The music got louder and the bartender smiled from ear to ear as Lola and Melissa threw back their fifth shot.
He turned to his colleague and whispered, "I'm betting the girls will throw one more back and then throw up,"
"What about O'hare?" The other said.
"Nah he can hold his liquor, I'll give him three more shots before he picks a fight though," he grinned and they shook hands, locking in the bet.
Lola drank from the straw in her daiquiri and Melissa gulped down the last of her gin and tonic.
Justin dragged a hand through his hair, flicking the waves back and downing another shot before grabbing his whiskey-filled glass and swirling it around.
The smell of booze circled the air and their jackets swayed over the chairs when they moved around.
Lola leaned over the bar and laughed as she grabbed a cherry and tossed it in the air. Her lips parted and the cherry landed softly on her tongue as her lips closed around it- the stem poked out between her lips and Justin's cologne wafted towards her when he leaned and bit down on the twig before pulling back.
"This is my second drink mixing with five shots but I wasn't nauseous until I saw that," Melissa slurred with a wrinkled nose and squinting gaze.
"If you're lonely, baby, I can help you out with that," an older man said from across the bar. He lifted his beer into the air and saluted, licking his lips and winking at Melissa.
The obvious disgust on her face didn't bother him, if anything he seemed more keen and eager to get close.
As he rose from his chair to slide over Justin got up. The bartenders nodded in silence and waited to see who would win the bet.
"She's not interested," He said calmly but there was an edge to his voice and when he was standing he towered over the scrawny man who scoffed and flicked his hand.
"Whatever, you can have the whore," he muttered as he grabbed the bar to hold steady.
If only he'd kept his mouth shut things would've taken a different turn.
If only that man hadn't disrespected Melissa, so many things could have been different.
Justin grabbed the sleazy man's shoulder and forced him around. His eyes widened when he saw Justin's fist edging closer to his eye and the beer dropped from his hand, glass shattering on the floor as he fell back onto the chairs and down the side of the bar.
"Justin!" Lola flew up and Melissa stepped back, covering her mouth.
The man looked around in shock but when he gathered himself he grabbed ahold of a shard of glass and swung it at Justin's leg.
He swung the glass and cut through Justin's pants and with his other hand, he pressed down on the chair to stand up.
His eyes were that of a madman, drunk and embarrassed to have gone down so easily by someone younger so he needed to prove himself.
But before he made it halfway up, Justin kicked his ribs forcing him back down on the floor.
He raised his fist and aimed for the temple but a few drinks and several shots didn't help with the aim.
Lola ran around him, pushed him away, and forced his hand to let go of the man's shoulder.
She begged him to stop, grabbed his arms, and pushed him back further onto the chairs but Justin's black eyes were captured by the man screaming for a rematch whilst barely being able to stand.
"Justin please!" She fisted his shirt and pressed him back against the edge of the bar, knowing full well that Justin could easily break free if he wanted to.
But he didn't.
He seethed in rage and was watching the man fumble on his feet with drunken slurs but didn't try to get to him again.
He grabbed Lola's wrists and pushed them down, his hand came around her waist and he pulled her in against his chest.
The bartender looked at Lola and scoffed, "Buzzkill," he murmured under his breath and polished the glass in his hands.
Her face was pressed against his shoulder and her hands stuck between their bodies. Justin was holding on tighter and tighter, as though he needed her to calm down and she felt his heart calming with each beat.
She looked up and saw the bartender nodding to another guest and putting down a glass.
"Hey Blackwood, you want the usual?" he asked.
Lola's body froze, she felt the danger lingering in the room and was suddenly very aware of the position she was in with Justin. His arms tightly wrapped around her waist, resting on her lower back as he pressed her close to his body.
She turned her head and saw Melissa's widened eyes but it was too late, any shift wouldn't take away the fact that they had been seen, and given her luck he most likely hadn't seen the fight that took place for them to end up in this position.
Lola was pulled away from Justin's arms, a hand came around her arm and kept her from falling but it also held her put whilst Justin's body flew across the restaurant.
"Justin!" Lola's scream filled every ounce of the large establishment and her fearful voice bounced against the walls.
She pulled her arm to get free only to notice Ash standing behind her with a rough grip around her arm.
"Stop him!" The pain in her voice hitched with the words but Ash stared emotionlessly at her rounded eyes.
"Ash please!" she pleaded and begged with her eyes darting between Ash and Justin.
Jax slammed his fist through the wooden railing and broke off a stake.
"Jax!"
He turned around and met Lola's eyes, his nostrils were flaring and it wasn't the obvious anger she was used to, this was calmer and darker- more lethal than anything she'd seen.
"I'll deal with you later." He growled, his eyes were yellow and she still wasn't used to the animal part of him. The growls, the canines, and the eyes. The way that his energy shifted an entire room was based on his mood and the power he held over humans and wolves alike.
She noticed that everyone sitting was still and quiet.
Nobody has said anything and they weren't freaking out. They were too calm.
And then it dawned on her.
"They're all werewolves, aren't they?" She whispered in fear.
Ash tensed against her and clenched his jaw.
"Yes." He said.
Justin coughed and rolled around onto his stomach. His elbows pressed into the floor and blood spewed from his mouth but he still tried to get up.
He looked up and his eyes doubled in size when he saw Jax's face contort into that of an animal.
His leg shot out and his foot landed on Justin's side, kicking him into the wall.
Lola was screaming in the back, her voice pierced every pair of ears yet nobody did anything to stop the abuse.
Justin lay still, his chest rose and fell as he looked up at the ceiling. His head fell to the side and the blood dripped from his nose and his mouth, his eyes caught on to Lola trying to break free from Ash's hold and her face tensed in a scream.
"You touch my girl..." Jax lifted Justin's body with ease, his feet dangled inches off the floor and his fingers were wrapped around Justin's throat, cutting off his air supply. "...I kill you."