Chapter Nine
Wulf
I had a few appointments that hadn’t been rescheduled, but I was still out of the office by five o’clock and headed home to continue to ruminate over the biggest decision I’d ever had to make.
Just twenty-four hours ago I’d seen no future at all, and now I had the most difficult one.
Whether to help the omega by using my skills or accept what my wolf insisted, that he was my mate.
I made a grilled cheese sandwich and poured a glass of iced tea, but when I finished them I was no closer to knowing what to do.
Above all, I wanted to see the omega again.
I’d never encountered him at the club before, but if he’d been there to play every time, while I hung out in the conversation area, it wasn’t that odd that we hadn’t run into one another.
Technically there was a view of the main floor from where we sat, but with the heavy crowd and the fact that I actually wasn’t into watching other people, no big surprise I’d missed him in the past.
In the shower, I suddenly had an idea of how I could maybe make this work. And there was only one way to find out, so instead of pajama pants, I shimmied into my black leather ones, a fitted black T-shirt and low-heeled boots. I hadn’t bothered to dress up for the club since…well, in a while.
But tonight I wanted to look good.
The club was busy, when I arrived, a mob of people in the front area checking their phones while I waited anxiously tapping my feet. If I accepted the offer to invest, I wouldn’t have to stand here waiting. I’d be able to go in another door and keep my phone in my pocket.
It seemed like a silly reason to make such a big investment, but right now, desperately wanting to get in and find the omega, it seemed good enough.
Of course, there was one guest of a member who had not read the material sent to him and didn’t want to turn over his phone.
Leading to a DM being sent for and a discussion that nearly led to the guest being sent back out onto the street.
Fortunately for him, the member he was invited by showed up and talked sense into him, but it had brought the line to a halt, irritating everyone behind them.
Finally, I was able to enter the club and begin my search for Striker. Maybe I should have asked at the front whether the attendant knew if he was there, but I wasn’t entirely sure what the protocol was for that sort of information.
None of my friends were in sight in the conversation area, so I made a round of the stations on the main floor.
They were all occupied and surrounded by the usual groups who liked to watch but none of the were occupied by the omega I sought.
I tried not to be too happy about that, since he should get his needs met, but my wolf and I agreed we’d prefer it be by me.
Oren and his mate were playing tonight and they always drew a crowd.
Their passion came through no matter what they did.
Striker had been with many of the alphas and I’d been with one omega.
Would I even have the experience he needed?
I didn’t judge those who found ways to get what they needed.
Crowned offered that opportunity to those willing to grasp it.
Not scening since my mate passed had probably contributed to my inability to move on, but I’d just never wanted to be so intimate with anyone I didn’t love. I couldn’t bring myself to even try.
Passing the door to the hallway with the private rooms, I came back around to the bar and got in line for a drink.
If Striker didn’t come tonight, I would try again tomorrow.
I hoped for one outcome of our next conversation, but there were options.
And the decision would be his. To accept me as therapist or mate or nothing at all. That choice would make me very sad.
“Wulf?” I spun to see Oren passing by, his arm around his mate. “We’re just going to aftercare, but there was an omega looking for you. The one with the limp?”
“Is that really how you see him? Just as an omega with a limp?”
“Uh, no. Actually he’s the hot one with the limp but I don’t want to get in trouble with my mate here.”
“I don’t think anything is going to get you in trouble. He’s deep in sub space.” We shared a smile at the pleasure of being able have this effect on someone we cared about. “I’ll go find Striker. You two enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Oren guided Noble toward a comfy chair in a quiet corner for aftercare, while I set off on my quest. Striker was here…somewhere. And he was looking for me.
With that in mind, I set off back in the direction I’d come, headed for the station where I’d seen Oren and Noble.
If they’d run into him, he should be along that path, and, sure enough, there he was.
Striker wore dark jeans and a tank molded to an upper body that hadn’t suffered much from his breaking training.
And when he turned to face me, his lips turned up in a quick smile. “Hello, alpha.”
“Striker, nice to see you. How are you tonight?”
“Doing well, thanks. I was thinking of having a drink.”
“That sounds good.” We went to the bar and found a little table off to the side.
We exchanged phone numbers. After a server took our drink orders, we chatted a moment about the crowd and various club things before I prepared to bring up the subject that had been on my mind for a while.
But before I could, he gave me an opening.
“Alpha, what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a physical therapist with a shifter practice near here.”
“That explains why I felt so much better after you worked on my leg last night. I wondered.”
“Yes, and I wanted to talk to you about that. Your injury is not properly healed, and I would like to offer our services to help you with that. If I’m not being too pushy. Sometimes I do that because I want to help.
“I’m fine. Mostly. And what’s really wrong with me isn’t something you can help with.”
“Maybe I can. What is it.”
Our drinks arrived and we each took a sip before he replied. “I can’t shift since the accident. So even if I still had my speed and strength, which I never will, the tournament would be out of the question.”
I couldn’t imagine how hard that must be, or what to say, but he jumped up, gave me a look of anger and disappointment and ran away.
Oh hell. How could I fix this?