Braedon was beside himself with concern.  They’d followed Kasey at a distance so as not to give themselves away.  She seemed to be happy, enjoying her walk and he liked seeing her that way, but when he saw her buy takeaway food and head towards the nearby park he was all but ready to go to her and shake some sense into her.  This was a dangerous part of town for a woman alone, especially coming on to evening.  He closed his eyes for a moment and was about to go to her when Jacob grabbed his arm.

“Somehow I don’t think she’d appreciate you going over there and telling her she needs to take better care of herself, or that you’d gladly be her protector.”  Jacob waited for his words to sink in then said, “We’ll keep her safe Braedon.  We just need to make sure she doesn’t know about it for the time being.”

Braedon nodded in agreement, knowing that Jacob was right.  He would need to tread carefully where Kasey was concerned.  She was young and what he had to tell her would be overwhelming, if not unbelievable.  He knew that there was a possibility of this happening, but to be truthful; he’d never thought it would happen to him.  “A mate!  His mate!”

They’d positioned themselves close enough to see and hear, but far enough so that she wouldn’t be able to see them.  He watched as she took a bite of food then placed the remainder on the bench beside her and left it there to walk to the water’s edge. 

His breathe caught in his chest when a few minutes later he saw a shadow approach the bench and quickly move away with the food and drink that Kasey had left there.  He would have raced after the shadow and taken the creature to the ground for taking Kasey’s food, but at the last second she turned around and he saw her smile at the empty bench.  “Curious,” he thought to himself, “another part of the mystery that was his Kasey.”

He smiled at his friend and nodded, “we will wait and if she needs assistance, then we move.”

Jacob nodded as well and they both watched and waited until Kasey finally entered the bar.  It seemed to Braedon that the more he saw of this woman, the more she intrigued him.  Why would she sit in this park at night?  Why would she leave food for a shadow creature to claim?  Why was it that she seemed so at home in that environment?  All questions he fully intended to obtain answers to.

They waited a few minutes before they both headed for the bar.  They took a table against the right side of the room.  The table gave them a good view of the room and easy access to all exits.  They scanned the room to see how safe it was, not concerned for themselves but for Kasey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Kasey entered the bar Gerry was calling out to her, “Kase, there you are!” He said giving her a hug like he hadn’t seen her in ages. 

Kasey hugged him back and tried not to roll her eyes.  This was Gerry, he liked a bit of drama and he liked that he could give Kasey a hug when he felt like it.  He was family to her and he both knew and appreciated it.  “Okay, where’s my surprise?” Kasey said, knowing he’d fain hurt at the question.

For once Gerry did surprise her and called out to Todd to bring her surprise out for her.  Kasey shook her head and burst out laughing when she saw her surprise. 

“A slurpy, just was I needed.”

Gerry grinned at her, “It’s a large one and it’s cola just what you like, besides you always say you need a hit of sugar and caffeine when you do a shift for me after working all day at the café.”

Kasey reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “Your right Gerry, I do say that don’t I and this will most definitely help keep me awake and aware.”  And I’m gonna be soooo hypo!” she whispered, then headed out back to put her bag away sucking on the straw as she went. 

“Umm, you could always come back here fulltime?” Gerry yelled after her.

“Not a chance my friend,” she yelled back, “I like to be able to sleep nights.”  She stripped off the shirt she wore at the café and a donned a cotton shirt with the name of Gerry’s bar on it.

The shirt was black and fitted and for the female workers the buttons started slightly lower than most shirts would, so Kasey tended to wear a tank top under it.  She figured there was no sense inviting trouble from the customers.  Gerry wasn’t happy about the idea, but then he was happy to have Kasey back even if it was on a temporary basis, so he didn’t make a fuss.

“How’s the slurpy?” Todd asked and Kasey just knew that Gerry probably got him to run out and get it for her.

“It’s fine Todd, you want some?” she answered offering the cup to him, but he just grinned and took off to serve behind the bar.

Kasey stood back a little and scanned the room.  This place had played a huge part in her life and to a small extent still did.  Gerry would always hold a small piece of her heart, he’d always be family, but she had an eerie feeling her days working at the bar would soon be over.  She let out an audible sigh and set to work on her slurpy.

A few minutes later Gerry gave her a pained look and she relented and putting her slurpy in the freezer behind the bar then set out with a notepad and tray to take orders.

Braedon watched her as she moved around the room.  Many of the customers seemed to know her and a couple even tried to get a little too familiar with her.  He immediately wanted to go to her rescue, but then he’d see that she had them under control and was flirting back in a way that said look but don’t touch.  This brought a smile to his face and he soon relaxed.

Jacob was checking out the room, or more to the point was checking out the females in the room when they both heard a ruckus across the room.  Their first thought was for Kasey’s safety and when they couldn’t immediately see her they both left their seats to see what was going on.

There was a small group around where all the noise was coming from and as they got close they heard Kasey’s voice over the others.  “Geez David, if you can’t take no for an answer you’re gonna end up getting yourself not only kicked out of here but banned as well.”

Next they heard the sound of someone more than slightly inebriated mumbling something to the effect of “I’m not drunk, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“Sure you do,” said Kasey as she led David from the crowd and sat him on a chair closer to the bar.  She nodded at Todd who disappeared for a minutes and when he returned he nodded to her and went back to working the bar.

“Okay,” she began.  “A taxi is on the way, so you just sit here and rest and I’ll get someone to help you get into it when it gets here.”

As she went to walk away David started shaking his head and saying “Nope, you have to do it darlin, I’ll only let you lead me away.” 

Kasey looked to the doorway leading out back and saw Gerry standing there.  He nodded to her then she agreed to help David get to his taxi.  She wasn’t about to tell him she’d have Gerry helping her and he soon quieted down letting her get back to work.

As they settled back into their seats Jacob whistled, “she’s one tough little cookie Brae!”  Braedon nodded in agreement feeling both proud of the way Kasey had handled things and also angry that she’d been put in the situation to begin with.

He raised his hand for one of the waitresses to take his order and was pleasantly surprised to find Kasey walking towards him.  She smiled a genuine smile, not a fake ‘I have to smile as part of my job’ kind of thing and he smiled back at her.  He was about to say something when Jacob placed his order with her, “I’ll have a scotch and coke,” he said and upon seeing the look on Braedon’s face added, “please.” 

“Sure thing, and you sir?” She said as she turned to Braedon. 

Braedon smiled at her “Scotch, rocks.  Top shelf would be good.”

“No problem, be back in a jiffy.”  As she turned to go back to the bar she was almost knocked over by a customer rushing past.   Reaction kicked in and Jacob grabbed her before she connected with the customer and in doing so not only saved Kasey from getting hurt but the customer from being badly injured by Braedon.

Kasey caught her breath as the image of a big grey and white wolf sprang into her mind’s eye.  Her heart sped up for a moment and she was unsure what seeing the wolf meant.  Jacob made sure Kasey was steady before letting her go, then looked over her shoulder at his friend.  He looked worried, not that he’d stopped her from falling on her ass, but from something else.

Kasey shook the wolf feeling off thanking Jacob and as she walked to the bar she grinned mumbling to herself, “a Wolf in hunks clothing.”

Both men heard what she’d said and when Jacob grinned at Braedon it thankfully broke the tension between them.  Jacob had touched Kasey, something Braedon hadn’t dared to do as yet.  He knew Braedon wouldn’t be happy about it, but it was better than the alternative.  He really didn’t want to be trying to bail his Alpha out of jail on an assault charge.

They sat back and relaxed, keeping an eye both on the room and on Kasey.  An hour later Braedon lifted his hand to signal Kasey that he wanted another drink.  She mouthed “the same?” to which he nodded and she soon appeared beside their table with more drinks.  Braedon thanked her with a seductive smile and held out a fifty dollar note in a manner that ensured that he would be able to make skin contact with her.

Jacob could see what he was doing and watched with a look of curiosity and fear.  Kasey gasped as she took the money and handed him the change, their hands gently grazing each other at the exchange and Jacob waited to see if there would be any further reaction from either party.

For his part, Braedon remained calm and still only his eyes giving him away as they turned from a light brown to the colour of rich melted chocolate.  Kasey on the other hand seemed to wear her emotional reactions on her sleeve… well in her case on her face!  She blushed profusely, the colour rising from her throat to her cheeks and deepening the longer she remained there, her eyes widened and brightened with a light that had not been there before.

Braedon spoke without thinking, “Do you like wolves kitten?  Tell me what do you see when you look upon me?”

At first Kasey froze and seemed lost for words, but as she stepped back from the table, “Blue, a blue grey wolf, huge, but handsome… in either form.”  Then she seemed to realise what she’d said and backed away before turning and heading back towards the doorway next to the bar mumbling “another wolf in hunks clothing.”

Braedon grinned; he could almost see Kasey rolling her eyes as she said the latter.  He looked over at Jacob and laughed at the frown he wore.  “It’s all good my friend.  She is the one and soon enough she will know it.”

Braedon sat quietly and watch Kasey as she worked her way through the crowded room taking orders and chatting with regulars.  She did her job well and customers were friendly and for the most part respectful.  When it was close to closing time, Braedon called David Benning, the locally assigned Alpha that they’d been meeting with and asked him to bring his car to the bar and wait for him.  He looked at Jacob and sighed.  “You should go back to the hotel when David arrives, I’ll make sure Kasey gets home safe and meet you there.”

Jacob didn’t like the idea of his friend and Alpha wondering around Sydney at night following some human woman.  But he also knew that he would have no luck trying to change his mind and if anything would only succeed in pissing his friend off. 

Jacob nodded and they both headed for the front door, Braedon taking one last look over his shoulder at Kasey.  He glanced at his friend and realised that he was wearing a scowl.  Curiosity got the better of him and he was about to ask him what was up, when he realised what it was.

“She is the one my friend.  I never thought I would see this day, never thought it was possible, but here it is.  This is a gift Jacob and although it will mean change,” and here he grinned at his friend, “and you will have to learn to share me… I can’t walk away from this, from her.”

Jacob shook his head and smiled, knowing that Braedon was being honest with him, but also trying to lighten the mood because he’d sensed his concern.

“She is not a ‘Were’ Braedon, you will need to tread lightly or you will not only scare the hell out of her, but make her run as well.  And somehow her running doesn’t bode well.”  Then the thought struck him, “Hey what the hell was that with her seeing our ‘wolves’?”

“I’ve been giving that some thought and all I can think is that she has some kind of psychic ability where with touch she can sense things about people.”  He shrugged his shoulders and moved to the curb as David pulled up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the end of the night Kasey was feeling exhausted but happy.  She’d made extra money that would go directly towards her ‘dream’ and was feeling optimistic that her dream would soon become a reality.  Her own place!  A place she could truly call home, a place she owned and could do what she wanted to.  She smiled as she parked herself at the bus stop across the street from the club.  She was tired, but she was happy.

As she sat daydreaming about life with a home of her own, a shiny black Jag pulled up in front of her.  Nice, she thought to herself then realised that the driver was looking directly at her.  She turned away ignoring him, hoping that he’d get the message and take off.  But he didn’t, he leaned out the window and asked if she’d like a lift home.

Kasey could feel her heart rate speed up but tried to at least look cool calm and unafraid, not that she actually felt any of those things.  She gave him a look that she hoped would let him know she wasn’t to be messed with, but the jerk just smiled at her and got out of the car.

“Crap!” she stood up wondering what the hell she was supposed to do now.  The guy was at least six feet tall and build like a… well he was built, which meant he wouldn’t have to do much to get her in his car and… and she didn’t want to think what might happen then.  Kasey took a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

“Good evening again,” Braedon said with a smile as he got out of the car.  “It’s just me, one of your ‘wolves in hunks clothing’.”  He said and smiled again hoping she wouldn’t scream or worse still try to run. 

“It’s late,” he continued looking around him.  “It could be dangerous waiting here alone for a bus.  I would like to see you safely home, so…” and he gestured to the car.

Fear turned to surprise and Kasey stared at him for a moment not sure of how to respond to what he’d said.  “Umm,” was all that managed to come out.

“Big blue grey wolf remember?”  Braedon waited for a second to see if she’d remember who he was and when she smiled and shook her head he relaxed a little.

“Oh right, the two guys at that back of the room, the grey and the blue wolf.”  Kasey had no idea why she said this, it sounded absurd, but it also sounded right.

Braedon’s smile grew as he nodded, “yes that was us… err me.  So will you let me see you home kitten?”

Kasey shook her head from side to side and laughed, “Not a chance ‘Pretty Boy’!  I’ve been taking myself home for some time now; I think I can do the same tonight.”

“Shit!” Braedon said to himself, “She’s not going to make this easy.”  He sighed, making a huge show of it to emphasise that it pained him that she wouldn’t let him play the white knight.

“I can understand that you don’t trust me, after all we only met tonight, but at least let me wait with you until your bus comes.  That way I can at least see you safely on your way?”

“Okay, not what I expected you to say.”  Then as she opened her mouth to speak again a patrol car pulled to the curb and an officer wound down his window to check out the scene. 

A few moments late the officer climbed out of the patrol car and nodded at Kasey.  “How’s it going Kasey?”  Then after looking at Braedon, “is this guy bothering you?” 

Kasey tried very hard not to roll her eyes, she had friends on the Police Force, one specific friend who was like family to her and he and his men had decided it was their job to keep her safe.  God forbid she should actually hook up with someone; the poor guy would probably end up in the interrogation room at the station.

“Hey Keith, I’m fine.  I was just having a chat with a new friend… umm.”  She looked to Braedon not knowing what his name was.

“Braedon, my name is Braedon Officer Wentworth.” He said after checking out the name badge the Officer wore.  “I met Kasey at The Rocks Bar tonight.”  He grinned at Kasey and her stomach knotted with a feeling of ‘what the hell is he gonna say now’. 

Braedon looked from Keith to Kasey and back again, a serious look on his face.  “Kasey seems like a very nice young woman Officer Wentworth and after the incident tonight I just wanted to make sure she got home, or at least onto her bus safely.”

“Son of a bitch!”  Kasey glared at Braedon, then turned towards Keith.  “I wouldn’t call it an incident Keith.  David Wilson got drunk and put the word on me again.  Gerry and I put him in a taxi once he’d calmed down.  As you can see I’m alright and I’ll be fine getting myself home.”

Kasey could feel heat rising in her face, she hated that she blushed so easily, it was a dead giveaway that she wasn’t alright or that she was up to something or whatever.  She squared her shoulders and looked at Keith waiting for him to say something.

Keith wasn’t smiling; he’d heard this story before, in fact he’d heard it several times before.  “I am going to write this up Kasey and first thing tomorrow morning you are going to come down to the station read and sign it.” 

He saw her open her mouth and knew she’d try to talk him out of this, but he was quicker.  “This is not negotiable!  You do this or I talk to Jax.”  He waited for a moment then, “Well?”

“Fine!” she almost screamed at him, “I’ll come down first thing and I’ll call and let Gerry know in case he gets a call asking why the hell he didn’t show up to sign off on his statement as well… sheesh!” 

This put a smile on Keith’s face and then he looked towards Braedon.  “You don’t go making her get in your car, if you really want to help, stay here until she gets onto her bus.  Kasey will check in with me to let me know she got home in one piece.  If all you mean is to see she’s safe, thank you, but know that if you are after more, she has lots of friends like me who will gladly come to her rescue.”

“Of course Officer Wentworth, I am after all one of the good guys.  I only wish to make sure our friend arrives home safely.”

Keith nodded at Braedon then laughed as he caught Kasey rolling her eyes at what Braedon had said.  “Okay Kasey, I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”  He looked at them both then climbed back in the patrol car and drove off.

Kasey glared at Braedon, who smiled at her as if to say, I’m here to serve.  Then her bus arrived and Kasey jumped on ignoring Braedon who was still standing on the footpath watching her.  

As she sat in the bus on the ride home she started to relax and mull over her day and what a day it had been… well not all of it but parts.  Starting with Chrissy and her reaction to the two hunks, two hunks she normally would have done anything to serve.  “Okay, I am not going there, at least not right now!” she thought as she shook all thoughts of hunks, and wolves and Chrissy out of her head.

A few minutes later she could see her stop coming up so she pressed the button to signal the driver to stop and when she got off the bus she made a b-line for her little apartment a couple of doors away.  It wasn’t much but it was hers so long as she kept up the rent.

Kasey looked up at the building, it was old, but build to last.  Made of sandstone it was often cold and hard to keep warm, but at least it would never burn down.  There were three floors, each with four apartments, some with two bedrooms some with one.  She was on the third floor in a one bedroom. 

Kasey would have liked to have more space, but that would have cost more and she wasn’t willing to spend money on a room she’d probably end up using for storage.  Her little home consisted of a living room/dining area a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette.  She sometimes longed for a balcony to sit on, but figured she’d only be breathing in smog anyway so why waste time wishing for something that would contribute to the detriment of her health.

She smiled at the building, it had its faults but the people here were friendly and would all lend a hand if they could.  She hurried up the front steps and through the front door, she sighed at the thought of no elevator, then rolled her eyes and ran up the stairs.

Outside the building a shiny black jag pulled to the curb waiting and listening.  When the driver saw lights appear on the third floor he signalled and headed out knowing that his little mate was now safely in her home.  Although Braedon was none too happy about the area in which she was living. 

He realised her home was close to the city with easy access to transport to get to work, but there was an edge to this part of town, a feel of trouble both past and present.  He’d need to talk to Jacob about this; although what they’d be able to do about the situation he had no idea.

~~~~~~~~~~

Kasey locked her door as soon as she closed it, a habit that she developed out of fear from the first couple of years of living on her own.  When her mother passed, she’d been placed in a children’s home and stayed there until she was eighteen.  They’d taken care of her needs, fed, clothed and saw she went to school but that was the extent of their caring.  There were few if any hugs and the last time she could remember anyone giving her a kiss was the last time she saw her mother alive. 

Her mother had been so very ill and they’d been on the streets for several months.  Kasey was only seven at the time, but she could remember all the things her mother had told her.  Her mother had told her about her father and how he would one day come back for them, that the poor man didn’t even know that he had a daughter and that he would be so happy when he returned and found them both waiting for him.

Kasey also remembered her mother speak of her family and how they had money and standing within the community.  She remembered what her mother told her had happened when she went home asking for help because she was alone and expecting a baby.  They’d told her to get rid of the baby and when she refused they kicked her out. Said that she would ruin the family’s reputation and that she should leave and not ever come back or try to contact them again.

Her mother left, returning to the small home she had and tried her best to support herself and then Kasey when she was born.  But life isn’t always kind and money was short.  She was evicted and having nowhere to go and no one to help, she ended up living on the streets with so many others who had given up on life.

She had been careful to make sure that Kasey always had enough to eat and that she was clean and warm.  But there was always a sadness about her mother, a sadness that had more to do with her father’s absence than anything else.  Kasey knew it was silly, but she’d always believed that her mother had died of a broken heart, of sheer loneliness pining away for a man that was never coming back.

Kasey shook herself, pushing thoughts of the streets and her mother away.  She knew some day she’d need to pull the memories out and make peace with it all, especially losing her mother, but for now, she was exhausted and all she wanted was a warm shower and a soft bed.

As she lay down to sleep that night her last thoughts were of her mother, she thought to herself that if she ever had a daughter she’d name her for her mother.  Callendra was such a beautiful name… then sleep took her.