The Sweetest Alpha | H.S.

Chapter 1

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"Werewolves—can we peacefully coexist with them or are we foolishly burying our heads in the sand? They're stronger, faster, and deadlier than we are. Yet the Werewolf Coalition would have us believe that we are in no danger from them."

"Can you believe this shit?" Noel, one of their regulars asked, gesturing at the flat screen mounted on the wall behind the counter. "I never thought I'd see the day when people would question if a wild animal was dangerous."

"Need to put down the whole lot of them." Bernie grumped. "Let one of them try stepping foot in my yard. I'm shooting first and asking questions later. Nothing but animals. All this nonsense about living side by side with a bunch of savages...."

Raina Parcher wiped down the counter swiftly and then dried her hands. She refilled coffee cups and tuned out the diners and the television alike.

The news had been filled with nothing but werewolf talk for the last six months ever since the werewolf population decided to make itself known to rest of the world. Any pertinent information had been shared within the initial two weeks. Since then, the news had been filled with mindless minutia and wild speculation as an obvious grab at ratings. Lately, the only purpose of the reports seemed to be to stir up fear in viewers rather than to inform.

It wasn't that Raina wasn't as afraid as everyone else. It was just that the likelihood of meeting a werewolf was exceedingly unlikely. Their small town at the base of a mountain range would be ideal for a werewolf, but there were no secrets in a small town. Most of the citizens had been around for generations. If there were a werewolf amongst them, they'd already know about it.

Angela, her co-worker, bumped her with an ample hip. "I heard that werewolves really appreciate a woman with a fuller figure." She whispered as she lined up a row of empty and near-empty sugar jars on the counter. "I have a friend who hooked up with one. She said it was amazing."

Raina nodded but didn't comment. Angela was nice enough, but she tended to lie or exaggerate. She was also the worst sort of gossip. She'd twist facts if it made the story more entertaining for the listener.

"You should try it." Angela continued, giving Raina's curvaceous figure a thorough once-over. Angela was chubby as well, but as she was married with three kids, she liked to declare that she had earned the right to let herself go.

Generally, Raina ignored Angela's taunts about her figure and chalked it up to pure jealousy. Though they might weigh the same, Raina's extra pounds settled nicely around her breasts and hips. She wasn't fashionably slim but she was happy with her figure. Sure, some guys looked right over her as if she didn't exist, but others were unable to tear their eyes away.

Angela used to be stick thin but after her second child she really began to pack on the pounds. Her once svelte figure was now round. Round cheeks, round tummy—she had the shape of an overgrown blueberry. Raina never looked down on Angela for her weight or even mentioned it, but the other woman didn't return the courtesy. Now, apparently, Angela thought she was so desperate that she should be willing to date a homicidal werewolf.

Flicking a meaningful glance at the television screen, Raina shook her head. "No, thank you."

Angela rolled her eyes. "You can't believe that nonsense."

"I don't. But I still don't doubt that they're dangerous. Besides, I don't want a guy who will dig up my flowers and shed fur all over my house." Raina glanced around the morning crowd at Millie's Diner to see if anyone needed more coffee. Seeing only full cups, she put the pot back on the burner. She was covering the counter and a few tables lining the window.