CHAPTER 02

“Let’s just go, Big Todd,” one of the big man’s accomplices told him.

“It seems this South Hartvale dog has something to say to me,” Big Todd spoke, referring to my Marcus. 

“You don’t bring your pack stupidity into my partner’s place of business, do you understand me, Todd?” Marcus asked him rather calmly. He had that sweet southern accent that just melts me when I hear it.

My Marcus’ tone was calm, but I knew my man. He was boiling cos that’s how he always got over anything that had to do with me. I had to intervene.

“Let’s calm down, big boys,” I said, coming around the counter now.

I put myself between the two, my back pressed against the front of my man, my face looking up at Big Todd’s. Standing at just 5ft 7”, I was like a baby between two mountains.

“Saved by your woman,” Big Todd mocked my Marcus.

I felt Marcus tense up behind me. I reached back, grabbed his hand and gave it to squeeze to calm him. He understood and obeyed.

“Consider your debt settled, Mona,” Big Todd told me. “See you next week.” He left the diner with his goons.

I felt Marcus put his arm around me from behind. “He’s lucky you were here to save him,” he whispered in my ear.

I turned to face him and we kissed.

“Uhm, underage teen in the room, people!” Allen cried, laughing.

I laughed, but Marcus wouldn’t let me go. He kept up the kiss, holding me firmly against himself.

If I didn’t stop him now, only god knew how far this man would take this so I gently pulled away.

“Calm now, hon?” I asked him with a smile.

“Yeah, that always works,” he replied.

“Now, I gotta get to work. Customers will be coming in for breakfast soon. Do you have my oysters?”

“The truck’s at the back.”

“Allen, go start offloading the truck,” I told the kid and he left to obey.

I looked at Marcus and he smiled, but I knew he wasn’t happy.

“I know. I know,” he spoke. “We avoid problems with them for the safety of the pack.”

“They got the numbers, baby, so we don’t want another war, okay?” I asked.

He nodded and just then, the front door swung open as the first customer for the day walked in.

****

The sun was down and the Big Bite Diner was packed with customers. Allen was behind the counter, watching the other staff waiting tables. He was kind of the boss whenever Mona wasn’t in. He’d been with her since she opened the diner three years ago.

“We need another bottle of cider over here!” a customer shouted from his table.

“Cider, coming right up!” Allen replied then turned to look through the kitchen window.

He signaled one of the waiters over and sent them to get another cider for the customer.

When Allen turned to the counter again, his phone rang. He took it out and the caller ID read ‘JOE’. He answered the phone.

“What’s up, Joe?.......You’re at the backdoor?.........You okay?........Okay. I’ll be right out.”

Allen ended the call and went into the kitchen. “Man the counter for me for a few,” he told one of the waiters as he rushed to the back door that led out from the kitchen, to the alleyway in the back.

When he came out to the alley, he found his friend Joe seated on the floor with his back against the wall. He had a black eye. Joe was a year older than Allen and slightly taller as well.

“We’ve been warned against getting into fights with those north boys, Joe,” Allen scolded his friend while squatting and giving him a good look-over.

“They were making stupid catcalls at Patty and she got pissed, gave them a piece of her mind and they started the fight,” Joe explained. “All I did was have Patty’s back, man.”

“Where’s Patty now and how’s she doing?” Allen asked, looking around for their friend, Patty.

“Her uncle drove by, broke up the fight and took her home. He thinks you and I are bad influences on her.”

Allen rose to his full height and balled his fists in anger. “I don’t know how long we can keep doing this. We pay them, we avoid them, we ignore them, but they don’t stop wanting for more.”

Joe rose to his feet with some difficulty, then grabbed his left side to try and soothe the pain he felt there.

Allen watched him. He felt angry and wanted revenge but he knew Mona would not allow him and his father would be highly disappointed.

“I hope Patty’s not hurt bad?” he asked Joe.

“You know Patty is a tough one,” Joe replied. “She gave a whole lot more than she got and I mean a whole lot more.”

Allen smiled now. “Sounds like our Patty alright.”

“We should call her Patty, the Conqueror,” Joe joked and they both laughed.

The laugh lasted until Joe hissed from his aching side.

“Is that pain, or is your funny bone broken?” Allen asked and they laughed.

Joe hissed again. “Please stop making me laugh,” he told Allen, still laughing though.

“Come on in let me get you something to eat, man,” Allen offered.

“You guys still got the pie special?” asked Joe.

“When you’re getting food free, you take what you get, mister,” Allen replied.

The two boys walked into the diner through the back door. Allen stopped behind the counter while Joe went around to occupy a counter seat.

Allen turned to the kitchen window. “Two slices of Pie Special and an herbal tea with extra milk!” He placed the order then turned to look at Joe who just gave him a thumbs up in thanks.

****

Business was done for the day and it was time to lock up, but first, the kids had to eat. Allen and our Omega, Nicholas Murphy’s son, Joe were sitting at the counter, eating while I locked up. Joe and Patty were Allen’s closest friends. He was loved by all, but these two were his inner circle.

I locked the back door, put off the kitchen lights and came back into the diner proper. The boys were talking rather than eating.

“You two got three more minutes then we’re out of here so you can just keep talking instead of eating,” I informed them.

“Yes, ma’am!” Joe barked, saluting me.

“You’re an idiot, Joe,” Allen told him and they laughed.

I’d noticed Joe’s black eye and asked about it. They told me what happened, but all I could offer was sympathy. Poor kids were getting picked on, but at least they were fighting back.

Allen rose from his chair. He was done with his food and wanted to go wash the dishes, but I stopped him.

“Don’t worry. I got it,” I told him.

He reluctantly accepted and I took the plates from him. Joe was almost done with his food.

“When you’re done, you bring it in to me Joe.”

I went into the kitchen and washed the dishes off, put them on the drying rack then looked back at the door. Joe had still not brought his dishes in which meant he wasn’t done eating.

I heard the bell above the front door ring meaning someone had used the door. I came back into the diner and Patty was with the boys now, cute little thing with her blue dyed hair. She was the same age as Allen, a year younger than Joe.

I was smiling, but the kids didn’t look happy.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Allen just stared at me with his mouth agape.

“Patty said some dude just defeated Allen’s dad,” Joe told me. He looked equally shocked.

“We have a new Alpha, Miss Mona,” Patty pitched in.

“What do you mean?” I asked. I was legit confused.

“Please take me to my dad, Miss Mona,” said Allen.

“What do you mean we have a new alpha?” I asked again.

“Please just take me to my dad!” Allen snapped.

I felt disrespected, but I understood his frustration.

“Community center, right?” I asked, “Let me grab my coat.”

I rushed into the back office to get my things so we could leave.

This was crazy.