Aurora’s P.O.V
I barely have a moment to catch my breath before I hear my name being called—sharp, insistent. My stomach tightens as I turn toward the familiar voices of Shane and Mia, their expressions expectant, their posture exuding entitlement. I know that tone all too well. It’s the one that says they’re going to enjoy tormenting me.
“Aurora,” Mia drawls, gesturing lazily at their table. “You missed a spot. Clean it again.”
I glance at the table. It’s spotless. But that doesn’t matter to them. It never has. Before I can respond, Jade—usually the quietest of their group—shifts in his seat and mutters, “It’s already clean.” His voice lacks conviction, though, and he doesn’t meet my eyes. He knows just as well as I do that his words won’t change anything.
Shane scoffs, shaking his head. “Nah, man. It’s not.” His smirk widens as he leans back in his chair, watching me like I’m some kind of entertainment. “She needs to do it again. It’s her job.”
I grip the edge of my tray, the cool metal grounding me, reminding me that I have to keep my face neutral, my voice steady. Reacting will only give them more to latch onto. With slow, measured movements, I step forward, reaching for the cloth at my side.
That’s when Caroline speaks up. “Aurora?” Her voice carries genuine surprise, and when I glance at her, I see it reflected in her wide eyes. “I didn’t know you worked here.”
Her reaction stings more than it should. I don’t know what I expected—maybe for her to already know, maybe for it to matter less to her—but the way she says it, the way she looks at me like she’s seeing something new, something lesser, makes my throat tighten. Before I can say anything, she turns toward Caleb.
He doesn’t say a word. Don't even look at me. His gaze shifts away, nonchalant, like I don’t exist, like my presence means nothing.
But I feel it.
I feel the weight of something unspoken in the way his fingers drum lightly against the table, in the slight tension in his shoulders before he forces himself to relax. He doesn’t need to say it aloud. I already know.
He chose this place on purpose.
I don’t know what I did wrong. I swear, if someone asked me, I wouldn’t have a single answer. But every time Caleb looks at me, his eyes darken the moment they land on me, and his entire demeanor shifts into something cold and distant, like I personally offended him in another life. It’s not just irritation—it’s outright disdain. And the worst part? I have no idea why.
Tonight is no different. He doesn’t even glance up as I wipe down the table once again, scrubbing carefully on the old polished wood to make sure it’s spotless.
Finally, I grab my notepad and give them my best customer service smile.
"What can I get you guys tonight?" I ask, keeping my voice steady.
Shane and Mia snigger, as if I’m part of some inside joke, but then, they quiet down and the orders start pouring in, almost too fast for me to keep up.
“I want a bacon mushroom burger with a side of fries, a separate order of hot wings and onion rings, beef nachos, and two cans of coke. Did you get that? You’d better. Get one thing wrong, and you’re dead.”
They order an ungodly amount of food, barely pausing between requests, as if they’re stocking up for the winter. I jot everything down, nodding at the occasional side glance from Caleb that makes my skin prickle. When I turn to leave, I swear I hear him scoff under his breath, but I ignore it.
I move fast, bringing their orders out in batches, dropping plates in front of them with just enough politeness to keep things professional but not enough to pretend I enjoy this. To my relief, they don’t bother me much. They’re too wrapped up in their conversation, speaking in hushed tones. I don’t mean to listen, but snippets of their words reach me as I set down the last plate.
"…hasn’t sensed it yet."
"That’s impossible."
"He has no idea."
Their voices are low, serious, but it’s the next word that makes me pause.
"Mate."
My fingers tighten around the tray. My head tilts slightly, just enough to glance at them from the corner of my eye. It’s such an odd choice of words. Who even talks like that? Mate. Like… animals? Or, I don’t know, people from another century?
Caleb’s eyes flicker to mine just as I realize I’ve been standing there too long. I straighten instantly, clearing my throat as I step back. Whatever they’re talking about, it’s none of my business.
"Enjoy your meal," I mutter, turning on my heel before I can let my curiosity get the best of me.
But even as I walk away, something lingers. A feeling, a weight in my chest I can’t shake off. I don’t know what it is, but something tells me that whatever they’re talking about… it has something to do with me.
But I have no idea what to even make of it, or if I was just hearing things.
*
Caleb’s P.O.V
Sitting at the table, I tapped my fingers against the wooden surface, watching as Mia and Shane exchanged playful smiles and teasing remarks. Mia laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder as Shane leaned in just a little too close, whispering something that made her roll her eyes with a grin. The air around them practically crackled with their flirtation, and I couldn’t decide if it was amusing or exhausting.
Across from me, Jade was glued to his phone, his fingers scrolling mindlessly while he sat completely detached from the conversation, probably checking some sports scores or texting someone far more interesting than us.
I barely paid attention to any of them, my focus elsewhere, but I wasn’t surprised when Caroline suddenly turned towards me, her sharp eyes narrowing. “Caleb,” she started, her tone laced with something suspicious, “why did you pick this place?”
I looked at her, feigning innocence. “What do you mean?” I asked, though I already knew exactly what she meant.
She sighed, crossing her arms. “You knew Aurora works here.” Her voice was even, but there was an edge to it, like she was challenging me to lie about it.
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. “So? It’s no big deal.” I gestured toward the restaurant around us. “The food’s good, and we’re just helping increase their sales. I don’t see why you’re making a fuss over it.”
Caroline stared at me, unconvinced. “Oh, come on,” she scoffed. “You never cared about ‘helping sales’ before. You’re deliberately coming here because of Aurora, and we both know it.” She tilted her head, her gaze scrutinizing me in that way that made it hard to dodge the truth. “That’s not like you, Caleb.”
I exhaled, rubbing the back of my neck, but before I could respond, I caught sight of movement in the distance. My breath hitched slightly, but I forced myself to stay composed as Aurora appeared again, weaving through the tables with practiced ease, holding a notepad against her hip as she heads to another table.
Caroline noticed my sudden shift in demeanor, and her lips pressed into a thin line. “See?” she muttered. “That’s exactly what I mean. Why, Caleb?”
But before I can reply, Shane interrupted Caroline mid-sentence, his voice laced with irritation. “Caleb is just standing up for his gang,” he declared, shooting me a smirk before turning back to Caroline. “By bringing us here, we can finally get our revenge for what she did to Mia’s bag.” His words dripped with satisfaction, as if this whole thing was some sort of righteous justice instead of what it truly was—pure, childish pettiness.
Caroline’s face twisted with frustration. “That’s wrong, Shane. What happened was an accident. You know that.” Her voice was firm, but there was a desperate edge to it, as if she knew she was fighting a losing battle. I could see the way her hands clenched at her sides, her shoulders squared in defiance. She wasn’t afraid to go against them, even if she was outnumbered.
Shane scoffed, rolling his eyes before turning to Mia, completely ignoring Caroline’s protest. “So,” he mused, a cruel smirk curling on his lips, “how should we do this? Any ideas?”
Mia folded her arms and let out a dramatic sigh. “Oh, there are so many ways we could do it,” she mused, tilting her head in thought. “I mean, she’s already at the bottom of the food chain. We could make her beg. Make her crawl. Maybe ruin something of hers and see how she likes it.” Her lips curled, her eyes flashing with amusement.
Shane laughed. “I like that. Public humiliation, maybe?” He nudged Mia, clearly enjoying this far too much. “Or something worse?”
I sat there, seemingly indifferent, as they threw around ideas like they were planning a party instead of orchestrating someone’s downfall. My posture was relaxed, my expression calm, but inside, something in me was snarling. My wolf stirred violently, a deep growl rumbling in my chest, barely contained. I didn't like this. It didn’t like the way Shane spoke, the way Mia’s face lit up at the thought of tormenting someone weaker. My wolf howled, demanding I step in, demanding I put an end to this pathetic excuse for revenge.
But I silenced it. I locked down the anger rising inside me, pressing it down until it was nothing more than a dull throb in my veins. This wasn’t my fight. I wasn’t here to play hero. I was here to watch and wait, to see just how far Shane and Mia would go. Maybe then, I’d decide what to do.
So I leaned against the wall, letting them believe I was indifferent, that I was just another one of them, another member of the pack who didn’t give a damn about Aurora. But my wolf knew better. And deep down, so did I.