Chapter 002

[Apple]

Crescent City is the nearest metropolis to Pleasant Valley and home to the largest population of supernaturals on the West Coast. Mostly werewolves, and maybe a few witches, they stick to their own kind for the most part, although they go to school and work side by side with humans. 

Growing up in Pleasant Valley, an all-human community, I didn't encounter many supernaturals. 

Which is why it was so startling to find myself in the middle of a city full of them. 

At first, I look around in awe, mesmerized by the bright lights and vivid sounds, but then as I drive around downtown I realize two very important things:

Number 1--I don’t know where I’m going.

Number 2--After three hours of driving to get here, I’m starving.

My idiot ex-boss didn’t even let me gather my tips before I left, and my wallet was empty. I can’t touch the money in my savings account--that’s for school. 

So I’m stuck to my secret car stash of cash that I keep underneath the passenger’s seat. Reaching down, my fingers find the stack of bills.

It is small. Smaller than it should be.

Where there had been a tight roll of $20 bills, about $400 to get me started, there are only three wrinkled ones. 

“I guess Doc found this stash too,” I groan as I step out of my car and button my coat against the chill night air. “Maybe there will be SOMETHING here I can buy for $3,” I hope as I enter the first cafe I see, a small shop on the bottom floor of a tall building covered with large tropical plants that seem to be growing out of thin air. 

My mom would have loved this place. I wonder if she ever ate here while she was a student. 

My mother got her degree ages ago in botany. I hope to do the same, following in her footsteps. She taught me how to nurture things that grow, and ever since I was a child I had a natural knack for it. 

Only I won’t make the same mistake that she did. I won’t bury myself in a small town with a terrible husband. I’ll wait until I find someone who loves me.

It’s true love or nothing. My mom made the mistake of getting pregnant and needing a man to take care of her. I won’t make the same mistake.  

They say werewolves have something called a “mating bond” and witches have something similar called their “zing.” I wish humans were the same. I wish I could know I’ve found my soulmate just by the way it feels when he touches me. 

A beautiful girl with long auburn curls and a wide-toothed grin that seems to stretch from ear to ear welcomes me to the “Last Wish Coffee Shop and Bookstore.” The name on her tag reads “Hazel.” and I find an immediate kinship, as two people who were given nature names. 

Why do parents do that to kids? Hazel is a tree. Apple is also a tree but also a fruit. With the middle name of Blossom, I was constantly teased. 

“Hey, are you new to town?” Hazel asks from behind the counter. “I just never seen anyone quite like you around here before, and I think I would have remembered if I had.” 

Pointing up at my hair, which is more cherry than ginger, I laugh. “It’s natural, I promise. I don’t know where the color came from, my mom was a blonde,” I laugh. “The name is Apple,” I hold out my hand to shake. “I’m starting at the University next week.” 

“Oh really!” her eyes light up with genuine interest. She tells me all about the degree in chemistry she is completing and how we’ll be classmates. As we talk, she pours me a cup of coffee and hands me a muffin “on the house” when she sees I only have 3 dollars. 

“Hey, do you have any family here, anywhere to stay?”

“No,” I shake my head. I tell her about my mom and my terrible stepfamily.

Hazel’s face becomes more and more resolute the longer I speak. “You can live with me,” she declares. “One of my roommates just moved out, so I have some extra space. It’s a bit of a dump but it is a roof over your head and you can eat any of the leftovers.”

“That’s super generous,” my cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. “But you can see I don’t have any way to pay back rent and…”

“Hogwash,” she dismisses my reasoning. “I know you’ll make it up to me when you can. Besides, where were you planning to sleep, your car? Not in this neighborhood, friend, unless you want to get eaten by rogues.” 

I blanch. “Rogues eat people!” 

She laughs at my naivety but doesn’t answer my question as she closes down the register and takes me home with her. 

“You know what, Apple.” She smiles. “I think we’re going to be good friends. I can feel it.”

The next morning I woke up bright and early to go to the university, pay my bill, and sign up for classes. The sunlight feels calming on my face after a poor night of sleep on a lumpy, but safe, couch. For the first time in months, I didn’t need to worry if the money in my pocket would disappear while I closed my eyes. Now, as I pass through campus seeing all the other students walking by, I know I’ve made the right decision. 

This is where I belong. This is where I should have been instead of scraping plates in some stupid diner.

The light for the registrar's office was thankfully short and I made my way to the front desk quickly and with ease. 

The problem was when they used my savings account card to pay for my classes. 

“We’re sorry, Miss, but your card was declined.” 

“That can't be possible,” I feel the panic rising. “There should be over $5,000 in that account. Can you try again?”

The young man gives me a sympathetic smile. He tries two more times but the result is the same: declined. 

“I suggest you call your bank. Maybe your account is frozen because of the amount.” He suggests as if this is a normal thing that happens all the time.

Stepping out of line, I head outside to call my bank. After waiting on hold for an hour, I finally got through to a teller who informed me that my account had been completely cleaned out in full using the ATM in Pleasant Valley about 24 hours ago. 

Thinking back at my stepsister’s comments, reality hits me like a hard brick. My stepsister and stepfather cleaned out my account yesterday while I was working. 

“Son of a bitch!” I scream, stomping. “Ahhhhhh!”

After a few more primal screams, I dust myself off, follow the signs, and head towards the school library. If I need to find a job, they will have the best idea of where I should be looking. 

The librarian directs me to a computer in the corner that is already cued up with job search sites. Grateful, I thank her and begin searching. 

I guess I should have told her I am a human because this computer only has SuperNet--a supernatural-specific internet provider. I never realized how different the supernatural internet was from the human one. Even the pop-up ads are out of this world. “Think your neighbor is a secret witch? Spray her with this and the truth will be revealed.” 

I guess even in a big city like this one, the bigotry against witches is still very pervasive. I expected it from a small town like Pleasant Valley, but here, I thought people were more understanding. Not all witches are evil.

Another ad pops up as I flip to the next website on the pre-printed job search list.

“Why have one when you can have 2?” The image of a grinning young executive with a white, toothy grin is standing still as first a blonde appears on his right, and a tan brunette on his left. 

Out of curiosity, I click his face and it takes me to the Rental Luna Corporation--” a service where alpha males can rent Luna-level companionship on a daily or hourly basis,” I read, grimacing. On the very top of the page is the tagline, “Rental Luna--like a real Luna, only cheaper!”

It seems that even male wolves can be pigs.  “That’s sick,” I murmur under my breath. “Women aren’t disposable. I can’t believe this is real.”

The handsome executive is smiling at me from the bottom of the page advertising their latest deal. “Want a redhead on Saturday, and a blonde on Monday? 2 for 1 special this weekend only!”

“This service is A-OK! I get all my Lunas from Rental Luna,” his endorsement reads below.

“Yuck, how beastly,” I gag as I shut down the computer, unable to stomach it anymore. It seems that Alphas are more dog than wolf. 

Taking a deep breath, I turn around and see a board against the opposite wall with the word “JOBS” in big, gold letters.

Awesome. This will save me from the SuperNet.

As I walk over to the job board, I pray that a solution to my problems will be here in plain sight. Scanning the wall, I see that most of the positions are low-paying wastes of time. I’ll never make enough to pay tuition or rent part-time at minimum wage. 

But then I see it, on the highest right corner of the pegboard. 

Sterling Incorporated has an entry-level position, no experience necessary, the only requirement is that you are a …”

The rest of the advertisement has been torn away with one of the dangling phone number tags. It doesn’t matter. The important part is that they are offering 3 times the pay of any other job on the board.

Taking a photo of the ad, I head toward my car. It’s time I got a new job.

Running out of the library, I feel like I’m flying. 

But I can’t fly, which is how I fall into the arms of a broody young man with bright hazel eyes and a strong grip.