Chapter 9 CHAPTER 9
Cindy froze, her hand still stretched out toward the trembling girl. She had thought saving her would make things better - that the danger had passed. But she had flinched away, shrinking back as if Cindy herself were the monster.
A hollow ache spread through Cindy’s chest. She hadn’t even considered that showing her wolf would bring fear instead of gratitude. Back in Silverpine, a wolf’s reveal was something to be celebrated, honored even. To save someone with your wolf would have earned her praise, maybe even a medal. But here, among humans, it was different. Showing her wolf only made her terrifying. Even to the very person she had risked herself to protect.
She lowered her hand slowly, letting it fall to her side. The alley felt colder now. Just hours ago she had stepped into the city, leaving behind the familiar greens of Silverpine. She had hoped distance would bring her peace. Instead, she now understood just how different she was here, different, unwanted, frightening. A creature that didn’t belong anywhere.
The alley still smelled of fear. The two drunk men had stumbled away, cursing and tripping over themselves, too frightened to look back.
Cindy swallowed hard, her voice rough. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
The girl flinched. “What… what are you?” Her voice was high, trembling. “I saw you… your eyes, your face…. are you a demon?”
Cindy shook her head. “No. Not a demon.”
“Then what? Are you going to hurt me? Do you… do you want to eat me?” The girl’s eyes darted to Cindy’s mouth as though she expected fangs to flash at any second.
A sad little smile tugged at Cindy’s lips. “If I wanted to eat someone,” she said dryly, “don’t you think those two assholes I just let go would’ve been the perfect prey? The world doesn’t exactly need them.”
The girl blinked, then let out a shaky, reluctant breath. “I… guess you have a point.”
Silence stretched between them. The girl slowly pushed herself off the wall, still trembling but no longer shrinking away. Her suspicion hadn’t vanished, but it no longer burned quite as brightly.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice smaller now.
Cindy’s stomach twisted at the question, a hollow ache echoing through her body. “Honestly?” she said. “A plate of food would be nice. I’m starving.”
Something flickered across the girl’s face, confusion first, then pity, though she tried to hide it.
“I’m Cindy, by the way.” Cindy extended a hand, dirt smudged across her knuckles.
The girl hesitated, then finally reached out. Her grip was small and cool. “Isabel,” she said quietly. “If it’s food you want… I think I can give you that. Consider it payback for saving me.”
“Thank you,” Cindy whispered, more grateful than words could carry.
Isabel gave a small nod, then tilted her head toward the back door of the café. Together, they slipped inside.
The café’s kitchen was warm and filled with the comforting smell of fried potatoes and bread. A dim bulb hummed overhead, illuminating stacks of dirty plates waiting for tomorrow’s morning crew. Isabel hurried to the counter, grabbed a paper plate, and piled it high with fries and a thick sandwich wrapped in wax paper. She slid a glass of soda across the counter as well.
“Eat,” Isabel said simply.
Cindy didn’t need to be told twice. She tore into the sandwich with trembling hands, devouring half of it before even stopping to breathe. Salt, grease, and warm bread filled her senses, and for the first time in days she felt something close to life returning to her. She drained the soda in greedy gulps, the fizz stinging her throat.
Isabel watched in silence, wide-eyed. “Wow,” she murmured. “You really were starving.”
Cindy flushed, but nodded. “Haven’t eaten since… yesterday morning, I think.”
“Do you… want another?”
“Yes,” Cindy admitted, almost sheepishly.
Isabel smiled faintly and brought another sandwich and more fries. Cindy ate slower this time, savoring each bite, though hunger still pushed her forward until the second plate was clean too. Finally, she sat back, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice almost breaking. “For the meal. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Isabel gave a small shrug, brushing it off. “I could tell you needed it. But really, it’s no trouble. That was just leftover food from the last customer, we were about to close, and I would’ve tossed it out anyway.”
Cindy’s lips tugged into the faintest smile. “Still, you didn’t have to share it with me.”
“Well,” Isabel replied with a half-smile of her own, “better in your stomach than in the trash, right?”
The quiet moment hung between them before Isabel leaned on the counter, her curiosity flickering to the surface.
“So…” Isabel began cautiously. “What are you? Some kind of alien?”
Cindy chuckled softly. “No.”
“A witch?”
“No.”
“Then what? Because normal girls don’t growl and make their eyes glow.”
Cindy hesitated, searching for words. “It’s… complicated.”
Isabel frowned but didn’t press. Instead, she shifted topics. “Then how did you end up here, looking like…” She waved vaguely at Cindy’s torn clothes and tangled hair. “…that?”
Cindy tugged at her sleeve, embarrassed. “That’s also complicated.”
A beat of silence passed, and then Cindy tilted her head, studying her. “And you? Why are you working alone in a café at night? Aren’t you underage?”
Isabel stiffened. “It’s complicated.”
“And your parents? Did they allow you to work this late at night when you should be in bed?”
Isabel shrugged, “That’s also complicated.”
Cindy grinned faintly. “Seems like we have a lot in common.”
That drew a reluctant laugh from Isabel, the first sound that hinted at something lighter between them.
“Where do you live?” Isabel asked after a moment.
Cindy hesitated. “I used to live in Silverpine. But not anymore.”
“So where do you live now?”
Cindy shrugged, her voice quiet. “I’m… trying to figure that out. It’s my first night in the city.”
Isabel’s eyes softened. “So you don’t have a place to sleep tonight?”
“No. I didn’t plan on coming to the city, it just happened. And…I don’t have money on me.”
“I could tell there’s a story there from the way you’re dressed and how hungry you were.” Isabel said in a matter of fact.
She chewed her lip nervously, hesitating at first. Then she asked, “If I offered you a place to stay… would you turn against me at night? Like turn full monster on me and end up killing me?”
The seriousness of her question was undercut by the nervous glint in her eyes.
For the first time in days, maybe weeks, Cindy laughed. Really laughed. It burst out of her, sudden and unrestrained, echoing through the quiet kitchen. She laughed until her sides hurt, until tears stung her eyes, and Isabel stood there staring at her, half-offended, half-intrigued.
Cindy wiped her eyes and shook her head. “No, Isabel. I won’t turn against you. I promise.”