Silver Mist

Chapter Six

The bakery was run by Mark and Kelly, who were great friends with Dani’s parents. Their twins, Alex and Anna were a year younger than her but they had always been playmates growing up.

“Hey Anna,” Dani said entering the through the back. Anna was stood at one of the side work benches decorating some cupcakes.

“Hey Dani! All ready for later?” She turned and gave a bright smile.

“Yeah almost, managed to get everything set up, just need to sort out the food.”

“Alex should be down in the store getting the savouries together, mum is just out front but she finished the cake earlier. Is Kim excited to shift? I can’t believe I have to wait nearly another year.” Anna complained.

“She actually just met her mate about five minutes ago, so I would say she’s looking forward to it.” Dani shrugged.

“Ah, she’s so lucky.” Anna groaned. At that moment Alex emerged from the stairs to her right with a couple of trays in his arms.

“Dani! I was just going to pop these over to the restaurant, where do you want them?” While Kim had hoped Dani would be her brothers mate, she herself had thought that Alex was a much more likely candidate. Seeing him now, the warm, tight throb in her stomach gave confession to her attraction.

“Hey Alex,” she said softly, “they are going upstairs if that’s ok? Just pop them on the table, thanks.” She smiled encouragingly when he looked slightly quizzical at her.

As the door shut behind him, Dani turned back to see Anna watching her, catching her eye, Anna raised an eyebrow.

“Anything to share?” She said. Dani sighed and walked closer.

“I…I had thought, that maybe, Alex and I-” she was cut off by Anna’s excited shriek, arms squeezed her tightly but she didn’t return the hug. “He’s not.” She whispered dejected. Anna stepped back.

“Oh,” she took a breath but then smiled. “That must mean you found your mate then? You don’t seem very happy about it though…?”

Dani grimaced and sighed. “It’s Will Harris.”

Wide eyed and jaw dropped, Anna just stared at her. “Holy Goddess,” she said eventually, “you- you’re going to be Luna!” she shouted.

“A little louder if you would,” Dani hissed at her. “Nobody else knows!”

“I can’t believe it, that is just…” Anna was lost for words and was still gaping at Dani when Kelly came through the front door.

“Hi honey, all ok?” She directed at Dani.

“Hi Mrs Watson, yes I’m good thanks, I hope you are as well?”

“As always. The cake is just under the cover here,” Dani followed her over to a different work station. The cake was a simple three tier vanilla sponge with buttercream filling and a pink frosting.Happy 18th Birthday was written in silver calligraphy with small silver dots scattered around the side of the cake.

“It’s perfect, thanks so much.” Dani hugged her.

“I’ll get Alex to bring it over after the guests have finished lunch just in case.”

“Amazing thank you. Are you going to come over?” Dani asked.

“If we aren’t too busy I’ll leave Kate with the front and stop by, but Anna and Alex are going I think?” Kelly questioned Anna, who was still piping the buns.

“Yeah definitely, just have to finish these and I’ll be there.”

Dani stayed and chatted with Kelly and Anna for a while and a bit with Alex when he came back and was sorting through supplies in the basement ready for tomorrow’s delivery. At 3o’clock she headed back over to the restaurant with the promise of Alex and the cake not being far behind her.

“We just closed so will be about 20 minutes here if you wanted to get your speaker set up honey.” Her mum said after she’d entered the kitchen. “Kim and Hayley are just clearing the last few tables.”

“Ok thanks mum.” Dani had a speaker dock for her phone that they were going to use as a bit of background music. Grabbing it from her locker, she passed Kim on her way back through the kitchen.

“Hey, you guys nearly finished? Just going to set this upstairs if you all want to come up when you’re done.” Dani smiled and went through to the front. She’d just started to climb the stairs when Alex came through from the kitchen with a big white box. He followed her up and they set the cake on display with the presents.

“Do you want to show me what drinks you want and I’ll grab them as well.” Alex said motioning back toward the staircase. Dani smiled and nodded, her chest giving another little pang of despair at the loss of hope for their mating. Alex was kind hearted and unwaveringly loyal, they had similar taste, interests and applications in life, he never failed to make her laugh or comfort her when she needed it. He was also extremely handsome with a toned but not overstated physique, not that it mattered much to her, their friendship had been cemented way before puberty had occurred. Dani had been unsure if Alex had been aware or reciprocating of her interest until a few weeks ago. They had been down in the bakery cellar and there was a heavy moment where they had almost kissed. While there was certainly mutual attraction and warm feelings, their mating wasn’t guaranteed and they reluctantly agreed to separate themselves until either Alex came of age or Dani found her mate in another. Standing next to him now, the deep ache in her chest revealed her grief at the latter.