chapter 3

LUNA ALEX

The next day when I had arrived at the restaurant there was a man in a suit sitting on top of his car. I didn't know much about cars but I knew his was expensive leaving me to believe that he was well off, and when people like him came to your door it wasn't always pleasant.

"Alex Anderson." I hesitantly nodded. "My name is Willie and I work at The Red Café. I was wondering if I could have a few moments of your time."

"What do you want?" I asked uninterestedly as I unlocked the doors to the restaurant.

"I have an amazing opportunity for you. My boss is looking for a place to extend his-."

This wouldn't be the first time that someone has tried to buy the restaurant and I know it wouldn't be the last. I had heard and seen it all. They would throw a big number at you, only to slowly decrease it as time went on. I really didn't need the headache or the drama.

"Sorry to cut you off but I'm quite busy and I'm not looking into doing any type of business with your boss. Thanks for the opportunity." I closed the door in his face.

After locking the door, I turned on the jukebox, my dad bought it three years ago. My dad had always wanted one ever since he open this place up but the one he wanted was extremely rare and very expensive, so when he finally saved up enough money he bought the first one he could find.

The first song that played was "Purple Rain" by Prince. My dad was in love with old R&B and so was I considering that all he ever play on weekend mornings. A lot of the music out today just wasn't my style, none of it had any meaning, and there was only a few new artist that I actually listen to.

As the song played in the background I begin brewing fresh coffee and cleaning all the tables. Thirty minutes later Jack arrived along with his teenage daughter Melissa who worked as a waitress on the weekend and during her summer break.

"Hey Alex, how are you?" She asked with her usual cheerful voice. One that was way too happy for seven o'clock in the morning.

"Fine, and yourself," I smiled. Melissa had practically grown up here, and over the years I had grown used to her cheerful attitudes, she had a way of making even the worse situations happy. "Morning Jack."

"Morning." He waved before heading to the kitchen to start preparing the food.

"So, now that you're graduated what do you plan on doing?" She asked as she put on her apron.

"Working here, and then in the Fall, I'm gonna go to Blue Ash." She frowned.

"That sucks." I shrugged. There was nothing else that I could do. "Well, at least you can stay here." She said trying to make light of the situation.

"How come you're not going to school today?" I asked.

"It's the last day and you only had to go if you had an exam and I finished my yesterday." She explained.

"Cool, so what are your plans for summer break." I pulled the blinds open and flipped the close sign, open."

"Boring as usually. I swear I can't wait to go to college." Melissa was a high school sophomore at one out of the two high schools. I went to the other one, it was a private school that wasn't even half as big as hers. "This town is just so boring." Forest Park was a really small town, the population being less than 10,000 but to me it was home and there's no place I would rather live.

"Well, you got a couple of years." I laughed.

"I know." She begins replacing and cleaning off syrup and ketchup bottles on the tables. The door rattle letting us know that a customer had come in.

"Morning Mr. and Mrs. White." I greeted an elderly couple that came in almost every other morning since they had retired 10 plus years ago.

"Morning!" She handed me a basket of cookies. "Sorry about your dad." She smiled at me with pity in her eyes before taking their seat at their booth.

"Thanks, Mrs. White." I croaked.

I took the basket and placed it on the counter. "W-What will it be this morning, the regular?" I could feel the tears start to build up and my throat to started to close.

I was seriously hoping no one would bring him up. I had finally reached a point where I could stop crying. "Yes, darling." I wrote it on my pad and waved to Melissa to pour them some coffee as I ripped the order off my pad and placed it on to Jack's order stand, and hit the bell. "Order up."

I went into my office and shut the door. An hour later when I was finally able to stop crying I headed back to the front.

<><>

ALPHA RYAN

"What do you mean she said no?" I asked Willie.

"She didn't even let me finish my sentence before she slammed the door in my face." He said angrily. I could tell it bothered him the way the human girl treated him, I, on the other hand, found it hilarious.

"Next time you go, bring my check book." I open my drawer and threw my checkbook in his direction.

"Okay." He nodded before exiting my office.

Just as I begin filling out some a paperwork for the pack Lily walked in. "Care to knock next time."

She rolled her eyes, "I need some money, the Summer Moon Bash is coming up and I need an outfit.

The Summer Moon Bash was a thing that happens every year and went on for a whole weekend. It was created by the Head Pack council and the purpose of it was so that young pups could meet their mates and it was a way for wolves to socialize. I had gone every year for five years until I realize that my mate wasn't in attendance and it was just a waste of time and energy. This year it was hosted by the Crescent Moon Pack and would be Lily's first time going. It was something that all the teenagers look forward to at the end of the school year. I wasn't worried about letting her go, almost all the teenagers in the pack were going along with plenty of enforcers to watch over them.

"How about you get a job and actually earn your money for once," I suggested with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "And where am I supposed to get a job at."

I gestured to the place that we were currently in. "Red Café." I said in a 'duh' tone.

She shook her head. "No way, I don't want to work there."

"Why not?" I asked defensively.

Who wouldn't want to work for family?

She folded her arms. "Can you just give me the money? Mom and dad said you were supposed to give me an allowance every week while there away."

"Fine. But you need to get a job." I pulled my wallet from my pocket.

"Fine." I handed her my credit card. "Are you really going to go see a witch?" She teased.

"Who told you that?"

Witches were one of the many creatures besides werewolf's that quietly existed.

"Mom did, she said you were going there to ask if you would be meeting your mate anytime soon." I groaned.

"Why did I tell dad?" I asked myself out loud.

"You should know by now that he tells her everything." She laughed, "Well I gotta go." She kissed my cheek before leaving my office.

After finishing off the rest of my work. I headed to the pack house to see how training was going. Half of the wolves were either running laps or doing hand and hand combat, there were a few younger pups watching in the distance. "How's training going Daniel?" I asked my Gamma.

Daniel was a sixteen-year-old wolf that had taken over his role at the age of 14 because of an attack on the pack that left his father dead. "Great Alpha. A lot of the young wolves are improving."

"Excellent. Keep up the good work." It was important to acknowledge the good work that he has done, with him being so young and taking on such a big role in the pack. I pat his shoulder before going over to a group of young wolves that haven't yet shifted.

"Alpha." They all bowed.

"Hello children, let's see those final report cards." They all pulled out their report cards from their book bags and showed them to me. "Good job." I gave each of the pups a high five along with $100. "Now keep up the good work." I ruffled their hair.

It was important always for me to developed strong relationships between the young pups, considering they were the future of the pack.

The time had finally come and I was scheduled to meet with the witch at her house. "Alpha Ryan?" Sara who was the witch asked, I nodded and she opens the door for me. "Come in." I walked in and she led me to a table in her back room.

"Tell me why you're here today." She asked as I sat down, she grabbed her lighter and lit the candles that were around the table.

"My mate."

"What about her or him?" She smirked.

"Ha-ha very funny."

"Plenty of wolves have same-sex mates." She explained.

We hadn't personally had any in our pack but it was coming to be a bit more common. If there happen to be a pair of same-sex mates in our pack I would treat them just as I did everyone else. But I was sure that my mate was a she-wolf. "When will I meet her?" I emphasized her.

'Our mate is perfect no matter what.' My wolf voiced and I couldn't agree more.

"You've been looking for her." She stated. I had no idea how she knew that but when it came to witches they had a way of finding out everything.

"Yea, ever since I turned 18."

When I turned 16 and was able to find my mate I decide I would just wait it out, but when I turned 18 and I still hadn't found my mate I begin to worry and went on a trip to all the different packs in the U.S. and Europe, and now with me still not knowing my mate I was now beyond afraid that I would never find her.

"Stop looking, she'll be here soon enough." She concluded.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."