Bears VS Wolves (Team Shifter 1)

Okay.

Am I going crazy, or was she here?

I look around the little coffee shop for a second as I try to discreetly scent the air. She was definitely here. I turn toward one corner where two women are sitting chatting.

“Excuse me,” I say, moving over to them. It’s going to sound crazy, but I ask anyway. “Was there a young woman here a few minutes ago?”

The older woman has long silver hair piled on top of her head. She’s lovely. If I had to ask, she’s a crow or hawk shifter: some sort of bird. She looks me up and down, and then a smile spreads on her lips.

“Ah, you’re newly mated, are you?” She raises an eyebrow.

“Um, yes?”

“Your mate was here,” the younger woman says. “But she left in a rush about ten minutes ago.”

“I guess that explains it,” I mutter.

“Did you scent her?” The older woman has a twinkle in her eye. “Is that why you came over?”

“Something like that.”

“You’re very lucky,” the younger woman tells me.

“I agree,” I murmur, even though it’s not true. I’d be lucky if she wanted me. I’d be lucky if she wanted to be close to me. There are a million reasons why I’m almost lucky and very few that I actually am.

“She’s a beautiful girl,” Silver Hair says.

“Thank you. I’m sorry to bother you,” I say, and I turn to get in line so I can place my order. I don’t think I’m going to stay here very long. I definitely won’t stay to finish my drink. This place...it smells like her, and that’s just too much to handle right now.

The older woman reaches for my arm and grabs it. Surprised, I raise an eyebrow, but don’t say anything. Her gesture is weird, but not scary.

“Sometimes love finds us when we least expect it, but sometimes, we have to fight for that love.”

I don’t say anything at first.

“Thank you,” I finally tell her. I don’t know what made her think I needed to hear this, but it’s actually kind of a nice thought. She’s right, too. I mean, I wasn’t exactly looking for Meredith. She was just...there.

But fighting for her?

Is that something I need?

Meredith made it clear where I stand with her. Sending Foxy to deliver the message that she doesn’t want me was an extra rough blow, but that’s what I have to deal with. She doesn’t want me.

I politely nod to the women before ducking over to the line. I don’t really know what’s going to happen next. Besides, even though her advice isn’t really flawed, I don’t know that I want to even try thinking about what “working it out” might look like when it comes to Meredith.

She doesn’t want me.

There are a couple of people ahead of me, and they’re taking their time ordering. I don’t care at all because it gives me a chance to look at the menu. Yeah, this coffee shop has everything a normal coffee shop does, but I like to mix it up and keep things interesting. I rarely order the same thing two visits in a row.

The woman in front of me sniffs the air pointedly and turns around. She looks me up and down and gives me a little glare.

Cool.

She turns back around, places her order, and then makes a comment about new people. When she steps aside so I can come forward and order my own drink, it takes everything in my power not to say something mean or shitty.

I’m bigger than this.

That’s what I have to tell myself.