Sunlight softly beams through the cream curtains while the delicious aroma of bacon wafts heavenly through the morning air. The sheets Kenz gave me to sleep in last night are so nice and warm, I never want to leave. I feel so safe under them. I peak my eyes open to see Ryder, Kenzie's roommate, shirtless and shuffling eggs in a hot, sizzling pan with a piece of bacon hanging out of his mouth while he chews on it.

I swallow hard before feeling my entire face warm up. I take in his hardcore physique in wonder. Rock hard pecs, defined abs, and bulging biceps. His hair is messy and dark, but it adds a sense of humanity to the perfect god in front of me.

We barely know each other considering he moved in a few short weeks ago. I only know a little bit about him. He recently left his home but he wouldn't tell us why. When he spoke about his home, he had a glimmer of sadness in his piercing airy blue eyes. It hurt my heart to see that in anyone's eyes. Other than that, he's a gym rat and can be a ladies man.

"When you're done checking me out, I have breakfast for you." He glances over to me with a crooked grin on his face. My eyes widened in embarrassment while my heart stopped in its tracks. I couldn't believe he caught me gawking at him.

"I, um..." I perch myself up on my elbows and clear my throat before pushing away the crazy mess of hair which sits on my head. Smirking, he placed one of Kenzie's colorful plates on top of the counter.

"Bacon, eggs and waffles." He placed a fork next to the plate and turned his back to me, finishing up whatever it was in the kitchen. That toned back.

I fold over the warm embrace of the covers and brave the cold hardwood floor to the adjacent kitchen. I take a seat on one of the hard wooden stools underneath the counter and watch Ryder as he cleans up the dishes.

"Kenzie told me about what happened last night with your mom. That guy sounds like a real dick." He says with a deep frown.

I don't have much to say, so I simply shrug. I look down at the full plate. Scrambled eggs, perfectly cooked bacon and a waffle with a whipped cream smiley face. A brow lifts as I study him hustling in the kitchen. A smiley face waffle?

"A smiley face? Really? Do I look like a child to you? Not that I'm complaining, it's just... strange that's all." Ryder laughs and turns to face me with a smile.

"At home, I used to do this all the time. Now it's a ritual Kenz and I share every Saturday." His eyes gaze beyond me as he pauses, "Whether she and her busy schedule feel like eating it or not."

I hear the clicking of heels against the flooring and spin around. His eyes narrow on Kenz who just walked out of her room dressed to impress in her best professional suit. Her maroon pencil skirt hugs her pear shaped hips while the matching blazer fits like a glove.

"And where are you going?" I ask before shoving a piece of my freshly made waffle into my mouth.

"I have to go to a work function this afternoon." She groans. Kenzie grabbed a black clutch from the foyer's side table and marched herself to the seat next to me. "Ron is counting on me to show up today. He said something about a new corporation joining the sponsorship program. I don't know. These days I only half listen to him."

"Who are they?" Ryder asked.

"He wouldn't tell me. Although, he never tells me when his mistress is in town either. You know I've caught them having sex at least five times in the past two weeks. I can't tell you how mortified I was to see Ron's bare ass shining like a white light at me while her legs were wrapped around him." She shuddered at the meer memory while Ryder and I laughed.

"I'd rather see my bosses ass any day than have Christian feel his way up mine again." I grimace as a flash wave of last night took hold of my mind again. I dread going home to whatever disaster is percolating within the walls of my supposed safe haven.

"Yeah, about that... Have you considered my offer from last night?" Kenz lowered softly, placing a tender hand on my forearm.

I hesitated. Truthfully, I haven't thought about it since she brought it up last night. After the sketch episode with the demented neighbor, replaying that hunk of a wolf, and having to come to terms that Christian will be waiting at home, my head hurts. If I stayed here, I would need clothes and other supplies so going home is unavoidable at this point. I couldn't send Kenz and Ryder in there to get my things. They wouldn't even know what I want or what it looks like and I don't want to risk confusion or a dramatic episode.

"Listen," Kenz sighs. "When I get back, why don't we go out for some drinks or do something crazy? The three of us. We can figure out the situation over tequila shots." A devious grin envelops her lips.

"I'm game." Ryder smirks before both of their gazes fall upon me. I feel the intense pressure to say yes build up in the air like a brick wall, crunching the air out of my lungs. Quite frankly, I didn't feel like it, but if it'll pull me out of my thoughts, I'm in.

I nod my head which received an immediate squeal for joy from Kenz. I give her a small, hesitant smile as she stands to leave.

"Okay! It's a date, my fair losers." She smiles before strutting out the door, overflowing with bravado and excitement.

The hours flew byKenz lended me an outfit from her closet for the evening. We decided to keep our attire casual so a simple pair of light washed skinny jeans, a black graphic t-shirt, and one of her leather jackets sufficed. While she offered another pair of shoes, I chose my simple strappy heels from last night even though they hurt my feet.

"Damn, how long does it take for something casual?" Ryder groans while pacing back and forth in the kitchen.

"Don't blame me. Blame the queen in there who is carefully choosing the lipstick she wants to wear." I thrust my finger in the direction of Kenzie's bathroom and rolled my eyes.

"Shut up in there!" She screams. Ryder shakes his head before turning to me and pretending to shoot himself with his fingers. I mouth the words 'I know' to him before falling into the comforts of their couch.

A few minutes go by before we finally hear the clicking of her shoes down the hall. She emerges from the darkness of the hallway while holding up two lipsticks. One is a passionate crimson red, while the other is the color of cherry blossoms.

"Which one?" She looks between the two of us for consultation for her beauty dilemma. Ryder huffed an aggravated sigh and walked the door while mumbling underneath his breath.

"The red." I answer simply and quickly before standing up to walk near Ryder. She ushers herself to a nearby mirror hanging on the wall, puckers her full lips, and rubs the pigmented lipstick onto them.

Finally, after Kenz finished checking herself out, we walked out to Ryder's black mustang and began our journey to whatever bar we wanted to.

"Would you stop back seat driving please?!" Ryder fussed at Kenzie. She shrugs innocently like two minutes ago she wasn't yelling at him about his driving.

"Just get off on this exit. We will find a place." Kenzie directed. Ryder gripped the steering wheel tighter, but kept quiet while veering off the interstate.

"There!" She points to a stone building off to the left side of the road. It's tinted windows illuminate the dark night sky with thumping music and lively patrons stumbling out of the door. Rikki's Tavern.

"Um, I don't know about that." I say hesitantly, remembering the origins of Rikki's.

"Yeah, Kenz, I'm with Grace on this one. Rikki's belongs to the wolves. It's a werewolf bar." Ryder pulls into the median, ready to turn either way on her command.

"Come on pansies. Let's live for once in our lives! We always go to the same boring bars and clubs. This is a change of scenery." She says confidently. She pushes her elegant golden curls behind her exposed shoulder and grins.

Ryder sighs in defeat before turning into the parking lot. Once he parked the car, we walked towards the massive wooden doors. The closer we approached the building, the noise of chatter and music became the only thing filling our ears.

My stomach is churning with anxious uncertainty. I don't know why. Maybe it's the gnawing feeling that we're walking into a dark den to party with dangerous and ravenous predators.

I hover close behind Ryder like a shield. He's big enough, like wolves tend to be, so he's perfect. Kenzie places her hand on the door knob and thrusts it wide open. Immediately after, the talking quieted down to soft mutters. Everyone's eyes locked on us as we inch our way into the crowded bar. I feel so small compared to them.

"Let's go over there." Ryder points to an open booth, gently pulling me from behind him and pushing me forward with Kenzie. We huddle together, trying not to get separated through the sea of wolves.

Claustrophobic panic squeezes the air out of my lungs with every step I take. Their dark, glowering eyes pierce a hole through my soul. I get the not-so-subtle feeling that I shouldn't be here. Of course I shouldn't be here. I'm a human in a bar full of werewolves! Do they smell my fear? Probably, the wolf I encountered yesterday did.

We settled onto the tough leather booth and soon after the waitress arrived. The noise and chatter rose back to its original volume. Kenz orders a round of tequila for us before the waitress is called away by another table.

"So what's the deal with your mom and Christian?" Ryder asks over the loudness. I roll my eyes with a disappointed shrug.

"I don't know. I don't understand it. They've only dated two weeks, and in those two weeks he apparently has moved in? It's creepy and fast, all at once. Not to mention he has the audacity to grope me the first night we meet." I lean back into the booth, still processing the whole ordeal.

"I say we speak to some of these fine ass wolves in here and get them to do our bidding." Kenz mischievously grins, scoping the room out and checking out every male available.

"Someone is horny tonight." Chuckled Ryder.

"I am not!" Kenz pauses. "I just really enjoy this eye candy." She chews on her lower lip as a tall, dark wolf passes our booth. He looks down on her and winks on his way by, overhearing her comment.

The waitress brings us our glasses and hands them out individually before silently exiting. I hold my glass in the air and say,

"To shitty weeks and forgettable weekends."

"Here, here!" Ryder and Kenz chant with a grin. I place my lips on the cold glass, toss my head back and let the drink burn down my throat. Soon enough we did another round and another until we were all tipsy.

We danced on the floor with the wolves we once feared, except Ryder. He managed to find a pretty little thing the minute he was on the floor, and is currently sucking face with at the booth.

Tonight was about letting loose and forgetting the week's events. Forgetting my mother's weakness for destructive and manipulative men. Forgetting work and classes. Forgetting it all.

A/N

Please let me know in the comments what you think so far! ❤️

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