TANIAAfter a few hours, the bar was sparkling clean. I leaned against the counter to rest, as I was exhausted from cleaning.Suddenly, a low growl echoed. I have not eaten lunch yet. I touched my belly, as it grumbled again, and as I stood there wondering what to eat, my ears perked up at the sound of soft footsteps approaching me. Turning around, I saw Zarek.Tsk, now he appears out of nowhere after cleaning everything.My gaze shifted to the bowl he carried. It was a bowl filled with food and the sweet aroma of the food wafted into my nostrils.Finally... “You arrived just in time; I'm starving,” I said. As soon as he placed the bowl on the counter, I picked up a spoon, intending to eat.But just as I was about to take a bite, I felt a smack on my hand. I looked up to see Zarek smiling warmly. “I wasn't expecting you to even touch the mop,” he said, “but you did a great job. Hopefully, you'll work just as well as a bartender tonight. Then, the boss will give me feedback on whethe
TANIA“Familiar?” I almost choked. Why is he suddenly talking about it?Zarek nodded as if trying to place me. Then, he spoke, “Yeah, I've heard it before. It sounds similar to the name of someone related to an Alpha. I tried looking into it, but there are tons of women with that name. Also, the internet isn't involved with anything lycanthropic so it was a waste of time.” I heaved a sigh of relief as he spoke. Trying to persuade him and steer the conversation away from that topic, I said, “I told you, I'm just a she-wolf who is trying to make ends meet.”He raised an eyebrow, sceptical. “If you're struggling to get by, this isn't the right place for you. We don't exactly rake it in here.”I shrugged, and continued, “I love it here and I only work where I'm happy. Plus, Lizzy is a great bonus.”Speaking of Lizzy, I could not hear her loud chatter. Has she left? I got up to check. Opening the door, I peeked outside. I could not see her or her cousins. Thank goddess!I was about to le
TANIA“Nikolas!” A blood-curdling scream pierced the air, and it was coming from Delilah's lips. She rushed to Nikolas's side, dropping to her knees in a fluid motion. She cupped his face, her hands trembling as she tried to assess the severity of his injury.“Oh, my goddess... oh, my goddess...” she whispered, her voice shaking with fear and panic. Tears streamed down her face as a few pack doctors rushed in and attended to Nikolas.~~~~I sat awake all night, bothered by the scene. I had only kicked him in the groin. How did he end up in a pool of blood? Then, I watched how Delilah paced around, obviously waiting for the doctor's report.“Goddess, heal him,” she prayed repeatedly, getting on my nerves.She is not his mate yet she was very concerned. Even my wolf didn't pity him. She was glad that he got the taste of his own medicine.“Geez, calm down already! He is not dead anyway,” I yelled.Delilah glared at me, her face red with anger. “You should be blamed for everything. You
TANIA“I love you, Delilah, and I can never repay you with evil,” Nikolas's voice echoed in the room. I stiffened, my heart sinking. So, it was true. An Omega had once mentioned that Delilah had been Nikolas's rock during his reign as Alpha, covering up his excesses and infidelities. Meanwhile, I was just the other woman, invisible to Nikolas's eyes.I forced myself to move, heading to the kitchen to order the Omega to prepare a meal. I couldn't afford to eat out, and accepting another meal from Zarek felt like a burden, knowing he struggled financially. As I changed and headed to the bar, a sense of unease settled in.The bar was eerily empty when I arrived, even Zarek was nowhere to be seen, but the door was unlocked. “Why would he forget to lock the door?” I wondered, my curiosity piqued. I pushed open the door and stepped inside. At first, I heard muffled voices, a soft murmur that seemed to come from a room in the back. The voices grew louder, and I followed the sound to a
TANIAThe foggy, unfocused gaze was gone, replaced by a sharp, inquiring look that suggested Zarek was finally back to his normal self.“When did you enter the room? And where are the others?” Zarek asked as his expression remained puzzled. It was as if he had not noticed me holding him, comforting him, just moments before.“They left, and I entered the room a few minutes ago,” I explained.Meanwhile, Zarek closed his eyes like he was trying to recall what happened. Then, he looked away and said, “You should leave.”“Leave?” I asked, taken aback by his words.“Yes, right now,” Zarek said quickly as he tried to sit up. He gently lifted his head off my lap and shifted away from me, his movements awkward due to his injuries. I reached out to help him, but he sat up quickly and let out a silent groan.I didn't want to leave him in such a bad state.“Zarek, I can stay and help you until you're fine,” I said. “You can't see a doctor since you're not supposed to be in this pack, so I'll hel
TANIAZarek's voice sounded low and gentle, but it hit me like a poisonous dagger. I blinked, preventing any tears from falling.“You are overreacting,” My wolf said, and I nodded slightly. Yes, I was exaggerating.I wanted Zarek as a temporary distraction, like I had with other werewolves to get over my ex-boyfriends. But he was different - poor and compassionate.If any seer mentioned I'd like a poor man, I'd stomp my feet.Poor meant weak in my mind. I couldn't possibly be attracted to someone who couldn't provide for me. But Zarek's presence made me question everything. For the first time, I wondered if I had been wrong to judge someone based on their wealth and status.Finally, I mustered the courage to speak. “If you made your stay in this pack temporary because of me, you should reconsider your decision. I won't try to return to this bar, let alone see you,” I said calmly.With that, I turned and walked away, my heart heavy with disappointment.~~~~“Look at that, she returned
TANIAThe following day, I woke up with a wide smile on my face. My mind was racing with thoughts about the dress I would choose and I felt relieved!Best day ever!I had breakfast with Nikolas, and just like I planned, I waited for him to begin the conversation about the Moon Gala. Meanwhile, I pretended to be unaware.“Didn't you receive any message last night?” Nikolas began.I raised my head and replied, “What message?”Nikolas cleared his throat quietly. “Well, we were invited to the Moon Gala, and I know you will be interested in it.”“Tsk, we?” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “What about your darling Delilah? Is she too embarrassed to address other Alphas and Lunas?” Nikolas's eyes turned serious, but I didn't stop there. I flashed a mischievous smile at him, and added, “I know she's a big failure-”He cut me off, irritation evident in his tone, “Tania, can we just discuss without mocking Delilah?” “Honestly, I'm not mocking her. I'm just intrigued. I mean, why would y
TANIA“Zarek?” I whispered and my heart skipped a beat. I took in the familiar sight of Zarek's broad back and dark brown hair, and I knew that it was him instantly. His voice, his broad back... It seemed as though they were plastered in my mind.My face grew warm when I noticed that he was fine. He didn't seem to be hurt or in pain. I felt a sense of relief wash over me, and then... I couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked, even in his simple clothes.My wolf whispered, “We came here to get our dress for the Moon Gala, not drool over Zarek.”But I couldn't help myself. I found myself wondering what he'd look like in finer attire. “He is just so handsome,” I thought, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. If the Moon Goddess had blessed him with wealth, I would have attempted to win him over. Perhaps I would have even tried to seduce him.“Oh, please! Have some dignity, Tania,” my wolf said.“What's with the talk about dignity? That's what I did to get food on the table while I