Alpha Unknown

Chapter 4

Lucas

Damien and I poured through patrol reports. "We need to contact Hemming and see what he's come up with" I said.

Damien shook his head in agreement. "You need to get on the road and go see what is up with your possible mate." Damien grinned.

"Yeah?" I said hesitantly.

"What?" Damien asked.

"I don't know what to do. She's in the back of my mind, and Gavin is going crazy! If she is human, how could she be my mate?" I said worriedly.

"Maybe she's more than you think?" Damien said, questioning.

"Maybe?!" I said back.

I then headed up to my room to get ready. I threw on a clean shirt and ran my fingers through my hair. Maybe Gavin was wrong yesterday? I thought to myself.

"I'm not wrong. She's mate!" Gavin growled in my head.

"We'll see. We can't have a human mate, she would be a target." I told him.

"She is mate!" Gavin was now screaming in my head.

"I know! But we may have to reject her, don't you understand?!" I was screaming back.

"Mate!" He grumbled.

"Ugh! You don't understand! " I told Gavin. With that, I headed out the door.

Val

I flitted around the kitchen baking various cupcakes and breads, since I couldn't sleep. "Might as well use the time I have!" I said, taking more cupcakes out of the oven, as the icing was whipping in the mixer.

I let the cupcakes cool as I put cookies on the tray the girls made yesterday. It definitely helped to have cookie dough mixed up over the weekend that could just, and to be plopped onto cookie sheets in the morning. Otherwise, I came in a couple hours early a few days a week to make muffins, pies, breads, or whatever sounded good for some specialties. Luckily, with no more traffic that we had, and the large batches I made, we were usually able to stretch things for a couple of days.

I started icing cupcakes and visions of my dreams popped into my head from overnight. Those yellow eyes... just sent shivers down my spine thinking about it.

"You're being silly Val!" I said to myself, it was a bad dream. Just forget about it. My mind wondered about Lucas coming in this afternoon. I still couldn't say what compelled me to say yes and give him my number.

I looked at the clock, "shoot!!" I yelled. I thought, at 550am, I needed to get a move on. I quickly switched the lights on, and finished pouring the cold brew the girls had made last night into one big pitcher right before I went to unlock the door.

People slowly trickled in after 6am. I played with the hours we were open here and there after mom passed away, trying to figure out how early, how late, ecetera. to be open. Mom had this grand idea between her and friend Marge when they opened the Café, that it would soon become a roadside marvel, and everyone would come from miles around. It never took off much with food, other than some carryout. After Marge and then mom passed away, I had scaled back the hours quite a bit. Although if you asked my teenage help, they would tell you to keep it open all night long.

A ding and an out of breath Heather raced past me around 8. "I cannot get these kids moving in the morning!" She said.

"Does that include the big kid as well?" I sassed back.

"Of course! Heaven forbid he leave any earlier than he needs to!" She said, exasperated.

Heather was a friend from high school, one of my few, that helped for a few hours a week while her kids were at school, and my younger help was at school themselves.

"What's the occasion?" She chided me.

"What do you mean?" I said as I c****d my head.

She points to the bakery case full of various cookies, cupcakes and pie.

"Oh! Well, couldn't sleep, decided to bake." I told her, hoping she wouldn't ask more questions.

Of course, she did though. "Why not?" Eyeing me for an answer.

"I had 2 nightmares, so I gave up, okay?" Quickly trying to shut her up as a customer approached.

"Uh huh" she silently raised an eyebrow at me as I took an order.

Lucas

I was part way to the Café, and Gavin was so elated and excited he was almost humming in my head "mate, mate, mate, mate, mate" like he was at a baseball game.

I can't say I wasn't excited about seeing her again, but the reality of the situation weighed on my mind. Hopefully, I will have a better idea after I see her. Maybe yesterday was just a mistake.

"Not a mistake! She is my mate!" Gavin said.

"It's not that simple", I told him.

He continued to hum his happy tune in my head, until I cranked up the radio to tune him out.

Val

"Hey! I have to run and let the dogs out, I'll be back in twenty!" I hollered at Heather.

"You're still going to have to tell me more about these nightmares when you get back!" She chuckled.

"Uh huh!" Singing it to her as I walked out to my car.

"How are you?" I heard from behind me. I looked up to see Frank, Jr wondering toward the Café.

I'm great! Headed to let the dogs out, I'll be back! How are you, Frank?" I asked.

"Should have said something, I'll always run by your place for you and let them out" He smiled.

"I appreciate the offer, but it lets me get out for a minute! See you later Frank!" I hollered, getting into my vehicle.

Frank, Jr. smiled and waved as I drove off. He was one of the local boys I grew up with, but he always kind of creeped me out, especially since he's been a town marshal. Asking if I needed extra patrols at my place, and what not. He was harmless but just odd. He has always been since we were kids, but worse now that most everyone left in this town was married, together, or widowed. Everyone else had set their sights on the big city, I guess, and away from here.

I ran into the house and let the dogs out. I grabbed the extra clothes I laid out and put on some light makeup. The dogs were happy to stretch their legs for a few minutes but were always good at going back into their crates, so I could go back to the Café.

Lucas

My heart felt like it was beating faster, as I was now about 30 minutes from the Café.

"Good luck!" I heard Damien over my link.

"Thanks!" I linked him back.

He was really a great friend and a great Beta. He never even judged when I was trying to talk this out.

Val

"So, you were attacked by wolves in your dream? Like what you had as a kid?" Heather questioned.

"Yeah? Similar," I said. " Just more real and intense than what I remember.

"Weird. I wonder why now?" Heather thought out loud.

"When I know, you'll know!" I hollered at her, as she ran out the door, realizing she was going to be late picking up the kids if she didn't leave.

I had no customers in the Café, so I quickly locked the door and ran to the office to change clothes. I picked out some dark washed jeans, a green flowy top, and grabbed a jacket for good measure. With the weather here, you can never tell from one second to the next, especially in the spring.

I ran back out after checking my hair, it still had some curl left in it from this morning. Darby was waiting to be let in for her shift. "Sorry I ran to the office!" I said as I opened the door.

"Wow! You look really pretty Val!" Darby said sweetly.

"Thanks!" I stated while walking back to the counter.

"Wow...jackpot!" Darby said while drooling at the bakery case.

"I couldn't sleep! You can grab a cupcake to take home when you close", I told her.

Darby smiled and headed around the counter to be ready to take orders.

Lucas

I pulled up to the Café, only a few cars and a couple of people were inside. "Must be the after-school rush" I thought to myself.

I grabbed my phone and keys and headed inside, after giving myself a quick look in the mirror. I walked into a teenager behind the counter taking orders, but no Val. I noticed the teenager staring at me batting her eyelashes as she helped the people in front of me. I glanced over at the bakery case and noticed it seemed fairly full.

"See anything you like?" I heard from a sweet voice behind the counter, as the smell of cinnamon, lavender and rose hit my nose at the same time.

How had I not seen her? I should have picked her up before then.

"Mate!" Gavin was screaming in my head.

"I know, I know!” I said, annoyed.

" a few things" I said, staring at her, while giving her a smile.

She blushed as she said " Oh my! Well, there are several things to choose from. Vanilla, chocolate/chocolate, and chocolate/peanut butter", moving her attention back to the pastry case.

"I'm going to have to do the chocolate/peanut butter", pointing to the last cupcake row she stopped at.

"Coming right up!" She said with a smile. It was beautiful and made her eyes light up.

Then I heard her yell at the teenager behind the coffee counter " Darby, his coffee is on me!"

"Heard!" She replied, "what can I get you?" Darby replied, slightly confused by what had just happened.

"Just a cup of black coffee" I told her.

She asked what size, as I pointed to the medium. I grabbed my coffee as I looked around to see this beautiful woman, placing 2 cupcakes on a table in the corner, along with her own cup of coffee. I rushed over before she could sit down, to pull out the chair for her.

"Oh! Thank you." She said, taking a seat.