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Chapter 18 – Calle Ocho
Eudora’s POV
Calle Ocho means Eighth Street in Spanish, and we just entered the enclave of Little Havana. My eyes were instantly drawn to the colorful murals and art. We drove nearly twenty blocks and I peered out the window at the vibrant restaurants, cigar shops, fruit stands, bakeries, art galleries, shops, and rum bars.
“Oh look, Dora, it’s Celia Cruz!” Paola pointed to a beautiful mural of one of my favorite Cuban singing legends.
“She has a star here somewhere on the Calle Ocho walk of fame.” Mateo told us.
I was ready to ask Ares if we can stop and see it, but I knew we were really here to help Wylder find his mate and track an elder wolf at Domino Park. We drove several more blocks, past a pharmacy on the corner, and I remembered that I needed to get more diapers for Lukas soon. I looked over at him and he had fallen asleep in his car seat. I hope we won’t be staying too long, I know my parents will be missing him.
We pulled into a large parking lot across the street from a huge cream-colored building with a red wrap-around awning. Versailles Restaurant, the most famous Cuban restaurant in the world. I stepped out of the SUV and reached for the baby sling. Ares gently carried Lukas to me and slipped the sleeping baby in facing me so he can continue sleeping.
“You know, they say one of the best ways to dig into Cuban culture is through its food.” Conner said looking eager to have breakfast. Normally I’d expect this from Wylder, but right now, he looked like a lost puppy.
“How are we going to do this?” Chris asked Wylder.
“We go in for breakfast and casually run into her.” Conner suggested.
“What if she runs again? She’ll be able to sniff us out when we enter.” Wylder said with worry in his voice.
“He’s got a point. The Alpha King here might scare the hell out of her, especially if she’s an Omega.” Paola added.
“Oh for crying out loud!” I rolled my eyes. “She’s his mate. They belong together. I’m human, I can go scout things out first.”
“What if she runs? You smell a little different now.” Wylder said and sniffed the air. I was ready to ask him what he meant but Ares quickly shuffled me off.
“Great idea honey. Maybe check the baby’s diaper too, I thought I smelled something funny, though it could just be gas. Don’t worry, we’ll surround the building and watch all exits.” Ares continued. “Let’s do this. Conner take the back, Chris please take the far side, Mateo take the near side, and I’ll stand guard at the front door with Wylder. If she runs, you hold her down.” Ares kissed my temple and I glided right into the delicious smelling restaurant.
“Welcome to Versailles, how many?” The hostess greeted me.
“Um, I’m waiting for a few others.” I smiled and tried to scan the enormous open dining area with mirrors on the walls for a tall blond named Timber. This place looked like a large banquet hall and had multiple other areas of seating. There was going to be no way I’d be able to find her if she was working in another area I couldn’t see from here.
I decided to try another method. “Do you know if Timber is working today?”
“She is, but I believe all of the tables in her section are already full.” She smiled.
“Is it okay if I use the restroom while I wait?”
“Of course. The restrooms in the back corner, to the right, are not as busy as the ones in the front.” She smiled and greeted another guest.
I slowly walked to the back corner towards the restrooms and scanned the employees. There was a short blond with dark roots who was cleaning off tables, but I was looking for a tall blond who could pass for an exotic dancer. I found another blond, but it was clearly a wig and her uniform looked like it was two sizes too small.
A voice called out from behind me, “Helen, I’m going to use the ladies' room, can you keep an eye out on my tables please?”
“Sure thing Tim.” The woman with the wig replied.
I quickly moved behind the leggy blond and followed her into the restroom. Trying to look casual, I waited until she finished her business and stepped out of the stall. She moved to the sink to wash her hands and made eye contact with me through the mirror.
“Timber?” I called out her name and she nodded. She waited for two other women to step out before she said anything.
“Do I know you?” She turned around to look at me and her eyes locked on my neck. I forgot to hide my mate mark and I could tell she was considering running.
I noticed her name is spelled Tymber, with a Y, just like Wylder spells his name and smiled. “Please don’t run. No one is going to hurt you.” I told her.
“I don’t know anything.” She said as she eyed the door.
“Well, that’s good, because I’m not looking for information. I’m looking to help you.”
“You’re human!” She stated. “What do you want with me?”
“Yes, I’m human. And I’m also mated to the Alpha King, making me the Luna Queen.” Lukas let out a little squawk and shifted around in his sling before continuing his sleep. She watched for a moment and softness crossed her face. “Look, our Beta wants his mate. He’s waited a long time to find her, to find you.”
“I don’t want a mate. I just want to be left alone.” She fired back.
“Why are you rejecting your other half and running away?” I asked with genuine concern in my voice.
“I’m not running from anything.”
“Why don’t you want your mate?”
“No offense, but some of the highest-ranking wolves are corrupt. You can’t trust anyone these days. Please, I just want to be left alone.” She reminded me of a cornered feral cat.
“Tymber, I’m human and I’m the Luna Queen. We’re the good guys.”
“I had a chosen mate, he was killed when my pack was destroyed. Your Beta will not want me. I’m not some innocent virgin.”
“Even better!” I quipped a little too fast. “He won’t care if you’re a virgin or not, he doesn’t want anyone else. He wants his other half.” I told her. “You can cook, right?” I asked trying to draw out a smile.
She shook her head no.
“That’s okay, we have plenty of chefs.” I let out a nervous giggle, the Moon Goddess gave Wylder someone who couldn’t cook. “Wylder is sweet, funny, handsome, and charming. His wolf is strong, smart, and loyal. He will give his life to keep you safe.”
“Wylder.” She said his name out loud, as if testing the sound of it.
“I may not be a wolf, but I know you’re a pack creature. You’re not meant to live alone. The Moon Goddess did not give you a mate, the other half of your soul, just so you can reject her gift. Now, Wylder is a great guy, if you can’t see that, then you don’t deserve him. There’s a long line of women just praying to be his mate. I’m sure he can just pick any one of them. Two even.” Her eyes flashed black, and I knew I had succeeded. I added the last part to trigger her wolf because she-wolves are just as possessive about their mates as the males.
The door creaked open, and I turned my head to find the familiar red hair of our Beta poking into the ladies' restroom. They both stood still, just looking into each other’s eyes.
“Wylder, meet Tymber with a Y… Tymber, this is Wylder, who also spells his name with a Y.” Neither said anything and Tymber made no motion to escape. I wondered if their wolves were connecting. “Do you want to stand around and look at each other in the restroom or would you like to get something to eat?” I asked breaking the silence.
“I… I have to get back to work.” Tymber said.
“Please don’t. I can give you money.” Wylder rushed before he realized what he insinuated.
“Despite what you may think about my other employment, I’m not a prostitute.” She snapped back.
“That’s not what I meant.” Wylder said to his embarrassment. “What I meant to say is I have plenty of money. You don’t have to work, and I don’t care what you did before I met you. You’re mine now and I’m not letting you go.” Wylder was suddenly standing in front of her and reached his hand to her arm.
I smiled thinking about the warm tingles I felt every time my mate touched me. There’s no way she’d be able to resist Wylder now. The door creaked open again, this time an older Cuban woman shuffled in. She eyed Wylder with his hand now on Tymber’s face, “well are you going to kiss her or not?” The woman asked and Wylder planted his lips on Tymber. She gave a thumbs up and continued into a toilet stall as if seeing people kiss in the restroom was an everyday event. Who knows, maybe it is, this is Miami after all.
“We should probably join the others outside to talk.” I suggested as I pulled the door open and met the eyes of my mate. He looked down to a sleeping baby nestled in the sling before turning his gaze to Wylder and Tymber. With a nod of his head, we followed him out into the parking lot and met with the others.
“Hey look at that. Tymber with a Y.” Conner smiled as he pointed to her name badge.
“Everyone, this is Tymber, Wylder’s mate. She’s from Alpha Romero’s old pack.” I announced and a look of surprise flashed on Tymber’s face. I continued. “Tymber, this is our Delta couple, Chris and Conner. Our Zeta and his mate, Mateo, and Paola. My mate, Alpha King, Ares Crow, our son Lukas, and I’m Eudora.”
“So it’s true, the golden wolf!” She said looking confused.
“Yes, it’s true. Most don’t know that unless they’ve seen my wolf.” Ares answered. “Tell me, what was your family’s ranking in your old pack? I’m sensing you have a strong wolf.”
“I’m Gamma born, Sir. My father, grandfather, great-grandfather, all served as Gammas to our pack. My father died defending Alpha Romero when the hunters attacked.” She told us.
“What about your roommate? Hazel? Is she here?” Ares asked.
“Hazel? You know about Hazel?” She had a quiver in her voice. “Hazel disappeared about four months ago. No note, no nothing. It’s not like her.”
Mateo reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “We understand Hazel was from a pack in California. Do you recognize this she-wolf?” He asked and held out the phone, I assume it was Victoria’s picture.
“No, I don’t recognize her… but I’ve seen him before.” She pointed to the phone. “He visited our pack just days before the attack, he was from the shifters council and had a warlock with him.” She swallowed hard. “He had a very strong and dark aura, nothing I’ve felt before.”
“Randall had a strong aura?” Ares asked.
Tymber shook her head. “No, the warlock.”
“We have a lot to talk about, but first we need to get to Domino Park and see Guillermo.” Ares told us.
“What about breakfast?” Wylder asked. I let out a giggle, happy to see Wylder was back to his usual hungry self.
“It’s really not safe to eat here. This is a popular restaurant with the hunters, though the smell of Cuban coffee tends to mask our scents well. There’s a walk-up window on the side of the building, we can pick up food there.” Tymber suggested.
We ordered a slew of empanadas, croquettes, and Cuban sandwiches to go. Mateo ordered coffee and Tymber showed us how to drink Cuban coffee. Cafecito is served in a small coffee cup and then poured into smaller thimble-sized cups to share.
“Wow, that stuff is strong! No wonder they serve it in tiny cups. It’ll put some serious hair on your chest!” Wylder said as his head jerked.
“You’re going to need a lot more than that to put hair on your chest, Ginger.” Ares laughed.
We walked back to the car and motorcycles. Wylder was going to take Tymber home to collect anything she valued and meet us back at the hotel. Ares asked Chris and Conner to go with them so they could help, though a small part of me knew it was so she wouldn’t attempt to run from Wylder again. Something had spooked her, and she seemed reluctant to trust anyone.
“Don’t worry about your apartment, I’ll pay the rent on it for a year, in case Hazel comes back.” Ares assured her.
We drove over fifteen blocks back and found a metered parking spot by a Cigar shop. I finished feeding the baby and changed his diaper. Ares slipped the sling on, offering to carry Lukas so I wouldn’t get tired. For such a masculine strong beast that he was, he had a sweet soft side that warmed my heart. I smiled and placed Lukas in the sling facing forward, so he could also enjoy the sights, sounds, and delights of Little Havana.
We strolled by an open-air rum bar where the bartender was already muddling mint for mojitos. A live band was playing a jazzy Cuban beat and the conguero was thrumming away on the bongos. As a Latina who’s passionate about music and dance, I couldn’t help but rhythmically sway my hips to the music as we neared the band.
“Ah, the Salsa.” Ares grinned as he pulled me to him, careful not to squish the baby between us. “Lukas wants his first dance lesson with my favorite dance instructor.” He said as we started dancing to the music for a few beats.
“Well, it was the Cubans who invented Salsa, Cha Cha, Rumba, Mambo—” I suddenly stopped. Ares was facing me, and I caught sight of something that stunned me. I knew it was her and I wanted to plunge my silver dagger right through her heart.
“What’s wrong?” Ares asked looking at my stunned expression.
I could only manage one word, “Victoria.”