I dreamed of wolves. Of fire. Of golden eyes that seemed to know me. And of Lucian. Smiling. Reaching for me. But his hands turned to claws.
I woke up gasping. The dream faded. But the feeling remained. The cell phone alarm clock went off at this time. For some reason, the normally regular sound today sounded too noisy. Way too loud. I covered my ears.
I dragged myself out of bed. The floorboards creaked. It sounded like thunder. In the bathroom, I winced at my reflection. Same messy hair. Same tired eyes. But something was different. Couldn't put my finger on it.
At the diner, the smells hit me first. Coffee. Stronger than usual. Bacon. It was overwhelming.
Zoe waved from the counter. "Morning, Willow! You okay? You look a bit... off." I tried to smile. It felt wrong on my face. "I'm fine," I lied. "Just tired."
The day started. It was busy. Noisy. Every sound grated on my nerves. A customer dropped a fork. The clang made me jump. My heart raced.
"Willow?" It was Zoe. She looked worried. "You sure you're okay?"I nodded. Couldn't speak. My emotions were all over the place. One minute I was fine. The next I wanted to cry. Or scream.
The bell chimed. Lucian walked in. My heart did that weird flip again. He smiled at me. "Good morning, Willow."His voice. It was... different. Richer. Fuller. I could hear things in it I couldn't before."M-morning," I stammered. Why was I so nervous?
Lucian sat at the counter. Ordered coffee. As I poured it, my hand shook. The smell was intoxicating."Are you alright?" Lucian asked. His eyes were intense. Searching.I nodded. Again with the nodding. Use your words, Willow."I'm fine," I managed. "Just a weird day."
Lucian leaned closer. "Weird how?"I hesitated. Should I tell him? Why did I want to? "Everything's just... more," I said finally. "Louder. Brighter. I don't know."
Lucian nodded. Like he understood. "That must be overwhelming.""Yeah," I whispered. "It is." We talked more. Well, he talked. I listened. Tried to respond. It was easier with him. Didn't know why.
The day dragged on. My mood swung like a pendulum. Happy. Sad. Angry. Scared. Back and forth.
Zoe noticed. Of course she did. "Willow, can we talk? In private?"We went to the restroom. Zoe looked serious. "What's going on with you?"I shrugged. "I don't know. Everything feels... weird.""Weird how?" Zoe asked. Just like Lucian did.I told her. About the sounds. The smells. The mood swings.
Zoe listened. Frowned. "Maybe you should see a doctor," she said finally.
I didn't know why, but this proposal was making me irritated. "No, I won't go see a doctor," I said loudly, "Two years ago, I came here dirty and didn't remember anything except my name, and you didn't take me to see a doctor either."
"Ok..ok, dear Willow, relax," Zoe said gently. "This isn't normal. You need help. You know, I wanted to take you to see the doctor before, but you didn't allow it."
I shook my head. Hard. "I'm fine. Really. It'll pass." I wanted to start screaming again.
Zoe didn't look convinced. But she could see that I was very excited now, perhaps she was afraid of exciting me. "Okay," she said. "But promise me you'll tell me if it gets worse."I nodded. Another lie. I hated lying to Zoe. But I couldn't explain what I didn't understand.
Back in the diner, Lucian was still there. He'd been coming in every day. Always sitting at the counter. Always watching me.
I should have been scared. But I wasn't. I was... drawn to him. It was confusing.
As I refilled his coffee, he spoke. "Willow, I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me sometime."
I froze. Dinner? With Lucian? My heart raced."I... I don't know," I stammered. "I mean, I barely know you."
Lucian smiled. It was warm. Inviting. "That's the point of dinner. To get to know each other better."
I thought about Zoe's warnings. About my own doubts. But something pulled me towards Lucian."Okay," I heard myself say. "Dinner sounds nice."
Lucian's smile widened. "Excellent. How about tomorrow night? I'll pick you up here after your shift."I nodded. Couldn't believe I was doing this. But I wanted to. Really wanted to.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. My senses were still in overdrive. But now there was excitement too. And fear. Always fear.
As we closed up, Zoe noticed my mood. "You seem... different. Happy almost. What changed?"I hesitated. Should I tell her about Lucian? About dinner?"Nothing," I lied. Again. "Just feeling better."Zoe didn't look convinced. But she didn't push. She never pushed. That's why I loved her.
At home, I stared at my closet. What would I wear? Did I even own anything nice?
I found a dress. Buried in the back. Didn't remember buying it. It was pretty. Simple. Maybe it would do.
As I got ready for bed, I caught my reflection again. Still messy hair. Still tired eyes. But something else too. A spark. Of what, I wasn't sure.
I dreamed that night. Of wolves. Of forests. Of golden eyes and silver fur.
And of Lucian. Smiling. Reaching for me. But this time, I reached back.
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Lucian's Perspective
The phone rang once. Twice. Father answered on the third ring.
"Report," he said. No greeting. No warmth. Just business.
I took a deep breath. Chose my words carefully. "I seem to have found her, the hidden alpha, but I'm not sure yet, yes, not sure."
Silence on the other end. Then, "Are you certain? She? An alpha female wolf?"
"I can't be sure yet," I said. "It's the waitress. Willow. She's starting to show signs. Heightened senses. Mood swings. She doesn't understand what's happening."
"Interesting," Father mused. "She doesn't know what she is?"
"No," I confirmed. "It seems she has lost her memory. She seems to have no memory of her true nature. She doesn't look like it, but there are signs of a wolf in the vicinity, only her."
Father was quiet for a moment. Thinking. Planning. "This could work to our advantage," he said finally. "Gain her trust. Make her depend on you. Then bring her to me."
I hesitated. Thought of Willow's smile. Her kindness. Her innocence. "And if she resists?"
Father's voice turned cold. "Then you know what to do. We can't risk a rival Alpha, Lucian. No matter how innocent she may seem."
"Understood," I said.
"Can't bear it? Lucian, then display your charm, how many girls can resist your charm? My son." Father continued.
As I hung up, I thought of Willow. Of her haunted eyes. Her gentle spirit.
Recalling my father's words, perhaps marking her would be a good solution. I didn't know why, but I always had a desire for her.
But I pushed those thoughts away. I wanted to do this job well and play the role she liked.
No matter the cost.