Alec’s

He died at fifty-nine. Mrs. Walter never remarried. She was now in her late eighties.

"It's okay. I got over him and I no longer want him. Not like I used to," I assure her, pulling myself from my thoughts.

She grabs my hand in a gentle hold and leads me to my favorite table. "Sit right here, while I get you your favorite flavor."

I smile at her, and she wobbles to the counter.

She owned this ice cream shop, which she bought after her husband died. She told me that she needed something to take her mind off the pain of losing the man she had been married to since she was eighteen.

There wasn't a law against it, but werewolves rarely interacted with humans. Well, except for business. Keeping human friends would be tasking given the secret we hid. You can't always be on your toes. One way or another, you are bound to slip up, and then the secret is out.

I hadn't shifted, and I only came here once a week. Mrs. Walter came and sat opposite me on my fifth visit here and asked me why I was sad. That's how I began my friendship with an eighty-something-year- old human woman. She was so kind and warm that I couldn't ignore her.

When I was in the dungeon, she was among the people I thought about.

Pushing those painful memories away, I focus on everything around me. There were a few people scattered around the shop. All of them humans.

Remembering what Nyx told me about my powers, I focus my energy on one of the girls who is reading a book while eating some chocolate ice cream with sprinkles on top.

I close my eyes, breathe in, then out. Following the steps that I use when communicating through mind-link, I open my mind.

"Hello."

I open my eyes and look at her through my lashes. I want to test this power, but I don't want to risk exposing the supernatural world.

At first nothing happens, so I try it again.

"Hello," This time she lifts her head and looks around.

She turns to the woman sitting beside her and asks, "Did you say something?"

The woman shakes her head and goes back to her milkshake.

"What are you reading?" I ask, testing my power a little more.

Her eyes bulge out in shock as she frantically looks around, probably trying to find the source of the voice.

She turns back to the woman and says, "You said something."

"I didn't," the woman says, looking at her like she had lost her damn mind.

"Yes, you did. You asked what I was reading."NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Holly shit! It fucking works.

"I swear I didn't say or ask anything!" the woman says before standing up to move to a different table.

I sit there stunned that I can actually communicate with even humans. When Nyx told me earlier, I didn't really take her seriously, but now I am.

Looking at the girl who looked about

l.ne

my age and still had a look of shock on her face, I start to wonder what else I can do. I know I've been grumpy lately and complaining a lot more, but maybe it's time I start doing what Nyx is telling me.

Mrs. Walters wonders back to my table with my ice cream. She always insisted on her being the one to serve me, even though she had employees. Her ice cream shop had a good reputation, so it was popular.

Taking the first bite, I moan in ecstasy. Unlike most people, I don't lick my ice cream. I find it tedious doing so over and over again. don't mind my teeth freezing, so weirdly, I bite and chew ice cream.

"I'd forgotten just how good your ice cream tastes," I murmur while looking at her.

She opens her mouth, but before she says anything, his scent hits me.

"Sadie?" Alec asks, his large form coming to stand in front of me.