August's POV-
Riding on the back of bike while letting a petite girl like Emerald drive has to be the most emasculating things I've ever done. However there was an upside to it. I got to hold Emerald as tightly as I wanted and with the wind wiping her long curls in my face I got to smell her smoky scent as much as I pleased.
Between holding on to her and getting high off her smell and the vibrating engine underneath us, saying I was aroused would be an understatement. I couldn't help it and even though I didn't want to feel this way about her there was no denying that I wouldn't be able to see Emerald as a child any longer. Not when her back half is pushed up close against me in between my legs. Vibrating. It has to be the most torturous thing to handle and I wondered how many boys she managed to convince to do the same as she had me.
It was not hard to convince me obviously, so I'm sure she didn't have to do much to get a boy to do the same.
That sudden thought shot that same feeling of hot rage into my chest and I unknowingly squeezed Emerald tighter to me. No male should ever be this close to her. I wonder if she's going to stop seeing that boy now after what happened. I would've thought she'd be more upset about her boyfriend running off or yelling at her, but she seemed fine. As if she didn't have a big fight just fort five minutes ago with him.
She's so hard to read. I can't ever figure out what it is she's thinking about or how she feels about anything. She just always seems to be smiling or teasing or making jokes. I always remembered her being this serious little girl who was cautious of everyone. I don't even think I could put cautious in the same sentence as her now.
She started to slow the bike down and soon we came into a parking lot with multiple small shops pushed up next to one another. She parked the bike and I waisted no time in getting off and turning my back to her so I could adjust myself. My pants were strangling me at this point.
"You okay?" She asked me and I spun around to see that she's taken her helmet off and her wild hair fell down her back freely.
I ran my hand through my own hair and nodded my head to her. She chuckled and then motioned me to follow her, so I did. She walked up to one of the small shops and above the door was a sign that read 'Jack's Lounge' in black lettering.
She opened the door and I stepped in beside her and tried to let my eyes adjust to the low lighting. There was a long bar on one wall, but it was clearly a coffee bar from the looks of all of the espresso machines and coffee beans on display. There were multiple small black booths and tables, but it wasn't too crowded in here. She strolled in and started walking near the bar and I could tell she was familiar with the place.
She went to the very end of the bar and sat down and put her keys on the counter top. I took the chair next to her and she smiled at me before slamming her hand on the bar top hard a few times.
"Aye! Need some service out here!" She yelled out obnoxiously.
I gave her a wide eyed look, but she just winked at me and soon a skinny boy with a shaved head and a couple earrings on each ear walked out from the back and behind the bar.
"Serve yourself ya lazy bitch." He said to Emerald and I didn't hesitate to shoot him a look.
His eyes went to mine and I could see he most definitely wished he had watched his tongue. Before I can open my mouth to say something Emerald let's out a belly laugh and I turn to look at her with one eyebrow raised.
"Don't worry Jody, this is Alpha August and he is a bit old fashioned if you know what I mean."
I scoffed at her, but for whatever reason a smile still went across my face from hearing her laugh.
"August this is Jody and he's got full permission to call me a bitch because it takes one to know one!" She called out the last part to Jody who still had a good distance between us on the other side of the bar.
"You know it hunny! You wanting your regular?" The boy asked as he made his way to our side of the bar.
"Yes and a banana nut muffin." She said with a cheeky grin.
"Your ass is fat enough as it is, trust me you don't need a muffin." The boy said and I wasn't sure if I was even allowed to get upset about anything that came from this kids mouth anymore.
"What do you think August? Is my ass too fat?"Emerald asked while puffing out her bottom lip at me.
I could feel my face heating up in embarrassment from her question. After riding on that bike with her pressed up against me I can tell you for a fact that her ass is plump and thick and there is plenty of it. But I'd go to my grave thinking that before I would ever say it out loud let alone to her face.
"I think you're perfect." I said to her and the bottom lip was sucked in fast and I could tell by the sound of her now speeding pulse that it wasn't the answer she expected.
"Oh, I see you've traded the boy for a man." Jody said with a grin looking at me.
Emerald snorted and shrugged her shoulders.
"Ugh, don't even get me started on him. You wouldn't believe the morning I just had."
"I'm going to need all the dets later. What can I get for you sweetie?" The boy asked me and yes, this was definitely the first time a male has ever called me sweetie before.
"Uhm, just a black coffee is fine. Blueberry muffin if you have one. That is unless my ass is too fat?" I asked and the boy laughed as I looked over at Emerald.
She laughed hard and looked at me with her bright mismatched eyes.
"You're perfect just how you are." She said and those warm flutters hit my chest like a swarm of bees. Jody chuckled again before turning his back to me and Emerald and starting our drinks.
I looked over and Emerald was looking down at the bar top with small wrinkles formed on her forehead. Her eyes were shifting back and forth and her mouth was twisted up to one side.
"What's wrong?" I asked her and she snapped her eyes to meet mine and placed a smile on her face. It wasn't a real one though.
"Nothing, just arguing with Anala. She wanted a bagel instead of a muffin."
"You're lying."
"I'm not." She said trying to drop her voice lower like mine.
I laughed and so did she and I wish I could just listen to her laughter forever. It came out smooth and velvety and made electricity surge through my veins when hearing it. I loved that I was the cause of her laughter and her smile.
"Here you go." Jody said and sat a large mug of black coffee in front of me and a smaller mug with some type of foam on top in-front of Emerald. He came back with a plate that had two large muffins sitting on it and placed it between me and her.
"Thanks babe you're the best." Emerald chimed.
"Oh trust me, I know." Jody said and grinned before walking towards the back again and leaving me and Emerald alone at the bar.
"Do you hangout here often?" I asked her as she look a small sip of her hot drink.
"Mhm, I love this place. Jody is great too we went to school together for a little while. He was a grade ahead of me though."
I chuckled and reached over and rubbed away the foam from her mouth. Her face blushed over when my finger grazed over her lip and I ignored the sound of her racing heart and pulled away from her.
"You always were a messy eater." I said and she smiled and looked away to me and back to her drink.
"So what have you been up to all these years?"
"Nothing much I suppose. Same alpha stuff as usual and of course still helping when I can at the Kyser's." I said and her face lit up at the name.
"Oh Alpha Kyser! I haven't thought about him in so long. How is he?"
I grinned and looked at her.
"He's the same. He misses you and asks about you anytime I see him." I said and she smiled and put her hand on my arm.
"Next time you see him you tell him that I miss him and his animals more then anything." She said this and gripped her hand tighter on my arm.
Don't flex. Don't do it. Don't flex your arm you fucking tool.
Too late.
"You should tell him yourself. Everyone misses you Emerald. You know you're always welcomed there."
I watched a small something flash in her eyes and she slowly pulled her hand away from me.
"Thanks August, but you've done so much for me already. Maybe one day I'll be able to save enough money to come visit everyone." She said the last part lowly before taking another sip of her drink.
I furrowed my brows and forced myself to drink more of my own coffee. Why would she need to save money? I'm sure my Aunt is leaving her plenty in her will. Is she worried about money? I'm sure working at that diner only brings in so many tips, but she shouldn't have any worries financially.
I decided I'd drop it for now and wait at a later time to bring it back up. I picked up my muffin and took a bite out of it. Still warm. This place was pretty good for a coffee shop.
"So, any girlfriends back home missing you while you're here?" Emerald asked making me choke on the muffin I just bit into.
I took a swig of the hot coffee to force it down and turned to look at her. She wasn't looking at me and was taking small bits of her muffin with her fingers and popping it into her mouth.
"No, not that I'm aware of." I said hesitation showing in my voice.
"Oh whatever August you can tell me. Don't worry I'm not the jealous type." She said playfully and it made a grin appear on my lips.
"What type are you then?"
She had that playful hint in her eyes and the sly smile she was giving me made my heart flutter.
"I'm the cold hearted bitch type." She said sounding more like she meant it seriously then as a joke.
"Well what are the odds of that? I'm the cold hearted asshole type." I said and she smiled bigger at my playful words.
"Well you've always been the warm gentle type to me."
I chuckled and nodded my head.
"Maybe so, but that's only because you were a little girl then."
"And here I thought I still was a little girl." She said while biting down on her bottom lip.
I laughed and shook my head. I've never enjoyed converting with woman for too long like this, but with her it's different. She is funny and definitely knows how to keep a conversation going. I feel nervous and intrigued all at once and she seems perfectly calm and relaxed with being around me. With talking to me. With shamelessly flirting with me.
Her confidence is hard not to admire.
"You know I'd really like to get to know you better while I'm here Emerald. If you don't mind anyway." I said to her and she put her blank mask on again and looked at me.
"Of course I don't mind. I'd love to know who you are August."
Her words seemed to wrap around my ribs tightly like a boa constrictor. It was hard to get air in and my lugs felt like they were ready to collapse. She was looking at me with that small smile on her pink lips and her dark lashes brushed the tops of her cheeks. Her curly hair sculpted her small face making her look like that savage princess from the wild again.
In this moment I thought hard about her words. She wants to know who I am, but right now I have no idea. Who am I? I've always just been an Alpha for as long as I can remember. I don't have any hobbies or real interest that go beyond the needs of the pack. I don't have friends unless Johnson counts which I don't think he does since I've put distance between us lately. I am down to one family member and soon I won't even have that. I hardly even know much about my own wolf. I've ignored him most of my life and anytime we have had long conversations it ends in an argument.
I guess I don't know anything about who I am.
I would like to think that I'm a good man despite the thirst for revenge I've had most of my life. I have only harmed those who threatened to harm my pack. I've had my whole life revolve around being a leader and taking care of my pack that I've forgotten any personal things about myself outside of my title.
What if she sees that I am no one?