Mate Massacres

Chapter 14

My birthday wish is that you comment on this chapter using only emojis.

- Sian

Pip and Krey walked together down the street, close enough to touch, quiet enough to seem like strangers. Krey was pleased they had talked a little and gotten to know a bit more about one another. Their encounters were awkward, and neither of them had much to say. Still, meeting up was progress, especially for Krey.

Thinking of Pip was enough to calm his anxious thoughts. Seeing Pip was enough to help him forget about the stresses of his Alpha life.

Meeting Pip had its dangers. Krey would have suffered more if his mate was a wolf from another pack. At least Pip was close and in their town.

"Pippor Monty, why do you never answer your phone?" a woman asked, blocking their path.

Pip and Krey stopped in front of a woman in her mid-forties. She wore a long floral dress and a long grey coat. She had wavy brown hair like Pip, though Pips was short and hers was beyond her shoulders. She carried lots of shopping bags.

"Hi Joa-"

"Pip, I've just been to the café. I've asked them to give you an extra shift tonight because your uncle and I need a bit of extra money at the end of the month. You start in ten minutes." She smiled at Pip, then up at Krey and crossed the road towards the house.

Krey looked down to Pip in time to catch his resentment. "That's your aunt?" Pip nodded, and his lips curled away from a smile. Krey looked back to Pip's aunt rushing down the street. He narrowed his eyes. "I'll walk you to the café then."

Pip's smile didn't return as they changed direction, away from the woods.

A small building soon came into view with a pastel blue sign saying, 'Crescent café'. The interior was pastel blue too, with booths all around the outside and tables and chairs crowding the middle. The walls were exposed brickwork, covered in large frames with black and white pictures.

The boys looked around. Only two people sat in the café.

"Pippor," Debra said with a sad smile from over the counter. Her eyes lingered on Krey for a long few seconds. "Your aunt found you then?"

"Yes." Pip matched her sad smile.

Krey couldn't stand it. "I'll stay," he said, glancing around, feeling out of place, already sensing Debra's judgement. "I'll get a drink." He sat in one of the booths, knowing he should have gone home too, but the human wasn't happy. Krey couldn't leave him like that.

"I'll be back i-in a moment." Pip hurried through the café and out of sight.

The two older men sitting at the counter turned to stare at him. Krey glared, and they looked away. He picked up a menu and stared at the choices. He was hungry, but he was also a werewolf which meant that Krey was rarely not hungry.

He only had a five-pound note on him and decided just a coffee was best.

Krey looked around the café once more. Debra's interested gaze didn't shy away. This time last week, Krey would have laughed in the face of anyone who said he'd be following his mate all over Crescent Town. Things could change quickly, too quickly. In this case, the change wasn't necessarily a bad one.

Krey felt different around Pip. The weight on his shoulders wasn't as heavy.

Pip returned wearing a white t-shirt with a pastel blue 'Crescent Café' printed on the front and 'STAFF' printed on the back. He wore a pastel blue apron around his waist. The blue matched his eyes.