Seline's POV
The bar noise usually calmed me. It was like a loud, messy blanket that covered everything — my thoughts, my worries, the ache in my chest. But tonight? It was just giving me a headache.
And it was all because of them.
The wolf pack sitting in the back corner like they owned the place. Especially the man in the middle — Alpha Austin Cross.
"Who are those guys, Maria?" I asked, wiping down the sticky counter. I didn't look directly at them, just nodded toward the booth where they sat. Silent. Dangerous. Their presence made the air feel heavier.
Maria, my coworker, let out a dry laugh. "You serious?" she said. "That's Austin Cross, Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. Everyone in this town knows him. He took over fast — like lightning."
Austin Cross. I'd heard his name all night. Whispers from regulars, quick glances filled with fear or awe.
My stomach twisted.
"And the others?" I asked, trying to sound bored while my hands squeezed the cloth tighter than they needed to.
