James usually went out into the forest to have fun. It was the best place to run for miles and to find someone to hunt. Obviously, he couldn't go there with Ella in tow. Also, with the twins and Orlando gone it would have been lonely. So, he opted to take Ella to the human town. During the evening it was much livelier and less dangerous than it was at night. The amount of people about made it smell delicious and sound like a carnival.

Ella surveyed the stout buildings and the tarmac streets like all of it was made of dreams. James hadn't thought about it before but now that he did he assumed that Ella's dad had never allowed the wolves in the human town. There was too much of a risk that one of them might wander this way then when the full moon was out.

When they had first come out of the trees Ella had taken his hand. He looked down between them and made a show of trying to shake her off. He wasn't a hand holder, he never had been.

But she hadn't noticed or hadn't cared and given the fact that she was so scared to set foot outside of the house, he was willing to let it slide this once.

She didn't lift her feet as they neared the bar and her shoes scrapped over the gravel. James looked sideways at her. She smelt of sweat, even past that perfume she had covered her skin in before leaving the house. Her face was red, and she held onto his hand too tightly.

"Relax." He pointed at the door using his hand that was clasped in hers. "Its just a pub."

"A human pub." She chewed on her lip.

"If we have to go everywhere together then we should at least go to exciting places." James took a step, hauling her with him.

She yanked him back. "I know that but what if they find out what we are?"

"How would they?"

"They could see your fangs."

James massaged the bridge of his nose. "Ella I know how to hide my fangs and even if I didn't do you really think that a human is going to tell me that I have particularly sharp teeth?"

Ella squirmed and squeezed his hand. "Okay fine. You make a good point. Just don't leave me alone."

They went into the bar hand in hand. The place smelt like vodka and body odour. There was a long bar facing the door and some speakers set up to either side of it. The music was low. The floorboards moved whenever someone of a particular weight stood up from their stool and James's shoes squeaked.

"Can I get some Jack Daniels and..." He looked around at Ella who was surveying the place. When she didn't reply James said the first thing that came into his head. "A rum and coke."

He sat on the bar stool and let go of her hand. She clenched and unclenched her fingers then turned and sat with him.

The barman brought their drinks and James paid him. Taking a sip, James stared into the bottom of his glass. If she was this jumpy around the humans, he could kiss goodbye to ever hanging out with any other vampires for a while.

"Excuse me?" The voice was deep, and it sounded like it was on the side of James that Ella was on. He assumed whoever he was he was talking to her.

"Yes."

"Are you alright?"

James tensed up. That was an odd question to be asking a girl who was having a drink with her boyfriend. He sniffed and got a huge hit of werewolf. Shit.

He turned on his stool and came face to face with a towering man whose body was bigger than two of James. He looked him head to toe and back again. He would make a loud bang when he fell.

The newcomer was only focused on Ella, although he gave James a sideways look when he thought he wouldn't notice.

"I'm fine," Ella said, "Why?"

The guys eyes slid to James again. "I suppose you have to say that," he said to Ella.

James rolled his eyes. "If you are trying to threaten me why not come out and say it. I am sure even meatheads have balls."

The guy clenched his fists, shattering the beer bottle in his left hand. James smelt the manky blood of a wolf.

"What a waste of beer." James took another gulp of his whiskey and locked eyes with the wolf.

Ella pushed down on his shoulder, as if she expected him to start to stand. "We are just out for a quiet night."

The wolf looked between them, then stopped at Ella. "Look, my name is Emmet and if you need help don't worry about the leech. My pack and I can handle him."

"Are you sure about that?" James smiled. He would like to see them try.

Emmet looked ready to swing a punch when a new softer voice intervened.

"Emmet don't." There was a warning tone to the statement and James turned his head to see a set of bright blue eyes boring into the side of his head. He knew the scent right away. The alpha. He wanted to stand up and smash the alpha's face into the bar but, unwilling to make a show of himself, he remained where he was and offered him a sly smirk.

"Hey." Ella greeted brightly. James could only imagine how happy she was to run into wolves that didn't hate her.

The alpha smiled gently. "We have met before but not formally. I'm Mikey." He offered her his hand and she took it. James tensed up. He didn't like being ignored.

"Mikey." James tried out the name. "Is that what they will carve on your headstone."

Mikey glared and took a step closer to James. "Do not threaten me or my pack ever again."

The two of them locked gazes and tried to intimidate one another. James could smell beer off his breath, and it made his stomach lurch. Why anyone would choose to drink the stuff was beyond him.

"Look James when he snapped at you after you killed those people he was just looking out for fellow werewolves. I mean vampires are kind of our universal enemies and you did give him reason because you were going around killing people," Ella said.

James couldn't believe it. "I gave him reason? Those wolves attacked me."

"And Evan?" Mikey snarled.

"Who the fuck is Evan?" James grinned. He lifted his glass to take another gulp when Emmet lunged forward. James was certain he would have been able to take him, but Mikey was the one that held him back. He put his body between Emmet and James. When one wolf hit the other, they rocked back and bumped into James, knocking a splash of whiskey onto his jeans and down his chin.

"Evan is my little brother you dick." Emmet struggled, trying to get closer to James. he turned his head to Mikey. "This is the one isn't it? The vampire you were talking about that tried to kill Evan."

James rolled his eyes. "Hardly. If I had really tried I could have killed him while he was busy killing all those other people."

Emmet spat at James. "You don't touch him or talk to him."

"No, stop. James is nice to werewolves." Ella put her hand on his arm and James resisted the urge to shrug it off.

"Nice to them? You just said he murdered some of them!" Emmet looked like he was covered in sun burn now and he was still fighting against Mikey. James wondered why the alpha didn't just command him to stop. What the alpha says has to be obeyed.

"They broke my window." James smiled at Emmet and he started to puff in rage to the point where James could feel air hitting his face.

Ella sighed and shook her head. "They threatened his family. Please, let's not fight. James was acting in self defence," She didn't sound like she really believed that. "and his judgement was clouded by grief. His dad died."

Hearing it said so simply like that was strange. James wanted to hurl his drink around the next person that mentioned his father's death. Emmet ceased fighting and watched James with a sceptical look. James glared back at him. He didn't care if they wanted to fight or not.

"I suppose if we fought here then the humans might see," Emmet muttered.

"It would spoil their night having to watch me kill you." James finished his drink. Emmet's shoulders hiked up but with a few deep breaths he walked away.