Chapter Three
1521 Words
Ava adjusted her apron, tucking a stray curl behind her ear as she moved between the shelves of the bookstore café. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the aged paper of the books, creating a comforting warmth that had always been her escape.
"You're late again," Tasha teased from behind the counter.
Ava sighed. "Traffic was a nightmare. I swear, Lagos roads hate me."
Tasha smirked. "Maybe it's the universe telling you to get a car."
Ava rolled her eyes. "With what money? My rich prince charming hasn’t shown up yet."
Tasha wiggled her eyebrows. "Speaking of rich men, did you see the guy sitting in the private lounge? He looks like he owns half the city."
Ava glanced over.
A man sat in the corner booth, dressed in an expensive black suit, his sharp golden eyes scanning documents in front of him. Even from across the room, his presence was intimidating.
"Definitely rich," Ava murmured. "But also… terrifying."
Tasha nodded. "Yeah. Like he could buy your soul with a signature."
Ava chuckled but quickly looked away. There was no way she would ever approach a man like that.
And yet, as she returned to work, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his presence meant something.
Something dangerous.
---
Damien didn't look up when he caught her scent.
His mate.
Even without turning his head, he knew exactly where she was—her voice, her scent, her heartbeat. Everything about her was pulling him in.
But he refused to acknowledge her.
Instead, he forced himself to focus on the business meeting in front of him, his expression cold, unreadable.
Marcus, sitting across from him, stole a glance at Ava before clearing his throat. "Sir, are you sure you don’t want to—"
"No," Damien cut him off, voice low.
His wolf growled in protest, but Damien pushed it down.
He had made his choice.
A mate would not change anything.
---
Selene paced in her penthouse.
Something was wrong.
Damien had been distant. He wasn’t looking at her the same way.
Had he… found his mate?
No. She shakes her head vigorously at the thought
No, she couldn’t let this happen.
She had been by his side for centuries. She had waited for him.
If there was another woman… she would not accept it.
Selene’s grip tightened.
She would do whatever it took to keep him.
Even if it meant eliminating the problem.
•••
Even after her shift ended, Ava couldn’t shake the image of the mysterious man in the corner booth.
Something about him unsettled her.
Not just his wealth, not just his intimidating presence—but something deeper.
She sighed as she stepped into the chilly New York night, tightening her coat around her. Tasha’s words from earlier replayed in her mind:
"Like he could buy your soul with a signature."
Ava shook her head. Why was she even thinking about him?
She didn’t even know his name.
And yet… she felt like she should.
---
In the back of his limousine, Damien sat stone-faced, fingers clenched into fists as Marcus drove through the city.
"You shouldn’t have ignored her."
His wolf’s voice echoed in his head, a growl of frustration.
"She’s ours."
No.
She wasn’t.
He had spent centuries living without a mate, believing he didn’t have one. His fate was already decided—he would marry Selene, just as he had promised.
So why did one glance at that woman—at Ava—make him feel like his entire world was unraveling?
"You can’t fight this forever."
His wolf’s words sent a shiver down his spine.
Because deep down, Damien knew it was right.
---
Selene sat across from her informant, a glass of red wine swirling in her hand.
The man—one of Damien’s many spies—lowered his voice as he spoke. "He met someone today."
Selene’s grip on the glass tightened. "Who?"
"A woman at the bookstore café."
Selene didn’t blink. "Her name?"
The informant hesitated. "Ava Sinclair."
“What pack is she from?” Selene question the informant
“She's a human”
Selene exhaled slowly, setting down her wine glass. “A human?”
She felt like it was probably just a joke.
She should have laughed.
But instead, her stomach twisted with unease.
She has waited for this long to lose her man to a human mate.
The moon goddess must be playing a joke on her.
A very cruel joke.
Because if fate had given Damien a mate—then she was in danger of losing him.
And she would never allow that to happen.
…
The morning sun filtered through the thin curtains of Ava’s apartment, casting a warm glow over the neatly arranged space. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as she sat at the small dining table, scrolling through her phone.
Her life was simple—work, home, and the occasional outing with Tasha. It wasn’t perfect, but it was hers.
Today, however, she was running late,like she always does.
“Damn it,” Ava muttered, grabbing her bag and practically sprinting out of her apartment.
The streets were already bustling, and as expected, the New York traffic was a nightmare. By the time she made it to the bookstore café, she was ten minutes late.
Tasha, her best friend and coworker, leaned against the counter with a smirk. “Let me guess—traffic?”
Ava rolled her eyes, setting her bag down. “You act like you’re never late.”
“Yeah, but you’re late more often,” Tasha teased. “One of these days, your boss is gonna—”
A voice interrupted them. “Morning, Ava.”
Ava turned to see Ryan, the guy who had been persistently trying to win her over for months now.
Ryan was nice—too nice. He was the kind of guy who always remembered small details, brought her coffee without asking, and genuinely seemed to care. But Ava? She just didn’t feel that spark.
“Morning,” she replied politely, already heading toward the register.
Tasha wiggled her eyebrows as Ryan lingered. “You know, most girls would kill to have a guy like him interested in them.”
Ava sighed. “And yet, I’m not ‘most girls.’”
She wasn’t sure why she kept avoiding him. Maybe she wasn’t ready for a relationship, or maybe something inside her knew—deep down—her life was meant for something more.
Little did she know that “something more” was already watching her from the shadows.
Ava adjusted her apron as she wiped down the café counter, her mind wandering. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mingling with the faint sweetness of cinnamon rolls. It was a slow afternoon at the bookstore café, giving her a rare moment to breathe.
“Are you daydreaming about some mysterious billionaire sweeping you off your feet?” Tasha teased, nudging her with an elbow.
Ava scoffed. “More like daydreaming about my next paycheck. Bills isn’t going to pay itself.”
Tasha rolled her eyes. “You’re too serious, Ava. You should at least try dating. How long has it been?”
Ava bit her lip, focusing on arranging the newly arrived books instead of answering. It had been… a long time. Longer than she cared to admit. But it wasn’t just about work or time—it was a feeling she couldn’t explain, as if something in her life was incomplete, like she was waiting for something she didn’t understand.
“Not everyone is desperate for romance, Tasha.”
“Right, because you’re in love with books,” Tasha teased. “If only your favorite book boyfriend could come to life.”
Ava smirked but didn’t argue. Books had always been her escape, her comfort. They made sense in ways people will never be able to.
“Ryan is a choice if you don't mind,he's nice and every girls dream” Tasna teased with a smile
But she ignored her again and try to reach for a book to read. As she reached for a hardcover novel, a sudden shiver ran down her spine. The café was warm, but for a split second, she felt… cold. Unexplainably cold.
Her fingers trembled slightly, but she shook it off. Probably just exhaustion.
Before she could dwell on it, the bell over the door chimed, and a customer walked in.
Ava turned with a practiced smile. “Welcome! Let me know if you need any help.”
The man barely acknowledged her, moving toward the shelves in silence. There was something strange about him—his presence was heavy, suffocating. But as quickly as the feeling came, it faded.
Damien, he doesn't want to be here but his Wolf has other plans. He heard her sweet voice echoing like a melody in his hear but he decided to ignore her. Without saying anything or picking any book, he left Ava confused.
Shaking off the unease, Ava busied herself behind the counter.
Just another day at work.
- Writer
