Dawn couldn't come fast enough. It was strange to be roaming in the daylight when I usually only came out by moonlight. The blue hue of the early morn settled over the forested landscape alongside a thick layer of fog. I snuck out of my apartment, careful not to wake my neighbors.

Cranky humans were one thing—cranky werewolves were all claws and teeth. It was never a wise idea to irritate a wolf or wake one too early.

"Where you headed, Rory?"

My shoulders came up to my ears and my blades fell easily into my hands.

A small, innocent eyes looked up at me in terror from behind a cracked, chained door. "Is there a bad guy outside?"

I let my shoulders relax and replaced my blades in my holsters. "No, you just startled me. Go back to sleep Hayley."

The small wolf stuck her hand through the door. "Not until you give me a morning high five."

Rolling my eyes, I poked her palm with my finger. "Boop."

Hayley glared at me. "That was weak. Slap it like you mean it."

To appease the child, and not wake the neighbors, I gave her a proper high five, almost knocking her over. She grinned ear to ear. "Good luck getting the bad guys." The door closed with a quiet click behind her.

No one else disturbed me on my stroll through the fog. I yawned, rubbing at my weary eyes. My whole body felt heavy, used to sleeping in this hour. I felt like a pup, sneaking out in the early morning hour.

Footsteps sounded to my left. I dove into a nearby bush and waited with baited breath. It was probably just a patrol, but I never wanted to risk believing it was a friendly when it wasn't.

Peeking through the leafs, I barked a laugh. It was just a squirrel. I wasn't used to seeing day creatures. They were always asleep when I went out. It's fluffy trail bristled when it saw me. The little nose twitched in alarm.

A loud explosion rocketed through the air and it exploded into a puddle of blood and guts, splattering my face with the bits that flew. Warmth dripped down my cheek and almost into my mouth. I didn't move. What if that had been meant for me?

Hunters were here. Had they tracked me? Were they headed to my hidden town?

"Nice aim, Georgie," a husk voice barked. "You sniped that little guy before he knew what was coming."

"Thank you, father," a young boys voice squeaked.

I scowled. Disgusting. Teaching children this trade by killing just to kill? How sick could humans get. That squirrel was simply used as a target, his life completely disregarded. Clenching my hands into fists, I couldn't help but remember my first kill.

"Go for the throat, Rory, don't allow it a moment to react," my mother had prompted as we waited a buck's ears twitch in the moonlight while he chewed on grass, completely unaware that death would descend upon him.

Morphing into my wolf form, I crept into the clearing, staying downwind so he couldn't smell me and get spooked. A twig cracked beneath my paws.

The buck froze.

I couldn't move. The huge deer was three times my size and all muscle. White antlers protruded from his head like ten daggers, waiting for the right moment to strike and slay me.

The deer whirled around and charged, stabbing into my leg and ripping into muscle and flesh with a burning trail of fiery pain.

I yelped and lashed out with my teeth, biting into his throat and tearing it open. He tried to shack me off, jerking my injured body around in every direction. I held on, knowing that if I let go he would kill me. It was me of him. There was only one way to be victorious.

I slashed at his eyes with my claws, blinding him.

The buck slammed me into a tree, causing my jaws to grow slack and I fell to the ground. He stumbled around blindly before collapsing silent to the earth, blood gushing from the large gash I had ripped into his throat. It appeared as though it had been slit by a knife.

A doe and fawn stepped out of the brush, making my heart sink. He had had a family. I had taken that baby's father away from them. Tears welled up in my eyes as my mother rushed forward to my aid.

"I killed a daddy," I sobbed, my wound hurt little in comparison to the gravity of what I had done. "Why did you tell me to kill him? They don't have a daddy anymore."

"Everyone is someone's sister, brother, mother, father, it doesn't matter who is left behind," my mother had said, wrapping cloth around my bleeding arm. "You can't take on that weight as a Shadow, Rory. Focus on the target, they are a target and nothing more." Her brown eyes grew hard, leaving no room for question. "Think about the lives you save when you kill someone who risks the lives of the innocent. This buck was a target cause he attacks wolf pup's. He is stripped of his title as a father when he becomes a psychotic killer."

I shook my head, wiping the squirrel bits from my face. The hunters would be long gone by now. Leaving the bush, I scooped up some leaf's and placed them over the squirrels remains. Never kill without a reason. That was what my mother had taught me. It wasn't murder is you were exacting justice. Shadow's were heroes, not killers.

Image's of my mothers mutilated corpse flashed through my mind. I clenched my hand into fists. I would serve justice. The rebel's were involved. It wasn't my duty to investigate but I would, until I tracked down her killer and paid them back in full.

Walking along the forested path, I came to the parking lot at the edge that led into the shopping center. It felt dangerous being so out in the open like this. I scratched the back of my neck, feeling like the eyes of the world were zeroed in on me. The things I did for hot woman. . . I tsked and walked toward the Starbucks two buildings down.

The door pinged when I opened it and stepped inside. There, at the register, Jamie stood, clothed in a dark shirt and a thigh high skirt. She had perfectly drawn wings on her eyes and black lipstick that made her the goth girl of my dreams. When I had seen her last night in that low dress, I hadn't thought it was possible to be more attracted. But in her outfit, with her raven hair shining in the morning light, she was impossible. She shouldn't have been allowed to look that damn fine.

"How can I help yo—oh Rory! I didn't think you'd come," Jamie said with a pleasant smile. "What'll be drinking? It's on me today."

I came up to the counter and leaned on my elbow. "What do you recommend? The barista's always know the best drinks."

Jamie bit the inside of her lip and cocked her head to the side. "Do prefer . . . "

Why did she have to be so cute when doing that? I couldn't hear a single word she said, but I didn't want to be labeled a simping fool and admit that so I just randomly pointed at the menu. "That one sounds good."

"Oh the dragon fruit refresher? Definitely one of my favorites, it's a good wake up drink, even if it isn't caffeinated," Jamie said with a nod.

"Is that outfit regulation?" I asked eying her fishnet tights.

Jamie's face flushed. "N—no. But I thought there was a chance you might come today and wanted to look cute." She twirled a piece of her hair around her finger. "I figure it's worth the write up, what do you think?"

"I'd have to see you on this side of the counter to give a worthy opinion," I said with a wink.

"Just let me make our drinks then I'll join you at the high table," Jame said and hurried off toward the drink stations.

Her coworker eyed me up and down, giving the stinky eye. It was clear they didn't approve when they huffed and swung their blonde ponytail behind them when they stormed off.

I went to the high table and waited. I swung my feet back and forth and tapped my fingers. It would have been wiser to have caffeine. I worried if I stayed too still I'd pass out on the floor. Everyone would worry I was taken or worse, murdered, especially with the recent attacks on the Shadows.

Jamie waltzed over to the table and plopped a pink drink down in front of me, while she had a super chocolatety mocha in front of her. She took off her apron and set it on the table before twirling around. "So, whatcha think?"

Looking from her combat boots, to her black, to her jeweled fishnets to her black, lacey skirt was enough to make me fall off my chair and was that—a crop top? Her navel piercing sparkled over her perfectly smooth skin. I put my hands in my lap to prevent myself from reached out and touching her. That would not be appropriate at all, nope. I wanted to feel the smoothness of her skin beneath my fingers, to tangle my hands in her hair and—-

Begone thought!

"Adorable, the outfit compliments you well," I said in a monotone voice to keep from sounding too excited.

She quirked a brow. "You don't sound very enthusiastic."

"I shall advert my eyes for I am unworthy of your presence, my queen!" I cried dramatically, and bowed my head forward to touch the table.

Jamie giggled. "That's better. So, we already know what each other does for work, but I want to get to know you better." She reached across the table and placed her hand on mine. "What do you do in your free time?"

"I drink, smoke, sleep," I said, sitting rigidly straight. I didn't want to move and scare her. What if that made her break contact? I couldn't mess this up.

"I meant like hobbies, do you have any of those? I paint," Jamie stated as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Pretty.

I can't look away from the pretty.

"Could you repeat that?" I asked, blinking a few times and trying to regain my composure.

Jamie shook her head and smirked, like she knew just how enchanting she was. "Do you have any hobbies? I like painting, what do you like?"

"Uh—" When was the last time I had done anything other than eat, drink, smoke, or sleep? It had to be at least a month, if not more. "I write poetry sometimes."

"You're a poet?" Her eyes shone as her tone perked up. "Could you write me a poem sometime? I've always found writers to be so romantic."

I placed my other hand on top of hers. "Give me a napkin and a pen and I'll write you one now."

Holy shit what the fuck is wrong with me? I'm going to write her a poem! After I haven't written one in months!

I smiled more broadly to hide my inner panic.

Jamie skipped over to the counter and grabbed both things for me.

It had to be romantic but not creepy. That was such a fine balance to achieve. How was I going to achieve that while naughty thoughts were constantly flooding my brain every time my eyes fell on her thighs?

I let out a long breath. Scenery similes were romantic. I could just compare to nature in a completely clean, romantic way.

"Your voice is like the river,
I thirst to hear every word you speak.
Your breas—breath gives life,
To every part of my soul.
If a moment is all we have,
Then let me live in this serenity,
Until we part, may our hearts beat as one."

Jamie took the paper and read it. A few times. . . Was she going to critique me on it? Did she catch the erased word? Was she unhappy?

An awkward silence stretched out between us, so I grabbed my drink and took a sip.

Springing across the table, Jamie hugged me and sent the drink flying. It spilled across the floor making a small puddle beneath it.

I just froze. "D—did you like it?"

"I love it!" Jamie squealed. She pulled back and held her hand out. "Give me your phone, I've decided to give you my number."

Had this been a test? I unlocked my phone and pulled up my contacts, passing it over to her. As she typed in her number, I sat back in my chair, letting myself relax.

My throat felt tight. I blinked, focusing on the sensation for a moment. That was just nerves, right? But nerves hadn't made me itch before. I looked down at my hands, watching hives travel up my skin.

"Hey Jamie," I said, feeling my tongue move awkwardly in my mouth.

She looked up and her face fell. "Oh shit."

"I think I'm allergic to dragon fruit."