Chapter 44

"Has she really cured the curse?"

"Yes. I'm a wolf again." Abel smiles and rolls his shoulders as if showing off, and suddenly I remember that he's two years younger than me.

I laugh and pat him, my wolf spirit rumbling with joy as it feels reunited with its younger brother. "We've gotta have a race sometime soon. I bet you haven't played with other wolves in a while."

Abel visibly perks up at the thought and hurries to nod, his spirit probably wagging its tail in excitement. "Oh, you have no idea!"

"It's a deal then." I stand up and hold out my hand for him to shake. "We're gonna stay in the forest for tonight, come join us anytime."

"Okay, only…Owen." Abel looks up at me with a hint of caution in his frown, and I automatically tense up. "Be careful, alright? These woods are full of magic, and they can turn against shifters too."

I hum and look around, at the trees that already stand black against the growing dusk. I don't feel the same buzz of magic that hit us when we first stepped onto the ground here, but the sparkles of static linger in the air. It feels like a thunderstorm is near, only there's not a cloud in the air, and my instincts are rising as my wolf spirit carefully tastes the magic.

"Yeah, I've noticed." I turn back to Abel, who is mindlessly scanning our surroundings as well. "Where does it come from?"

He shrugs and gets up. "I'm not sure. But it looks like

Raywald is built on an old settlement of witches."

Witches? My frown turns deeper as I look up at the mountains rising above us. It's not good. Dealing with witches can be quite a headache, especially when you don't know their goals. They're somewhere in the middle between humans and the world of the supernatural, and you never know which side they're gonna choose. But well, we gotta leave it for later—right now, I'm dying of hunger.

"Thanks." I turn to Abel with a nod and gesture at Till

Dawn behind my back. "Are you coming?"

"No, I have to go. Shampoos and toilet paper aren't gonna unload themselves." Abel chuckles and steps away in the direction of the town, raising a hand in goodbye. "See you later! Just promise not to smell my ass when we meet."

I snort—yeah, as if I have any control over it—and walk back into the diner. A tingling sensation pulls my gaze to the person that's watching me, and it turns out to be Rorie. I catch her gaze for a moment, noticing wariness in her eyes, but she looks at the window where Abel stood a minute ago before turning away to the kitchen. So she’s a human, a witch, and she knows about us. I hum to myself and walk to the booth. Funny company, indeed.

"Finally! I was starting to get worried," Carter greets me as soon as I walk closer.

"About me?" I can't help a laugh—I am the one who’s supposed to take care of them—as I sit down and glance at the table. "You ordered another pizza?"

"He was hungry," Gray says like it explains everything. In a way, it does.

"And you ate Owen's piece," Carter immediately objects, and I shake my head with amusement, pulling the plate with my burger closer.

Carter and Gray keep bickering for a couple more minutes, and it's nice to listen to. It's calming to hear their voices and know I have my family with me.

Asya P.O.V

What are they talking about? I can’t help but steal glances at Owen and Abel behind the window, especially when I notice how Rorie keeps looking at them with a hint of worry. Who on earth is this Owen?

But Abel looks relaxed and happy when they finally part and Owen himself is smiling as he enters the diner. He doesn’t look at me, but I see him exchanging glances with Rorie and it looks like a silent conversation. It looks like something I’ll ask her about as soon as they leave—and it doesn’t take long before Owen finishes his own plate and they gather together to get up.

“Did you enjoy the meal?” I ask automatically while gathering the dirty plates and looking up at Carter. Owen has already left the booth to wait for his brothers by the door, so I can be more genuine with the smile I give the remaining two.

"Yeah, it was awesome." Carter grins back at me and turns to Gray, who is the last to climb out of the booth. He feels the gaze and glances at his brother before looking at me. He pretends to be grim, but I see awkwardness behind Gray’s frown and it makes me smile wider.

"Thanks."

"We'll be back soon.” Carter fixes his jacket one last time and hurries to Owen, not forgetting to wave a hand at

Rorie. “Bye!"

So they are going to come back to Till Dawn—which means they aren’t going to leave Raywald. Interesting. My gaze lingers on Carter and Gray as they walk away, and I hum. It wouldn’t be bad to see them again—they are close to my age after all, and it’s always nice to get to know someone better. Only…

I automatically look past the two of them and at Owen who is watching Carter turn to the bathroom with a displeased frown.

Only I wish they could come back without him.

As always, Owen immediately feels my gaze and looks at me. When our eyes meet I purse my lips, stubbornly holding his gaze. We stare at each other for a second, but Owen’s cold expression doesn’t change a bit even as he turns to walk away. They leave the diner—and that’s when I realize he hasn’t even said a word without me asking him first. What an arrogant prick, huh?

I huff and pick up the tray with the dishes. At least he has finally left—now I have a chance to question Rorie. I wait a few minutes, just for good measure, but when one of Rorie’s customers leaves and my own are still busy with fries I rush to her side. Rorie gives me a look that tells me she knows very well why I came.

"So, are you gonna tell me everything right now or after the shift?"

“Oh, come on.” She waves a hand at me with a chuckle, but it sounds strained and she doesn’t really look at me. “It’s nothing interesting.”

As if that has ever worked.

“It did look interesting though.” I lean on the counter next to her, trying to catch her gaze, and quirk an eyebrow. “Is it a big big secret?”

“What? No, of course not.” Rorie shakes her head and laughs, trying to sound casual, but it works no better than before. “They’re just Abel’s cousins.”

“All three of them?” I raise my eyebrows in confusion, but Rorie still doesn’t look at me and only shrugs, too interested in the stack of ads on the counter.

“Apparently.”

I hum and look away. Okay then. Doesn’t sound convincing, but okay. It’s none of my business, right? I only hope the reason is worth lying to me.

“Are they going to stay?”

“I don’t know.” I hear a hesitant frown in her voice, and it’s obvious she’d like to know the answer herself.

“Well.” I straighten up and look at the fourth booth despite myself. “I hope not.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Rorie hums, and when I turn to her she’s already looking at me with a curious tilt of her head. “What’s the thing with Owen? You don’t like him?” I stare back at her with a flat look. Is she serious?

“Of course I don’t. Have you even seen him?” Rorie quirks an eyebrow with a silent question, and I roll my eyes. “Oh, come on! He’s acting like everyone owes him something, like he’s the best here. A big, cool, alpha man who is too awesome to be polite with a waitress.”

I huff and feel frustration build up under my skin all over again, a wave of heated anger running under my skin. It’s no good though, so I try to distract myself by replacing napkins and menus on the counter. Owen’s attitude struck something in me, and I can hear an odd hint of hurt in my voice—but well, what can I say? I hate being treated like nothing.

Maybe Rorie hears it too, and decides to choose my side instead of going against me. Or maybe she really does agree with me when, after a moment, she hums and nods. “Yeah, he wasn’t very nice. But maybe he was just tired from the road? Abel wouldn’t have an asshole for a brother.” We both chuckle, sharing glances of amusement, and I feel the weight of negativity slowly dissipating in my chest. Honestly, why do I even care about him? One rude customer shouldn’t have enough power to spoil my day. Sometimes it’s better to let things go and move on.

It turns out to not be so easy though, as the guys come back the next day. I have the morning shift, and it’s around ten when I see their car drive into the parking lot again. Four men come out of the car this time, and with surprise I recognize Abel among them and hum to myself. Where did they spend the night, then?

They don’t turn toward Till Dawn though but walk straight to Old Aiden’s motel on the other side of the street. They look disheveled even from afar—jeans rolled to their knees, shirts hanging loose—and I can’t help but notice the similarities between them. They only differ in the width of their shoulders and the color of their clothes—but the way they laugh and nudge each other, Abel and Carter racing with one another across the parking lot, is the same.

Maybe they are cousins, after all.

A customer distracts me with a demand for more coffee and I lose sight of them for the next few hours. They come back when it’s almost the end of my shift, and to be honest, when I catch sight of Carter and Gray behind the doors, I have the cowardly urge to hurry up and leave fifteen minutes early. I really don’t want to ruin the rest of my day by talking to Owen—but then I realize they’ve come without him and I relax.