An Invitation

~Kyra

The bell at the entrance of the Cafe dings lightly, signalling the arrival of a patron.

I do not need to glance up to know who it is, Lana's scent is one I am completely familiar with and the moment the cafe doors open, I can identify the arriving guest.

She is finally here, after three days, but what is she here for? I cannot be certain of that.

I can hear her footsteps as she approaches the counter, I keep my eyes fixed on the coffee maker as I attend an order for the table at the end of the Cafe,

The quiet scoff from Hailey, though barely audible does not escape my notice, I can picture in my mind's eye the disdainful look Hailey has on her face, she has never really liked Lana for reasons I am yet to completely understand,

Hailey had put ideas in my mind, drawing my mind to previous events when Lana had hinted at my crush on Alpha Mikos, and how my eyes turned dreamy whenever he showed up on the news,

Hailey had hinted that perhaps Lana had been intimate with Alpha Mikos knowing that there was a possibility that he would be my mate, 

I would never believe such and Hailey, well, she was human and did not really understand how these things worked.

And because she was my friend, it was only natural that she was suspicious of the 'other woman'.

"Little Kay," Lana called to me fondly as she arrives at the counter. 

"Hey Lans." I murmur, my voice barely a whisper, even at this moment the thought lingers, 

'Had Lana known I had witnessed it or was she ignorant to it all?'

'Did she know who Mikos was to me or was I letting Hailey get to me?'

"Kyra, hurry up with the order!" Hailey calls to me, her tone tight.

My response is a quiet hum, but I do not fail to notice the subtle sneer Lana passes Hailey's way, even Hailey would fail to notice it, but I wasn't human and so I saw.

"Little Kay, I hate it when you're too busy to pay attention to me. My usual, join me at the booth in a bit, yes?" Lana says, in a sweet tone, her lips pouting childishly.

"Sure. Just a moment." I respond, 

As Lana leaves, I feel Hailey's glare boring a hole through my head but I once again ignore it.

If I looked at Hailey again, I might break down crying even before confirming if Lana had any knowledge of what had happened three days ago,

I wrap up with the orders I have pending and quickly fix Lana's coffee and one for myself too, before taking off the apron and heading for Lana's usual booth whenever she comes to visit my workplace,

"I still cannot understand why you insist on staying in such a place." Lana spoke first, the moment she knew I was within hearing range to pick up on her words.

Saying nothing, I pass her her coffee and take a seat, placing mine down in front of me, I took a sip of mine and Lana did the same exclaiming just a moment later,

"Ah, that's hot!" 

I glance blankly down at the coffee in my hand before glancing back at Lana who still had a small frown on her face.

"I still cannot understand your resistance to heat. This is much too hot, we should let it cool for a bit." Lana suggests.

I take another small sip of my coffee, despite Lana's words and only then do I put mine down and pose a simple question, 

"Lans, why have you come?" I ask, 

I know Lana well enough, if not nudged, she would beat around the bush for a long time.

"Why? I cannot pay my little cousin a visit anymore? Do you know how tasking it was to shake off the reporters on my trail to make some time to come see you?" Lana questioned,

I breathe a quiet sigh, I know Lana's words are true, while I was a she-wolf who doubles as a barista in the city, my cousin Lana is a well accomplished socialite.

"I know, it is why I do not want you seen around these parts. It would not be good for your image, if you were photographed here." I murmur,

"You can be here and I can't?" Lana asks, with a roll of her eyes,

"If you do not want me coming around here as often as I do then you should not be here." Lana points out,

"We have a home in the choicest part of the city and yet here you are in a no-name cafe, working for meagre human pay whilst sharing a room with some human girl." Lana adds,

'You have a home.' I am tempted to correct, but I hold myself back as I often did.

"Well, you're done with college now, you no longer have any excuses to avoid pack interactions and carry on mingling with only humans."

"Dad wants you to know that he has found you a befitting job in Alpha Mikos's corporation. You should make plans to come back home, we've all had enough of......this." Lana said, her eyes scanning the cafe, a sneer on her lips.

Lana's words are not unexpected. After college, members of the pack were supposed to find employment in pack-affiliated corporations, rather than human establishments.

But more than Lana's words, I find myself more fixated at the mention of that name 'Alpha Mikos'.

As if on cue, a familiar voice blares from the small television, speaking on civil rights and other such governing affairs,

That charismatic voice belongs to the District Attorney, Mikos Landry, but to all shifters on these lands, he is the respected Alpha Mikos, Alpha wolf of this territory.

"You still drool over Mikos I see." Lana comments, 

Her words draw me back to the event Hailey had hinted at, it was a situation like this and her words that day had been, 

"You do not show interest in people, our kind and humans alike. If you ask me, I would bet a million bucks that Mikos is your mate." She had said then, 

I finally dare a glance straight into Lana's eyes, and all I see is the usual teasing look, does this mean she knows nothing?

If she knew nothing, then how was I to break it to her that the man she was involved with was my mate?

Lana is the golden girl of our pack, literally, with her head of platinum blonde tresses whereas I....well I don't really know what I am.

"Tonight, an exclusive gala will be held in honor of Mikos's 28th year. Of course, all of our pack and many more honored guests of our kind will be in attendance. Dad wants you there... you know his patience is running thin." Lana reminds me.

She reaches into her purse and pulls out an invitation card, sliding it to me across the table.

"Come home earlier, your dress was delivered to your room already. I have to be on my way now, I have an interview to catch." Lana adds as she gets to her feet.

She reaches over and ruffles my hair fondly before strutting out. Once Lana is gone, I pick up the invitation card with shaky hands.

"Mikos invites you to the annual Moon Gala..." The invitation reads in bold, black and glossy lettering.

For me, this means one thing I had dreaded... I will have to face Mikos again.