Alpha Last Chance

Cassie POV

Venturing out of her car and looking up at the entrance to the eatery, Cassie may offer assistance but feel somewhat underdressed. She wasn't precisely wearing anything that made her see sloppy, but her work dress were unquestionably more on the business-casual side versus what the exterior of this eatery screamed.

The building had a lovely glass-paneled front entryway that, once Cassie got up to it, had hung lights that hung down from the tall ceilings that looked nearly like icicles. There was a huge chandelier that hung over the entertainer stand, and a few of the entertainers looked up as she ventured inside.

The most youthful one drawn closer her to begin with. "Hi, can I get your reservation name?"

Cassie grinned at her. "Sure, it ought to be beneath Lawson."

The entertainer clicked around on the e-tablet in her hand and tapped the screen with her long nail. "Yup. Let me take you back to them."

The young lady walked to the leader stand and gotten a menu, giving Cassie a fast grin some time recently vanishing into the eating zone. Cassie tucked her satchel beneath her arm and taken after her.

The whole eatery was full of well-dressed, high-class individuals that talked unobtrusively to one another as a live quartet played somber-sounding music at the front of the room. Candles were lit at each table, giving the whole space a sentimental feel.

It reminded her a parcel of the places her ex continuously bragged approximately taking her for an commemoration or birthday one day, but he never fulfilled.

Toward the back of the room, Cassie spotted her companions and rushed her pace to them.

They all looked over when the master set her menu down at her spot and caught the put card off of her plate.

"Cassie!"

She grinned and slipped into her chair. "Hey, guys."

The entertainer brought her hands together, turning to Cassie. "Do you need any wine whereas you survey our menu?"

"I think we've got her covered," Rylee said, holding up a half-empty bottle from the ice bucket following to her.

The master gestured. "Very well. Appreciate your suppers, ladies."

They all chimed "thanks" some time recently turning back to each other. Cassie grinned when Rylee set the bottle onto the table and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her in for a tight squeeze.

"We missed you! What took you so long?"

She snickered a small, tapping her companion on the arm. "Sorry, it was insane nowadays in the office."

Sydney caught the bottle off of the table and popped the stopper to fill up Cassie's glass.

"Girl, I don't know how you do it. That administrator is a prick making us donate you all the printed material like that."

Cassie couldn't offer assistance but grunt. Genuine to Sydney's words, she'd been immersed with hills of printed material their school's director, Baylor, had demanded required to be done by the conclusion of the week. This regularly wouldn't be an inconceivable assignment, but for the truth that the printed material he wanted to be done was all end-of-the-quarter stuff that had scarcely anything joined in arrange to get it checked into their framework and recorded correctly.

"It's not you guys' fault." Cassie snatched her glass, whirling the dim fluid interior. "He fair didn't need to tune in to us when we told him that we required an whole quarter to get all of that in."

"Did you and Central Hoban approach him almost it?"

Cassie shook her head. "You know how much of a quitter that lady is.

she's frightened of her claim shadow!" All of the young ladies giggled.

Rylee stole a piece of bread from the bushel in the center of the table. "You know what my favorite thing approximately Vital Hoban is?"

Maeve poured herself more wine. "What, that she's got a abnormal mole on her butt or something?"

Rylee giggled. "Ew, I don't know that."

"She's a anxious person! You can't tell me she hasn't come down to your office and inquired around any peculiar moles on her."

"Okay, she has. But not approximately any peculiar butt moles!" The young ladies snickered again.

"What I was going to say ... was that my favorite thing is that Cassie can conversation her into anything."

Cassie delayed, mid-drink, and flickered at her over the edge of her glass. She set her glass down, swallowing.

"Me?"

Maeve pushed her with her foot. "Rylee's right. You can. If you conversation her into drawing closer Administrator Baylor together, possibly you can get him to alter his intellect around the deadline."

Cassie wasn't so beyond any doubt around that, but if they truly had that much certainty in her as their vice-principal, she'd at slightest have to donate it a shot.

"Plus," Sydney gave Cassie a insidious see. "Maybe Baylor needs a great lay, and Cassie can deliver him a few pointers whereas she's there."

Both Maeve and Rylee snickered.

"Actually," Cassie bound her fingers together on beat of the table. "I was toying with the thought of getting back out there."

The young ladies were quiet, gazing at her with an startling sum of shock.

Cassie inclined back in her chair. "What?" Rylee snatched her arm. "Wait, for real?"

She scowled. "Yes? See, I've been feeling like ever since I broke up with Brian, I've been needing to get back on the saddle. I miss that companionship."

"Aww, Cas!"

Rylee wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in for another hug.

Sydney snickered at her and hurled a piece of bread at her. "It's 'get back in the saddle,' Cas."

Cassie snickered. "Whatever, you know what I mean." "We ought to celebrate this lovely occasion!"

Maeve held up the nearly purge bottle of wine, getting a few looks from a few of the visitors at the tables encompassing them. She scarcely paid them any attention.

Cassie raised a brow.

"Isn't that what we're doing right now?"

"No way," She waved her arm. "We require to go to like ... a bar or something and get you out there."

Sydney huffed and inclined back into her situate. "All the bars around here suck."

"Whoa." Maeve nodded over to the front of the eatery. "Hotties at ten o'clock."

Cassie extended her neck around and looked over her bear. "Isn't that at twelve?"

"Shh! Don't be obvious!"

Cassie POV

Rapidly turning around, Cassie looked over as the four ladies coming through the eatery ... driven by the master from prior ... headed right for the purge table behind them. All of them were drop-dead dazzling and turning the heads of everybody in the restaurant.

Both Maeve and Sydney turned somewhat in their seats to get a superior see at the table behind them.

Cassie looked at Rylee, who mouthed 'wow' some time recently giving her a wink.

It made her snicker. "Guys."

The young ladies rapidly turned back around.

"Have you ever seen supermodels out and almost like that?"

Cassie raised a forehead. "You think they're supermodels?" "Well, they have to be, right?" Maeve looked around

the table. "Looking like that."

Cassie shrugged, hearing the discussion from the four other young ladies float their way.

"So, how's that club your brother's running? Is it still going well?"

The young lady closest to their table snickered and gestured. "Yeah. He's doing truly well with it. Twitter's been detonating its notoriety. They're all saying it's Chicago's most sultry spot right now."

"I listened it's got a ton of hot bachelors," "Ohhh, yeah."

Sydney rapidly inclined into the table. "Guys, we ought to check out that spot."

Maeve pushed her. "You think so?"

"Uh, hell, definitely! The clubs around here suck. We require some place modern that's really going to have more folks than fair the ones who need to rest around."

"True," Maeve tapped her nails on the table. "You folks wanna discard and go attempt to discover it?"

Cassie looked down at her purge bread plate. "We haven't indeed gotten supper yet."

Her companion waved a hand at her. "We'll eat afterward! Come on, Cas. Don't you need to discover adore on a Thursday night?"

That made her chuckle. "Well, I figure I'll as it were have to endure one more workday with a hangover."

"That's the spirit!"

Cassie shook her head and got up from the table with her pack. "Let me fair run to the lavatory truly quick."

Rylee smacked her ass. "We'll pay your tab, cutie."

Cassie snickered once more and made her way around the table, taking note that the young lady from the other table ... the show, as Sydney had so smoothly named her ... had gotten up from her table as well and was too headed toward the bathroom.

She taken after after her, taking note the woman's idealize walk as she strolled and the way her hips moved shamefully beneath her dress. It made Cassie a small bit jealous when she taken note that everybody the lady passed gave her a double-take.

I wish I might do that.

When they come to the back portion of the eatery, Cassie had to bounce back when a man lurched out of his situate to get at the lady in front of her. Clearly tanked, he begun to jibber jabber at her and inclined over hazardously close.

"You need a drink, sweetheart?"

He held up a glass that was half-full of a few kind of brown liquor.

"Um, pardon me." The lady put her hand on his chest and pushed back at him.

He lurched, his drink slipping out of his hold with the movement. The lady come to out rapidly to get it some time recently it hit the floor and smashed. She wheezed when the alcohol spilled from the glass and sprinkled all over the front of her white dress.

"Hey!"

The fellow grunted at her and swiped the glass out of her hand, faltering absent and hailing down a waiter.

"Wow."

Cassie observed as she whipped around and raged into the lavatory. She rapidly rushed after her, pushing the entryway open and looking around the expansive washroom some time recently at long last spotting her at the conclusion with the water from the sink as of now running.

The lady had her dress pulled up near to the running stream, a paper towel touching at the recolor that was clearly not going to budge without a legitimate dry cleaning from the looks of how costly the fabric was.

Cassie strolled over to her gradually, stripping off her blazer.

"I think you might require this."

She held it out to the lady, giving her a thoughtful smile.

There was a long murmur some time recently the lady dropped her dress. She come to out and took the jacket from Cassie's hands.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that."

"Don't stress almost it. That fellow was an asshole." "Ugh, seriously."

The lady slipped the coat on and turned in the reflect, looking over her equip. Cassie had to concede, the jacket looked ten times superior on her than it did on her claim body. The lady grinned at herself in the reflect and turned back around.

"Thank you. I'm Amy, by the way."

Cassie held out her hand on intuitive. "Cassie."

Amy took her hand and shook it with a firm grasp. "Let me get your number so I can provide this back to you at a few point."

"Actually ..." Cassie rectified her shoulders a small. "I didn't cruel to listen in ... but my companions and I caught you say that your brother claims a club nearby?"

Amy flickered. "Oh! Definitely, it's a small pet extend he's been working on."

Cassie bit her lip. "You can keep the coat ... in trade for perhaps headings to said club ..."

Amy smiled at her. "You need to go?"

"Well, my companions needed to get me into the dating scene once more, so ..."

Amy's eyes appeared to light right up. "Oh my god, that's perfect."

She gotten the expensive-looking creator pack off of the sink counter and burrowed her hand through it.

"My brother would truly adore it if he got more young ladies to come around. As well numerous single men, if you know what I mean."

Cassie let out a little laugh.

Actually, that sounds kind of culminate. Bounty to choose from, then.

"Here," Amy slipped a trade card into her hand and gave her a wink. "It'll get all of you young ladies in. Fair be cautioned. You will get consideration, so don't be shy."

"I think I can handle that."

Amy pressed her hand some time recently letting go and venturing around her to head out of the washroom. "Have fun!"

Watching her go, she looked back down at her hand to the trade card and flipped it over. The embellished composing on either side promising a "VIP experience" with the club's symbol: Midnight Mates, composed in a scribbling and provocative font.

This put superior be good.

Cassie headed out of the lavatory and made her way out of the eatery, spotting the young ladies holding up for her on the walkway that driven out to the stopping part. She held up the commerce card as she strolled over.

"So, I fair scored us an welcome to that club. You folks need to go with me?"

All three of them gazed at her in wonder. Sydney was the to begin with to talk after a long stop. "Um, hell, yes!"

Talon POV

the club's music thrummed through Talon's body, pounding into his chest like a heartbeat the second he stepped through the main doors.

People were scattered everywhere, crowding the dance floor, bar, and even the spaces in the corner where he'd set up high tables for couples to enjoy their more intimate conversations.

Ever since he'd opened the doors to Midnight Mates, his turnout rate had been through the roof. Every single night, they were running out of their top-shelf liquor while people danced themselves into the ground.

Even their VIP section had been booming, with high- class clientele returning on a frequent basis.

He had to say it was a rather successful endeavor, this pet project he'd decided on pursuing, despite the strange looks he'd received from his family when he'd brought up the concept a little over a year ago.

Because to them, what the city of Chicago really didn't need was one more nightclub on the main strip. Which, Talon supposed, was fair considering they were a dime a dozen. But his baby was different. This place catered to those who never had a place to cater to the whims and desires of all kinds of shifters.

He'd made sure to take care of that need, unlike the rest of the clubs throughout this entire city.

As he headed toward the back of the club where the security room was located, a few women from the bar gave him the eye. Normally, it would've been enough to distract him into going over and welcoming them to his place, but today he simply just didn't have it in him.

Passing by the high tables, another woman reached out and brushed his arm, a sultry "hey stranger" falling out of her perfectly painted lips. He glanced over, assessing her.

Did I ... sleep with her recently?

He honestly couldn't tell at this point. The faces all blended together after a certain number, and from then on, he couldn't be bothered to keep up with his own revolving door.

Ignoring her, he continued toward the key-coded door that read EMPLOYEES ONLY on the front. He swiped the badge attached to his belt loop over the scanner and popped the door open once it unlocked. Stepping into the cool room, Talon let the door shut behind him. Deadening the music altogether. He rubbed a finger around his ear, wincing as it rang from the sudden change in volume.

"Hey,"

Talon looked over and spotted Gage bent over the dozens of security screens, all with varying angles of the floor and VIP section. His eyes danced over the screens, scanning each one for any nefarious activities. Talon walked over to him.

"What's up?"

Gage shrugged and clicked on one of the feeds, zooming in on a couple getting hot and heavy in the corner of the club.

It made Talon snort. "You should've told me you wanted me to bring you dinner if you were in the mood for a show." Gage clicked off of the couple and grinned back at him.

"You're so sweet to me sometimes, Tal."

Talon rolled his eyes.

"Anything exciting happening?"

"Nah. But some girl did manage to throw up all over Draco's DJ stand."

That made him snort. "You send Leo over to clean it up?"

Gage clicked on the feed that was directly over Draco's booth and zoomed in. Both he and Leo were bent over with a mop in each of their hands and disdain written all over their faces. Draco's turntables flashed bright colors to the beat of the music, shadowing them both in funky colors as they cleaned.

"They've been at it for ten minutes." "Jesus, how much did the girl upchuck?"

Gage snickered. "Let's just say that she was taking full advantage of our app specials."

"Remind me to get rid of the kitchen in the back, then."

Gage smacked his hip. "Don't you dare! Those mozz sticks have saved my life countless nights being stuck in here."

Talon glanced down at him. "I can always send you to the floor and switch you out with Leo if you're that bored."

"Don't you dare."

He smirked. "Be careful what you complain about."

Gage groaned. "Anyone ever tell you that you're a bastard?"

He reached out and ruffled the bear shifter's hair.

"Too many times to count. But how else am I going to keep up my reputation?"

"Har, har."

Moving back from the security desk, Talon nodded to the screens.

"Let me know if anything else happens." "You got it, boss."

At that, Talon left out the back door to a quiet hallway that stretched around the perimeter of the building. It gave him a little bit of extra time to collect himself before stepping onto the busy floor.

Normally, roaming the floor excited him. He enjoyed being in the midst of hundreds of people entwined together for only a night of wild fun and pleasure. It was that kind of environment that made his usually mundane existence feel vibrant and bright.

But over the past few weeks, it'd been becoming duller and duller, like the glitz and glam of owning a successful club had worn off, and now that there was nothing left to strive for, it bored him.

He'd been so busy making his club the number one spot in the city, chasing the high that came with winning, that now that it was all said and done, everything just felt flat again.

It was something his sister had given him a look over when he'd mentioned opening up this club in the first place. She knew him better than he probably knew himself, and maybe she suspected that Talon was simply chasing an unattainable high.

But whatever the case was, it was fucking annoying.

Pushing the emergency exit door open, Talon stepped into the club, catching Leo headed his way, dragging a mop and bucket behind him.

"How was clean-up duty?"

Leo shook his head. "Humans are fucking gross." "You got that right."

His general manager merely shook his head and tucked the mop and bucket into the corner, away from the sweaty bodies lingering closer and closer to them.

"Everything's all ready, though."

Talon nodded. "Good. Let's head over then."

The VIP section was only around the corner and was roped off to the normal parties that frequented the main part of the club.

Talon's clientele in the VIP section ranged from affluent businessmen to shifter royalty, and while he didn't care how they liked to mingle with potential partners, he'd rather they were kept separate from the rest of the drunken idiots out on the floor.

The bouncer standing at the front of the section nodded to them and immediately unclipped the rope, allowing them to pass through easily.

A voice caught their attention the moment they made their way into the section.

"You're here!"

A woman, one who Talon didn't exactly recognize, strutted over and flashed him a smile. She was wearing a skin-tight dress that hugged every curve, with deep cut- outs that showed off her entire back and a slit all the way up to her hip.

He ran his eyes over her, noting that she definitely wasn't wearing anything under that piece of fabric she called a dress.

Her arms wrapped around his tightly as she pressed herself into his side, molding against him and rubbing him with her body.

Normally, this would've been the perfect opportunity to get in a quick lay before he needed to go back to work. Even Leo was stepping away to give him space in case Talon wanted to sweep her over his shoulder and carry her off to one of the private rooms.

But he just ... didn't ... want to.

It was the strangest feeling he'd ever felt in his entire life, honestly.

"I'm so glad you're here," she went on. "I missed you." Bemused, he smiles a little. "Did you?"

She nodded quickly and flashed him another pretty smile. The kind that would usually get him hard and ready to go.

He looked down at himself. Nothing.

Huh ...

"Well, unfortunately," He wiggled his arm out of her grip. "I've got things to do, so you better find someone else to keep you company tonight."

She blinked up at him in surprise. Even Leo gave him a weird look.

Before she could argue with him, though, he side- stepped her and continued on into the VIP section, leaving the woman rooted to her spot, dumbstruck.

Leo quickly caught up with him a moment later. "You okay, boss?"

He raised a brow at his general manager. "Yeah? Why?"

Leo gave him a frown. "Never seen you turn someone down like that. You know there's nothing urgent going on. I've got it covered if you want to go take a break."

He snorted. Is that what it came down to nowadays?

Taking a break? How sad.

"I'm good, Leo. She wasn't my type."

The shifter chuckled. "Wasn't aware you had one."

That made him roll his eyes, but he didn't bother rebutting it. Honestly, it wasn't like Leo was exaggerating. Looking at his personal life from the outside, it really did seem like Talon fucked anything that moved and had a nice smile. Which, he supposed, might have been where he'd gone wrong in the first place.

However, the only thing that was more annoying was that he seemed to be growing bored of not just his hobby but with his sex life too.

How fucking sad. A playboy getting bored of women throwing themselves at him. How pretentious can I even get at this point?

It made him shake his head.

Rounding to the private bar, Talon stopped and clapped Leo on the shoulder. "I'm going to take a break on the roof for a bit. Let me know if any of you need anything, and I'll be right down."

Leo gave him another strange look. "Yeah ... sure, boss.

Whatever you need."

He knew that he was probably speaking in tongues to the lion shifter, but he really couldn't be damned to explain his (seemingly) existential crisis. Because, for one, he'd probably look actually insane. And two, he didn't want to seem like he was complaining about the fortune he'd stumbled into.

Talon had always considered himself to be privileged in that sense, but knowing about it and bragging about it were two separate issues, and he wasn't willing to let his own pity party spill over into spoken reality.

"I'll see you in a bit."

He nodded and bid the shifter goodbye. He headed over to the unlabeled door at the farthest end of the room behind the half partition. Talon climbed the steps to the roof and breathed in the crisp night air, letting it fill his lungs and relax his body.

He hadn't realized how tense he'd been. Now his body was starting to unwind and actually chill. He spotted one of the lounge chairs Draco had dragged up here one day with the excuse of it being good for relaxing during sets.

They all knew it was just a convenient excuse for the dragon shifter to have a spot to sunbathe on hot-as-balls days, but hey, who were they to judge, really?

Flopping down onto the chair, Talon pulled out his phone to check his messages and noticed he had one from his sister.

Immediately opening it, he read it quickly.

Guess what! I sent a few girls your way for the VIP lounge, so be nice to them! Also, one of them is someone special. I think you'll like her ;). Have fun!

He snorted and clicked out of the text thread. His sister always had a penchant for trying to play matchmaker with him, and, despite her best efforts, it never worked.

Mostly due to the fact that he was a stubborn bastard and didn't exactly see the value in having a relationship. But that was beside the point.

He sighed, leaned back into the lounge chair, and propped his feet up on the footrest. The Chicago skyline was beautiful this time of night and gave him that kind of kid-like nostalgia that reminded him of the simpler times in his life. Back when he barely had any worries or cares in the world.

I wish I could go back to that time ...

He closed his eyes and let himself drift.