I walk into the coffee shop where I’ve been working, hang my coat in the breakroom, and pop a quick painkiller before heading out to face my shift.
It’s a whirlwind of activity as usual. Customers wait in line, impatiently watching staff prepare orders that aren’t theirs. I juggle to-go orders and wait tables, struggling to keep up with the pace.
We’re short-staffed today, making it busier than ever, but I don’t mind the rush. It helps distract me from the constant pain I’m in.
“Hi, can I take your order?” I ask a customer at one of my tables. I force a smile to my face to hide the headache that’s forming.
“Hi, sure! Sorry, it’s my first time here,” she stammers, flipping through the menu. “Any recommendations?”
I point out a few crowd favorites. The woman continues to skim through the menu. Finally, she settles on a lavender honey latte and a brie sandwich. Definitely a tourist.
I remind myself that I’m as safe as I can be. Luna Dorothy has been nothing but kind since that first encounter. Even Alpha Dawson periodically checks in on me, usually with his wife by his side.
They’ve welcomed me in. They helped me find an apartment and a job. They’re continuing to offer me treatment for my neck. There isn’t much they can do, of course, but the ointment Dr. Everett gives me at least helps dull the pain.
At this point, I’m just trying to make the best of whatever time I have left and save enough money to repay Blood Moon’s kindness.
The shift continues uneventfully. Exhausted and with aching feet, I leave work and head over to the local library—my one refuge.
A flustered woman with brown hair catches my eye when I’m a few blocks away. After a second, I recognize her as the tourist I served earlier at the café.
“Hi, is everything okay?” I ask her, slipping into my friendly waitress persona.
“Yeah, sorry.” She looks up. “Oh, hey! You’re that barista! Could you tell me where this is?” She thrusts her phone toward me, displaying the website of a local bookstore.
“Sure, it’s just up the road. I’m actually headed that way.” It’s sort of true—the bookstore is a little out of the way to the library, but the extra walk might be nice, and I like to be helpful. “Want to walk together?”
She nods, smiling, and I lead her toward Main Street.
“Are you here for the parks?” I ask, making conversation.
“No, not specifically. My husband’s here on business, and I tagged along. Thought I’d explore the town a bit. I don’t get out much.” The woman’s energy is scattered, and she fidgets with her jacket while we walk.
There’s something endearing about her, even though she talks mostly about her husband and his work. He seems a bit controlling; she says that she barely leaves the house without him most days.
“Enjoy your visit!” I say, dropping her off at the bookstore. I’ll probably never see her again. That’s fine. I can’t get attached to anyone, considering I’m dying and all.
I rush down the street, pulling my vest on as I pump my legs faster. My body aches from the fast movement.
I was distracting myself from the pain with a book and lost track of time. Now I’m running late for my second job at the Yardhouse. It’s the fanciest restaurant in town, catering mainly to tourists and couples on dates.
It’s also the strictest restaurant with its staff. If I’m late again, they’ll fire me. This job pays too well to lose it. Plus, Alpha Dawson got me the job; it’ll be so embarrassing if I get fired.
I glance down at my watch. I have five minutes to run two more blocks and get dressed. I pull my hair up, trying to wrap a scrunchie around it quickly.
My foot slips on the curb, twisting my ankle as my body tumbles toward the ground. I hold my hands out, bracing myself for the pain of hitting the hard concrete.
Then two strong hands catch my waist, stopping my fall midair and pulling me back up.
My muscles tense as I look up into the piercing blue eyes of my guardian angel. The world melts away around us, and I gasp.
He looks back at me, his black hair falling messily in his face as he smiles. My heart speeds up, and I struggle to look away. This man is seriously handsome.
“Hi,” he whispers, his voice sending a wave of desire through my body.
I bite my lip, pushing my body closer to his as electricity pulses between us. “Hi,” I whisper back, unable to think of anything else to say. My mind can only focus on him.
His face lights up as he hears my voice, and he leans closer to me.
He’s the only thing I can see, the only person who matters in this world.
The air stills around us, and I forget my worries. His hand glides up my side to my cheek, leaving a trail of sparks on my skin.
Would finding a human to date really be that bad? It could make the time before I die a little more enjoyable.
“Hey, you! Get away from her!” yells a familiar voice. “Maisie, are you okay?”
I pull away from the mystery man and turn toward Elisa, one of the other young waitresses who works with me at the Yardhouse. The fog suddenly disappears from my mind.
I drop my eyes to the ground and nod, unable to speak. Why was I letting that stranger touch me like that?
“Sorry, I…sorry,” the man says. “Don’t know what came over me. Please, forgive me.” Without another word, he spins on his heel and rushes away.
Elisa grabs my arm, pulling me toward the back entrance of the restaurant. “Are you okay?” she asks again, shaking me slightly.
I nod, finally able to speak. “Yeah, nothing happened; he was just… He caught me when I was falling.” I glance over my shoulder, but the man is gone. My stomach drops. Why did he run away? “I should get to work before I get in trouble for being late.”
“You have people requesting to sit in your section again,” announces Elisa. “They’re toward the back.”
Elisa and I have become fast friends. She’s everything I’m not: fun, free-spirited, and wild. She’s saving up to start college in the spring. I have to admit, I’ll miss her when she goes.
“Ugh, another table. It’s so busy,” I groan.
“Do you want me to take it?” She pauses, studying my face. Elisa’s been watching me like a hawk this shift. She’s concerned after the incident in the alley, which is sweet.
She continues, “It’s that older couple that always asks for you, so I didn’t want to argue.”
Of course, it’s Dawson and Dorothy. The pack usually keeps their distance from the human town, but I see some of the higher-level pack members here from time to time. The food is just that good.
I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
I approach my section. Alpha Dawson, Luna Dorothy, Beta Blake, and two strangers sit together at the best table in the house.
“Good to see you again,” I say to the three I know. Then, for the benefit of the others, I go into my standard waitress spiel. “My name is Maisie, and I’ll be your server to—” I cut off as I recognize one of the two strangers—a familiar, brown-haired woman.
I smile at her. “This is my third time today running into you! What luck. How was the bookstore?”
“Very fun! I found some great books.” She turns to the man beside her. “Honey, this is the nice woman I was telling you about—the one who helped me when I got lost today.”
This must be her husband. He’s tall, broad, and imposing—clearly a werewolf. But his curly brown hair, his wide grin, and the affectionate way he looks at his mate put me at ease.
He wraps an arm around her and chuckles. “Thank you so much for helping her! She has no sense of direction.”
Dorothy chimes in, “Maisie is a sweetheart. Your wife was in safe hands. Maisie, this is Gamma Lochlan and his wife, Lola, from Blue Mountain Pack.”
Both Dawson and Dorothy watch me for any sign of recognition as she says the pack’s name and makes introductions. They always bring their guests here, and part of me wonders if this is part of their investigation.
“Pleasure to meet you,” I greet, lowering my eyes out of respect.
“What would you like to…” I pause, my mind going blank as another man walks toward the table from the bathrooms. The dark-haired man from the alley.
He pauses as he sees me, and a smile flashes across his face. Our eyes lock—a familiar pull calling me to him.
Who is this handsome man, and why does he make me feel this way?
“Maisie, this is Alpha Kieran, from the Blue Mountain Pack,” Luna Dorothy announces as she gestures toward him.
I swallow hard, and my stomach churns.
An alpha. My eyes drop to the ground, avoiding the magical power of his gaze. This can’t be happening. I haven’t been drawn to anyone since I escaped, but now…I’m drawn to a werewolf.
Worst of all, he’s an alpha. I really do have terrible taste in men.
