She shut the door firmly behind herself, twisting her key into the finicky lock on the ancient building. She stared up at the glass-fronted café, feeling a sense of pride as she did so. She had done this by herself, working hard at the diner to raise enough money for the cart and eventually the store. Night had fallen completely now, the sun well below the horizon. She could feel the moon creeping up behind her, taking its rightful place in the night sky. The autumn breeze stirred leaves around her feet as she began the long walk home. His scent was still here. Instead of fighting the scent, she inhaled deeply, letting the warm amber aroma swirl inside her. She had avoided the Brochades so far. They rarely came into town, preferring to shop in the bigger cities outside of the small town. Garin was the first she had actually come into contact with. She hadn't experienced this before. Her grandmother had warned her about their scent. "You'll know what they are when you smell them.
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
Lyall walked in, a smile plastered across his handsome face. "Hey babe," he said and pulled Willow in for a rough hug. He buried his face in her hair, nuzzling her neck. She stiffly returned the hug before pulling away slightly. "You're here early," she replied, looking him over. He looked good, she couldn't deny that. Her grandmother had at least picked her a striking mate. He was tall, not nearly as tall as Garin but he was close. His build was lankier with leaner muscles. Where Garin was refined, Lyall was all rough edges. During the warmer months, he kept his beard short, preferring a small amount of stubble. With autumn around the corner, he had begun to grow his beard out. His ruddy skin was tanned from working outside and he kept his long black hair secured into a tight braid that lay between his shoulder blades. His eyes were a dull yellow-green that had always reminded Willow of a serpent. Today he wore a thick, black cable knit sweater and jeans with the knees torn ou
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
Willow's heart raced the entire night. She could barely eat. His presence burned itself into her awareness. She was hyper-aware of where he was at all times. Every shift he made in his seat, she viscerally felt it. She felt Lyall's eyes on her every time she shifted to look behind her. "Checking out that guy back there?" he asked sharply. She turned back to him; a blush stained across her cheeks. "No, he's a hunter. It makes me…uncomfortable when they are that close." She replied after a moment. "I've never seen him before. Is he a Brochade?" She nodded. "I guess he is just in town for the festival," she stated. Lyall nodded. His mood evening out now that he didn't think she was attracted to the man in the corner. They were onto their dessert course when she felt Garin stand. Her back began to heat as he drew closer, she felt as if she were aflame. He passed by without a glance at her table. The woman with him spared her a small glance and she felt a traitorous twinge of jeal
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
After a deep sleep, Willow felt better. Slightly. The image of the wolf head still disturbed her but her resolution to keep a large distance between her and the Brochade family had strengthened here. Here is something that she can control. She will avoid their neighborhood and anywhere else that they are known to frequent, which isn't much in this town. The sun had just risen as Willow unlocked the café's front door. She is soothed by the smell of roasted coffee beans and the quiet of an early morning. Despite being tired, she loves working the entire day. Nothing quite feels as accomplished as seeing the business through from start to finish. Locking the door behind her, she walks to her small office in the back and dumps her purse onto her desk. Even though it has only been about a day, she feels as if she hasn't been here in forever. She runs her hand lightly over the back of her leather office chair, the first thing that she had purchased for herself after opening this place.
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