Page 22

Scarlett

I t’s a little later on and I walk down the packhouse hallway when I see Keira and her leeches standing at the game room doorway giggling and whispering about something.

Cocking my brow, I walk over and try to see past them but sadly I am the shortest here.

“He’s so fit.”

“I wonder who he is…”

I’m about to push past when I feel the chilling aura I instantly recognise now. Shoving through, I don’t care when the girls shout at me as I squeeze through and find the boy in question sitting on the sofa, his long legs sprawled in front of him, a frown on his face as he plays some shooting game on the PlayStation.

“Eww, Keira, he’s a kid,” I growl, repulsed.

“He doesn’t look like one. Stop lying!” she retorts in a loud whisper.

I freeze, before I look up at her, casting her a withering glare. “The fuck?”

“What? He’s probably near 18 anyway.”

“He’s 15! Now get the hell out or I swear I’ll tell Elijah you’re perving at a kid!” I snarl, feeling suddenly protective of the creepy dude on the sofa.

He doesn’t move an inch, as if he can’t even see or hear us, but that’s not possible when they do nothing to keep their voices down.

“What a buzzkill you are, Scarlett.”

“So annoying!” Keira adds as the three scuttle off.

I shake my head, about to leave the room when he speaks. “Now why the fuck would you go and tell them my age? I can handle older girls… I don’t think they can handle me,” he mutters.

I raise an eyebrow as I turn and look at him. “Well, you’re still a pup, go find someone your age.” I turn away when I pause, realising what I just said. “And I mean when you get home.”

He looks up at me with a smirk that looks more like a predator ready to kill his prey. “I’m sure you must have lots of 15-year-olds around here,” he taunts.

I glare at him, knowing he’s trying to rile me up. “No sane girl from this pack would go near you,” I growl. “I change my mind, Keira’s open game.”

Annoyed, I storm out of the game room, deciding I’ll make sure to tell Indigo to stay away from him.

“No fucking thanks.” I hear him mutter.

He’s a strange one, but there’s something about him that is not… normal. But I’m not one to say anything. I’m not normal either.

Later that evening, as promised , I go to the restaurant. It’s the only restaurant on pack grounds and because of that it is super busy most of the time.

However, lately it feels like I have rarely covered many shifts with everything that is going on.

The owners are an old werewolf couple. Although they don’t do as much around here anymore, they are always nearby making sure no one messes around and keeping order in place. Werewolves can get rowdy.

They’re both happy to see me and I thank them for understanding. Although it’s a weekday, today is another busy evening, so I get to work waitressing.

There is no uniform as it is a casual place, so I am dressed in black jeans and a white blouse with a few buttons left open from the top, paired with some studded heels. My tiny apron is wrapped around my waist, holding a notepad and pen that I never needed before. But since my mind-link is gone, and I can’t link with the cooks in the back, I need to write everything down for them.

“Are those ours, sugar?” David, the owner, calls from where he sits near the window, talking to some other elder werewolves. I walk over to put their mugs of hot drinks down in front of them.

“Yes, they are. And Claire wants you at the counter when you’re done,” I inform him as I turn around.

“Best hurry,” one of the other men says, “now that our Alpha Scarlett’s stated.” I give him a small smirk.

“Exactly.” It is common knowledge now that I am an alpha, and, although many of the younger men have ego issues, most of the elderly male wolves have taken it well and joke about it.

“Excuse me, Scarlett! Can we get some more water?” Keira screeches, making me flinch. Her voice is nasally and screechy as always; it reminds me of someone scraping their nails down a chalkboard.

“Right…” I walk off to grab a bottle of water and then take it to their table, placing it down. I am about to leave when Keira suddenly grabs my wrist.

“We’re not done yet!” Keira says smugly. “Clear this table up!” I pull free and glare at the woman. The food is only half-eaten.

“Are you done?”

“Duh, or we wouldn’t tell you to clean this up, would we?” she remarks challengingly. “That’s your job, right? Do it, waiter girl.”

“Watch it! I don’t like being told what to do, and next time, make sure you don’t touch me,” I growl, my eyes flashing a steely silver. Keira pales as my aura rolls off me, and she moves back in her seat nervously. Her two friends look as scared as she does. I turn to leave, grabbing a few plates from their table, and head to the kitchen, sighing inwardly.

I don’t actually miss working here. I preferred the salon, but thanks to the dangers of venturing out, I have to stick to pack grounds as much as possible. Lost in thought, I don’t look where I am walking, missing the slight bump in a floorboard that has yet to be replaced from a fight that took place here several weeks back. I stumble, almost hitting the ground face first when someone catches me.

“Fuck!” I gasp, grabbing onto my saviour’s shirt, popping one of the buttons off his red button-down due to my strength.

“Wow, you want to fight even when someone’s saving you, huh?” Liam teases, his warm eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Sorry,” I say, quickly letting go and smoothening my own shirt. “I was distracted.”

“I figured as much,” he says, looking into my eyes. Seeing Liam staring at me, clearly lost in thought, makes me a little uncomfortable. Why have I never noticed it before?

“So, what are you doing here?” I ask, just as something Monica said comes to mind, making me swallow, and feeling a little nervous.

“We should go hang out, maybe kick everyone out of the game room to celebrate a win,” Aaron says.

“I think you boys should carry on, us girls are going to unwind,” Monica answers quickly. I glance at her curiously.

“Red, what do you think?” Elijah asks me.

“I’m going to hang with Monica.” There’s a reason she said what she did and I’m curious…

Once we’re alone, I raise an eyebrow. “What was that all about?” I ask.

She sighs. “Maybe me just feeling sorry for Liam?” she admits sheepishly. “I just think he should be given a little time. I know Aaron means well but men are such dunces. I don’t think he realises it’s not easy on Liam. I mean, he’ll get used to it, but he should get a little time.”

“Monica, what are you going on about?”

“Liam, you know he’s liked you for ages… right?”

My eyes widen as I take in what she’s just said. “What?”

“Shit. You had no idea.”

The flowers, the concern… it all makes sense now.

The woman knows all the latest gossip, and once you get to know her, she starts to spill it all. But that revelation about Liam wasn’t one I was expecting. I have to admit, he is a handsome, well-mannered man. I just wish he didn’t like me because I’m in love with his best friend. I know it’s not my fault, but I still feel guilty.

“Why does any person come to a restaurant?” he asks with a smile. I smirk, smoothing my apron.

“Well, many reasons actually, not just for the food,” I say, looking around for something to keep myself busy with and begin picking up the plates that clattered to the floor. We switched to plastic a few years ago when too much dinnerware was broken in fights.

“You mean there are other reasons aside from eating?” Liam asks as he follows me. I stop, turning suddenly, almost knocking into him again, but he manages to stop before I do.

“Oh yeah, many. So do you want me to get you a menu or…?” I trail off. What am I even saying? I raise an eyebrow, hoping he doesn’t realise I’m acting weird. His playful smile vanishes, and he looks away.

“Can you join me?” he asks quietly. My eyes widen as I try to stay calm.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I step back to create distance between us as I try to come up with an excuse.

“I’d love to but I’m working-”

“Yes, she can!” David shouts. I glare at him. That damn old man has his ears everywhere.

I glance at Liam, who smiles at him. “Thanks!” He gives me an obvious wink.

Ok, this is not what I was expecting, but what else can I do but agree?