Little witch

First Shift

Adeline's P.O.V

It had been a week since I stepped foot in this town, and despite my worries, it was almost... peaceful. The wolves were here, I could sense them, but they hadn't approached me. In fact, it felt like they were pretending I didn't exist. The few I'd crossed paths with didn't so much as glance my way, their indifference unsettling. I thought they'd be more territorial, more aggressive, especially since I was a witch. But they just ignored me.

I wasn't complaining, though. Being invisible was good. Being invisible meant I could blend in, keep my head down, and move on when I needed to.

The small diner in town had offered me a job, which was more than I expected. The owner was kind enough, a human who didn't seem to know much about the wolves that lived on the outskirts of town. I didn't ask questions. The less I knew, the safer I was.

Today was my first shift, and my nerves were a mess. My fingers fumbled with the strings of my apron as I tied it behind my back. The morning rush had been slow, a few regulars stopping in for coffee and pie, nothing too stressful. But my body was still on edge, my senses heightened, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror by the coffee machine and sighed. My copper hair was pulled into a loose braid, a few strands falling into my face. The freckles across my nose stood out more today, thanks to the sunburn I'd caught the day before, and my dark green eyes looked a little too tired. I hadn't been sleeping well—not that I ever did—but this place had a way of making my nerves buzz constantly. It was quiet, but the kind of quiet that was too good to be true.

The bell above the diner door jingled, and I straightened, quickly plastering a smile on my face. A couple walked in, laughing softly as they slid into a booth by the window. I grabbed a notepad and walked over, the familiar routine calming my nerves.

"Morning," I greeted them, trying to sound cheerful. "What can I get you?"

They ordered their drinks, and I went through the motions, my mind wandering as I poured their coffee. The week had gone by quickly, but it hadn't felt real. I was always looking over my shoulder, always waiting for something to happen. Maybe it was the wolves. Maybe it was just me, used to running, used to things falling apart.

The door jingled again, and this time, I felt it. The air shifted, a familiar wildness creeping into the diner, thickening the air. I didn't need to look up to know who it was. My heart pounded in my chest, and I gripped the coffee pot tighter.

_Titus Hunt._

I'd seen him once, the day I arrived. The motorcycle, the leather jacket, the look in his eyes. I hadn't known who he was at first, but the town was small, and people talked. Alpha of the Red Moon Pack. The wolves all answered to him.

And now he was here, in the diner, walking in like he owned the place—which, in a way, he probably did.

I glanced up just as he and another man, tall and broad, walked to a booth in the back. The second man I recognized as Zander, the pack's beta. My pulse quickened, and I quickly looked away, focusing on the coffee in front of me. They hadn't acknowledged me, hadn't even glanced my way. That should've been a relief, but instead, it sent a chill down my spine.

I finished pouring the coffee and brought it over to the couple, trying to keep my hands from shaking. My heart was still racing, the scent of him—earth and leather, like the forest after a storm—lingering in the air. I didn't understand why I could feel him so intensely, why my body reacted like this every time he was near.

I walked back behind the counter, pretending to be busy. But my eyes kept drifting to the back booth, where Titus sat, leaning back casually, talking quietly with Zander. His presence filled the room, drawing every ounce of my attention even though I was doing everything I could to ignore it.

They weren't just here for lunch. I could feel it. Something had changed the moment he walked in, like the air had thickened with tension. I stole another glance, my eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments.

And then it hit me again, that pull. That strange, almost magnetic feeling that had me frozen in place. His eyes, dark and intense, locked onto mine for just a second before he looked away, continuing his conversation as if nothing had happened.

I swallowed hard, trying to shake off the feeling, but it clung to me like a second skin. Something was happening. I just didn't know what.