The next hour passed by rather quickly, the two of us filled with idle chitchat as we discussed pack matters. We had to hide some words, referring to the wolf things with more mundane descriptions. For example, the 'pack house' was just a house, and 'patrol wolf' was now 'brother'.

Apparently, most of the patrons in here may not take it nicely that some wolves were disturbing their peace. Thankfully, Mya had not spilled her secret to any of them, but it made me wonder if Mel knew what she truly was.

"So, you sleeping with her?" I blurted, just after Mel left me a fresh drink.

Taking a sip, I grinned when I found this one tasted like peaches.

"I may have slept with her a couple of times." Mya admitted, sipping from a pint glass.

"No way! You horny dog." I giggled.

"How much of a lightweight are you?" Mya mused.

"I'm fine. I've only had four." I rolled my eyes. "Just happily buzzed."

"Good, then you can come with me."

Mya jumped down from the bar stool and I eagerly followed, securing my fingers around the stem of my cocktail glass. She gestured for me to follow her and I stumbled a little before gaining my ground and keeping track of her. We came to a booth, where she stopped and leaned against the leather seat.

"...And this is my friend Leia." Mya's hand rested on my shoulder as I came to a stop beside her.

Swallowing down the latest sip of my drink, I waved a hello. There were two men and three girls at this table, all obviously human. They eyed me with suspicion, but I was sure I could win them over with my smile alone.

"Have a seat!" One girl chirped. "I'm Frankie. This is Emily and Kira."

Frankie had short dark hair, Emily was blonde, and Kira was brunette. I greeted them politely before turning to the two males. One was slender, introducing himself as Dean, and the other was broader, with dark skin similar to Mya, his lips pursed with thought.

"I feel like I have seen you before." He murmured.

My eyes widened as I slid into the seat opposite him and next to Mya. "Really?"

"Yes." He hummed. "I'm Jo."

"Leia." I nodded in greeting.

His lips pursed, and I squirmed slightly beneath his gaze. Mya thankfully came to my rescue, her laughter bellowing loudly and catching his attention.

"Leia is an alcohol virgin. We are here to make her let loose!"

I rolled my eyes in a scoff. "For the millionth time, I am not a virgin!"

The table erupted with laughter and I flushed with the realisation of what I just complained out loud. Even Jo's lips curled with amusement, the man leaning back in his seat. I relaxed ever so slightly, picking up my drink to ease the tension.

"How do you know these people?" I asked Mya.

"They're regulars." Mya shrugged. "Sometimes we hang out."

I nodded absentmindedly, my guard still up a little as I noticed Jo's eyes flicker to me often. I couldn't speak it out loud, fearful they may hear me, and I didn't have the mind-link ability with Mya like I did with Asra.

So, for now, I would just have to force more of these glittering drinks down my throat and hope for the best.

*** '

My head had a gentle buzz, my vision blurring slightly if I turned too much. Mya was perfectly fine. Apparently, the human alcohol was being churned up in her stomach faster than a cheetah.

It wasn't fair.

Pouting, Mya caught my gaze and rolled her eyes.

"What now?"

"Metabolism sucks." I frowned.

She laughed, shaking her head at me. "That calls for another drink. I'll get them this time."

Nodding, I turned my legs to let her get out, smacking her ass as she slithered by. She yelped at me, swatting her hand in retaliation. I smirked as she smoothed out her clothes before approaching Mel at the bar. Mel was quick to approach, and my grin broadened when I saw how eager they were to talk to each other.

"So, you knew Mia long?"

Jo's voice in my ear confused me, the name lost in my mind. I hesitated for a moment, turning to stare into his brown eyes with furrowed brows. He raised one of his own, turning to face me. Then I realised Mia was Mya.

"Oh! Yeah, Mia, sorry, I misheard you." I laughed. "I've known her a few months."

"You two dating?" He wondered, sipping from his drink.

Smiling, I shook my head. "I'm not."

"I see." He mused. "So no relationship?"

"Just friends." I deadpanned.

He smirked, raising his hands in defence. "I am just trying to work out Mia's new friend. She rarely brings a new person here."

"I'm new to the town. I befriended her in the... park?" I winced.

"She rarely goes for the delicate-looking ones."

I frowned. "I am far from delicate."

"Just the same as you aren't an alcohol virgin?"

"Exactly!" I nodded, before I realised he was teasing me. "Hey!"

Jo laughed, adjusting himself so he was less man-spreading. "Tell me about yourself, Leia."

Pursing my lips, I scowled at him. "Why'd you say my name like that?"

He shrugged. "Where were you from before you moved to this district?"

Shit. Think, Ailia. Think of a district!

"I was born up north, and I moved to here after my father died." I lied.

"I'm sorry." He frowned. "How did he die?"

"He was murdered." I shrugged.

He sucked in a low breath. "Well, damn, humans?"

"Wolves." I shook my head.

"That's unusual. Did they sentence the wolves?"

Shit, of course. It's illegal to kill a human without means or the hunt.

"Yeah, they slaughtered them." I suppressed a shiver, remembering the black wolf that tried to kill me. "My dad and his friends just ventured too far out of the borders one day."

"How unfortunate." He muttered. "Your mother?"

"Didn't want to leave. She was happy where she was." I muttered. "We don't get on very well."

My eyes travelled to Mya, my eagerness to escape this conversation brimming to the surface. I was uncomfortable speaking so much to this man I didn't know. He was asking some strange questions.

"What's with the Q and A?" I wondered, snapping my head back to him.

"Like I said, I just want to get to know Mia's friend."

"Well, Mia is getting to know Mel rather well."

He snorted a laugh. "She spends most of her time up there. The two of them always spend the night together, but it goes nowhere."

"Really?" I frowned. "She seems rather smitten."

"Complications, I guess. Mia said her parents don't approve of her sexuality."

Huh, funny, I have never met Mya's parents before. Oh wait, that must be a coverup.

Wait.

Wait, where even was everyone's parents? Rio, Everett, Caleb... Were they all parentless? What was that about?

Weird.

I wonder what Arabella's up to.

"Do you have siblings?" I asked.

Jo's eyebrows quirked with interest. "I have a brother."

"Cool, I have a sister." I nodded. "I was just thinking about her."

He smirked. "Bring her next time."

"Next time?" I cocked my head.

"Yeah, you don't think you're going to get away with only one visit, do you?" He smirked.

It was funny; the man was being overly friendly and yet nothing he did or said made me feel any type of way. Even when his arm came to rest behind me, it didn't seem to bother me. I wasn't interested in his touches, or his flirty eyes, and yet, I didn't feel put off from him.

Strange.

Was it the alcohol? Why was he so comfortable around me?

Didn't he realise I was mated?

My mouth parted, about to tell him so, but then I remembered.

Human.

We were here under disguise.

Silly me.

"Do you come here often, then?" I wondered.

"Twice a week."

"Nothing else to do with your life?" I mused.

He rolled his eyes. "I work seven days a week. I think I need it."

I laughed. "What do you do? For a job?"

"I build."

"Build what? Toys?" I snorted. "Santa?"

"Houses!" He chuckled, pinching me playfully.

"Oh cool, so like bricks?" I blinked.

"I know you are smarter than that sentence." He teased. "But yes, I lay bricks, floors, plaster..."

"You'd think the wolves would do that, considering they're stronger."

He inhaled deeply, stretching his arms to flex. "I think I can handle it."

I blinked down at his biceps, unfazed. "Eh."

"Eh?" His eyes widened. "How harsh."

"I've seen better." I grinned.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, every day." I laughed, imagining Asra's naked body.

Mm, delicious.

Jo's arm came to rest on my shoulder. "I feel like I know you, Leia."

I shrank out of his grip, and his lips pulled down into a frown at my movement.

"You said that already..."

"I know, but you just seem so familiar to someone I know."

"Oh yeah? Enlighten me." I mused.

"I knew a girl growing up. We often played in the forest together." He explained. "She was from another district and used to go for walks all the time. One day, we bumped into each other after I ran away from the patrol wolves."

"So you befriended a random girl in the woods? Was there not a gingerbread house around?" I mused.

He tutted at me, but laughed anyway. "She was from the next district, I think. I never visited her home. We would play together most afternoons. I'd say we were even best friends."

"That's sweet." I smiled, my heart warming. "What happened to her?"

"She just never came back one day." He frowned, shrugging. "I was about eleven. I don't know what happened to her, but I can only assume the worst. My memory isn't that great, but I can remember her orange hair. We often played, sometimes critter hunted or chatted."

His eyes fell to my mane, fingers pulling lightly on a few strands. I sat, staring at him with a frown. I don't know if it was the alcohol in my system or not, but his story twisted my stomach. It was like it was trying to tell me something, but my mind was too detached from my body to comprehend anything.

"That's a pleasant story." Mya interrupted, setting my drink down before me. "Didn't know you were ever a child, Jo. I thought you were born six feet tall."

Jo rolled his eyes, grunting as Mya threw herself between us. She gave me a strange look, and I timidly smiled, taking my fresh drink into my hands.

"What's this one?"

"Uh... Sex on the Beach, I think."

My eyes widened, and she snickered at my reaction. I took a sip, pleased when it was yet another peach flavoured glass.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Mya wondered, smacking her lips together from the fresh whiskey in her glass.

"Jo was telling me how I looked like a childhood friend of his."

Mya laughed. "How strange, you lived nowhere near here."

"I know," I smiled.

"It's just uncanny!" Jo complained.

Mya nudged him in the gut. "Maybe it was your imagination."

"Maybe she has a sister!" Frankie giggled from across the table.

I blanched at her idea, shaking my head furiously. "My sister isn't ginger."

"Was she ever?"

"Never." I shrugged. "Olive skin, dark hair and eyes."

"Bummer." Frankie laughed. "Jo's stuck in his imagination land."

Jo scowled, finishing the last of his pint. "I'm going to get another."

I huffed when I realised I had to get out of the booth, Mya complaining behind me as she did the same. Jo stood to his full height, towering a mere head over me. His dark eyes flickered to me, a polite smile on his face as he exited the booth. I watched him get up and move, before something on the back of his head caught my attention.

"What's that on your head?" I blurted.

Jo paused, his hand coming to rest exactly on the spot I pointed out. "It's a scar."

"Oh." I nodded. "Cool."

His face contorted with confusion, but I pushed myself back into the booth to end the conversation. From the corner of my eye, I saw him hover before shaking his head and going to the bar.

"What was that about?" Mya whispered.

My eyes flickered to the others around the table, making sure they didn't hear. I wasn't sure how good of a whisper my tipsy self had, but the music in here was loud enough.

"I don't know. His story makes me feel weird." I whispered.

Her eyebrows furrowed, our faces an inch apart. "Do you think you could be the girl?"

"I have no memory of my childhood friends." I shrugged. "But I always trust my gut, and it was trying to tell me something. But I can't figure it out."

"That's the vodka in you." She smirked. "But that is strange."

Do I tell Mya what Asra and Everett were doing?

No, I better keep it quiet.

My eyes found the strange scar at the back of Jo's head, my lips pursed into a frown. I don't know why my body was pulling me in his direction; I didn't understand it. Even more so, the scar shaped like a dolphin was really bugging me.

Whatever it was, would have to wait until I am sober.