AUGUST'S POV
It would've taken days to drive to my aunts, so I spent some money on a plane ticket and cut the time in half and arrived in the afternoon the next day. I decided I would meet with Alpha Paul first to let him know I was here since I didn't call before hand. That and the fact that now that I was here I was feeling more nervous about seeing Emerald.
I couldn't stop thinking about Johnson's words about how my unexpected visit might upset her more. I couldn't wait anymore though and unfortunately Helen falling sick was a good excuse for me to come. Even if seeing her goes bad, at least I could play it off that I was here for my aunt and not to try and force myself back into her life.
Which I wasn't. I just wanted to see her.
I gave the cab some money and threw my duffel bag over my shoulder before walking down the road. I had never visited my aunt before, so I wasn't really sure where everything was or where I could find Alpha Paul. I wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a plain white t shirt and I'm sure the black duffel bag over my shoulder made me look like a drifter. When I started to walk through the town people would stop and stare at me and then start whispering.
Men were giving me the evil eye and woman's eyes would grow wide and start moving their children along when seeing the ugly scar over my white eye. I kept my head down though and I'm sure they could feel my influence radiating off of me. The people in my pack were used to my look and the kids had warmed up to me especially well, so it had been a long time since I had gotten this type of treatment.
I ignored their looks and whispers and knew it was only because I was a stranger and I didn't blame them for being weary of me. I thought about asking some of the people I would pass where I could find their Alpha, but everyone kept a good distance from me and would cross the street before I could walk by.
After a while of wondering around I started to get hungry. I didn't eat before I left or on the plane ride over, so when I came across a diner I figured the staff would have to be forced to talk to me when taking my order. That way I could eat and get directions, so I started walking towards the parking lot.
Their was only a black rusty old pick up truck parked out front and next to it was a ridiculous looking motorcycle. I scoffed when seeing it and figured whoever it belonged to was some dumb boy who was trying way to hard to impress girls. I walked into the diner and a tingle of the bell was heard when the door closed behind me. The place was practically empty and the only one in here was an older man who had a scruffy white beard and an oversized gut.
He was sitting at the bar with a mug in front of him and steam was coming off of it. He took a quick glance my way and then turned back to his coffee obviously not caring that I had walked in. I walked down and sat into one of the red booths and sat my bag on the ground under the table. I looked around a minute to see if anyone was working, but the only one in here was me and the old man.
I scrunched my nose up when I could smell smoke. It was like a forest was on fire and I looked around a minute to see if I could see anything burning from the kitchen. The old man at the bar seemed to notice me taking in the burning scent and he chuckled before looking over his shoulder at me.
"Don't worry the food might not be all that good here, but the view is great."
I furrowed my brows at him in confusion, but didn't say anything back. I turned back in the booth and rested my head against my hand and looked out the window. I guess I would just wait until someone finally decides to do their job.
After another ten minutes some noise could be heard from the kitchen and I sat up a little in my seat hoping someone would finally come take my order.
"Charlie, why didn't you tell me someone was here? You're making me look bad." a raspy young voice said from the window that showed a little bit of the kitchen.
"Oh don't you worry none about that. Nothing could make you look bad." Said the old man with a chuckle.
I grimaced when hearing the old man flirt with a girl that I could tell was much younger then he was. I stayed looking out the window and tried not to act like I was over hearing them.
"Watch it or next time I'll spit in your coffee." The girl said back through a chuckle.
The old man laughed and slammed his hand down on the counter.
"That'd only make it sweeter and you know I only take mine black." He said back to the voice behind the window.
I could hear someone push open a door and knew whoever the voice belonged to was now behind the counter.
"Charlie if you don't stop flirting with me you'll have the whole town talking about us." The young girl said back.
I couldn't believe she was talking with this old man like she was. She must have low self esteem or not be very attractive.
"Let' em talk!" He said back loudly and let out another hard laugh.
Eventually she came up to my table and the burning smell got even stronger. She placed a menu down in front of me, but I didn't look up at her. She wasn't very good at her job and had made me wait forever.
"I'm sorry about the wait. Can I get you started with some coffee?" She asked and her voice came out more velvety this time.
I couldn't even focus on the menu from her scent and just nodded my head so she would walk away. She did, but her ash scent stayed and I could feel Zeb become more awake when noticing it.
Not after a minute a mug was set down on the table with coffee filled to the rim. She didn't say anything for a minute and I guess was trying to give me more time to decide.
"I recommend the loaded omelet. It's amazing and is really filling." she suggested.
It seemed silly, but I had stopped eating eggs for a while. Food period just didn't taste as good to me anymore and I had to force myself to eat most of the time.
"Alright." I muttered and I went to pick the menu up to hand to her, but her soft fingers went over mine when grabbing it and I finally looked up at her.
My eyes went wide when they were met by a pair of mismatched brown and green orbs. Her hair was long and past her elbows and they were all in perfect golden ringlets. She wore a blue tank top that was revealing way more then needed and had on a pair of black ripped jeans that hugged her hips.
She was beautiful as I knew she would be and her once small pink lips were now full and plump. Her eyes were staring into mine wide and we were both still holding onto the menu just taking in one another. Our fingers stayed touching and for whatever reason my skin felt like it was on fire from her touch.
'Alana' Zeb said in a dark voice.
She blinked a few times and went to open her mouth to speak, but then she snatched the menu from my hands and practically ran away from me and back into the kitchen.
I stayed sitting there stunned and when I realized that it really was her I ran my hands threw my hair and stood up from the booth. I went to the bar where the old man was sitting and tried to see if I could see her through the little window that showed the kitchen.
Their was just a bigger man at the grill cracking multiple eggs into a bowl I guess making my omelette, but no sign of Emerald. I looked down at my finger and saw that there was indeed a small burn bubble on my skin and for whatever reason it wasn't healing.
"I don't think I've ever seen Em so spooked before. Guess she finally met her match."
I furrowed my brows again and shook my head. I didn't know what he meant by that, but I knew why she ran away. She recognized me and I could see it in her face.
"Do you know where I can find Alpha Paul?" I asked while still looking through the small window.
"Yeah, he's on the other side of town though and probably at Helen Grey's house. She's not doing so good these days."
I nodded my head and sat at the bar next to the man and kept my eyes trained on the window. I wanted go back there and get her to talk to me, but I knew I had to be patient. She had to come to me and as hard as it was to continue waiting I forced myself to stay seated.
Her face and body kept coming back to my mind and I wanted to rip my hair out for finding her so attractive. I tried to keep changing the image to her when she was a child, but it was like I couldn't remember. Then the conversation came back to me that she had with the old man I was sitting next to and a heat of rage started building up in my chest.
Why would she tolerate this disgusting man talking to her like that? Who does he think he is talking to a little girl that way?
The bigger man in the kitchen moved a giant omelette onto a plate and then placed it on the window seal and hit the bell that was next to it. I waited for her to bring it to me, but I watched the bigger man walk out of my view and then when he came back he picked the plate up and came around through the black door.
He sat it down on the counter in-front of me and gave me a hostile look. I looked down at the omelette and then back at the man behind the counter. I was fixing to ask where Emerald was, but the sound of a motorcycle engine roaring was heard and I quickly spun around in the stool I was in.
She was sitting on the large bike, but her face was shielded by a black helmet and the only thing that told me it was her were the long curls that were hanging down her back. She did a tight U turn and sped quickly out of the parking lot and away from the diner.
I turned back to the cook that was watching me and stood from my seat and grabbed some loose cash out of my back pocket before throwing it down at the counter. I turned around and went back to the booth and bent down to grab my duffel bag. I threw it over my shoulder and didn't look back at either men before walking out and towards the direction that she had went in.