Chapter 16: Luther's Report

Esme put her bag and leather jacket inside her locker and trailed her hands along with the hangers of her fancy clothes for working at ONYX. Her current attire of a hoodie and ripped jeans with trainers would not suffice. She grabbed a white blouse and some light pink high waisted trousers that seemed to go well with her skin tone and dark brown hair, along with some low-heeled strappy sandals.

She sauntered off to the changing rooms, not at all bothered about being ten minutes late already. It was Niko's fault for changing her shifts around; her whole week had changed, and he mentioned she needed to be on her best behaviour. She rolled her eyes as she closed the curtain behind her and started undressing once more.

Her eyes landed on her reflection, and her mood dropped even more. Usually, she ignored all mirrors until her body was covered, but because of her where her thoughts were, she couldn't help but look at the mark below her collarbone. The mark of the mate bond between her and Ethan, though she had scarred it by cutting at it with a knife trying to remove it, then burned her skin with boiling wolfsbane.

Brutal, she knows, but it was there as a constant reminder of who her soul mate was. Esme brushed her fingers over it, her touch setting her skin alight in pain; she removed her fingers and gulped. She was used to the pain, another reminder that she was meant to be with her mate, but how could she be?

Esme changed into her clothes and stared back at her reflection once more, her face masked in make-up, yet her eyes were still dull and full of the phantom haunting over her in her dreams and the morning's run through memory lane. She pulled the curtain back, almost ripping it from the pole, forgetting her strength, and put her stuff away in the locker.

Esme headed back to the bar and started work without making any comments to Niko scolding her. He looked at her oddly, but she turned her back on him and started to work on her acting skills for the day. It wasn't always forced but today just felt gloomy.

Esme was cleaning out the coffee machine in a daze, blocking out the sounds of Hana, Leo and Rory chatting. She was only sensitive to sudden noises and the doors opening, either revealing a customer or another staff member. Her guard was still up for emergencies, but her 'social battery' still needed charging before she could keep up with a conversation.

If she was being honest, the nightmares and memories of how he hurt her were better than when she longed for the good times. She knew last night and this morning were all due to the bond messing with her head trying to get her to return to her mate. It was a constant battle between her will and the 'magic' of the mate bond created by the Moon Goddess.

Esme sighed then flinched when Leo appeared next to her, his hip leaning into the counter as he crossed his arms and tilted his head. "How are you feeling today, Es?" He asked; she glanced at him, taking note of his hazel eyes almost sparkling at the need to gain her attention.

Cute.

"Oh, yeah, much better, I slept it off," Esme replied, nonchalantly matching him by leaning on the counter as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. She didn't bother doing anything with her hair; it was naturally wavy anyway and wasn't as long as it used to be.

"So, what's with all the sighing? Do you need Leo to cheer you up?" He smiled boyishly at her, his scruffy blonde hair falling over his forehead slightly. He raised his arms as if to bear hug her.

Esme flinched slightly, an action she quickly covered up and smirked, leaning forwards instead. "Your smile alone can cheer anyone up, Leo," She winked and almost smiled at how much he seemed like a happy puppy from her compliment.

Well, she didn't want to unload her burdens onto anyone.

"Esme, why are you working here?" An icy voice asked from behind her. Leo looked in that direction, and his smile dropped instantly. Esme turned her head and confirmed it was indeed Gabriel, and he was glaring at her and Leo.

"Because you employed me?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"Esmee," She heard Niko whisper in a warning.

Gabriel clicked his tongue and turned around, "Follow me," He commanded, not glancing in anyone's direction and gaining everyone's attention by either his powerful presence or his looks.

Esme gave Leo a sidelong glance, but he was still looking at Gabriel with a frown, only looking back at Esme a second later to smile again. Though it looked a little forced this time. Esme hid her scowl at the slight irritation shown on his face; it was pretty uncharacteristic of him, but hey, how would she know? She'd only been there three weeks, hardly enough time to truly know a person.

The she-wolf followed behind the Vampire King, her eyes now trained on his back. He wore a signature black suit, the highest quality and probably a designer make like Armani. Gabriel pulled it off well, looking like a damn model than a boss of a nightclub. Well, that was all part of a front, really, wasn't it? He was a King.

"Do you really think it is smart to flirt with a man you will leave in a few months, rogue?" Gabriel crisply said, facing forwards.

"I don't think that's any of your concern, vampire," She snapped back, only to take a step back when Gabriel swivelled around and glared at her.

"Easy. Remember he's the damn King!" Isana whisper-shouted, freaking out by the dangerous glint in Gabriel's icy blue eyes.

"It is my concern what you do in my bar," He snapped back, his voice so quiet and deadly, Esme felt the hairs on her neck stand up.

Esme eyed him, clenching her teeth together, her hands fisting by her sides, an action Gabriel instantly noticed. "Are you an Alpha female, by chance ES?" He mocked, using her nickname only Hana and Leo had picked up on using.

She gulped and lowered her gaze; she needed to act like the rogue she was. "Of course not, GABE." But she couldn't help herself.

The next thing she knew, she was up against the wall in Gabriel's VIP room. When the hell did she get.. Vampire, she internally rolled her eyes. Gabriel brought his face close to hers, "Never. Call. Me. Gabe." He growled through gritted teeth; then, after searching her face and apparently seeing something she couldn't, he sighed and relaxed his hands from her shirt.

Pulling away, his voice spoke softly in her mind. "I'm sorry, you do not need to fear me."

Esme scoffed and straightened her shirt, looking up at his downturned face. "You do not scare me," She growled.

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What a coward. Only apologising when others can't hear.

Gabriel's eyes met hers as though he heard her thoughts, but because she knew he couldn't, she ignored the surprise on his features and walked past him, her head held high. "What would you like to drink?"

"Blood." Gabriel sat down on the couch, ignoring her as he looked at Luther standing, glancing between the pair with his smartphone against his ear.

Esme stilled at his response but saw his empty wine glass on the coffee table; it looked like a red smoothie had been in it.

"Correction, honey. That's blood.. because he's a vampire who feeds on humans.. who we as wolves are meant to protect," Isana snapped. She was still pissed at being manhandled against the wall.

Esme sighed and grabbed another wine glass, then halted, wondering where to get Gabriel some blood. "The fridge," Gabriel said stiffly while watching Luther.

"Thanks," She murmured and turned around, opening the mini-fridge only to stifle a gasp at how many blood bags there were. She picked one up and compared it to another; they were of different blood groups.

Gabriel sighed, "Any will do."

"The hunters are still searching, Gabriel," Luther said, then looked at Esme warily.

Gabriel and Luther stared at each other for one full minute then Luther nodded his head.

"Did I just miss something?" Esme whispered to her wolf.

Isana was as confused as she was. "I'm seeing exactly what you're seeing. I have no idea what just happened."

Esme shook her head and poured the chilled blood into the crystal wine glass, and placed it upon a coaster on the coffee table. Retrieving the empty one Gabriel used earlier.

"You may speak freely," Gabriel said calmly, picking up his glass and sipping casually on the wine; no, no, it was blood, she reminded herself.

Esme returned to the bar, pretending to look busy, but she knew, and they knew she was listening with interest. Who wouldn't at the mention of the Hunter Association?

"Aila is with the Silver Crescent pack now," Luther replied and sat down on the armchair next to the sofa. Esme stilled at the mention of the pack name and looked over at Luther and Gabriel.

One side of Gabriel's lips twitched up, and he sipped on his blood, staring at the stage. "Is that so?" He mused.

"There are rumours that she is Alpha Damon's mate," Luther continued, cancelling the call he was on.

Alpha Damon!? The Alpha King of the northern territories. She shivered wondering what his mate must be like to be with someone as deadly as him.

Gabriel grinned at that, "I would not expect anything less for that girl. That is good, and what of rogues?"

Esme turned around and leaned on the counter, staring at her distorted reflection in the decoratively made 'broken' mirror behind the bar. Why were they talking about pack business? And of rogues.. Was this normal for the King of vampires to discuss?

"The rogues are still on the outskirts of Chester. There is no word yet on what they are looking for," Luther reported.

Esme tensed, and her heart rate started to pound louder and louder, her hands clenching at what was said. Before she could stop herself, she found herself speaking. "How do you know they are rogues?" She turned around and looked at Luther, who glanced at Gabriel, who nodded.

"They will be named as rogues until said otherwise. I have been around long enough to know the difference between a group of rogues and pack members. The same can be said for Luther and my men looking into it," Gabriel informed her. He was watching her, scrutinising her face from where he sat.

"Does he think we know them?" Isana asked what Esme was starting to think.

"I am a lone wolf," Esme blurted out, interrupting where their discussion had continued.

Gabriel looked at her and nodded once, "I never doubted you."

For some reason, those words were comforting, and she unconsciously smiled gently in return. Esme leaned on the bar, her arms extended in front of her as she listened to some issues vampires created in another city and what Gabriel intended to do about it. Though her mind drifted off, and she bit her lip, wondering about these rogues on the outskirts of Chester.

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