“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shook her head. “How about another beer?”
“It’s not as uncommon as you think. Many before you have suffered the same, and oftentimes there is a solution.”
“And when there isn’t one?”
He grunted, straightened to his full height, and snatched the towel from his shoulder. “Look, I understand your reservations, but those days are long gone, little girl. Drew wouldn’t allow that kind of intolerance in his pack. Besides, I have a feeling you can. Have you spoken to Stephen about it?”
“Stephen? Why the crap would I tell him? It’s not any of his business.” She would’ve snorted if she wasn’t in such a foul mood.
“Don’t be such an ass. The man would do anything to help you.” Gee plunked a fresh beer in front of her and then lumbered off to serve other patrons crowded at the bar as if the two of them hadn’t spoken at all.
The somber, loner bear might have been her friend, but damn it if Kate didn’t want to punch him in the face for the pep talk.
She’d tried any and everything under the sun to shift, but nothing had worked. As far as she knew, her parents and brother had never experienced any complications shifting. Hell, if she and Jace didn’t look alike, she’d wonder if she hadn’t been abandoned on their parents’ doorstep in a basket.
It had been a cold slap of reality the day she’d accepted she would never shift. And it was definitely something she didn’t plan on burdening Stephen with.
A bump to her shoulder pulled her from her depressing thoughts, and she glanced to her right. Jace stood beside her with a protective arm wrapped around his new human mate, Michelle.
“Hey, sis.” He placed a kiss on the top of Kate’s head then glanced around the bar. “Where’s Stephen?”
“What am I, his keeper?” She rolled her eyes. He cut her a sharp look, and she jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “He’s busy tonight.”
Jace scanned the bar and frowned when his gaze landed on his friend. “Huh. I’m going to step over and say hello.”
He helped seat his new mate on the barstool next to Kate then pushed his way through the crowd.
“How are you, Kate?” Michelle spoke in a warm, affable tone.
Jace’s mate was so sweet it made Kate’s teeth hurt, but she could never purposely bring herself to be mean to the woman. She didn’t deserve Kate’s anger. In all honesty, no one did. Not even Stephen, though he often received the brunt of it.
“I’ve had better nights. But the real question is, how are you and Jace? I haven’t seen much of you two lately. Holing up in the bedroom, I take it?”
Michelle turned a bright shade of red and ducked her head. “Something like that.”
Despite her crappy mood, Kate smiled. “Nothing wrong with that. Not a thing at all.”
Though Michelle was almost six years older, Kate still felt the urge to protect her. Perhaps it was the air of innocence that surrounded the woman. “You’ve made my brother a happy man. I’m proud to call you part of my family.”
The petite woman surprised her by springing forward and hugging the breath out of Kate’s lungs. “Thank you. That means so much to me.”
“Alright, enough of this. I’ll grab this round.” Kate sat back. “And I promise not to let you drink too much…this time.”
Michelle wrinkled her nose. “I’m sure Jace won’t let that happen again. His idea of a fun night does not include cleaning up vomit and force-feeding me aspirin.”
Kate laughed and grabbed her beer, which nearly spilled when a bulky male shouldered his way between her and Michelle.
“Well, what do we have here?” Damien glanced at the two of them. “The two loveliest ladies in the bar.”
Kate snorted. The biggest flirt in town, he could lay it on thick when he wanted, but he was a good, honest man who loved to have fun. “Hey, Damien.”
He laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “How you doing tonight, sugar?”
“Not too bad. Just having a couple drinks before I head home.” She resisted the urge to peek at the pool tables again.
“You sure everything’s good?” His furrowed brow and the thin set of his lips told her he suspected more. He’d most likely witnessed Tanya hanging on Stephen. No doubt the whole bar noticed.
“I’m good. Why wouldn’t I be?” Damien’s green eyes narrowed and his mouth opened as though he wanted to say more, but Kate switched topics. “How about a dance before I leave?”
Damien studied her a moment longer before shoving away from the bar and extending his hand. “It would be my pleasure, sugar.”