Difficult conversation

Vicky

The fallout with Toby hit harder than I’d expected.

After that night—after the shower, the tears, the raw honesty—we had the talk. The big one.

Compensated dancer, replaced dancer, whatever you want to call it, our conversation was difficult and definitive. We agreed it was better to stay friends, brothers even, at least until we’d both grown up a little more, figured ourselves out.

Unfortunately, he didn’t want to keep sharing my bed, or even the apartment’s close quarters. He moved to the guest room downstairs, his footsteps heavy on the stairs as he hauled his stuff away. I told myself I’d take a break from men—laughed at the idea, even—but no, that wasn’t me. No matter how hard I tried, someone always showed up: a one-night fling, a few stolen kisses, a sensual dance in the dark. I just didn’t bring anyone home anymore.

Toby’s disapproval hung over me like a shadow, and I knew if he asked, I’d snap any guy dumb enough to cross that line in half.

It was almost the last week of his stint at the club when Michael came to me with a sob story. A friend of his—some Latino guy named Carlos—needed cash bad. His wife was pregnant, bills piling up, and they didn’t have permanent visas yet. I’ve got a soft spot for underdogs, so I said yes, I’d help.

Toby was winding down anyway, his debts nearly paid, so I asked him to start rehearsing Carlos, get him stage-ready.

The month was ending, and we’d made a plan: we’d swing by his pack so I could meet the crew—his dad, the alpha, the whole wild bunch—then I’d jet off to Hawaii for a much-needed vacation.

A break from the club, from him, from everything.

I’d find a boyfriend there, I told myself.

Surely someone in paradise would go for a chubby girl like me, right?

It was Saturday, the club packed to the rafters, bodies pressed tight and the air buzzing with anticipation. I had a meeting scheduled with my beverage supplier, Fred, a guy who’d been off my radar for a while.

He was a hottie—dark-haired, green-eyed, and a werewolf to boot.

Werewolves are my kryptonite, all that primal heat wrapped in muscle. It’d been ages since we last tangled, and I didn’t want Toby crashing the vibe. Something might happen—some making out, maybe more.

Werewolves are damn near impossible for a human to resist, their energy raw and magnetic.

The only thing worse are vampires—predators through and through, cold and calculating. No thanks, no bats for me.

Wolves? Safer, warmer, a fire I could handle.

Fred showed up right on time, just as the show kicked off downstairs. I opened my office door with a smile, and there he was, all sharp jawline and piercing eyes, looking me up and down like I was dessert.

A low growl rumbled from his chest—pure instinct—and before I could blink, he’d closed the distance. His tongue flicked over my lips, teasing, and in a heartbeat, he had me pinned against the wall.

I grabbed his neck, instinct kicking in, and climbed into his lap like I used to when we were a thing—legs wrapped around him, his hands gripping my hips. He kissed me deep, hungry, his stubble scraping my skin. I had to pull back, breathless, shoving at his chest to stop him before he left a trail of hickeys on my neck.

“Fred, Fred, business first!” I said, pushing him back with a hand on his chest, my voice firm despite the heat still simmering between us.

“You know how to kill the mood, Vick,” he said, leaning back against the wall with a smirk, his green eyes glinting with amusement. “What do you want? I haven’t raised your rates in two years—be reasonable, my dear.”

“Fred, business is good,” I countered, crossing my arms and leaning against my desk. “But it’s hard to maintain quality without cutting corners, and I don’t exploit anyone. Everyone benefits—my crew, the club, even you. Don’t pretend you’re not raking it in from my orders.”

He tilted his head, sizing me up like a wolf circling prey. “And what do I get out of it? I’ll raise your supply by three percent and throw in a case of my best whiskey. But I want something from you, my dear…”

“If it’s within my reach.”

“I’ll come here every three months,” he said, stepping closer again, his voice dropping low. “I want to go out with you. And let’s move on from that part…”

I froze, heat creeping up my neck. “The part where you licked me and gave me my first orgasm?” I blurted, blushing as the memory hit me.

“And how you sucked me and made me cum in your mouth,” he shot back, grinning wickedly. “Delicious. I can still feel you—hell, I’m getting hard just thinking about it.” His eyes darkened, that wolfish hunger flaring up again.

“Wolves, wolves,” I muttered, shaking my head, trying to laugh it off even as my pulse raced. “I don’t know if humans can handle werewolves. The problem, Frederico, is that you’ve got a fucking partner out there who could show up any second—because your crazy goddess is a sadist who loves screwing with her kids’ lives.”

He burst out laughing, a deep, rolling sound that filled the room. “Delicious, you shouldn’t talk like that! Selene might get mad!

Right then, Petry’s screams pierced through the haze of my banter with Fred, shrill and panicked. I yanked the door open, and he stumbled in, nearly crashing into me.

“Wolf! Wolf!” Petry shrieked, his eyes wide with terror.

“It’s just Fred, Pepe—” I started, gesturing to the smirking werewolf beside me.

“No! Toby’s transforming!” he blurted, cutting me off.

My stomach dropped. “Fred, get the wolf off the stage! Come on! Michael! Michael!” I barked, adrenaline surging.

“I’m here, Vicky,” Michael said, materializing at my side, his usual cocky edge replaced with urgency.

“What’s happening out there? Toby, no!” I bolted toward the stage, Fred and Michael on my heels.

Through the chaos, I caught sight of Toby—his eyes glowing gold, fur sprouting along his arms—grabbing a girl from the audience. The crowd gasped, some shrieking, others cheering, unsure if it was real or part of the act.

Fred and Michael lunged, shoving him backstage as he thrashed, his voice raw and guttural: “Mate! Mate!”

Petry darted past me, dragging a wide-eyed girl—Fred’s sister, Melissa—toward Toby. The second they locked eyes, Toby stilled, his breathing ragged but calming, the wolf receding under his skin.

“Damn! What a scare,” I muttered, clutching my chest. “Who is she?”

“My sister, Melissa!” Fred said, stepping forward, a mix of shock and pride in his voice. “She confirmed it—they’re Mate.”

Mate. The word slammed into me like a fist, threatening to shatter my heart into jagged little pieces. I forced a smile, swallowing the ache. Toby had found her—his fated one. The thing he’d always wanted.

Michael, ever the pro, rallied the firefighters onto the stage, spinning the mess into part of the show. The audience bought it—women screamed, clapped, laughed, caught up in the drama.

Backstage, I watched Toby and Melissa talking, her hand tentative on his arm, his face softening in a way I’d never seen.

They’d figure it out, the two of them. I was happy for him—truly, deeply happy. But damn if I didn’t feel sad for myself, a hollow ache spreading through my chest.

I knew this day will come.

I always knew...

Fred’s gaze flicked to me, sharp and knowing, like he’d pieced something together.

“She’s new,” he said, nodding toward Melissa, who was still deep in conversation with Toby backstage. “She wanted to come with me. I didn’t know there’d be a werewolf here.”

“Come on, Fred,” I said, forcing a casual tone as I leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “There’s always one or two around.”

“Females, right!” he shot back, smirking. “Since Madonna left, there’ve been no more werewolves or vampires allowed. You changed the rules, Vick.”

“Yeah, well, I never imagined…” I trailed off, shrugging, letting the sentence hang unfinished. Never imagined Toby would find his mate right in front of me, that the universe would twist the knife like this.

Fred tilted his head, studying me. “What is my brother-in-law to you?”

“A brother, of course,” I said quickly, flashing a grin to sell it. “The wolf who lived here when I was a kid. I told you about him…”

“Oh, yes,” Fred replied, his tone neutral, but his green eyes lingered, searching my face.

I tried to hide it as best I could—the sting, the stupid ache I didn’t want to name. We didn’t have a mate bond, and Fred wasn’t a beta or alpha with some mystical nose for lies, so I figured I was safe.

It was better this way—better not to ruin everything for Toby. He deserved this, his fated match, his happy ending. I winked at Fred, playing it off. “Come on, let’s grab a drink. I need one after that circus.”

He nodded, following me toward the bar, but I could feel the weight of his glance, like he suspected more than I’d let on. I brushed it aside, pouring two whiskeys from his gifted case and sliding one over.

The goddess hated me, I was sure of it now—dangling Toby in front of me all these years, only to snatch him away with a flick of her sadistic wrist.

But I’d survive. Always did.

Toby

Well, damn, Melissa’s beautiful, polite, and hot as hell.

She’s everything I’d dreamed of, and more, with that quiet grace and a spark that sets my blood on fire. I just hope her brother—Fred—doesn’t mess with me too much.

Soon, I’ll meet her family, bring her into my pack. I need to mark her, make it official, and it’s gotta be special—something epic, something she’ll never forget. I’ve got to think this through, plan it right.

Damn! I’m gonna go crazy obsessing over this.

I’m happy—stupidly, wildly happy—but I can’t let it spill over too much in front of Vicky.

Forgive me, girl. I’ll always love you, always, but it’s different now, a quieter kind of love.

I promise I’ll never let you go completely.

But tonight? Tonight, I’m gonna dream about my beautiful companion—her dark hair, those eyes that see right through me, the way she fits against me like she was made for it. I need to tell my father soon; he’ll be proud, I know it.

A mate’s a big deal, and I hope I do this right, no screw-ups this time. I can already picture the look on my half-brother Fabio’s face—Mr. Perfect, always the golden son, the best at everything.

This time, though? Haha, I found my mate first.