Helenium

1. Luca

The stockroom of the Krafting Krafts store is full of boxes waiting to be sorted and their contents put away. The ones I'm currently looking for are located on the shelf above my head which wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that I don't know what happened to the latter. This leaves the boxes just out of my reach and me mentally cursing my short stature, not that five foot six is exactly short but in a store originally made for guys closer to six feet.

I stand on my toes and reach up hoping that I can slide the boxes forward even slightly only for the tips of my fingers to graze the side of the cardboard. "Come on."

"You be careful dear. The last thing either of us needs is for one of those boxes to fall."

"I know gran, I'm trying." After trying to move it at a different angle only to have the same problem, I started considering changing forms, before climbing the counter and using my paws to just knock the box down.

"I would offer to help dear, but these small fuzzy arms don't have the strength to grab anything."

"I know gran." Which is the truth, I'm the only one who understands grandma's predicament. Unlike me who's a half shifter, grandma's a hundred percent witch or rather was before she died. How her spirit connected and got stuck in an old worn teddy bear, neither of us really don't know and she's been stuck like that for the past two years, so we've both pretty much given up trying to figure it out. "If there wasn't glass in it I would knock it down."

"This is a perfect time for that hottie of a store owner to show up and lend a hand."

I'm certain that if the bear had eyebrows she would be wiggling them. "Well he's not, it's just me and unless you're going to tell me where the latter is, could you please let me focus."

"As you wish dear, I'll keep my fuzzy lips closed."

Despite her promise to remain quiet, she sits on the counter staring at me with those glass bead eyes which isn't totally creepy at all. After another failed attempt at getting the box down, I step into the front of the store and grab the bar stool from behind the counter, carrying it into the back and placing it down right where I need to reach.

Against my better judgement, I climb on top of the stool with my arms out to balance myself, before grabbing the box just in time to feel a shiver run down my spine alerting me that someone had just opened the door. As I move to step down I hear a loud crack and by the time I realize what caused it the stool under my feet is falling over and me with it.

"Luca!!" Gran's scream goes unnoticed by whoever has entered the store.

Without even realizing what I'm doing I've already begun to change, the box begins to slip from my fingers. I quickly toss it onto the counter, just as my paws hit the floor and the entire time, hoping that the contents inside will survive the contact with minimal damage. 'Well, that sure sucked.'

The door to the stock room opens to reveal the gorgeous hunk who I could spend hours staring at, who happens to be my boss Max. "What is going on Snow?"

I sit down and stare up at him in silence, my tail lying against my hind leg. 'Why couldn't he get creative when it came to giving me a nickname? Just because I'm a snow leopard doesn't mean a constant reminder.' I do my best to keep my gaze on his face despite our height difference, especially right now, as I'm currently eye level with his abs that I'm more than certain are hidden away under that hunter green button-up he's wearing.

"Are you going to sit there all day staring at him or are you going to get some work done?" Gran's voice is teasing, but also she sounds worried as well.

'It's probably from watching me fall.' I don't even have to think about it, as the change happens again leaving me sitting on the floor in the stock room, thankfully my clothes went through the change with me, otherwise, my six-foot-something boss would be getting one hell of an eyeful right now.