Chapter Two – 2026
The morning air was sharp, carrying the scent of roasted beans and city dust as I pushed open the door to the corner coffee shop. It was a small place, tucked between a laundromat and a bookstore, the kind of shop where regulars lingered and strangers blended into the hum of conversation. I came here often before work, partly for the caffeine, partly for the illusion of normalcy.
Elias had insisted I treat myself. "You look tired, Mom," he'd said, his storm‑grey eyes too perceptive. "Get a coffee. You'll feel better."
So here I was, clutching my worn bag, trying to shake off the weight of bills and deadlines.
The line was short. I ordered my usual — black coffee, no sugar — and turned to find a seat. The shop was crowded, every table taken except one near the window. A man sat there, alone, a newspaper folded neatly beside him.
He looked up as I approached. Tall, broad‑shouldered, dressed in a navy suit that fit like it had been made for him. His eyes — blue, calm, steady — met mine, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe.
"Go ahead," he said, gesturing to the empty chair. His voice was warm, steady, carrying no hint of arrogance.
"Thanks," I murmured, sliding into the seat.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, the hum of conversation filling the space between us. I sipped my coffee, trying to ignore the way his presence unsettled me.
"You come here often?" he asked suddenly.
I blinked. "Sometimes. It's close to work."
He nodded. "Same. It's quieter than most places."
His smile was small, almost hesitant, but it lingered. Something about him felt… different. Not dangerous, not like Orion, but steady, grounded.
We talked. About the coffee, about the city, about nothing important. He asked simple questions, nothing intrusive, but his gaze lingered too long, his voice softened when he spoke.
"You look tired," he said at one point.
I laughed nervously. "Single mom life."
He tilted his head, studying me. "That's not easy."
"No," I admitted. "But it's worth it."
His eyes held mine, steady, searching. "You're stronger than you think."
The words unsettled me. How could he see that? How could he know?
I shifted, trying to break the moment. "Well, thanks for sharing the table."
"Anytime," he said, his smile deepening.
At work, the atmosphere was sharper than yesterday. Whispers followed me through the halls, subtle glances that made my skin prickle.
In the break room, Marcy leaned close, her voice low. "Did you hear? The brothers are back in town."
I stiffened. "Brothers?"
She nodded, eyes wide. "The Dravens. That's what people say. No one knows much, but apparently they own everything around here. One's supposed to be the good one, the other… not so much."
Darren joined in, grinning. "Legends, really. One runs the business side, the other's got a reputation. Mafia rumors, you know."
I forced a laugh, though my hands trembled around the coffee cup. "Rumors are just rumors."
Marcy smirked. "Maybe. But around here, they usually mean something."
Their voices blurred, my pulse racing. The man from the coffee shop. Kael. Could he be one of them?
That evening, Elias curled against me on the couch, his head heavy on my shoulder.
"Mom," he murmured sleepily, "did you make friends at work?"
I chuckled softly. "Something like that."
He tilted his head, studying me. "You look like you saw a ghost."
I froze, then forced a laugh. "Just tired."
But inside, I was unraveling. Kael's kindness unsettled me. The gossip about the Draven brothers haunted me. And my wolf remained silent, leaving me blind to the bond that burned in them both.
That night, sleep came in fragments. I dreamed of the hotel room from six years ago. Orion's voice echoed: You're fire. And I want to burn. His hands, his tattoos, his piercing gaze — all of it surged back, raw and unrelenting.
I woke in a sweat, my wolf stirring faintly for the first time.
"Not now," I whispered into the darkness. "Please, not now."
But the silence pressed in, heavy with promise.
The storm was coming.