Chapter 5

　　Leo

　　I reached out and gently took her hand. "You and your friend are beautiful. I'm just not interested in that kind of fun tonight, ladies."

　　I turned them down as kindly as I could, but they still looked disappointed and walked away without saying anything else. It could've gone a lot worse, they might've caused a scene, called me a jerk, or dumped a drink on me. Instead, I just felt a little guilty; it was obvious they'd spent a good amount of time building up the nerve to make that offer. Too bad they hadn't gone up to Rowan instead. If they had, the night would've ended right there. He'd have insisted on heading home to thoroughly indulge himself. I probably would've been in bed before midnight.

　　Rowan shook his head and stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "Dude? You seriously just passed up a night of sexual greatness most guys would sacrifice their left nut for."

　　"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Boobs good, no boobs bad. Can we move on now?"

　　Once the tab was paid, Rowan announced that our next destination was a strip club. After a few minutes of arguing, we somehow ended up at one anyway. Luckily, we were gone in under an hour, and Rowan didn't drain his bank account on lap dances. We hit three more bars before Rowan finally pulled us all together.

　　"Guys, I'm absolutely starving," he said, clutching his stomach.

　　"Come on, man," our friend Valerian said. "We literally just ate."

　　"That was forever ago. I know an awesome spot down the road. Amazing bar food. Fried pickles that are unreal, and these spicy chicken sliders that'll blow your mind. Let's go."

　　I checked my watch. "Rowan, it's after three in the morning. They're probably closed."

　　"No way. It's Friday. And it's my birthday," he said.

　　"So you think they stayed open late just for you?" Atlas asked, folding his arms.

　　"Can we at least check?" Rowan said, grimacing like hunger was about to take him out.

　　I let out a sigh. "Fine. But if it's closed, that's it. Night's done. Deal? Some of us would like to get at least a little sleep before the sun comes up."

　　"Wow, you guys are boring. Whatever." Rowan handed me the keys to his SUV.

　　Even with our faster metabolism, a few of the guys were pretty drunk. I, on the other hand, was basically completely sober. Not only was I out later than I wanted to be, but I'd also ended up as the unofficial designated driver. I slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. I wanted to be annoyed about it, but if I was being honest, the night hadn't been that bad. Still, I'd never admit that to Rowan. I'd never hear the end of him saying, "I told you so."

　　I knew exactly which bar he meant, so I turned right out of the parking lot and merged back onto the highway. I was completely convinced the place would be closed, which meant no matter what, I'd be back in my bed within an hour.

　　That assumption disappeared the moment I pulled into the parking lot five minutes later. There was only a single car parked there, but the front door was cracked open, and light spilled from the bar onto the pavement. From the outside, it looked like every light inside was still on.

　　"See!" Rowan yelled. "I told you they'd be open. Drunk food, here we come."

　　I frowned but climbed out of the SUV with the rest of them. Rowan's upbeat attitude vanished the instant we stepped outside. The smell hit us all at once. Every one of us paused and drew in the air. Valerian and Atlas both let out low growls.

　　"Oh shit," Rowan said. "You guys smell that?"

　　I did. Blood. And more than that, I caught the scent of humans and shifters. Not old traces left behind hours ago, but fresh ones. All three smells were coming from inside the bar. The blood dominated everything, it was strong, metallic, and heavy. I scrunched my nose against it.

　　"Should we call the cops?" Valerian asked.

　　"Someone's hurt in there. We're going in." I didn't mention that the smell of blood was pulling at me, demanding my attention. I couldn't ignore it. I had to see where it was coming from. Waiting wasn't an option.

　　The others followed as their buzz faded fast, adrenaline snapping them sober. I was only a few steps from the door when I heard what sounded like a rush of boots pounding inside. Without stopping to think, I broke into a run and burst through the entrance. Normally, I had far more restraint. I liked to believe I was cautious to the extreme. Charging into an unknown place, one that reeked of blood, was straight out of a bad horror movie. But that scent? It was pushing me forward, nearly overwhelming me.

　　We stormed inside and were met with…blood. A lot of it. And a woman lay on the floor, unconscious and soaked in it. I could still hear footsteps racing out the back, and I could smell them too. Men. Shifters.

　　"Go get those bastards!" I yelled. Rowan and Atlas took off toward the kitchen, chasing after them.

　　I dropped to my knees beside the woman, with Valerian right next to me. "Damn, Leo. What did they do to her?"

　　I examined her quickly. Her breathing was shallow and uneven, and she was covered in blood. From what I could tell, she'd been injured along her sides and on her head. Most of the blood appeared to be coming from the head wound. Carefully, I slid my fingers into her hair and felt the back of her head. There was a large swelling and a deep cut, but it didn't feel soft or crushed. Her skull might've been cracked, but there was still a chance she'd survive.

　　I pulled my hand back and wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of it. As my bloodied fingers passed near my face, the scent hit me hard. It made my head spin. It was like…like it was intoxicating me. I'd never smelled anything like it before. It was dangerously alluring.

　　I clenched my jaw as my wolf strained against my skin, desperate to break free. The urge to shift was so intense my entire body hurt. What the hell was happening to me?