Captured by the Alpha King

2 Rowan

2: Rowan

The musty scent of old books greeted me as I unlocked the door to The Book Nook. Home. My sanctuary amidst the madness.

I flipped on the lights, illuminating the cozy interior. The familiarity soothed my frayed nerves. After last night's encounter with the wraith, I craved normalcy. A life without the supernatural. After my parents were ripped apart by that vampire coven last year, I ran and didn't look back. This is home now. Simple. Peaceful. Quiet.

Running a hand over the worn wood of the counter, I breathed deeply. In this place, I could pretend. Pretend I was just an ordinary woman with an ordinary life.

Not someone with a past stained by magic.

Shaking off the grim thoughts, I began the morning ritual of preparing the shop. It was a well-worn routine, comforting in its simplicity.

Until the bell above the door chimed.

I glanced up, a greeting dying on my lips at the sight of the man entering. Tall and dark, an air of mystery clung to him like a well-worn cloak.

Unease slithered down my spine. I knew what he was at first glance. Not human.

My heartbeat quickened as I took in details—pale eyes glowing with secrets, a sinuous grace to his movements that spoke of inhuman power.

Panic rose in my chest, shattering my fragile peace. I wanted to flee, to escape the lure of magic that seemed to follow me like a curse.

The man approached the counter, pale eyes gazing into mine, and purred, "Rowan, we have been waiting for you."

A cold shiver raced over my skin. He knew my name. Knew what I was. There would be no escape from my fate, it seemed. No normal life. Only magic.

And I had a feeling this man would make certain of that.

I shook my head, refusing to be drawn in again. "I don't know what you're talking about. Please leave me alone."

His lips curved into a knowing smile. "Your powers cannot be denied forever, Rowan. Embrace your destiny."

A spark of anger flared to life, burning away the fear. I slammed my hands on the counter, leaning forward to glare into those pale, glowing eyes.

"I don't have any powers or destiny. I'm human, and I want to live a normal life. Now get out of my shop before I call the police."

The man studied me for a long moment before inclining his head. "As you wish. But this is not over." With a swirl of dark fabric, he turned and stalked out the door.

I slumped against the counter, heart pounding. So much for my quiet life. Magic had found me once more in the form of that mysterious stranger.

The bell above the door chimed again. I straightened, a polite greeting dying as I saw my best friend Anne enter. Her hazel eyes were troubled as they met mine.

"Rowan, did I just see a strangely dressed man leaving here? There was something...off about him."

Trust Anne to notice. I offered a weak smile, ignoring the trembling in my hands. "Just a customer. Nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" Anne pressed. "You seem upset."

"I'm fine," I said sharply. Then winced at my tone. "Sorry. Rough morning. But I'm okay now."

Though concern lingered in her eyes, Anne nodded. She knew me too well to continue arguing. If only I could be as convincing as I pretended. But that man's words echoed in my mind, a dark promise of fate I refused to accept. My normal life was slipping through my fingers, and there wasn't a thing I could do to stop it.

I shook off my unease and pasted on a smile. Now was not the time to worry Anne further. "So, did you finish that new thriller I recommended?"

Anne's face lit up as she launched into a vivid retelling of the book. I let her words wash over me, the familiar cadence of her voice soothing my frayed nerves.

Here in the quiet of my bookstore, chatting with my best friend, I could almost believe things would remain normal. But I knew better. The stranger's threat hung over me, its shadow darkening even the peace I found here. For whatever reason, this coven believed my family were some powerful witches who could control the dark. We aren't. We are literally human. Well. I am. My parents are dead now.

Still, I clung to the illusion of normalcy and laughed with Anne as if I didn't have a care. Though we saw each other nearly every day, moments like this were fleeting and precious.

Anne finished her enthusiastic summary with a grin. "Your recommendations are the best. So, coffee after work?"

"Sure," I said, hoping my smile reached my eyes. I didn't want to be alone right now, truth be told. And if anyone could distract me from the stranger, it was Anne.

"Great!" Anne glanced at the antique clock on the wall. "Oh, I should get to work. Talk to you later!"

I waved as she left, the door closing behind her with a soft chime. Silence fell over the shop, no longer comforting. My eyes strayed to the door, wondering if the stranger would return to make good on his threat.

With a sigh, I sank onto the stool behind the counter and buried my face in my hands. When would I learn that I couldn't escape my past? Magic and the supernatural always found a way back into my life, no matter how hard I tried to shut it out. The life I craved seemed forever out of reach.

As Anne and I walked down Millfield's cobblestone streets after our shift, I breathed in the aroma of freshly baked pie from the diner and crisp autumn air. The familiar scents and sights usually brought me peace, but today they only reminded me of what was at stake.

"The fall fest is this weekend," Anne said with a smile. "We should go. There'll be caramel apples, hay rides..."

Her voice faded as I gazed at the shops lining the road, picturing them empty and dark. What if the stranger acted on his threat?

I shook off the thought and grinned at Anne. "A hay ride does sound perfect."

"Great!" Anne looped her arm through mine. "We'll have fun. Try not to worry so much."

"I know, I know." I patted her arm, wishing I could be as carefree. "So, tell me about your ideal man again?"

Anne laughed. "Must you ask every time we walk together?"

"Indulge me." I nudged her as we continued down the street. "I like hearing how simple your tastes are."

"Well, let's see." Anne glanced at me sidelong. "He'd live in a small town, love books as much as we do. Be kind and patient. Have a good sense of humor. And of course, be charming in that boyish way and devastatingly handsome."

"Devastatingly handsome?" I snorted. "Your standards are far too low."

"And he'd match your ideal man then?" Anne countered. "Magical, immortal, and unattainable?"

I winced at her teasing, too close to the truth. The type of man I wanted existed only in fantasies. My tastes weren't simple at all.

The next morning, I arrived at the bookstore ready to lose myself in the familiarity of work. Mrs. Jenkins greeted me with a smile and a coffee, her knobby hands wrapped around her own mug.

"Thank you." I took it gratefully. "Any new releases I should know about?"

"A few." She launched into a summary of the latest books as I started opening the shop.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with aging paper and dust. Sunlight filtered through the windows, dappling over stacks of books and worn wood floors. Everything about the place felt cozy and warm, a sanctuary from the world outside.

A few regulars wandered in, browsing the shelves and chatting with each other. I helped a young couple pick out books for their kids and recommended a mystery novel to an older gentleman.

"I hear the new cafe down the street has excellent tea and scones," Mrs. Jenkins said, refilling my coffee. "We should have an outing there, my treat. It's been too long since we did something fun together."

"That would be lovely." I smiled at her thoughtfulness. Our book club meetups had become less frequent recently. Life kept getting busier and busier.

The door jangled open again, and a familiar figure strode through. Dark hair, pale eyes, a black coat that billowed around him. My heart stuttered at the sight of him. Speak of the devil.

"Rowan." His voice purred my name, a silken promise and threat all at once. "We meet again."

My mouth went dry. What was he doing here?

"What do you want?" I said through gritted teeth.

He prowled closer, scanning the shelves with a lazy interest. "Can't I stop by to see my favorite bookworm?"

"We're not friends. Get out."

"Tsk tsk. No need to be rude." He plucked out a book and flipped through the pages. "I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd say hello."

"You're never 'just in the neighborhood'. What do you really want?"

Mrs. Jenkins glanced over, frowning. I forced a smile and a shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. The last thing I needed was her suspecting something was wrong.

"I require a favor," he said softly. "There's been an...incident. I need your particular skills to help resolve things."

"I'm not interested. Find someone else."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He leaned in, his breath hot on my neck. "You see, you owe me a debt. And it's time to pay up."

Panic churned in my gut. He couldn't mean—

The door jangled again. "Rowan, are you ready to head to lunch? I'm starving!"

Anne. Thank God. I swallowed hard and pasted on a smile. "Just a minute!"

When I turned back, he was gone. But his threat lingered, as ominous as the gathering storm clouds outside. My normal life was about to be shattered into pieces once more.