The Wallflower Mate

5

Mary woke up the next morning questioning if last night happened or was it all a dream. Dabbing her lips, she remembered how she felt when he kissed her. It was urgent and sweet. Dominating yet yearning. Her heart and stomach performed Olympic jumps just thinking about it. She can still feel how soft his lips were. He smelled just as good as the night of the Mating Ball.

Hopeless, she buried her face in her hands. Scrubbing it from its sleep and her incognito desires. It was hopeless because she liked his kisses, but she also knew without a doubt that it wouldn't work. He was an Alpha. That reason alone was enough to stop her from dreaming about any future with him.

Alpha of werewolf packs were strong and authoritative leaders. He 'll smother her if he wished it so. Sighing, she tossed back her thin blanket and hopped out of bed. She needed to get ready for work.

She showered and brushed her teeth before pulling on her work uniform. She wrapped her long hair into a tight bun above her head. The uniform was a traditional white sous chef coat with black piping. She paired it with black chef pants and shoes.

At twenty, Mary applied for a sous chef position in a local restaurant. She enjoyed working in a fast-paced environment and cooking. She took two years of culinary school.

When she arrived at her workplace, it was already busy with many people. It didn't come as a surprise though. The restaurant gets busy around lunch hour and remains steady until late at night. Although it wasn't a high-end restaurant, many locals enjoyed dining there because of the friendly environment and food delicacy.

Mary nodded to a few people with a smile on her face as she made her way through the dining area and into the back. The calm environment in the dining area differed from the kitchen. Everyone was working hard on completing their dishes. When Charlotte caught sight of Mary, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh my god, Mary. Thank God you are here," she said, waving Mary over.

Charlotte was bent down working on a menu, but it had a ton of scribbles and thoughts jumbled together. For a second, Mary didn't understand. Were they suddenly changing the menu to their restaurant?

"What are you doing?" Mary inquired.

"Alpha Ivan called today. The fool asked me to prepare an 'out of the world' dinner for our guests," Charlotte nearly growled at the end in frustration.

Mary placed a hand on her colleague's shoulder. Bending down, she reviewed Charlotte's menu. For the appetizer, she had chosen a sweet-tart and savory blend of pate, slow-cooked pork, and pickle dried apricots that smeared over toasted bread. It sounded wonderful and Mary could already taste the different flavors that would erupt in her mouth.

When Mary looked over Charlotte's options for the main course, she frowned slightly. Her friend made a noise of exasperation. Apparently, she had caught sight of Mary's befuddled expression.

"They would be here within a few hours. I have not yet prepped any of the ingredients, Mary," she groaned.

"Why are you freaking out? You can do this. You're the chef. The General of this establishment. You didn't get this position because you look beautiful, babe. You owned it. You beat everyone else to it," Mary reminded her friend and then returned her attention to the menu. Pointing at a dish that Charlotte was working on.

"Since you already added bread as an appetizer, we should aim for something a little lighter in the main course. Fewer carbs and more protein. We can do a surf and turf kind of dish. How about throwing out a hearty stew and throwing in some rock shrimps, filet mignon, and vegetable medley?" she offered.

The worry on Charlotte's face slipped away. A smile appeared in its place and she pulled Mary into a hug. Squeezing her tightly in her arms. If it was any other executive chef, they would probably toss Mary out on the streets for suggesting any ideas. Yet this was Charlotte, she always valued Mary's opinion.