center of attention.

"Spike, Nitro, and the rest of the guys at the MC go by road names," I explained. "It's a tradition, a way of marking our identities in the club. Keeps things simple, you know?"

Gray nodded, seeming to grasp the concept.

"Got it, road names. I guess I'm the odd one out here then,” Gray said.

He laughed, and it wasn't even a good laugh—sort of awkward and cute. But for some reason, I found it endearing.

As his laughter filled the air, I couldn't help but wonder what cosmic alignment had occurred for the universe to send this cutie my way.

Lost in my thoughts, I realized I hadn't said anything.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to space out. Your laugh just caught me off guard. It's... nice," I admitted with a sheepish smile.

He blushed a little, making him even more adorable.

"Thanks, I guess I have a weird laugh,” Gray said.

I shook my head, dismissing his concern.

"Nah, it's not weird. It's unique, and I like it,” I said.