I was anxious, but so grateful both Tasha and Samuel joined me for this. I felt like I needed the backup? In a weird way. It wasn't like I was expecting a fight, especially not in a roadside fast-food restaurant. I didn't really know what to expect, but I needed to not be alone when I finally met the other wolves from the valley.

Frank was outside, smoking, and waved at me as we pulled into the car park in front of the restaurant. Abel had let me borrow his car, which really showed how much he loved me. I wasn't always sure if he loved the car more than me or not. The restaurant looked like it had been utterly abandoned, paint peeling off everywhere. The neon sign probably once said 'diner' but now it just said 'die'. It was located above the valley; up the mountainside and it had taken like an hour to drive here. So, I was underwhelmed and annoyed just by the dingy sight of the place we were meeting.

"Oi," Frank said and tipped his head up.

"Yeah, hey," I said as I got out of the car.

"Nice car."

"It's my boyfriend's."

"I figured. Doesn't seem like your type of car." Frank put out the fag in a rusty metal ashtray hanging on the wall and motioned me to follow him.

I wondered which car he thought was my type.

The smell of grease immediately hit me the second the door opened. I swallowed something and took a deep breath, trying to settle my senses. Don't know why the wolf would give me his senses right that second because now I was overwhelmed and annoyed. There was too much happening inside the restaurant too. Neon lights that moved, a telly showing a football match, and a jukebox in the corner, playing some old pop song. I hated it. I could clearly hear the cooks talking and clanging their pots around in the kitchen. The air conditioning was so loud with this annoying clicking sound. Everything was overwhelming and noisy, and I didn't feel right at all.

We turned a corner then, around the bar, and there was a full table of wolves. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and I clenched my jaw. The surrounding tables had groups of wolves as well.

"You're too wired," Frank murmured. "Relax."

"I'm trying," I growled under my breath.

"You two can stay put but don't look suspicious," Frank said then, aimed at Tasha and Samuel who had been following me close. "Find a seat elsewhere."

Tasha raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I gave her a nod and followed Frank. My friends sat down by a table nearby like the other wolves, while I went to the big table. There were already four other wolves sitting there.

One was a woman who I simply couldn't determine the age of. She looked almost aethereal, mature but also young. She had one deep brown eye and one bright blue, her hair stark black, and her skin extremely pale.

One man looked to be Frank's age. Had the same uninteresting look to him. Nothing screamed supernatural about his appearance. He had light brown skin, a close buzzed haircut of dark hair, dark brown eyes, wore a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Looked like a nice and comfy family man.

The other woman by the table was older than everybody there. Had long, dark, grey hair, light brown skin and high cheekbones. Had Japanese lettering tattooed on her hands. Sharply dressed in a silk dress top and a pencil skirt.

The last man was younger than Frank but definitely older than me. Maybe in his thirties? He looked bored and like he didn't even wanna be there. Completely bald, no eyebrows either, pale skin. Dressed in a track suit. He reminded me of River for some reason. It was probably the laddie attitude.

"Hey everyone, thanks for coming. This is Gael," Frank said and pulled out a chair, dumping down on it.

I followed suit and sat down beside him. I desperately wanted to fidget but I fought down the urge and instead met their gazes, one by one.

"So nervous," the Japanese woman said. "Don't be nervous. My name's Koyo, and we won't hurt you."

"Speak for yourself," the older man said and eyed the bald guy. "I'm Manuel."

"Dee," the other woman said.

"Dres," the bald guy said.

"Fantastic, introduction's over. Now we can get on with it," Frank said tiredly. "Gael's experienced what we all have so far. Wolf traps." Frank looked to me, probably waiting for me to continue.

"Uh yeah, we're currently learning to how to spot them and avoid them," I said with a bit of a stammer.

"How?" Dee asked, leaning forward.

"My friend's a witch. She's teaching me and my wolves," I explained.

Dres snorted and ran his hands over his face. "Is that a fucking joke or what?"

The three others didn't look exactly excited about that information either. There was a definite shift in the air.

"I told you. In Gael's area they mix. Don't know why you wouldn't believe me when I said it," Frank chimed in and shrugged.

"We're not segregated," I said then and tilted my head to the side. "If that's an issue for everyone here, I'll just leave again." I started to rise but Frank's hand came down on my shoulder, pushing me back down into the chair.

"Relax, Gael, no one's coming for you nor your ways."

Dres clicked his tongue. "I am." He smiled a sarcastic smile, leaning his cheek against his hand.

"And that's more important than trying to protect you and yours?" I asked and leaned back in the chair. "What exactly was the point of meeting if this is your response to the act of sharing information?"

Dee looked amused and suppressed a snort, watching Dres for his reaction. He just shot me a dead glare, silence spreading across the table. I sighed after a couple of minutes.

"Yeah, this is a waste of time. When you get over being pissy little racists, call me. Until then, no Happy Wolf for you." I rose and this time Frank didn't stop me.

I didn't see a reason to connect if they were this unwilling to even hear what we had been taught by Fred. They could figure shit out on their own. Maybe that made me really mean and evil and unsupportive, but I didn't really feel bad about that. I was about protecting Imperium first. My wolves first. The rest was me showing goodwill and I really wasn't that interested in goodwill anymore.

I waved at Samuel and Tasha to follow me, and we left the restaurant.

"So how did it go?" Tasha asked, a straw hanging out the side of her mouth, connected to a drink in a white and red striped cup.

"It's not happening. They're not open to other kinds helping so they can have shit, for all I care," I growled and found the keys to the car, putting them in the door.

"Hey, wait up," Frank called and came power-walking towards me. "I'm sorry it didn't work out. But my group is still interested."

"Good. I like you. The others? Nah," I said and shrugged. "I'm not gonna defend my relationship, romantic or otherwise, with other kinds to a bunch of strangers."

"Yeah, I know. But let me try and talk to them for a bit, yeah? Maybe I can convince them."

"You can try, but I think I'm done already." I opened the door to the car but turned back towards Frank. "I had to fight a lot last year. I don't wanna do that again."

"No, I know," Frank said and patted my shoulder. "Let me have a wee chat with them and maybe it'll change."

"Good luck," Tasha said and jumped in the back.

Samuel pressed his lips together in a weird polite grimace and went for the front passenger seat.

"Yeah, thanks," Frank muttered dryly.

I shrugged in response and got into the car too. I closed the door and sighed loudly, leaning my forehead against the wheel, before putting the key in the ignition, soft jazz flowing out of the stereo.

I looked back at Frank in the car park through the rear-view mirror as we drove way. What a shitshow.