The Free Spirit

Chapter 2

Ronan ditched the tie and suit jacket in the car, rolling the sleeves of his green button-up partway up his forearms. The evening air clung to his skin, still heavy with leftover heat from the day.

Elias went a step further, discarding his button-up shirt entirely and leaving himself in black suit pants and a tight black undershirt that stretched across his broad chest and biceps. The fabric hugged every line of muscle, and Ronan had no doubt Elias would draw attention whether he wanted it or not.

The bar was loud the second they walked in, the noise slamming into Ronan along with an explosion of color. Emotions. Auras. Words. They fluttered and collided around him, bright streaks of color flashing across his vision until it felt like standing inside a storm of shattered glass.

His head throbbed instantly. Ronan squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his fingers into his temples, trying to ground himself as the bass from the music vibrated through the floor and into his bones.

This was one of the reasons he hated bars and clubs. The noise alone was bad enough, but layered with colors and flickering emotions, it became almost unbearable.

“Sorry,” Elias said, leaning close so his voice carried over the pounding music. “I should’ve thought about how this feels for you.”

Ronan forced a slow breath into his lungs, focusing on the mental box his mother had taught him to build. Smooth edges. Thick walls. A place to shove everything that didn’t belong.

One breath. Two. Three.

He tucked the chaos away piece by piece until the colors dulled and the pressure in his skull eased.

“It’s fine, E.” He opened his eyes slowly, relieved to see most of the colors had dimmed into faint, manageable glows. “I should’ve prepared myself before we walked in.” He motioned toward the bar. “Let’s get a drink.”

Elias ordered two beers while Ronan claimed a small high-top table tucked off to the side, away from the thickest part of the crowd. The place had an industrial feel, all sleek metal surfaces and rough brick walls. Hanging lights cast a dim amber glow over the room, reflecting off polished steel and half-empty glasses. Most of the patrons looked younger, clustered in tight groups around tables, shouting over the music and laughing too loudly.

“Maybe you could find someone too,” Elias said, sliding the beer in front of him. Condensation coated the bottle, cool and slick against Ronan’s fingers. “Someone to keep you busy.”

Ronan hid his frown by taking a long drink. The beer was cold and bitter, grounding in a way he appreciated.

It was hard to explain his powers to people who didn’t have them. His ability to read feelings and intentions made meaningless hook-ups nearly impossible. Not when he could feel exactly what the other person wanted from him. Even when he forced that part of himself into the background, it never fully went away.

He longed for something deeper. A connection like his parents had. He could see the bonds that formed between people, especially fated mates. Werewolves were considered lucky in the supernatural world because every one of them had a fated mate. Someone who fit them perfectly, like the missing half of a whole.

Ronan had seen those bonds up close. Bright. Powerful. Unbreakable. So different from the weaker, flickering ties he saw among humans. Meaningless relationships held no appeal when he knew what real ones looked like.

“Maybe,” he replied noncommittally, scanning the bar.

His gaze snagged on a woman seated at the very end. She sipped slowly from a small glass, long brown hair falling partly across her face. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, creamy skin leading up to a black dress that stopped at mid-thigh. Even from a distance, he could see the curve of her hips, the dip at her waist.

Something about her made his mouth go dry.

He focused, letting his power flare just enough to catch her aura. He expected something beautiful. Soft pink. Maybe shimmering purple. His favorites.

He stared, waiting for the color to bloom around her.

Nothing.

He blinked. Shifted his focus to the man sitting two stools away. His aura snapped into view instantly, bright green edged with yellow. Alive. Clear. Easy.

Ronan focused back on the woman.

Still nothing.

Maybe you’re broken, Koda quipped, his wolf’s voice edged with dry amusement.

You’re one to talk, Ronan shot back. I saw how Gemma whipped your ass on that last run.

Koda huffed indignantly but didn’t reply. He was a powerful wolf, but no one outran Gemma. Not even close.

“He’s here.” Elias nearly jumped out of his seat, his voice pitching higher with excitement.

“f**k. Chill, E.” Ronan smirked. “You’re coming across as desperate.”

“I am f*****g desperate,” Elias whispered.

Ronan saw it then, just like he had the first time Elias met Logan. Elias’s aura burned brighter, stretching outward like it was reaching.

Logan Hanover sauntered up to the table, reddish-brown hair falling across his forehead and brushing the tops of his light brown eyes. He wore jeans and a gray t-shirt stretched tight across his chest, casual in a way that somehow made Elias look even more tense by comparison.

“Hey, guys.” Logan grinned, leaning casually against the table, but his eyes locked instantly onto Elias.

Elias relaxed right away, tension draining from his shoulders as a wide smile split across his face for the first time all day.

Ronan almost rolled his eyes. But he could see it too. The way their auras reached for one another. The steady pull between them. Not as powerful as a mate bond, but still strong enough to stand out in a crowded room.

He envied that part of it. Their connection was real. Honest. And it explained why Ronan had relented so easily when Elias begged to come tonight. He couldn’t deny his friend this chance with someone who clearly mattered.

Logan leaned closer to Elias, their heads nearly touching as he murmured something too low for Ronan to hear. Whatever he said made Elias’s eyes darken with heat.

Ronan looked away. His gaze drifted back toward the bar. The woman had shifted slightly, now talking to the man seated two stools down. She tipped her head back and laughed, the sound lost beneath the music but visible in the way her mouth curved wide and bright.

Goddess, she was beautiful.

He focused again, waiting for her aura to appear. Waiting for anything.

Still nothing. Not even a flicker.

“Ronan?”

He snapped his attention back to the table and found both men staring at him expectantly. “Sorry. What’d you say?”

“I asked how long you’re willing to wait,” Elias repeated.

Ronan checked his watch. Nearly eight. “I don’t know,” he said. “I can just come back and get you in the morning. No one will question anything.”

Logan looked at Elias hopefully, but Elias shook his head. “I don’t want to do that.”

Ronan sighed. “I really don’t want to hang around all night. Just stay the night and I’ll come get you.”

“Please.” That desperate edge crept back into his voice.

Ronan exhaled slowly. “Fine. Eleven?”

Elias glanced at Logan, who nodded.

“Thanks, Ro.” Elias stood and clapped Ronan on the shoulder. “I really appreciate it.”

Ronan waved a hand dismissively. “Whatever. Leave me to my beer and loneliness. You kids be safe.”

Logan snorted softly before grabbing Elias’s hand and pulling him toward the door.