Sol Cortez's POV

"Okay, sir. Here's your order. That's gonna be $4.99." Yejide says to the man on the other side of the counter.

I hear and smell her before I see her and my heart immediately starts to race like I have never seen a woman before.

The warewolf inside of me gets even more excited.

"What are you doing just standing here, you idiot?! Go over there and hug her! Give her a kiss or something!" He yells uncharacteristically.

I chuckle to myself silently.

"Humans don't work like that Noir. And calm down! You're acting like a puppy!" I tell him and he whines impatiently.

I steel myself and walk over to her.

She sees me and her face brightens up almost immediately.

"Sol" she smiles.

"I. Can't. Breath!" Noir exaggerates.

Shut. Up!

I give her an easy smile.

"Yejide" I say, leaning over the counter and kissing her cheek, unable to stop myself.

She flushes and looks away shyly, making my heart melt.

"Hey, Sol. You're a little early" she reminds me.

"Because we couldn't wait!" Noir hollers.

"Noir! Shut up before you embarrass me!" I chastise mentally, scared that I might say it aloud.

"Ah, I was in the area, so I thought I'd stop by" I lie.

I've been walking around for most of the day, waiting for a good time.

She nods, smiling wider.

"Have you eaten?" She asks me.

I shake my head, no.

"Wait there" she says.

She turns away from me and walks towards the kitchen.

"Look at her Sol! She's perfect for us!" Noir says excitedly.

I look.

Her uniform is perfect for her, shaping out her wonderful figure and I fight hard not to behave like a human and stare at her.

Her curves dip into her waist and hips and then broaden again on her upper body.

I gulp and look away before I get caught.

Noir chuckles.

"I wonder what she tastes like-" Noir starts, but I stop him right there.

"Noir!" I warn.

"Hey, I'm back!" Yejide says to me, holding a plate with a strange looking pastry on it.

Why is it purple?

I look at her and she laughs at the look on my face.

"I made it! It's a Middle Eastern dessert called Baklava, but I added a little twist!" She says excitedly.

I nearly chuckle at her enthusiasm.

"What's the twist?" I ask, picking up a plastic fork and using a napkin to clean it up.

"I added a little viola extract" she shrugs.

She puts it down in front of me and leans forwards to gauge my reaction.

I'm just about to take the first bite, when the hairs on my neck stand immediate attention and Noir growls restlessly.

He sounds annoyed.

Territorial, even.

I put my fork down.

Competition.

Yejide's eyes are no longer on me, but on the person behind us.

I turn around to see who she is looking at and it immediately sets my senses on fire!

This is my competition?!

About 6'3.

Muscular build and dark skin. He has very West African features.

Thick dark brown lips and narrow eyes.

His black hair is cropped short and he smells like...

Power...

Extremely dominant and restless power.

With an undertone of... blood?

"We need to talk" he tells her.

He seems cool and collected.

I listen to his heartbeat.

He seems...

Nervous... and... restless.

Like he's itching to say something to her.

I normally never do this...

But he's my competition, I have to!

I peer into the surface of his mind. 

The way he looks at her and the way he speaks.

He likes her.

He does not know how to act around her though, and common sense tells me that he's probably been an idiot.

But he seems regretful.

It doesn't show on his face though.

"I'm just about to get off my shift. If you need anything, my friend, Kasu, is up front" she says.

The man shakes his head.

"Actually, I need to talk to you specifically." He says to her.

That's it! I can't help it.

I dig further into his mind to hear his thoughts.

"Okay, Ezra! You don't have to tell her about the blood moon!

Just apologise, make amends and leave!

It can't be that hard right?

But I need to tell her!"

I stop listening into his head.

It's wrong.

I shouldn't abuse my power.

She looks at me.

"I'll be back in a bit" she says, before leading the man out to the back.

I sigh and pick up my fork again, taking a bite of the food.

It's delicious!

I take another bite, then another, momentarily distracted by how good it is!

The girl can bake!

My mind wonders back to her.

I wonder if she's okay?

And what did he mean by blood moon?!

No matter!

I don't care if he saw her first.

I need to make sure that I do my damn best to keep her close to me.
        ***

Yejide Moore's POV

"What's up?" I ask the man.

I think his friend called him Ezra.

He sighs.

"Look, I'm sorry about my behaviour the last few times we have met" he says earnestly.

"I've been an asshole" he says.

I relax a little, but I don't let my guard down.

"You're right. You were an asshole" I tell him.

He chuckles softly.

"But why are you apologising now?" I ask skeptically.

He shrugs.

"I thought on it and I'm in the wrong. I would like to start over" he says.

I nod.

Seems fair.

"You could start with your name?" I ask.

He nods and gives me a small, but handsome smile.

"I'm Ezra Foster" he says and my eyes widen at the mention of his last name.

Foster as in 'Foster's Inkwell limited?!'

His family own a literature foundation company that supply books all over the world!

Including the library I work in.

But I'm not about to treat him differently.

"Yejide Moore" I say, holding my hand out.

He takes it and shakes it.

"Thank you for hearing me out" he says.

I nod.

"I want to talk to you again, soon" he says, straight up.

"About what?" I ask.

He shrugs.

"To make up for my childish behaviour. Meet me again?" he asks.

I chuckle.

"When?" I ask.

"Do you have a shift in the library tomorrow?" He asks

I nod.

"I have a shift there every day" I tell him.

He nods.

"I'll stop by one time and then we can talk?" he says.

I nod again.

We walk back to the restaurant and he holds the door open for me.

I thank him and step inside, letting the warmth re-envelope me.

He turns to me, pulling a business card out of his pocket.

"You should call me... you know, when you figure out a way for me to make it up to you" he says.

I take the card off of him.

"Thank you" I say.

I turn around and before I realise, he is towering over me.

"Besides... your boyfriend seems to miss you" he says, lowly, making my stomach flip.

"He's not my-" I start to say, but as I turn around, I notice that he's gone!

I sigh and walk up to Sol.

He looks up as I approach and he breaks into a huge grin.

"You're back. Thank you for the food!" he says warmly.

I smile back and look at the plate, expecting for there to be a little left.

He finished it?!

"Oh, you actually enjoyed it?" I ask surprised and pleased.

He nods eagerly.

"I meant what I said. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy anything you gave me" he says with a shrug and my heart flutters a little.

"Thank you" I respond shyly.

He takes my hand as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

"Let's go. We don't have much time before your library shift" he says pulling me towards the door, making me giggle.

He's like an excited child!

Once we are outside, he pulls me closer to him.

"Where'd you want to go?" I ask.

He smiles down at me.

"I've got a plan" he says.

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~ Xo.