The Alpha and Her Hunter

The bell tinkled over the front door, announcing a late afternoon customer. Willow sighed. She was hoping to close up early today. She had barely slept last night, and visions of her bed swam before her eyes. She dusted her hands on the tea towel hanging from her waist and turned to greet them, pasting a smile on her face. Her heart jolted, causing a blush to pink her cheeks. He was tall, nearly 6'3". His muscles strained against his grey, heathered long-sleeve tee. His hair was a thick, chestnut brown. He wore it longer on top, the strands curling loosely around his abnormally handsome face. She was taken in by his sharp jaw and high cheekbones. No one had a right to be that handsome. She patted her auburn braid, assuring that nothing was out of place. His smile was warm as she approached the counter. "Hey, what can I get you?" she asked. He checked his phone. "A medium latte, large black coffee, and two small chai teas, please," he replied, reading from his phone. "Great. T

Willow tossed and turned. She couldn't get comfortable. Her sheets twisted around her legs and eventually she kicked them to the floor. With a loud sigh, she got up. She checked her phone. 3:03 am. "Ugh," she said aloud and tossed it back onto her bed. She mussed her long curls and rubbed her dry eyes. She had only managed to sleep for about two hours before it had evaded her completely. Her body felt restless. Feeling trapped, she craved the open air. Glancing out the window, the moon shone brightly, taunting her. She knew she wouldn't be getting sleep tonight. She padded quietly down the steps. Her grandmother's snores tore through the house, covering the squeaky wooden steps. Willow stopped by the back door and pulled off her clothes, folding them neatly on the bench tucked away near the coat closet. Naked, she stepped outside. The grass was cool against her feet as she crossed the yard towards the forest. The trees beckoned to her. She shook out her long hair and raised her

Garin felt a tangible shock as she walked into the bar. He had been keeping his distance from the café all day, hoping to avoid running into her. She looked incredible. He had only ever seen her once, the day before but he hadn't paid that much attention to what she was wearing. He didn't realize how long her hair was. It had been pulled back into a tight braid the first time he had seen her. Now her hair tumbled free over her shoulders, a cascade of rubies in the candlelight. She was dressed in a skin-tight green dress that illuminated her every curve. He noticed a hand around her waist, and it was only then, he saw that she had an escort. This other man irritated him for some reason. He was probably also a shifter, although from what he read, the males weren't nearly as powerful as the women. Their abilities were more sporadic, dependent upon the moon phases as opposed to just ability. Her eyes flashed to his and she looked just as affected as he was. She held his gaze for a mo

A walk would be nice, she decided, not a run like this morning. Was it just this morning that she had been out? It had felt like a lifetime since then. She wouldn't shift, not tonight. It was too close to the full moon. She didn't want to tempt fate. Tugging on a thick green hoodie, jeans, and woolen socks, she felt better. Calmer. More in control. She braided her wet locks into two tight braids and pulled on a grey knit beanie. The nights were growing colder fast and the last thing she needed was to catch a cold when she had to work the next week straight. She sneaked down the stairs like a burglar on her stockinged feet. Peering around the corner, she saw her grandmother fast asleep, mouth agape, and snoring loudly. Her long hair was unbound and flowed around the back of the chair like kelp in the ocean, swaying slightly with every deep-throated rumble. Willow smiled, her heart squeezing and left through the front door, holding her boots in her hands. Even though she wasn't in

Tourists swarmed the town. With only a few days until the festival, people were pouring in, wanting to make sure they got a room at the hotel in town instead of having to commute in. The festival lasted all week but on The Fest of the Forest, the real celebration began and lasted all day. It was quite a sensation. People traveled from states away to visit and see the spectacle. It made Willow tear up every year. Many people came to pay homage to The Women of the Moon. What they thought was a folk tale was really the telling of Willow's ancestors. It always warmed her heart to see the people dancing in the streets, bedecked in all sorts of luminaries. She had been so busy she hadn't even had time to think of Garin. Much. It had been a few days since he had stopped here. She hadn't seen him since but every so often she caught a whisp of his scent outside of her door. Being busy had also meant that she hadn't seen a lot of Lyall as well but now, here he came, holding the door open for