I keep repeating the words "don't scratch it" in my head while I continue taking orders at Inner Sanctum. It's a busy day, busy enough to keep me distracted from touching the tattoo I finished got finished at Harley's shop earlier this morning. I know I'm supposed to be trying to not move my shoulders as much as possible so it can heal properly but I couldn't let the cafe down when they called. Apparently two other baristas called out sick so they were going to be short staffed. It was supposed to be my day off, but I don't mind keeping myself busy until 6pm. A smile lights up my features as I glance up at the clock for probably the thirtieth time since I started my shift at 10am. Only twenty more minutes before I get to see my boyfriend, the boyfriend I haven't gotten to see besides in quick encounters at the cafe in the past few weeks. We've both been busy, me with pack missions for Tetradore, and him with...well, hunter business, I'm presuming. We didn't really get time to stop and talk about it. I have missed him terribly. I have no idea what we're going to do tonight, but I made a point to reach out and see if he had time to meet up and it would be a lie to say my heart didn't skip a beat when I got the reply that he could.

"Ma'am?"

I pull myself from daydreams of Alexander when I hear the patient gentleman's voice at the register. My trained barista smile goes on as I turn to get his order then rush to the coffee machine to get it started. A few minutes later, I'm calling out his name and handing his latte to him before I turn back to clean the counter. I know the moment the dark hunter gets to the door, his unique scent hitting me before I even hear the bell ring to signel the door opening. My shoulders tense, which sets my tattoo to itching again, but a smile tugs up at my lips as I take a discreet inhale and continue wiping the counter. Of course, his scent has a way of distracting me from my other senses, enough that I don't catch the sound of someone else at the register until I hear a throat being cleared. Ready to apologize for the wait, I turn with my trained smile, only to have it falter and fall off my face completely when I see the person standing before me....or should I say the monster.

I know he's not, but the man standing before me is the spitting image of my abusive father, and once I get his scent, I know he's a shifter as well. My instincts go on high alert as I push myself back against the counter and stare at him with wide eyes, willing it to just be a hallucination. I'd rather be crazy than look upon the face of the man who tormented me for years. The only thing that doesn't fit is the charming smile on his lips and the friendly twinkle in his gray eyes, so like my father's.

"Can I get a turtle freezer please? Medium."

It takes me a moment to get over the shock and shake it off, so to speak, but I shake my head and take a deep breath, forcing back the trained smile as I take a step toward the register and put in the order. My fingers feel numb as I punch in what should be second nature to me by now. My gaze stays down on the keys, unwilling to lift them again to his face as I nod in acknowledgement and turn away to fix the drink. My shoulders are hunched, my breath hitched as I go through the motions before taking another deep breath before I turn back to give him his drink. I don't know if its coincidence or not that his fingers brush over mine as he takes the drink and I know without looking up that he's trying hard to meet my gaze, but I keep it trained on the counter in front of me as I offer another smile and pull away.

"Enjoy your drink."

As he turns to walk back to the door, I hear the voice, almost like its spoken under his breath, but I can hear it with my sensitive ears as if he were still standing right in front of me.

"We'll meet again, Alexis."

I jump and almost end up running right into Angela, one of the other baristas. She looks concerned as I hurridly apologize and try to hide my shaking hands, taking another glance at the clock as I look for a means to escape the sudden inability I have to breathe. Luckily for me, it's now 6:01pm so I'm officially off the clock. Waving bye as Angela looks on with worry still in her warm green gaze, I take off my apron and go to hang it up. It's only as I inhale again and get another whiff of that more comforting scent that I remember who else is here. It's not quite enough to battle the rising panic in my chest, but I can at least breathe a little lighter as I grab my stuff. The mysterious man is gone, but I won't be forgetting that scent anytime soon. He knows my name....what else does he know? I swallow and try to clear my mind, putting on my jacket as I turn back to try to find Alexander. This night can only get better, right?

alexis wilde