Chapter 65

Nathanial’s POV

It’s been a week since Alex and Jessica went home. I’ve been purchasing alcohol non-stop; I don’t drink; I don’t like the taste. But it’s keeping the pretences up. I do rub it on my skin to make me smell like an alcoholic before I go out of the safehouse. Debbie complains; naturally. There is nothing wrong with her sense of smell; that’s for sure.

“Percy said the bar is about 4 miles south of the border.” Kevin says, coming into my room. “Perfect; I think I know the one he is talking about. I have been buying the alcohol from a little liquor store adjacent to it. It must be the same one.”

Toby pops his head through the door; noticing Kevin in the room. “Are you all set?” “Yep; I’m just waiting for Adrian” I tell the pair. “If anything goes pair-shaped; abort” Toby informs me. “It won’t; I have been going back and forth to the liquor store; tripping over my own feet. I even picked a fight outside with Alister a few times. All acting of course.”

“Don’t forget the time, you yelled at me to ‘Fuck Off and mind my own business.’ I ran into the safehouse crying” Debbie included. “The Gold Moon Pack are true thespians” Kevin chortles.

Toby’s phone goes off; Looking at the name on the screen, ‘SHITHEAD.’ “Hey Alex; what’s up? Yeah, his right here; I’ll put you on speaker.” He clicks the speaker button; “you can speak now” he says.

“Nath” Jessi says over the receiver; “Hey runt; how are the kids?” “Growing! When are you going to the bar?” she asks me. “I’m waiting for Adrian; should be in the next hour. We changed what we are doing up a bit. He will be waiting outside and I will go in and order a few drinks first; cry to the barman, that sort of thing. Then he will come in all; I’ve been looking all over for you. I may even pick a fight with him; we’ll see.”

“Nath; I don’t want you putting yourself in any danger. If you don’t think they will sell you any drugs; just leave the bar” Alex says “I was just telling him the same thing” Toby agrees. “And don’t go asking for any; that will draw suspicion” Jessica includes.

“I’ve got this;” I say to the three of them as Ads comes into the room. “This is where the party is?” he laughs. “Adrian; you too. Be careful” Jessi says to him. “We will; we need to get going” I say to them. “I’ll call you when he gets back” Toby says hanging up the phone. “Shithead?” I ask; he gives off a chuckle “He has me in his phone as Fuck Face; I thought I would reciprocate the affection.”

I give Debbie a kiss; “I will have a shower as soon as I get back; I promise.” “You better; you smell like a rogue” she smiles at me. I kiss her again and Adrian and I head out of the room.

……….

It’s a dingy little place; very dark and the tension around here, is worse than in the territory. This must be where the spell was generated from. I walk in through the door; there’s a few customers around the bar area. I head to a stool and sit down. The barman comes over to where I’m sitting; “what can I get you, friend?” “Bourbon” I tell him and pull a $50 note out of my wallet and place it on the bar.

“I’ve seen you going into Storms” he says; I snort at him “My mate told me I can’t go there anymore; she didn’t say I can’t come here.” He puts the glass of bourbon on the bar and I down it in one gulp; “another.”

I need to slow down my drinking; I’ll be pissed before Ads gets here. He puts the drink on the bar and I look at it and start the tears. “Are you ok; my friend?” “Nathanial” I say through sobs. He nods “Steven” he says back to me. “Not really;” I take a sip of bourbon; letting the burn of the alcohol cause more tears.

“You look similar to the girl that was taken by the River Clan” Steven tells me. Word has got around. I glare at him “What’s it to you?” I spit taking another sip. “Woah friend; I was making conversation” he says putting his hands up in front of him.

“She was my younger sister” I calm my voice down a bit; tears escaping my eyes again. “And the wolf?” I glare at him again and snarl “Our Alpha. Can we not talk about what happened? I came here to forget,” taking another sip.

“I’ll be with you in second, Danny” Steven calls across the bar. “Here; on the house” he says topping up my bourbon. I take a few more sips as Adrian walks in through the doorway.

“Nathanial; I thought I might find you here. Debbie is pissed you have taken off again” he says to me. “That woman needs to mind her fucking business. If I want to drink; I can, fucking drink.” I yell at him gulping down the rest of the bourbon. “Another Steve” I shout across the bar. “I think you’ve had enough” Adrian spits at me. “Don’t tell me when I have had enough; it wasn’t your sister taken” I snarl at him.

Steven comes and refills my glass. “I’m going to the bathroom; when I’m done. I will be taking you home to sleep; this off” he shouts at me. I growl at him; as he heads to the bathroom.

Danny; the bear shifter from across the bar watches as Adrian leaves my side and comes to sit next to me. “I couldn’t help overhear what you were saying” he says to me. I glare at him *“Ads; stay in the bathroom a bit longer. I think we just hit jackpot”* I mind link him. “Really; and you are?” “Daniel; but my friends call me Danny.”

“Ok Danny; what do you want?” I snort at him. “What if I told you I can make all your problems go away?” I snarl; “Can you get my sister back and bring our Alpha back to life?” “No; but this tablet I have here, will make you forget everything; for a few days anyway.”

I look at the little bag; “What is it?” I say to him. “They call it Lace; it’s supposed to make you forget” he tells me. “Supposed to; you don’t know?” “I only sell it for the warlock; I’m forbidden to try it. But you? You sound like you can really use some.” he smiles at me.

I take another sip of my drink; “And how much is this ‘Lace;’ going it cost me?” I ask him. “For one tablet; normally $150 but since it’s your first one; only $50. I’ll spot you the rest” he says. *“Come out, now”* I link Adrian.

Adrian comes out of the bathroom; I look at him heading in my direction. “Done” I say to him quickly; giving him $50 and taking the tablet; putting it in my mouth and downing it with the rest of the bourbon. I put my wallet back into my pocket. Adrian comes over and puts his hand on my shoulder; “it’s time to go Nath.” I stand up; “And what if I don’t want to” I spit at him.

“Nathanial; friend. We don’t want any trouble here. Go home with your friend” Steven says to me. I narrow my eyes at Steven, “Fine” I growl and walk out the door with Adrian.

We get to the edge of the territory; “did you get it?” “Yep;” pulling the little pill out of my pocket and handing it to Adrian. “You better hold it; I’m a little tipsy and I will need to brush my teeth 20 times before Debbie will kiss me again.”