Varulv Island Chronicles: Love Set Free

It was quiet the next day. Everyone was recovering from last night's festivities. Brianna opened up her antique shop, though she didn't know how she stayed in business. Brianna loved antiques and could hardly let any of hers at the store go. Haus wanted Brianna to work with him at he Varulv Bar, where everything was themed in werewolves to attract more potential recruits and meals. Some local werewolves would hang out at the bar as well. But Brianna's antique shop was one thing she'd fight to the death with Haus for. Haus compromised and sent Patrice and Jada to work with Brianna and keep an eye on her.

Patrice leaned over the counter and looked through a magazine. Jada and Brianna played cards. It was slow this morning and quiet. Patrice glanced at Brianna, debating whether or not to tell her something. Brianna probably already knew but there was no way she would acknowledged it herself.

""so, Erlend's back in town," Patrice finally said.

Brianna paused from setting a card down. She glanced up at Patrice before returning to her game.

"I know," Brianna said. "It's not like he can change his scent. He has too much wold in hm to hide from my nose."

The shop door opened. Patrice quickly moved away from the counter, jumping on the opportunity to get unbored. Patrice greeted the customer. Jada glanced up a little later and didn't see Patrice come back.

"Must be a cutie or else Patrice would be back by now," Jada said.

Brianna laughed. "I told her if she's gunna play then she had to do it in the back where there aren't any antiques to damage," she joked. Jada giggled.

Patrice came back after a few minutes, knocking on the counter to get Brianna's attention. She announced, "We got a buyer for that hickory table in the back with the raven carvings on the corners."

"But, I like that table. Tell them to get lost," Brianna said and went back to the card game.

"Come on, Bree," Jada urged. "We agreed to sell at least one thing a month."

Brianna pouted for a few seconds. She laid her cards down and grabbed her receipt book. She walked out from behind the counter and started walking to where the table was.

Patrice called from behind her, laughing, "Be strong, little one."

Brianna ignored her. She approached the gentleman that stood admiring the table. The man seemed so into the work, he didn't notice Brianna. The man ran his hand over the table's top. Brianna recognized the dark, brown hair and soft scent to be the man from the ship.

Brianna raised a brow. The man knocked lightly on the table. He fingered the carving on one of the corners. Brianna didn't know what it was, but she felt her body heat up all over as she watched him. His movements lit a fire in Brianna's heart and fueled the tingling in her stomach. Brianna shook her head and cleared her throat.

"So, you're looking to buy?" Brianna asked.

Sam stood up, startled. He turned and his jaw went slack. Sam couldn't believe his eyes as they were looking straight at his mystery beauty. The girl gave Sam a small smile. Sam got tongue tied.

"Y-yeah," he stuttered out, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I have to say, you've got taste. This is one of my favorite tables," Brianna said.

Sam's heart fluttered at the thought that he and this gorgeous creature liked the same things. Sam couldn't believe how he felt towards this woman and he didn't even know her name. She was dazzling not only in looks but personality. Sam couldn't sense any demonic feelings in the girl. She was the opposite of Kayla. And still, she made Sam's heart jump out of his chest.

"When would you like to pick it up?" Brianna asked. "We do deliveries too."

"Is a week from now okay?" Sam asked unsure. "I can get it before I head back home."

Brianna smiled distantly and nodded. She really hoped that this guy would make it home. Brianna wrote down the date a week from today for pick up.

"And Who's name should I put this under?"

"Uh, Sam. Sam Walter," Sam said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He rocked on his feet and shrugged. "That's me."

Brianna nodded and wrote his name down and the item to be sold. She asked, "Cash or credit?"

"Credit please."

Sam pulled his wallet out and found his master card. Brianna gestured him to follow her. Patrice had taken over Brianna's spot. She and Jada looked up. Brianna tapped Patrice on the head with the receipt book and ran Sam's card through the system. Sam tried to make a conversation with his goddess.

"So, I saw you at the party last night," he said.

Patrice and Jada looked at each other. They could smell the testosterone coming off of the male human. It was almost unbearable as it mixed with some other scent that neither of the two could place.

"Oh, yeah?" Brianna asked, half listening.

"Yeah," Sam said. "You must really like kids."

"Excuse me?" Brianna asked, looking up from the register.

"Well, you were having fun with them. It looked like you were enjoying yourself," Sam explained.

Brianna shrugged. "Yeah," she said. "I love kids." Brianna finished ringing the table out.

Sam smile. Brianna handed Sam his card back and the receipt. Sam looked it over and found the part where it had the employee's name and store's number. He slightly grinned. "Brianna Knoll," he said, now able to place a name with a face.

"Yep," Brianna said, popping the "p". "If for any reason you don't want the table, you change your mind, you can call that number before the pick up date and I'll cancel your order," Brianna said.

"What if I want to take you out sometime?" Sam asked boldly.

Jada's eyes widened. Patrice stared at the man in shock that he would ask the alpha female a question like that. Brianna laughed. Sam nervously scratched the back of his head. Brianna didn't want to completely shut Sam down. She did like him. But it was for his own good that she said no.

"I might've considered it if I wasn't already in a relationship," Brianna said.

"Oh," Sam said, his mood dropping. "I'm sorry I asked."

"I'm sorry I had to turn you down," Brianna carelessly said. She retaliated with, "You seem like a really sweet guy. I know a lot of single ladies that would die to be with you."

Sam forced a smile on his face. "That's okay," he said. "Well, thanks for selling me the table." Sam stuffed his card and receipt into his pocket. "Take care, you three," Sam said. He head toward the door.

"Sam," Brianna called after him.

Sam's heart almost burst open at the sound of the woman saying his name so formally. Jada and Patrice looked at Brianna in surprise at the outburst. Sam turned back to Brianna.

"Do me a favor?" Brianna asked.

"Yes," Sam said quickly.

Brianna suppressed a grin and said, "Don't go to the Varulv Bar."

"Why?" Sam asked.

Brianna tripped over her words, catching herself before she said anything about werewolves might eat him. She said, "Just don't, please." Brianna's chocolate eyes softened.

Sam half smiled and said, "Sure." He walked out the antique shop.

Patrice and Jada quickly hounded Brianna. Patrice stated the obvious, "He was totally into you."

"It looked like you two knew each other a little bit," Jada suggested.

"In a way," Brianna said.

Patrice gasped and slapped Brianna's arm. "Spill," she ordered knowing she had no real power over Brianna.

Brianna shrugged and explained, "He's just some guy that I ran into on the ship. A.J. stole the guy's camera and I made him give it back."

"That's all?" Jada asked, suspicious of the chemistry that seemed to be between the human and Brianna.

"Bree, that man was lookin at you like a love sick puppy," Patrice said.

"I didn't notice," Brianna lied.

"You know, Haus is gunna freak when-"

Brianna cut Patrice off sharply, "No, he won't, because you're not gunna tell him. And, neither are you Jada."

"But, you know-" Jada started.

Brianna growled and stared down her two friends. "Neither of you will say a word about Sam to Haus," she ordered. "Understand?" Jada and Patrice dropped their heads and nodded to their alpha female.

Sam walked down the road. The people were bustling about something. Sam slowed down when he started to pass an ally. Some cops stood around the area. There was some caution tape blocking entrance to the ally. Sam froze at the sight of blood smeared as if something got dragged. Sam's heart raced in terror at the scene.

Sam wanted to throw up when he saw El Rhoades's mangled body being put into a body bag, her thick rimmed glass, now broke, were put into an individual bag for evidence. Sam quickly walked away. He stepped into the hotel room to find David. Out of fright, Sam locked the door. He told David about El.

David stared at the ground, taking the news in. He finally said, "That's messed up." David looked up at Sam. "Who would do something like that?"

"Someone sick and delusional," Sam replied. "El was a little weird but that's not a reason for who to get killed."

"Don't worry about it, Sam," David said.

"Don't worry about it? Someone we knew was just brutally murdered."

"We didn't know her. We just happened to run into her before her untimely death," David explained. "Do you think any of the locals would think twice about hanging a couple of punk tourists if they suspected us?"

Sam sighed. "Exactly. So let's forget about El Rhoades," David said. He grabbed his wallet and patted Sam's back. "Come on. I'll treat you to a beer. I walked passed a cool bar on my way from the store. It's like named after the island or something."

"You mean the Varulv Bar?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. What did you do? Sneak there to check it out already?"

"No. But I've heard bad things about it," Sam said. "We shouldn't go."

"Come on, Sam," David said.

"No. Let's just go to a different bar," Sam suggested.

David was as shocked as Sam that Sam was arguing with his friend about a bar. Just because a girl told Sam not to go. In any case, David was a billion times more stubborn than Sam. There was no way he would listen to his friend when his mind was set on something.

"Fine," David shrugged. "I'll go by myself."

David started for the door, unlocking it. Sam tried to reason with him "David," Sam began.

"It's cool," David said. "We can meet up at the party tonight."

"What party?" Sam asked as Davis walked out the door, leaving the question unanswered.

Sam growled and rubbed his temples, debating if he should go after David or not. For some reason, Sam could force himself to even think about going with David to the bar, even just to look after his friend. He hoped to God that Brianna told Sam not to go because of some jealousy that he might meet another girl. It was extremely far fetched and way out there, but it helped a smudge in thinking David would be just fine.