Life's good here...

      "Nah, an alpha." Hesse gritted, "Now back off." She went as far as stretching her arm out and pressing her hand flat on his chest before pushing his body off the counter where he almost leaned all his weight. 

       Celeste squirmed, didn't know what to say, and couldn't open her mouth nor her tongue could form a word. 

         "Huh? Shouldn't you keep your hands to yourself, honey?" A smile tugged at the one side of his lips, eyes challenging as he looked Hesse in her eyes. 

        Celeste watched the tick of Hesse's jaw and the way the grip she had on the counter tightened. Fire in her eyes. 

       "Well, well, now why do we have a new one here? Care to explain?" He leaned forward just as quickly when Hesse's hands fell from his chest. 

        "Can you please do us the favor and just leave?" Hesse asked, heaving out a sigh. "It's not our fault that you weren't there when we had held a freaking pack assembled for this matter a few days ago." Her eyes narrowed. 

      "Hey, it's fine. You don't have to be outraged now." Celeste whispered to her from behind, hoping the man before them would go unheard to her words. But it doesn't seem so as he croaked out a laugh. 

        "That's what I want to ask too, Hesse. I was just asking. Curious, you know, you don't have to bite me for that." He says, flinging a wink at Celeste's way. 

        Her eyebrows crumbled at the action, cutting her eyes to Hesse instead. 

       When Hesse refused to say a word and stomped inside the store, Celeste looked back at him. His eyes were already on her as if expecting an explanation. 

        "Oh, I'm an outsider as you already know, I believe. I found my refuge here a week ago and came from a very difficult circumstance. I had no other choice but to run away.  Life here feels good." The last words were the truth and there was a slight smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. 

         Even though there were nights that she still can't seem to find sleep. There were nights she screamed awake. There were days she refused to get herself out of the comfort of her— now — own bed. 

         But the life here was good. 

        She was trying to heal and something in the air here had the power to tend her aching heart which soothed her to forget her past and live her present.

         "Ah…" He made. "Phen."

          "Pardon?" 

        "My name, it's Phen Amson." He says. And from the smile that he gave her, she found it hard to find what in this man had triggered Hesse to take a grudge against him.

         "Okay." 

      "See you around then, Celeste." He said.

     "I hope we will, Phen." She smiled at him.

        Phen lifted his left hand up to his forehead and tossed a salute at Celeste. "Hope we do, it's quite hectic at the borders, been there all this time. But surely, it will be gone soon." Phen walked backward, eyes traveling behind Celeste inside the store. "Tell Hesse her annoying Alpha had gone." He chuckled, more like to himself as he shaked his head, and with one last smile directed at Celeste, he was gone. 

        She watched him go with a smile on her face, turning around to go find Hesse, but she didn't have to go inside to see her, she was standing on the threshold, eyes on the retreating form of Phen. 

      "Phen's not the one you love. But I'm afraid I see something in your eyes, my Hesse." Celeste's eyebrows curved downward, lips pursed as she watched Hesse startle back at her voice. 

       "What are you even saying?" 

       "You know what I'm saying."

     Hesse looked at Celeste with that pointed look in her eyes. "I don't."

       "You do—"

       "Hey, girls! Had fun here?" The lady who had charged them to look after her shop while she eats at the packhouse yells out enthusiastically from Celeste's back. 

      "Goddess, finally! Of course, we had fun, Ms. Lyn!" Hesse pushed her body up from the doorframe and walked toward them, grabbing an orange from the counter before slipping outside. She gazed at Celeste as if to silently tell her to come. 

      "Ah… sweet." Ms. Lyn said smiley and all. "Oh! I almost forgot," He grazed her long fingers on her forehead. "You girls go straight home, yea? Alpha Lander has said he'll be waiting for you to get there."

      "Why is Dad looking for us?" Hesse's words were not more than a whisper, eyebrows scrunching. 

      Something flashed through Ms. Lyn's face but then she put on a smile and said, "He will tell you by himself." 

        "We are leaving then," Hesse said. 

        "Thank you, girls!" Ms. Lyn cheered.

      Celeste smiled, stepping out, "It's fine, Ms. Lyn."