Chapter 1

VERITY

I stared at the message on my phone and smiled.

“Hey gorgeous, I’m staying in the hotel for business, and I would like to see you later, Axel.”

He’s back in town again.

I could feel my stomach go into knots at the mere thought of seeing him again.

My mind races over the last time we saw each other, he came in here to have coffee, and we hooked up after my shift ended.

“Verity,” called Betty.

I groaned as I placed my phone back into my pocket and headed back into the store.

Betty glared at me, “Where the hell were you?” she hissed. “You are supposed to be working for another hour.”

I didn’t say anything and went back behind the counter to serve some customers their coffee.

I only had an hour to go till my shift was over, and I would be out of here. I had the weekend off, which was all I could think about lately.

I planned on going out with some friends tonight, but knowing Axel wanted to meet up, I knew I had to plan my escape to see him.

My friends don’t mind me hooking up with someone, but they are not too keen on Axel, mainly because of what he is.

Axel is a werewolf who lives not far from here.

You heard right, a werewolf.

Werewolves are known around the world. Our mayor doesn’t see a problem with them as long as they don’t kill any of us.

Axel lives within a pack, and they sometimes come here to the human town. I don’t know what kind of wolf he is, but he likes to have fun.

I remember meeting him on a night out, and we chatted for a bit. He returned with me to my apartment, and we hooked up. The s*x was out of this world, and I never knew a wolf could f**k hard and deep; he even had me in many positions. I didn’t want the night to end, but he left the next day without saying a word.

I was gutted that he left as he did, but I didn’t think about him for a few weeks till he strolled into the cafe I work in and sat at one of the tables. During my break, we started talking again and even exchanged numbers.

We started to text one another and sometimes call too. It was nice, but I didn’t have any expectations about what it was; I was just happy that he wanted to get to know me. But the phone calls stopped lately whenever he was in his pack, but he still would text when he was in town, and we would hook up.

My friends told me he was using me, but I didn’t want to believe them, but I knew part of me thought that they were right, but I was starting to fall for the guy.

Sounds stupid; I know to admit I was falling for him.

I’m only human.

But f**k, he is hot. He looked like a six-foot-eight greek model with abs to die for, and he knew how to pull off a suit.

The hour went by fast as only a few customers came in. They all know now what Betty was like around closing time as she would start losing her crap at people who walked in when it was closing. I could hear Betty putting things away. She always tidied the kitchen up while I served the customers towards the end.

I sighed as I watched the last person leave the cafe.

As they closed behind them, I started to clear away whatever was left behind the counter, which wasn’t much.

Once I was done, I walked from behind the counter, went to the door, and turned the sign over to close. I locked the door and closed the shade down over the door. The windows were already darkened as Betty hated people nosing in when she was closed; she becomes this insanely grumpy old woman when she doesn’t get her own way.

“Knock the light off when you leave,” grunted Betty, heading upstairs to her flat.

I sighed as I removed my apron, hung it up on the hook by the door, and headed into the back of the cafe to the little clock room to get my coat. I took the key off the hook by the door and held it in my hand as I pulled my jacket around me and headed out through the door.

I closed the door behind me and locked the door with the key.

I checked the door was locked before I posted the key back through the letter box. Betty hates locking up behind her; she left me to do it as she wanted to be safe.

I turned around and headed down the road to my little flat.

I only lived two blocks away from the cafe.

I wrapped my coat around me tightly and walked faster till I came to my building.

I walked in and went straight to my flat.

I took off my coat and headed into the kitchen to switch on the heating. I was cold, but I glanced around and leaned on the counter.

I pulled out my phone and looked at Axel’s message.

I pondered over whether I should see him.

I knew what would happen, and I didn’t know if I could stomach it again, being left in the morning after having another night with him.

A ping from my phone pulls me out of my thoughts, and I glance down at the screen, and my stomach tightens again.

Another message of him.

“Verity, please answer me; I want to see you, Axel.”

I stared at the message and sighed.

I wanted to see him.

I wanted to have another night with him.

Another ping rings out, and it’s off my friend, Kelly.

“Sorry, I can’t make going out tonight; I have an early meeting in the morning.” It read.

I sighed.

Great, now what was I going to do?

After a few moments, an idea pops into my head.

I hope Axel won’t mind coming here instead of going out.

I typed in my message to him, which read:

“Hey, sorry only now getting back to you; I was at work. I want to see you, but I don’t want to go out, how about you come here? I can make it worth your while.”

I pressed send and bit my bottom lip while waiting for a reply.

I didn’t know if he would come, but if he didn’t, then I would stay in and watch a film.

I could go out independently but wasn’t confident enough to do it.

I hated being alone sometimes, but it did have a few perks.

I could go anywhere I wanted without anyone telling me otherwise.

I moved to this town a few years back.

My family lives on the other side of the world, and I moved away from them as we never got along. My mother and I would argue over everything, and my father was someone who only bothered when he wanted something, which in his case was money.

I was an only child, and I learned long ago that I was on my own in this life.

I chose cafes to work.

I liked this town, but I didn’t like the job, as Betty was a hard nut to work with, but I couldn’t leave as I needed the money.

Well, that was a lie I keep telling Kelly. I kept telling her I needed the job as I needed the money, but I saved more than anyone. I learned how to have a good savings account, which I don’t dip into.

Kelly and I only became friends when she walked into the cafe, and her ex showed up and started to hound her; he won’t leave her alone and caused a scene.

I had to be the one to get him out of the cafe and help Kelly. Betty wasn’t in that day, thank god, or she would have thrown a casket if she had ever found out what I did to him. I have to admit; her ex did look better with a split lip and coffee stain down him.

I remember tossing him out of the cafe and closing the cafe. I ensured Kelly was okay and was calm enough to phone the police. I stayed with her, and we became friends from then on.

A ping broke my thoughts, which sent my stomach into a twisted knot.

I glanced down at my phone, and it was a message from Axel.

I opened it up and felt my stomach tighten with excitement as I read his message.

“Hey gorgeous, I thought you would be working. I didn’t know, though. I will come by your place about ten when everyone has left; see you soon, gorgeous.”

I smiled and looked up at the clock on the wall opposite.

I had three hours to get myself sorted.

I was excited but nervous.

I had to get ready, and I knew exactly what I would do.

I pushed off the counter and walked into the bathroom.

I needed to get ready.

I knew I had plenty of time, but I wanted to look good for him and knew exactly what I would wear for him.