Page 35 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

He pauses mid-bite, his expression thoughtful. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he turns to me and smirks. Suddenly, his eyes begin to glow amber, and a low growl rumbles in his chest.

I grin in response. “Well, look at you, Mr. Wolf. Very soon, you will take over as the Protector.”

But Grayson’s smirk fades, replaced by frustration. “I’ve been struggling to get my claws out and my teeth to extend,” he admits.

I reach out to pat his shoulder reassuringly. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Gray. It’ll happen when it happens. Just take it one step at a time. No need to rush it.”

He nods, seeming to take comfort in my words. “Thanks, Liam. I appreciate it.”

“Good. Now finish eating. I want us to head to Mariya’s.”

“Okay, bro.”

With that, we finish our breakfast in companionable silence, both of us content.

As we arrive at the restaurant, I see Rosa already busy sanitizing the kitchen counters and prep areas. Grayson offers to help her, and I nod in approval before heading to the back to take stock in preparation for the day’s meals.

Marco is already hard at work chopping and prepping, and I quickly join him after placing my supply orders for items that need replenishing. Slipping into our familiar rhythm, we move around each other effortlessly, like a well-oiled machine.

Once the kitchen is in order, we start the day at the restaurant. Grayson hangs out in the office, engrossed in his phone, while I handle the front of the house.

The day quickly picks up pace, and before we know it, we’re inundated with orders. My delivery guy, Mark, called out sick. So, when a few requests come in for delivery, I turn to Marco, ready to assign the task to him.

But Grayson pipes up, insisting that he can handle it. I raise an eyebrow skeptically. “You sure about that, Gray? It’s pretty busy out there.”

He nods confidently. “Yeah, I got this, Liam. I’m not a kid anymore, you know.”

I hesitate for a moment, torn between wanting to keep him close and letting him prove himself. Finally, I relent. “Alright, fine. But you better be back here before I can say ‘pizza delivery.”

Grayson grins in victory. “Deal. But it’ll cost you a hundred bucks.”

I roll my eyes, but I chuckle at his antics. “Fine, fine. Just go, but keep your location on so I can track you,” I reply, trying to sound stern and failing miserably.

“Got it, boss. I’ll be back before you know it,” he boasts, grabbing the delivery bags and heading out the door.

As he disappears down the street, I turn my attention back to the restaurant and the rush of customers. Marco shoots me a knowing look, and I shrug in response. “Kids, right?” I mutter, shaking my head with a fond smile.

The day flies by in a blur of activity, with orders coming in non-stop. I barely have time to catch my breath before another wave of hungry customers descends upon us.

I feel a sense of pride as I track Grayson navigating the streets with ease, delivering food to our customers with a smile. He may be young, but he’s proving himself to be a valuable asset to the team.

Maybe instead of camp, I’ll hire him to work here next summer.

As the day draws to a close and the last of our customers trickle out, I breathe a sigh of relief. Just as I’m about to start closing up for the night, I hear the familiar sound of the door opening, and Grayson walks back in, a triumphant grin on his face.

“I’m back, boss,” he announces proudly, holding up the empty delivery bags.

Smiling, I say, “Good job, Gray. I really appreciate you stepping in like that.”

He grins, looking pleased with himself. “Thanks, Liam. I told you I could handle it.”

But as soon as he takes a step closer to me, I know something has gone terribly wrong.

I catch a whiff of that familiar scent—the unmistakable aroma of a vampire. Panic surges through me, and without a second thought, I grab his arm and drag him into my office, away from prying eyes.

“Gray, we need to talk,” I say urgently, my voice low and urgent as I shut the door behind us.

He looks at me with wide eyes, clearly taken aback by my sudden urgency. “Liam, what’s wrong? Why are you upset?”

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