Chapter 7 Decisions

• Chapter Seven
• Hunter’s POV
• Leaving the training field, I felt the weight of my thoughts pressing still on me, making it hard to breathe. Faelen’s face flashed in my mind again, that damn girl, and I cursed under my breath.
• I needed a distraction, something to drown out this irritating pull I couldn’t shake. Drinking had always been a good way to forget, and maybe, if I was lucky, I’d find some pretty girl to occupy my mind and my bed with.
• Yes. That should do the trick.
• I made my way to the bar, the one I frequently visited when I needed to unwind. The place was small but classy, with low sounds of conversations and the clinking of glasses filling the air.
• As soon as I walked in, a few heads turned, but I ignored them, heading straight for the bar. I ordered a drink, something strong, whiskey, and downed it in one go, feeling the burn as it slid down my throat.
• It didn’t take long for Caleb to catch up to me. He walked in with that easy, confident stride of his, still feeling good from our little bet. I could see the smirk on his face as he approached, and I braced myself for more teasing.
• “Couldn’t stay away, huh?” I muttered as he pulled up a stool beside me.
• Caleb chuckled, waving to the bartender for a drink. “I figured I’d give you some company, and perhaps get my price. After all, it’s not every day I get to see you miss a shot. Might as well enjoy the moment.” He said, settling down beside me.
• I grunted, taking another sip of my drink. “Enjoy it while you can. It won’t happen again.” I replied.
• “I’m sure it won’t,” Caleb said, his tone light, but there was another tone under, the one of amusement.
• He leaned in a little closer, dropping the playful banter. “But seriously, Hunter, what’s going on? You don’t miss unless something’s eating at you. So, what is it?” he questioned.
• Just then, the bartender brought Caleb’s drink and he snatched it from the table. I stiffened at his question, trying to keep my expression neutral. Caleb knew me too well, could read me like a damn book, and I hated it.
• I didn’t want to admit what was really bothering me, didn’t want to admit that a lowly servant girl had somehow gotten under my skin.
• The idea of Caleb laughing at me, the mighty Alpha, thinking about a girl like her, it would be embarrassing.
• “There’s nothing,” I said calmly, hoping to shut down the conversation. “Just an off day, that’s all.”
• “Bullshit,” Caleb shot back, not missing a beat. “I’ve seen you have off days, but this is different. You’ve been on edge ever since you came to the field. And I know you, Hunter. You don’t let things slide like that even if it’s something small. So, what is it?” he asked in a more serious tone.
• I clenched my jaw, my frustration boiling just under the surface. I didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to admit that the reason I was so distracted was because of Faelen.
• But Caleb wasn’t going to let it go, not until I gave him something. “It’s nothing, Caleb,” I repeated, more forcefully this time. “Just…pack stuff. Running a pack like ours isn’t exactly a walk in the park, you know that.”
• Caleb studied me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. I could tell he didn’t believe me, but he wasn’t going to push it, not here, not now.
• “Alright,” he finally said, leaning back in his seat. “But if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me.” He said.
• I nodded, relieved that he was letting it drop, at least for the time being. But the unease was still there, pricking at me. I finished my drink and signaled the bartender for another.
• Caleb stayed beside me, drinking in silence, and I was grateful for that. Maybe he could sense that I needed to work through whatever this was on my own, or maybe he was just giving me space.
• The bar filled up as the evening went on, and I scanned the room, looking for any woman who might catch my eye. But no matter how many pretty faces I saw, none of them held my genuine interest.
• None of this could erase the image of Faelen from my mind. Damn it. What was wrong with me?
• I slammed my glass down on the bar, harder than I intended, and a few heads turned in my direction. I ignored them, my mood darkening with each passing second.
• The alcohol wasn’t helping too, and the idea of taking some random girl to bed suddenly seemed empty, pointless.
• “Maybe I’ll head out,” Caleb suddenly said, reading my mood. He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Take it easy, alright? And remember, I’m here if you need anything.” He said placing a hand on my shoulder.
• “Yeah, I know,” I muttered, not looking at him. I didn’t need him to see the trouble in my eyes.
• Caleb gave me one last look before he stood up and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I finished my drink and relaxed on the counter, letting the alcohol go through my system.
• But the distraction wasn’t working. If anything, it had only made things worse. After Caleb left, I couldn’t just sit there with my thoughts any longer.
• I needed to find someone to keep me company, someone to help me forget the mess in my head. I scanned the bar, eyes narrowing as I searched for a real distraction.
• It didn’t take long before I noticed a girl at the far end of the bar. She was younger, probably early twenties, with dark, wavy hair that made her face shaped well.
• She was seated with another woman, someone a bit older, maybe a friend. They were deep in conversation, the younger one all smiles and laughter, unaware of my predatory eyes on her.
• She looked happy, like she didn’t have a worry in the world. And I wanted to shatter that. I wanted to bring her into my world, just for a night, to take the edge off the frustration in me.
• I drained the last of my drink and was about to get up, to walk over and make my move. But then, I hesitated. I was the Alpha of the Howle Wulf pack, the strongest and most powerful. I didn’t chase women.
• They were supposed to come to me, to fall at my feet, begging for a piece of my attention. Why should this girl be any different?
• Quickly, I decided on a different approach. I signaled the bartender over and leaned in close, my voice low. “Send a bottle to the girls at the end of the bar,” I instructed.
• The bartender gave me a quick nod and headed off to do as I’d asked. I leaned back in my seat, a smirk playing at the corner of my lips as I watched the scene.
• This was how it should be, I thought. I was in control. I didn’t need to chase after anyone. I drained the last of the whiskey in my glass once more, my eyes fixed on the girls as the bartender approached their table.
• He placed the bottle down with a quiet nod towards me, and both women turned to look in my direction. The younger one’s smile faded slightly, but she quickly recovered, her curiosity piqued.
• She leaned over to her friend, whispering something, and they both glanced back at me. I wondered if they’d recognized me, I was the most famous man in the pack after all.
• I held the young girls gaze, not bothering to hide the fact that I was watching her. I saw the slight blush on her cheeks, the way she bit her lip as she considered her next move.
• I knew what was going through her head… knowing who I was, why I was interested in her, and what would happen next.
• She looked down at the bottle, then back at me, and finally, she lifted her glass in a silent toast. I raised mine in return, acknowledging her without a word.
• There it was. The first step had been taken. She was already impressed, already hooked. It was only a matter of time before she came over, I knew, curious to know more about the man who had sent them the drink.
• I settled back into my seat, feeling a sense of satisfaction. This was what I needed. A real distraction, something to take my mind of the edge and drown out the thoughts of that damn servant girl.
• Faelen’s face tried to push its way back into my mind, but I shoved it aside, focusing instead on the woman at the end of the bar. She was still watching me, still trying to decide what to do next.
• I could see the decision slowly forming in her eyes, the moment she decided to make her move. I didn’t rush her. I didn’t need to.
• She would come to me when she was ready, and when she did, I’d make sure to forget everything else that was bothering me.