Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Ch 20 Market Research
Thea and Misty talked as they drove. The first bar was about three hours away. It was the middle of the day, so it wasn’t busy, but they ordered some appetizers and got a feel for the place.
The next bar was another thirty minutes away, and it only took them a minute inside before they realized it catered to men. Only men. Men who liked to have sex in specific ways.
They got back in the car and started laughing. “The looks we got when we walked in!” Misty said between laughs.
“They were like, ‘you walked into the wrong bar, sister.’”
“No penis, no entrance.”
They realized the double entendre at the same time and burst out laughing again.
“Oh my goddess, I will never forget that,” Thea said.
They hit a few more bars, and as they were leaving one with a Western theme, Thea heard Misty’s stomach growl.
“You ready for dinner?”
Misty smiled. “If you are.”
“I marked a few restaurants in the area since I figured we’d be here around dinnertime. What kind of food do you like?”
“What are the options?” Misty said.
“There’s a steakhouse that’s supposed to be good, a Thai joint, sushi, and a diner that’s supposed to be famous.”
“Pve never had sushi, but I’ve always wanted to,” Misty said.
“Me too!”
A short ride later, they were doing sake bombs and nibbling on edamame while they waited for their main order to come out. The waiter looked at them like they were crazy when they ordered one of every kind of sushi roll.
“Who knows when we’ll be able to get sushi again? We have to, right?” Thea said.
Thea couldn’t help but wonder what the triplets’ reactions to sushi would be. She missed them, and spending the whole day away from them made her chest hurt. She knew she would see themina few hours. She could make it.
The waiter was shocked after they ate everything he served them. They were werewolves. Alpha blood, both of them. They burned a lot of calories just existing and had to eat a lot to keep their bodies going.
By the time they arrived at the next bar, it was Starting to get busy. It was Saturday night, and everybody was out partying. This bar had a dance floor and people already dancing. Thea pulled Misty out on the dance floor, and they danced along with everyone. The people there were friendly and nice.
“Okay, this is my favorite so far. We need a dance floor in the bar,” Thea said above the music.
“Totally,” Misty said.
“Should we get a cocktail?”
“Yeah!”
They went up to the bar and ordered drinks. They did a lap around the bar then went outside to the patio where the music wasn’t as loud.
“So, what’s your type?” Thea asked.
Misty bit her lip. “You mean aside from you?” “Yeah. You said you have celebrity crushes. What about them do you like? Is there anyone here that sparks anything in you?” NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.
Misty looked around. “I don’t know that I have a specific type. Pretty is pretty no matter what their hair color is, you know? I think maybe I’m attracted to the personality more than looks. It’s kind of difficult to pick someone out of a bar if you’ re going by personality.”
Thea nodded.
“I guess I like strong women. Not just physically, but a strong personality. Who stand their ground. Have a good heart. Strength balanced by goodness. I think that’s what I’m attracted to.” Thea knew Misty was describing her. That’s how she saw her. She wondered if Misty felt as intensely about her as she did about the triplets. She physically hurt being away from them this long. She tried to imagine kissing Misty, but she couldn’t do it. Misty was pretty. She smelled nice. She was fun. Had a pretty smile, hair and eyes, and her lips looked soft and pillowy. There was just one problem. She wasn’t Alaric, Conri, or Kai. Thea just didn’t have romantic feelings for her. She felt protective of her. Other than that, it was like hanging out with Lizzy. The only feelings she had were pain from missing the triplets and longing for them. Thea didn’t know what the triplets had been worried about. She actually felt sick thinking about kissing someone that wasn’t one of them.
Soon they were on the road. Thea felt her pain ease a little knowing she was on her way to the triplets.
“When do you shift?” Thea said.
“A few weeks after graduation.”
“I don’t know how long it will take for you to find your mate after you shift, but Iam sure she’s going to make you deliriously happy.”
“Why do you think my mate will be a girl? They teach us that the main purpose for mates is procreation.”
“The moon goddess wouldn’t gift you with someone you couldn’t completely love. Mates are designed for each other. Pups need parents who love each other and stay together. That’s what the matebond is. Family. Not procreation. Anyone can
get pregnant. Staying together is the hard part. There are plenty of ways for same-sex couples to have kids, from sperm donors and surrogates to adoption. We all know orphans are a big problem in the werewolf community. Rogue attacks kill so many parents. I think maybe there’s a cosmic balance, and we’ve unbalanced it by teaching it wrong.” |
Misty nodded. “I wish other people saw it like you do.”
“I’m going to try to get them to.”
“Can I ask? You haven’t shifted yet, but you feel so strongly about being mates with the triplets?”
“They’re sure. So are our parents and our whole pack. I’m hopeful.”
“You’re not sure?” Misty said.
“Remember the pressures of leadership thing this morning?”
“Yeah.”
“Since we started dating, my pack is acting like I’m already Luna. The Alpha instructed the security detail that’s following us today to address me as Luna.”
“Wow. He believes you’re mates then.”
“Thing is, I trained my whole life thinking I would take my father’s place as Beta. There are so many stories of people dating, loving each other, then when they shift, they find out they aren’t mates. I feel like I’ll be disappointing my parents, my Alpha and Luna, and my whole pack if we end up not being mates. I don’t want to let anyone down. Then there’s the idea of watching someone else be their Luna, their mate. I don’t think I could stay in the pack, and I love my pack. I’ve been having panic attacks about it.”
“That’s a lot of pressure, and the matebond is something you don’t have control over, so there’s nothing you can do but wait. That would weigh on anyone.”
Thea nodded. “Exactly. You get it. I guess I’m too close to the situation to be objective. I don’t see what everyone else sees. I don’t get why they’re so sure. We grew up together. We were born on the same day. Our parents are the Alpha and Beta. They raised us together. Of course we’re close. They’ve been my best friends since I can remember. That doesn’t mean we’re mates, doesi te”
“I don’t know.”
“I know I love them. As our birthday gets closer, there’s a pull that’s getting stronger.”
“I get that you can’t know for sure until you shift, but there is something special about the four of you. Beyond just being childhood friends. How else could three Alphas share one girl without ripping each other to shreds in jealousy and possessiveness? That’s moon magic if I ever saw it. ”
Thea laughed.
“You are going to be the most incredible Luna,” Misty said. “How often do Lunas lead with love? I know our packs have good Lunas, but you hear the stories of the ones who just use the pack members as servants and don’t do anything to take care of them. Your pack is lucky to have you, regardless of whether you end up being mates. No pressure.”
“Thank you.”
They talked the whole way home.
“Thank you. Today was the best,” Misty said when Thea dropped her off in front of her pack house.
“Thad a good time too. We need to do it again.” Thea gave Misty a hug then drove back to her own home, itching to see the triplets.
After she parked the car in the pack garage, the SUVs with her security detail pulled in behind her.
“I didn’t see you all day. I assume things went smoothly?” Thea said to Liam.
“There were people sniffing around. Some had to be dispatched,” Liam said. The aura he gave off was more somber than this morning. Like he had to take care of serious business today, and he wasn’t done.
“Really?”
“We’ll give a full report to the Alpha. I imagine he’ ll bring you in to go over it so you are aware of the dangers.”
“Okay. Is everyone unharmed?”
“Some minor injuries, a few more serious. Nothing fatal.”
Thea nodded. She would check up on them tomorrow. “Okay. Thank you, Liam.”
“Our pleasure, Luna.”
She made her way to her room, expecting the triplets to be asleep. She was shocked at what she saw when she opened the door.