Queen of the Shifters

Chapter 4: Coffee

TALLIA

It was about an hour before my shift when I walked into the coffee shop. I sucked in a lungful of caffeinated air as I stepped into the cool shop and out of the heat of the early afternoon. I ordered myself a large iced coffee with almond milk and stepped aside to wait.

The bell of the door rang out, and my eyes instinctively glanced at the newcomer.

He was tall, at least six-foot-five, and built with bulky muscles. His skin was a warm medium brown, and he had a shiny bald head and close-cropped black beard. His eyes were a rich honey as they landed on me, and I sucked in a deep breath. My eyes drifted to the side of his neck, just above the collar of his t-shirt, where there was a distinct scar in the shape of a bite mark. He was mated to a supernatural. Did that mean he was one, too?

As he made his way to the counter, I nodded to myself. He was definitely something. Like Bryant, he had this aura of otherness to him.

“Tallia," the barista called out, and I flinched before retrieving my drink.

I took it to one of the back tables and slid in with a sigh. I loved to just sit and drink my coffee before my shift as a way to pre-unwind. It helped me get into the customer service zone.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?" a deep voice asked.

I blinked up at him and found the guy with the honey eyes staring down at me. I glanced around at all of the other empty tables before giving him a smile. “There are a lot of other seats."

He let out a low chuckle. “I'm aware. But I'd like to sit and talk with you. I'm new to the area."

I nodded and waved at the chair opposite me. “By all means."

“I'm Zarron," he said as he sat.

“Tallia."

He shot me a giant grin before taking a drink of his own iced coffee.

“What brings you to town?" I asked.

“I'm helping my friend look for his mate," he said, his eyes on me like this was a test. Like he was trying to see how I'd react to him and his friend being supernatural.

“Any luck?" I asked with a polite smile. I didn't care that he wasn't strictly human.

He tilted his head from side to side. “Yes, and no. He thinks he's found her, but the signs aren't clear."

I frowned. “I always heard those were super clear. Like instant obsession."

Zarron laughed, a deep, rumbly sound. “Yes, yes they are, but this case may be a special one."

I nodded. “Well, I wish your friend the best of luck."

He grinned at me. “Thank you, Tallia. Are you meeting anyone here?"

I shook my head with a sheepish smile. "No. I'm not really the type to make friends easily."

His head tilted to the side. "Why's that? You seem quite friendly."

I smiled and took a sip of my coffee. "I don't know. Something's just always lacking, and the connection fails."

He hummed and nodded.

The bell on the door rang again, and I glanced up as Bryant stepped through. His nose twitched before his head whipped around to lock eyes on me. His gaze drifted to Zarron who still sat across from me and his entire demeanor changed. Bryant's eyes narrowed on the stranger. He ignored the counter and charged in our direction.

I stiffened in my chair.

Zarron's nose twitched, and his lips lifted into a smirk.

“Hello," Bryant said as he stopped beside our table, his eyes darting between me and Zarron. He had something in his mouth, like a piece of candy, and I could just catch the scent of strawberries over my coffee.

“Hi, Bryant, this is Zarron."

“I know," he ground out.

I frowned at the two. Okay, odd.

Zarron chuckled again. “This is the friend I was telling you about."

"Oooh." I nodded and ignored the stab of jealousy that speared my chest.

Bryant grabbed a chair from another table and pulled it up to sit between the two of us.

“How are you?" he asked me, blatantly ignoring his friend.

I took a sip of my coffee before I gave him a smile. “Fine. About to head into work. Any luck finding your mate?"

Bryant's head whipped to Zarron who just smirked back at him. Ever so slowly, Bryant looked back at me. “Not sure."

I nodded. It'd been two days since I met Bryant, but I'd seen him all over town during that time. He must be looking really hard. For some reason, I hated the idea of that.

“Well, I wish you the best of luck," I said, despite how much the words made me want to puke.

Zarron's eyes flicked over my face, and he let out another chuckle.

Bryant scowled at me and sucked in a whiff through his nose before he paused, looked me up and down, and stopped his lips from twitching. Could he smell lies? Crap. I knew some beings could. But he'd have to be pretty powerful.

“Do I get to know what you guys are? Is that rude to ask?" I looked between them.

“We're shifters," Bryant said.

I nodded. “Cool. I've never met any before. How do you know your mate is in town?"

Bryant shifted in his seat, and Zarron leaned back in his with a smirk.

“A seer told me," Bryant said. He was being a lot more straightforward with me this time around, which I appreciated. Maybe it was thanks to Zarron being here.

I nodded with wide eyes. A seer. “There's only like one of those, isn't there?"

Bryant nodded slowly.

I looked between the two guys at my table. “So that would make the two of you pretty important if she's concerning herself with your mate?"

Again, he gave me a slow nod.

I blew out a slow breath. They had to be super important. Yet here they were, sitting with me. “Can I know just how important?"

Bryant gave his head a slight shake. “I'd rather you didn't at this time. I don't want it spread around."

I frowned at him. “I wouldn't tell anyone." I didn't mention that I had no one to tell.

He started to respond, but I raised a hand to stop him. Bryant blinked at me, and Zarron barked out a laugh.

“It's fine. You're allowed to keep your secrets, but I appreciate you being as honest as you have been."

"So, Tallia, are you from here?" Zarron asked.

"Born and raised, to my knowledge," I said.

"To your knowledge?" Bryant asked.

I shrugged. "I was put into foster care as a baby, so I'm not actually sure who my parents were or where I was born."

"You never got adopted?" Bryant asked with a deep frown.

I shook my head with a sad smile. "Nope. I'm not that great at connecting with people. I guess I'm too independent."

Zarron nodded, and Bryant continued to stare at me with a frown.

I glanced at the clock on the wall and winced. “I really have to get going now. It was nice seeing you guys."

They both bid me goodbye before I stood and left. As I walked down the street towards my work, I couldn't help but try to imagine Bryant finding his mate. I hated it. I didn't want anyone to be unhappy, but I didn't like the thought of him with someone else at all. I didn't really want him for myself, though, did I? He had a mate, his one person born for him. Who was I to come between that?

I really didn't know.