And Then There Was 4

Not Invited

Walking home alone I talk with Silver, "You were sure in a mood today! I know we had a late start but really! " 'Not my fault that Mr. Beezle hates me!', "It is completely your fault, as it is your temper that gets me in trouble and I can't even tell them it's my wolf causing issues." 'Sure tell them it is me' she says with a giggle in my mind. Rolling my eyes " well played, since they don't know that I got you at 12 instead of 18 like everyone else!" I say with exasperation. I start laughing realizing that to the outside I am as good as a rogue losing their mind... if only they knew.

Unlocking the shed with my key around my neck, I go in and head straight to the counter and put in another piece of bread in the toaster. Unlacing my boots and setting them by the door, I take inventory of food that I have: 3/4 loaf of bread, 2 bananas that are still green, a bag of chocolate chips, and a couple chicken nuggets from the restaurant shift last night.

Making a plan to head in early to my waitress shift and get some more hours this afternoon and get enough for a free meal with my wages, actually puts a smile on my face. I actually enjoy going to work because it is the one time I don't feel like I am on the defense. Tying my hair up in a ponytail and changing into my light blue dress feels lighter already. I fold up the long sleeves to my elbow and tie my apron with a bow in the back. Sliding into my white Mary Jane's I smile at what I imagine I look like. Packing my bag with all of my shower stuff and clothing to change into, I head out to the human town just about a mile away.

Halfway down the road I hear a car approaching and start to slow down. The sky is still grey threatening to pour down again and muddy up a second outfit for the day. As the black Sudan pulls up, the back window rolls down and I am punched with the smells of the 3 alphas again. I don't remember them smelling this good, but every time I see them it increases more and more. Silver is humming in the back of my brain sounding like she is smoking some strong and relaxing stuff. The one with lighter hair pokes his head out, "Hey, you need a ride? We can go back that direction!" again, taking on the happiness of a golden retriever. "No I am good. thank you though." I replied, since Silver is too happy to comment. I keep walking as the car u-turns and comes up right next to me. "Actually we are headed back to town, might as well get a ride with us." I smile and laugh at his persistence. "Okay, but I am only about a half mile down," I say as I climb in. "My name is Cassandra I say as I stick out my hand to shake his hand. "Jacob" he says as he reaches out to shake my hand. As soon as our hands made contact, tingles shot up my arm, feeling like my arm was consumed in the fizz from pop. I pull my arm back fast and look back to see Jacob questioningly look at me. " You alright?" he questions. I look back realizing it only happened to me. "Sorry Alpha Jacob, my hand must have cramped. I guess I need to up my water." I jokingly say to lighten the mood. The brother that I haven't had an interaction with yet throws me a water bottle. I catch it and thank him for it at the same time. "No problem, hopefully it helps", he says as he continues to type on his phone. Alpha Jacob spoke up again, "Hey are you coming to our party this weekend? I don't remember seeing you when we gave out invites!" My response came without hesitation, since I have used the name Cassandra for a while. "Oh, I'm not a part of your pack, I am just visiting while I get my feet underneath me. But what it sounds like is that you are going to have a fun time. Eat extra cake for me! Oh, would you pull over here, this is my stop." I unbuckle my seatbelt and hop out of the car a little too eagerly. "Thanks again for the ride, I really appreciate it. Happy early Birthday!" I shout and wave as I close the door and rush inside right as rain starts to trickle from the dark sky again.

The bell rings at the door as I head into the diner and rush behind the counter. Margy is taking someone's order and waves to me as I make sure my nametag is straight on my dress. I work on heating up another pot of coffee and start wiping down some tables...which means that she is short-handed today. I feel bad that Margy is in a bind, but at the same time I am thankful that I am needed. I start emptying the food from dishes into the garbage and my stomach gurgles a little at seeing half an omlet go to waste. 'Selfish Pricks,' Silver mutters to me, and I automatically scold her in a mutter not to talk. I am hoping that when I turn 18 in a couple of weeks, that I will be able to talk to her without looking like I am having a nervous breakdown while mumbling to myself.

Margy walks over to me and keeps me a sidehug with her free hand. "Darling, if you keep coming in earlier and earlier, I am going to have to start paying you overtime for all the hours you are working." She jokes as she fills up the 2 mugs in her other hand with the hot liquid I just made. "Sorry, I would have let you know if I could that I was coming in early, but it looks like you needed me!" "I will never turn down an extra pair of hands from you, but I am going to put you straight to work. I haven't had a break yet, and my bladder is screaming." I laugh at her comment and take her pad of notes straight back to the chef, and grab a pitcher of water to start filling up glasses. Moving through this cafe is nice to get a break from everyone and everything going on in the pack. I feel like no matter what I do, everyone has already pegged me for who I am and there is nothing I can do to change. I hear the bell ring as a few more customers come in. "Hello, you are welcome to have a seat wherever you like and I will be over in a moment." They smile and nod as they take a seat, picking a booth in the back by the bathrooms. The four of them look like they are going on a double date with two guys and two girls dressed up nice and giggling a lot. They are in their late 40's, and I think it is sweet that people still keep the fire going after years of being together. I finish up with filling up waters at the other tables and head to the new group. "Why did we need to meet off of the land?" One of the girls asks her partner. "We needed a moment to pick a apart what may happen with our boys after their party this weekend." The man says as if there was no other option. I now come to the table and they all beam up at me. I greet them with a smile, "Hi, welcome to Darling Cafe, I will be your waitress today, Cassandra, what drinks can I get started for you or are you going to jump straight to dessert, I wink at the other woman who is only interested in the dessert menu. Everyone starts laughing, and I can feel my mood elevate even more. "Actually, yes, let's go straight to dessert, what do you recommend?" That is my favorite question to answer because out of everything, I have the biggest sweet tooth and have tried every item on the menu. "My favorite is the lava fudge cake with vanilla icecream, but since you have a bigger group I recommend the 'Nothing but the Kitchen Sink'. I have never had a group come here and get it that hasn't loved it!" I say, but the thought lingers in my mind that I have never had it, due to not having friends to share it. "What does the kitchen sink dessert include?" the male with a large beard asks, but his wife cuts me right off with exclamations after each word that she reads on the menu. " Every flavor of icecream, that means 12 scoops of icecream! Chocolate Fudge! Brownies! Homemade whipped cream! Cookie Dough! Cookie Crumble! Carm," "OK OK Everly...we get the point! We will order one of those." He chuckles as he says. "The only question I ask, is there anything you don't want to on this ice cream?" A unanimous "No", slightly startled the other guests, but left everyone, including myself in a fit of giggles. Leaving them to their conversation, I went and put in their order.

Margy came back from her break, cutting my load of work in half. Working on stalking the tables with napkins and condiments, I here Greg yell, "order up!". I dash to the window wanting to be the one delivering the dessert to these happy customers. With arms full of this extravagant dessert, my stomach growls right as I get to the table. My face turns a bright pink, making my embarrassment grow knowing that my face is changing colors. "Sounds like we need an extra spoon so that you can help us with this!" waving them off I give them each a spoon and clean off the other tables that have left.

"Do they understand what will happen if they don't find their mate this weekend?" Everly whispers to who I think may be her husband. The man with the beard whispers back, "We have everyone coming around from every reputable family in North America. Our boys don't know that this party is so much bigger than they think."

Suddenly it all makes sense and the salt shaker falls out of my hands, causing all eyes to snap to me. "I am so sorry, Alpha and Luna, that was horrible of me to overhear your conversation." Due to nerves I start rambling, "I am just visiting so I didn't realize who I was serving and then I overheard about your boy's birthday party, but I'm working that time, so I told them eat extra cake for me, and now I am realizing that I am in way big trouble for overhearing." The alpha puts up his hand, and I immediately look down and stop talking. It is silent for about a minute, so I ask, "may I be excused to continue with my duties?" "You may," Luna Everly says and I run behind the counter to garb a dust pan and another cleaning cloth. I ask Margy to take over that table while I take a break in the back. I can hear the bell ring on the door and I know that by the smell wafting in, the boys are here to find their parents. Margy is a human, so she has no clue of the royalty sitting in her place. I take a deep breath and walk out to help Margy grab the new customers their drinks. Setting the last of the drinks down I help with closing duties. "Margy I can close up so you can get back home to Tom, I don't know how long they will be... but I don't want to rush them." Margy just gives me a hug in return and heads out the back door.

I send the cook Greg home and finish the dishes he had left. I hear the bell ring and go to look in the lobby and everyone is gone for the night. Heading to their table I spot the cash for the dinner and instead of a tip an invite to the birthday party for their sons was there, with the name Cassandra written at the top. Too bad I can't go. Not only am I working, but the 3 foster care families from the pack would recognize me... even as Cassandra. Sarah is good at keeping my secrets, and is also the one that hooked me up with the shed to stay in until we graduate in a couple of months.

With only a few weeks till my birthday, my last family decided I was adult enough and kicked me out. It also didn't help that I aced another test at school. Anything above a C- was considered cheating because no one believes that I was smart enough to get those grades. Cassandra could get A's and date the quarterback on the school team if she wanted to. Cassandra could also smile and giggle when something was said. But I am trapped as Launa who no one believes could be smart moving from pack to pack and family to family. Instead, I am plagued as an ungrateful cheater, which makes Silver bristle every time. We know that that isn't me, which has grown my rebellion over the years to include a colorful language and irresponsible gestures. If people believed me back then, maybe Launa would be attending the party this weekend. I throw away the invite with the napkins from this last table and close up for the night. Locking the doors, I walk home. It is time like these I am thankful for my better vision so I can avoid the mud puddles threatening to dirty another outfit of mine.

Walking along the road I can see headlights coming from behind heading towards the pack. I move to the side, knowing that hiding won't due me any good. Their speed isn't slowing down so I tuck between two trees just in time to miss getting hit while getting sprayed by mud all at the same time. The license was the same as the triplets, and I automatically disregarded the action, knowing that their human driver didn't see me walking. It doesn't change my situation though...there is no way I can clean up after this with the garden hose, so I flip around and head back to the Cafe to clean up. It's going to be a long night!