Royal Lycan Legacy: The Heir's Claim

Chapter 1

Ayla

Life's challenges were no stranger to me, but I never imagined a summer job hunt could become so demanding. As a senior in college, I assumed securing work would be a breeze, considering my years of experience waitressing around campus. However, this year brought an unexpected surge in competition. Everyone else had a month's head start, and the prime spots were rapidly filling up through word-of-mouth recommendations. Employers favored full-time availability, and while I was eager to work those hours, my academic schedule posed a conflict.

My age was another barrier. At nineteen, on the cusp of graduating college after skipping two grades in my younger years, I'd been working since sixteen. Yet, my underage employment at the coffee shop, secured through the owner's pity, didn't seem to count. I had resorted to lying about my age to secure other jobs.

Adding to my woes, the coffee shop where I'd worked for a year abruptly announced its summer closure. With a dwindling student population on campus, the owner opted for a well-deserved European vacation. This left me scrambling, with just two weeks to find a new job before classes officially ended on Friday. The prospect of a penniless summer loomed large, threatening my ability to start the next semester with the bare minimum of financial security.

With just one semester remaining until graduation, the pressure to secure a job was immense. This prestigious, exorbitantly expensive university was only within my reach because of an academic scholarship, which I'd worked tirelessly to maintain for four years while juggling multiple jobs to cover living expenses. Even with the dorm providing shelter and the scholarship covering tuition and books, I still needed to eat and save every penny I could. My meager savings were dwindling rapidly.

One evening, as I meticulously scrutinized job postings online, the coffee shop's door chimed, signaling a new customer. Glancing at the clock, I noted it was ten minutes to eleven, a mere ten minutes before closing time. I sighed, plastering on a smile as I made my way to the counter. Closing duties meant staying until the last customer left, but I couldn't complain. Overtime pay was a blessing, and I desperately needed it.

“You've got this,” I muttered to myself, looking up to greet the stranger. My throat hitched as I breathed. He wasn't a regular; that much was certain. I knew every regular in this place, and he didn't fit the mold. Regular people simply don't possess this kind of effortless elegance and raw power. He was tall, and his movements as he approached the counter were fluid, deliberate, and confident.

I was grateful no one else was around to witness my stunned reaction. My eyes were wide, and my jaw slacked as I caught sight of him.

He stood before the counter, scanning the menu that I'd scrawled on the chalkboard with my messy handwriting. His eyes—they were the most captivating I'd ever seen. One was a warm honey, flecked with green, while the other was a piercing icy blue, speckled with gray, making it all the more alluring. A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I momentarily lost myself in their depths. I cleared my throat, cheeks burning as I stammered, "Hi. Can I take your order?"

I busied myself with the computer screen, but a few seconds later, the silence prompted me to look up. He was staring at me with the same wide-eyed intensity I'd initially felt, as if he were seeing me for the first time.

"You're human," he stated, his deep baritone voice sending a shiver down my spine.

"I am human," I replied, bewildered. "Just like everyone else."

A moment of silence hung between us before he seemed to avert his gaze in embarrassment. I could have sworn I saw a hint of blush on his cheeks, which, inexplicably, made me blush as well.

"I'll have a cappuccino with two shots of espresso," he finally said, maintaining eye contact.

I nodded, grabbing a cup and a marker. "Name?"

"Kairo."

"How do you spell that?" I asked for an excuse to hold his gaze for a little longer.

“K.A.I.R.O"

I smiled and said, "Thanks. I'll have that cappuccino and two shots of espresso ready for you in a moment. Feel free to have a seat in the meantime."

I tried to feign nonchalance, but the truth was, I wanted to get lost in his eyes. Thankfully, I managed to regain my composure before things got too awkward. I didn't need any more embarrassing moments today.

After he paid, I meticulously prepared his coffee, acutely aware that his gaze was burning into me from across the room. He sat in the corner, watching me intently, almost like a predator stalking its prey.

The thought sent a thrill through me, a mix of fear and excitement.

I shook my head, trying to banish the inappropriate thoughts, and focused on the task at hand. The brewing process seemed to drag on, each minute feeling like an eternity.

Finally, the coffee was ready. I rang the bell to alert him, saying, "One cappuccino with a double shot of espresso for Kairo. Careful, it's hot."

He approached the counter, brushing our fingers as he reached for the cup. A jolt of electricity surged through me, and I gasped, locking eyes with him in surprise. For a fleeting second, I could have sworn his eyes turned completely black, only to revert back to their honey and blue hues in a blink.

He stood there, staring at me, the hot cup of coffee seemingly forgotten in his hand. I stared back, my mind racing to make sense of the strange encounter. Before I could utter another word, he turned and walked towards the door. He paused for a moment, his head turning as if to look back, but he didn't. He stepped out into the night, disappearing from sight like a phantom.

That night, as I lay in bed, sleep claimed me almost instantly. But as I drifted off, all I could see was a pair of eyes, one warm honey, the other icy blue, before darkness enveloped me completely.