Chapter 1||

Rachael||

"This is disgusting! You foolish girl, I don't like milk! I'm lactose intolerant! How can you be so stupid?!" Mrs. Newman yelled as she slammed the cup on the counter.

I watched half the contents of the cup spill on the counter I had just spent thirty minutes lovingly polishing.

It was a regular Monday, and she was already making my day terrible, just like the rest of the werewolves that came here!

"Mrs. Newman, I—" I wanted to explain myself but the words were barely out of my mouth when I felt a stinging hot slap land over my cheeks.

"You stupid girl! How dare you talk to her like that? Do you think she is a lowly pig like you?" Another angry voice followed.

Tears pooled at the corners of my eyes as pain and anger blended within me. I wanted to open my mouth and explain the situation once again but another werewolf joined them and before I could blink another slap landed on my face.

'"Rude humans like you should not even be allowed to live! You should die!"

My eyes widened in panic as all the news I had heard of humans being killed by werewolves for silly reasons played out in my head. Back then I had prayed for the victims never thinking, it would one day be me.

My legs developed a mind of it's own and I slowly began to move backwards, yet the three werewolves kept coming at me, their eyes glowing in anger.

Just when I was certain they were going to come at me, I heard shuffling of legs behind me and my boss's voice followed.

"Whoa! Mrs. Newman! I didn't know you were here early!" Mr. Randy, the manager of the café appeared out of nowhere to save the day.

As if this was what she wanted, she and her friends turned towards him and became even more hysterical. "Randy! Where do you get these girls from? Can you imagine? She was rude to me!"

The customers at the tables looked at me and I felt an uneasiness flow through me. They didn't say anything but I could see it in their eyes that they wanted me dead.

Werewolves were always like this, flaunting their power because they knew humans rarely stood up against them—and even if we did, they were going to kill us in seconds. Hence why they now ruled the world.

Mr. Randy cleared his throat. The action pulled me out of my thoughts, and I turned to find him smiling brightly at Mrs. Newman.

"I'm so sorry, let me get you, ladies another one, it's on the house, alright?" He led Mrs. Newman to the best seat in the Café and turned back at me, showing signs for me to leave the counter.

I wiped my hands clean and went to the back, the off-limits worker's zone.

I went to the changing room, which was really just the storage for the coffee beans. I sat on one of the empty sacks there and waited for my scolding to come.

“Just two months,” I whispered to myself.

All I needed was two months and I will be off. I just needed to gather enough money to pay for my college tuition. My Uncle Jonathan and I agreed to split the remaining fees in half to facilitate it.

I would become a doctor, and the wolves would beg me to treat them! No one would dare insult or oppress me!

"Rachael?" Mr. Randy’s voice rang out across the small room before he popped his head inside.

"Sir?" I stood up clutching my cap. I was half expecting him to fire me but kept my hopes alive.

"I'm really sorry about Newman. She's just— you know, mean and cranky—"

"Rachael,” Mr. Randy called softly, snapping me out of my ramble.

“Sir?”

“You told me you are saving up for college? That means you will be here a few months, eh? Let's make good use of your time here... Please no more arguing with the customers."

My eyes widened in shock as the meaning of what he was saying washed over me. He was letting me keep the job!

"Thank you so much sir." I bowed my head.

Mr. Randy nodded and looked around the storage as if he hadn't seen it before. "Alright, get back out there. They are gone, and it's getting busy."

I nodded and packed my hair back in my cap, before stepping out.

The Café was busy till when my shift ended, but it wasn't half as bad as it was earlier. I changed into my blue jeans and a jacket for the soon-to-come chilly night and clocked out.

"See you later, Mr. Randy," I said as I stepped out of the Café.

I stopped at the zebra crossing on the street, waiting for the lights. Just as the light turned green, I started crossing and I raised my head. That was when I saw him on the other side of the street.

A total stranger, I had never seen before in my life. Yet very familiar.

He looked back at me with eyes so blue, he could challenge the Swiss alp scenery for its worth. Saying he was handsome was an understatement, the word handsome couldn't describe how good looking this young man was.

Shameful butterflies filled my stomach, and I tried to avoid his direction, but I could still feel his eyes on me.

Maybe he also found me attractive?

My cheeks felt hot, and I shook my head to snap out of it— I was being delusional, such a god could never be interested in a normal-looking human like me. It was all in my head.

My heart flipped and I gently massaged my chest as I hurried away from the main roads. I turned into an alley and kept my head down as I walked.

I looked behind me, half hoping I would find him staring back at me with those blue orbs, but I was disappointed. There was no one here.

I was so invested in this handsome god, and I failed to notice the alley I walked in was uncomfortably deserted.

I hardly made the bend into the next street when a low growl filled my ears.

"You really thought you could escape us, human?"

The instant the voice echoed, I knew it was Mrs Newman even before I turned.

She and even more of her friends were standing in the middle of the alley with their eyes glowing in rage.

"It's a good thing the master wants her dead. We don't need more Hybrids in the world!" She said and my stomach dropped.

Their words made no sense and all I wanted to do was run for my life. I turned around, hoping to make an escape back to the main roads but I was met with another group.

"All Hybrids must die!" They chorused and I knew that I was doomed.

Panic rose within me and my nerves were in a chaotic state.

"Wait! There must be some misunderstanding—I am only human. I am not a hybrid—I'm sorry! I didn't—" I held my hands out. “Please just let me go.” I tried to beg them but Mrs Newman and her friends were not moved.

In a blink of an eye they descended on me, hitting me from every angle.

"Stop! Please! Someone— somebody help me!" I gasped weakly but they didn't stop.

They continued kicking and throwing punches at me with the sole aiming of killing me.

Screaming for help was hopeless, so I curled into myself waiting for my end to come...

Suddenly cold air flooded through the space and they stopped, as if they were compelled too.

They slowly moved away from me and turned behind me, forcing me to also do the same...

A gasp escaped my lips as my eyes landed on the person they were all shocked to see.

Right there in the alley, stood the handsome stranger!