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It made me wish I had someone of my own. At the very least, someone I could have fun with for the night.
They all seemed to have mates and families, but I was still completely on my own.
Especially with the drinks in my system, I tried not to let the thought bring me down. I didn’t want the night to take a depressing spiral.
Instead, I looked around the bar again, hoping to find someone cute enough to go home with. No matter how hard I tried to lower my standards, none of them called to me.
I considered calling an old hookup, but even that thought quickly soured.
Instead, Liam sprang into my mind, and I winced at the mental image of him looking all dark and mysterious. Even worse, I found myself liking it.
Stuck with my traitorous mind once again, I shoved it all away and tried to enjoy my night.
Chapter 6 - Liam
Walking into the Roadbar was an entirely new experience for me, yet there were more than enough faces I recognized from when I was young.
It was the most intense reminder that while I was gone, their lives didn’t stop. Rose Valley grew and improved, and everything continued regardless of where I was.
“Saunders?”
Checking over my shoulder, I found another familiar shifter.
“I heard you made the move back here, and I finally got the chance to catch you,” Zach Hill said, his white smile beaming at me. “It’s great to see you.”
“And you as well,” I returned, accepting his outstretched hand to shake. “I hear you’re the mayor. I can’t say I’m surprised, though. That’s a big accomplishment.”
He shrugged, being as modest as I remembered. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. With Kai’s help, we’ve knocked this place into shape. I’m sure it must be a bit disorienting for you after all this time.”
“In some respects. Other than some new improvements and new faces, it feels almost the same as when I left.”
His smile pulled. “Rose Valley has always had its charms, hasn’t it?”
“I guess that’s what pulled me back in.”
“Hey, it’s Liam, right?” Someone else asked, crowding in behind Zach along with a few others. From their natural muscle and signature scent, I could tell they were all the same as me. It was strange to be surrounded by so many shifters again.
“That’s me.”
They all brightened, and I suddenly felt like the new kid at school.
“We’re stoked for the studio to open!” One of them said, and the others gave their chiming support.
“I hope you’re prepared to be booked up.”
Before I knew it, I was fully wrapped up in the conversation, reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones. There were some I had been quite familiar with and others I didn’t have the chance to know before I left.
Regardless of my association with them, they all seemed just as interested in me and my shop. It made me forget I was even in the bar, and that optimism surrounded me once again.
While I moved back to town hoping to get back to my roots, reconnect with the pack, and find success with my business, I never imagined it would feel like such a natural transition. To my relief, it seemed like the best decision I had made in a long time.
When the music picked up and the guys said they’d see me around, they dispersed and returned to either dancing or chasing after their next conquest. I drifted over to the bar and ordered myself whiskey on the rocks.
Sitting on one of the stools, I took in the Roadbar, amazed by how incredible the turnout was. It seemed to be a hub for everyone to gather on the weekends.
Glass in hand, I sipped it slowly, considering just how lucky I was to be welcomed back with open arms. Things could’ve faired a lot worse for me.
My train of thought shattered the moment I saw her—the journalist from before.
