This life sucked. I envied the people who got to roll out of bed and have boring days. I wished I could really do the walk of shame, but I had to spend my days running from danger instead. I realized, as I tugged on Addie’s leggings, that I never really got to experience my teenage years, either.
I didn’t get to have a rebellious phase because of Alvin’s watchful eye. Even my Dad’s irritation with my hound made me want to be the perfect daughter, just so I could get a little bit of approval. Nothing had worked, though.
I was tired of trying. I was tired of constantly trying to run from the people who should have had my back. Dad’s act of defiance during the hunt wasn’t enough to make up for all the years he’d called me a disappointment.
Shaking myself out of my dark thoughts, I shoved my feet into the boots that Addie had brought for me and reached for the box of toaster pastries in the bottom of the backpack. She’d made sure to pack my favorite s’mores flavor. I owed her big time for dropping whatever was going on in her life and coming all this way to help me out.
Inside, Bad Moon Café was on fire.
Literally.
Vi cringed at me from behind the counter while the sandwich press burned behind her. The flames danced in the air and ignited the nearby bucket of paper-wrapped straws. I yelped and leapt into the fray. Customers grumbled under their breaths while Vi frantically spilled their drinks. The bell over the door chimed when a few customers left.
I swatted the bucket of straws with one hand while using the other to throw a damp towel over the sandwich press. The fire sputtered and hissed angrily.
Behind me, Vi cursed and apologized on an endless loop. She kept throwing glances back at me. Her lips seemed drawn into a permanent cringe at this point. I tried to assure her that this was fine. With her, it was normal.
Any time Vi was left alone, something caught fire. Audra, the café’s owner, tried to always schedule Vi with someone else. I didn’t have time to check the schedule, but I was sure that Cerri should have been here. Cerri was the only one I could think of since Addie had the day off, and I worked the late shift.
Worry for Cerri nearly overwhelmed me. Bad Moon Café had brought the misfits of Lakesedge together. Why did our misfortunes have to align all at once? Addie seemed distraught, Vi was setting fires, Cerri was missing, and I had my Alpha breathing down my neck.
I wished I could keep my shit together long enough to help my friends, but it seemed as though I’d dug my own grave. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked Ryder to help me. If I hadn’t followed him home and worked out an arrangement yesterday, then I wouldn’t have been the subject of Alvin’s hunt. I could have denounced Ryder and avoided all of that.
Though the idea that I could have avoided this all clung to me, I knew better. I could put out the fires here and there, but I would have to do something to keep them from starting. That meant dealing with the one starting them.
Alvin.
Not Vi.
I put out the fire and threw away the charred sandwich. It hit the bin like a brick. I scowled at it and shook my head. Vi finished helping the customers who’d stuck around to watch the shit show. Her shoulders drawn up to her ears, Vi turned to me and apologized once more.
“I’m so sorry. Addie told me that you had a shitty night, so I put a sandwich on the press for you. I swear I didn’t forget about it. I put the press on a timer and everything!” A hint of red flashed in her eyes when the sun broke free of the clouds and pierced the dim shop with light.
“It’s all right. I appreciate the thought. Addie brought me some toaster pastries, anyway.”
Vi didn’t seem convinced. Her short blond hair stuck up at every angle. I patted her hair to make it look a little more purposeful. She gave me a sheepish smile. For a half-demon, Vi was incredibly sweet. I wished I had half the softness that she had.
She spun around, grabbed the tip jar, and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill that someone had left us. “Here. For putting out my fire this time.”
I rolled my eyes. “You worked this shift by yourself. Keep it. You deserve it.” I grabbed the sanitation rag and began wiping down counters. “Where is Cerri? Did she call in?”
Vi shrugged. My stomach sank.
The whole pack knew that Cerri and I were friends. Because Cerri didn’t have a beast, no one really thought much of her. After last night, I wouldn’t put it past Alvin to target her just to get back at me. My blood turned to ice until the bell over the door let out a panicked chime.
Cerri breezed through the door as if my thoughts had summoned her. She wore a grimace as she rushed me. Before I could even think to move, Cerri threw her arms around me.
“Uh, I was the one who survived the morning shift all by myself,” Vi grumbled. “But all right.”
Cerri didn’t release me as she reached out to pull Vi into her arms. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
I clutched my friends and tried to fight back the tears that had been waiting for me to let down my guard. The past couple of days had been a lot. I’d been pushing forward, ignoring the frustration building inside me.
If I let it come to the surface now, I would crumple. I had to tamp it back down so that I could keep moving forward. Tearing myself out of Cerri’s arms, I wiped at my cheeks with the back of my hand. Now wasn’t the time to break down.
Cerri watched me warily. She touched Vi’s hand and told her to clock out. Vi hesitated. I could feel her gaze on me.
“Are you sure?” Vi asked. She wrung one of the sanitation rags between her hands until a thin drizzle of water trickled onto the floor by her feet. “You could take the day off, Ness. I don’t mind pulling a double.”