Lovely Sweets

The nightmares began subtly at first—fleeting glimpses of silver-furred wolves prowling through dense forests, their golden eyes gleaming under the full moon. But as the weeks passed, the dreams grew more vivid, more real.

Selena would find herself standing on a jagged mountainside, the wind howling around her, whispering secrets she couldn't quite understand. Shadows moved in the trees below, large, menacing figures watching her with an intensity that sent chills down her spine. Then the moon would rise—huge, luminous, otherworldly—and a deafening howl would pierce the night. Her blood would run cold as she turned, only to see the golden eyes staring back at her, filled with something dark, something primal… and then she would wake, gasping for breath, her sheets damp with sweat.

At first, she brushed it off as stress. Pregnancy, after all, did strange things to the body and mind. But as her body weakened, as exhaustion wrapped around her like a heavy fog, she realized something was wrong.

She would find herself burning with fever one moment and freezing the next. Her muscles ached, her skin tingled as if something inside her was stretching, growing, changing. But no matter how many tests her OB-GYNE ran, the results always came back the same: normal.

"Your body is just reacting differently to the pregnancy," her doctor had assured her, though there was a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Some women experience extreme fatigue and odd symptoms. Just try to rest more."

But how could she rest when her dreams bled into reality? When she swore she saw flashes of movement in her peripheral vision, but when she turned, there was nothing there? When she felt eyes on her no matter where she went?

She started locking her doors at night, double-checking her windows, avoiding dark alleyways. But the feeling never left. Something—or someone—was watching her.

Then, one evening, as she walked home from the grocery store, she heard it—a low growl echoing from the alley behind her. Her breath caught. She turned slowly, her heart hammering against her ribs, but the alley was empty. And yet… she felt it. The presence, the warning.

She didn't go home that night. Instead, she booked a hotel, packed her bags the next morning, and made the only decision that made sense. She had to leave the city.

She needed to go somewhere safe.

Her parents' hometown. A place she hadn't been since she was a child, nestled between thick forests and endless mountains. Isolated. Quiet. Forgotten.

As she drove away from the city, the tension in her shoulders eased, but the unease in her gut remained. Because no matter how far she ran, she had the chilling sense that she wasn't running fast enough.

x-x-x-x-

The road to Grayville wound through thick forests and rolling hills, a picturesque but lonely drive. Selena's fingers tightened around the steering wheel as she finally approached the town limits. A worn wooden sign stood at the roadside, its white paint chipped and peeling, welcoming visitors to Grayville – Population: 743.

She exhaled slowly, a mix of relief and trepidation settling in her chest. Grayville had been the place where her parents once built their lives, the town where she had spent summers as a child before life had taken her far away. Now, it was her refuge, a place where she hoped to start over, to escape the unexplainable phenomena that had haunted her ever since she discovered she was pregnant.

Driving through the town's main street, Selena took in the sight of quaint storefronts, modest homes, and a scattering of townsfolk going about their day. The air was crisp, cleaner than in the city, and the world seemed to move at a slower pace. It was the kind of town where everyone knew each other's business, but at least here, she wasn't entirely a stranger. Some of the older townspeople would remember her mother, Claire, and perhaps even her father, though he had died when she was too young to remember much about him.

Her destination sat at the edge of town, just before the forest thickened into the looming mountains beyond. The small house she had inherited from her parents was nestled at the foot of Gray Peak, its rustic charm untouched by time. The wooden cottage was modest—single-story, with ivy creeping up its stone foundation and a cozy porch that wrapped around the front. It was exactly as she remembered.

Selena parked in the gravel driveway and stepped out, stretching her legs after the long drive. The air smelled of pine and damp earth, carrying a stillness that was both comforting and eerie. She ran a hand over her slightly swollen belly, instinctively protective. "This is home now," she murmured, as if reassuring both herself and the life growing inside her.

She wasn't completely alone. The house came with something else her mother had left behind—Claire's old bakery, Lovely Sweets. Located just a few blocks from the main street, it had been a town favorite, known for its fresh bread, buttery pastries, and honey-drizzled confections. It had been years since the shop had seen a working oven, but the building was still hers, waiting for her to breathe life back into it. She had always loved baking, and though she had never planned to run a business, it was the best option she had now.

Determined to settle in, Selena unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The scent of aged wood and dust filled the air, but underneath it all, there was something familiar, something warm. This was where her mother had once stood, kneading dough, humming softly to herself. A pang of sadness hit her, but she pushed it aside.

Unpacking could wait. She needed to see the bakery.

Grayville's main street wasn't large, but it was charming. A handful of businesses lined the road—an old-fashioned general store, a diner with red booths visible through the window, a barbershop, and a small library. The bakery was near the center, its weathered sign swaying slightly in the afternoon breeze.

Lovely Sweets.

The sight of it made something in her chest tighten. This was her new beginning.

She pulled out the set of keys her lawyer had given her and unlocked the door. The scent of flour and vanilla still lingered faintly beneath the dust, as if the walls themselves remembered. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, casting golden light onto the empty display cases and the worn wooden countertops.

Selena stepped behind the counter and ran her fingers along the cool marble surface. It had been years since she had last baked anything serious, but muscle memory would take over, she was sure of it. Baking had always been second nature to her, a way to calm her thoughts. Maybe this was exactly what she needed—a fresh start, something tangible to hold onto while everything else in her life felt uncertain.

A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts.

She turned to find a woman standing on the other side of the glass, smiling warmly. Selena hesitated before unlocking it.

"Hi there," the woman said cheerfully. She looked to be in her early forties, with shoulder-length brown hair and bright green eyes. "I saw you drive into town earlier and figured I'd come introduce myself. I'm Margaret, but everyone just calls me Maggie."

"Selena," she replied, shaking the woman's outstretched hand.

"I thought so," Maggie said with a knowing look. "You've got your mother's eyes. Claire was a wonderful woman. We all missed her when she left."

A lump formed in Selena's throat, but she forced a small smile. "It's been a long time."

Maggie nodded, glancing around the bakery. "Thinking of reopening?"

"That's the plan," Selena admitted, suddenly feeling the weight of what she had taken on. "It's going to take a lot of work, but I think I can make it happen."

"Well, if you need help, don't be afraid to ask. My husband runs the general store down the street, and I bake on the side. I'd love to help get this place back up and running."

Selena felt a genuine warmth at the offer. It had been a long time since someone had reached out to her without expecting anything in return. "I'd appreciate that," she said sincerely.

Maggie patted her arm. "Good. And if you ever need anything, just stop by. Small towns can be nosy, but they can also be family."

As Maggie left, Selena turned back to the bakery, inhaling deeply.

This was it.

Her new life, her new purpose.

But even as she focused on the excitement of rebuilding, the nagging feeling of being watched never quite faded.

And the mountains behind her house loomed taller than she remembered as if they held secrets she had yet to uncover.

x-x-x-x-x

Keiran sat at the head of the long mahogany table, his fingers drumming impatiently against the polished surface. The grand hall was filled with voices—leaders of the various werewolf packs gathered for the quarterly council meeting. Discussions about border disputes, rogue activity, and the ever-present threat of hunters echoed through the chamber. It was important. Critical, even. And yet, his mind was elsewhere.

On her.

A month had passed since that night, and he could still feel her—her scent, her warmth, the way she had fit so perfectly against him. It had been a mistake, an impulsive act driven by instincts too powerful to ignore. But fate had intervened in a way he hadn't expected. She wasn't just any woman. She was his mate.

His second-chance mate.

It was rare, almost unheard of, for a lycan to be gifted another mate after losing the first. His first love, the one he had sworn to protect, had been taken from him by hunters, torn from his life in a storm of blood and violence. He had mourned her, believing that he would spend the rest of his days alone, bound to a fate of solitude and duty.

Until her.

He clenched his jaw, tuning out the ongoing conversation. He needed to find her. He had stayed behind after their night together, intending to give her time, to approach her in a way that wouldn't frighten her. Humans didn't understand the concept of fated mates. He couldn't simply claim her without warning, without explanation.

But now, with a month gone and her scent haunting his every thought, he knew he had waited too long.

As soon as the council meeting ended, Keiran left without a word, his Beta trailing behind him.

"Keiran," Tobias called, keeping pace as they exited the hall. "You've been distracted this entire meeting. The packs are starting to notice."

"Let them notice," Keiran growled, striding towards his car. "There's something I need to take care of."

Tobias sighed. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your sudden interest in the city, would it?" His eyes gleamed knowingly. "You've never been one for one-night stands, Keiran. And yet, you've been different since that night."

Keiran didn't respond. He didn't need to. Tobias knew him well enough to understand that silence was confirmation.

He drove to the apartment building where he had left her, where he had planned to return, to finally claim what was his. Parking the car, he stepped out, his sharp golden eyes scanning the exterior of the modest building. The scent of the city was overwhelming, too many layers of filth and humanity mingling together, but beneath it, faint, almost gone, was her.

He took the steps two at a time, stopping at her door before knocking firmly. Silence. His brow furrowed. He knocked again. Still nothing.

Impatience clawed at him. If she thought she could ignore him—

"She's not there," a voice cut through his thoughts.

Keiran turned to see an elderly woman standing in the hallway, wiping her hands on a flour-covered apron. The landlady.

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice clipped.

The woman squinted up at him, unimpressed by his imposing presence. "Packed up and left two days ago. Didn't leave a forwarding address either. Just up and vanished."

Keiran felt something dangerous coil inside him. "Vanished?"

The landlady shrugged. "Said she needed to get away. City life was too much for her."

That didn't make sense. She seemed comfortable enough in the city. And why leave so suddenly? His gut twisted with unease.

Was she running from something? Or… someone?

His wolf bristled, his instincts screaming at him. No.

She had run from him.

She had felt their connection. He knew she had. He had seen it in her eyes that night. And yet, she had left. Gone without a trace, without a word. His hands curled into fists at his sides.

She was his.

Tobias stepped up behind him, his voice low. "What now?"

Keiran exhaled slowly, forcing himself to think through the anger. His mate was out there, alone, whether she knew it or not.

Hunters were always lurking. And now, his enemies had another weakness to exploit.

His expression darkened. "We find her."