Chapter 8: First Sight

Earl's Diner, Temperance, South Dakota...

The moment Layla Quinn looked up from wiping down the front counter, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the sight at the opposite end of the diner where she had taken note of the owners of the various motorcycles that were parked outside. It didn't take much to convince her that they were a group that had been nothing but trouble from the looks of them, even the blonde who had a fondness for exhibition with her boyfriend looked to be of the trouble-making sort. Of all the ruffians clad in black leather that she took note of, none had stood out more than the apparent ring leader who seemed to be the most laid back of them all as he turned up his brown glass bottle of beer as his dark eyes seemed to peer into her very being as she stood at the front counter unsure how best to proceed as she returned his gaze.

It was an odd thing, she had forgotten what she was supposed to be doing and couldn't seem to take her eyes off the strange and ruggedly handsome older man.

She could tell from the looks of him, that he'd been the most trouble out of the entire group and that he had been quite fond of making it whenever possible. Their eyes continued to lock from across the diner as he slowly continued to sip his beer, never breaking eye contact with her from the first moment. He looked to be quite strong, she could tell how huge his muscular arms were and the overall physical outline of his well-sculpted body was appealing, to say the least. She noted the rugged beard that covered much of his face and his unkempt dark hair along with the silver hooped earring that dangled from his left ear.

He seemed intent on keeping her focus for a moment and in the process, Layla felt something in the wake of it. There was an eerie heat that filled her and her nostrils flared as she watched him, her heart began to beat wildly within the confines of her chest and she felt her breath becoming short as if she'd been running all this time. Her palms began to sweat and she felt the intense urge to approach the strange older man who looked to have been in his early to mid-thirties as far as his age went. He seemed to have something affecting him as well because he licked his lips and slowly stood up on his feet which revealed his impressive height to Layla as he began to move toward her.

Layla didn't understand it, but she stood there behind the front counter sponge in hand unable to take her eyes off the handsome older stranger as he continued his long-stridden approach. He reached the front counter in record time never breaking eye contact and still clasping the cold brown glass bottle of beer between his large pale fingers. One more Layla attempted to look away from him but found that she couldn't as her eyes merely went to his chest and the black leather cut with various patches caught her attention.

He smiled when he took note of where her attention was on. He seemed to be quite proud of his cut and the patches that lined it. Layla attempted once more to look away but the pearly white teeth that seemed to line up in his mouth perfectly got her attention. He was indeed handsome and quite bold from the looks of him as he stopped in front of her causing her to become unnerved, she didn't fear him for some strange reason, but she found herself staring into his eyes once again unable to look away.

The fascinating grey hue of his eyes was something she had never seen before as she continued to stare into them. Up close, she could see that his skin was smooth and he had no wrinkles like a good deal of the older men in town despite a possible life of endless parties and late nights. His rugged yet handsome appearance seemed quite pleasing to her as she gripped the yellow sponge tighter in her hand as stared back into his hypnotic eyes. She saw the handsome stranger open his mouth, but she had not heard the words he spoke nor anything else for that matter as his approach seemed to cause the rest of the world to fall away into the background leaving only the sound of her heartbeat and labored breathing for her ears to recognize.

"Are you alright, Miss?" asked the handsome stranger. "You don't look to be doing too well at the moment."

Layla could only stare as she attempted to make sense of the words she finally heard before uttering her reply.

He reached over and touched her hand, she could feel his rough fingertips as he met her gaze a second time. This time he had stopped talking as a feeling of warmth washed between them upon the slight contact.

"Wow..." he said softly as he stared at her for a few moments, she could see his pupils contract and expand and guessed that hers had probably been doing the same. There was an odd sensation like fireworks as they continued to stare into each other's eyes. "Layla..."

She was startled that he knew her name, but oddly enough she'd known his.

"Marrok," she said aloud catching him off guard as he pulled back from her in confusion.

The connection had broken via skin-to-skin contact but the pull was still there. The handsome older man known as Marrok looked at her for a few moments before blinking and trying to come to his senses.

"H-How do you know my name?" he asked with an arched brow. "Nobody calls me that."

Layla simply shook her head.

"I-I don't know," she replied finally finding her voice after the strange occurrence. "It's seemed to just come to me."

"Well, Layla...I much prefer to be called Brick," he replied with a smirk.

"I know," she replied finally blinking. "I mean..."

Layla started to look away turning her attention back to wiping off the countertop, a task she'd been doing before the strange occurrence happened with the handsome stranger. He reached for her hand a second time taking it in his own and she didn't resist him as the familiar and almost magnetic pull began to draw them closer together. Their eyes met once again and there was an unfamiliar heat that passed between them.

"Layla..." said Phoebe trying to get the attention of her coworker.

Layla Quinn immediately pulled herself away from Brick who seemed to be disappointed about the loss of contact. It was as if it hurt them both to be separated when they had only just met.

Layla found herself taking off toward the back room as Phoebe followed after her, leaving Brick alone at the front counter where Rooster approached him with a curious expression on his aged face.

"What just happened?" asked Brick when Rooster reached him.

The older Were placed a hand on the younger werewolf's shoulder.

"I believe you've just imprinted on that young lady, Brick," he replied. "I've only seen it done once or twice in person, but the outcome is always the same....many a were became so enamored to the point of obsession and it looks like you've headed down that road yourself."

"W-What?" asked Brick still reeling from his confusion. "T-That won't happen to me...I...I hardly know that girl."

"That was before," replied Rooster with a smirk. "You are in for it now my friend....as smitten as your old man became the day he met your mother."

Brick looked back toward where Layla had taken off.

"I...I need some air," he said before heading out of the diner leaving Rooster to smile behind him as he headed out the front door.

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The Back Room, Earl's Diner, Temperance, South Dakota...

Layla felt like she could hardly breathe after parting from the handsome stranger known as Brick and made her way out the back exit to take a breather as she attempted to come to her senses. Being around that strange man had done something to her, but it didn't seem like a bad thing at least until she moved away from him. With her head spinning and her movements light, Layla rested against the side of the outer wall of the building amid the shade.

She had not been alone for long, as she was soon accompanied by a scraggly thin man with glazed dark eyes and a series of tattoos and sores all over his body. Layla had never seen him before and guessed rather correctly that he'd wandered into town on foot, due to his dirty half-worn clothes littered via holes and soiled from top to bottom. He reeked of a stench so thick she felt her nausea return with force as she attempted to keep from gagging at the sight of him. He was scabbed and barely able to shuffle along, to begin with as he turned his attention toward her.

"You got a cigarette?" he asked in a painstaking tone that signaled he'd been through a lot more than his body showed.

"No," Layla replied evenly. "I don't smoke."

"Give me some money then...I'm jonesing for a hit," he replied becoming intent on harassing her it seemed.

"I don't have that either....sorry," she replied attempting to go back into the diner where she felt more comfortable.

He blocked her attempt to leave by pulling out a thin silver pocket knife and aimed it at her as he pressed her further up against the side of the building.

"You were just going to ignore me weren't you Bitch!" growled the sickly-looking man as he aimed his knife at her throat.

Layla wanted to vomit all the more when she got an unfortunate whiff of his rancid breath that seemed to make the rest of him smell better by comparison.

"Give me money now!" he growled already becoming increasingly aggressive. "I know you got some fucking money...Bitch and I want it now!"

As the rancid man's breath continued to nauseate Layla, neither of them noticed the presence of a suddenly violently enraged Brick making his way around the corner. He had stumbled upon the scene and in the instant of seeing the man and feeling the intense wave of distress coming from the waitress he'd just met, his blood was boiling in his veins.