Chapter 52: Be Careful

Chapter fifty-two: Be Careful

Elena

My shift is ending in the next twenty-five minutes, I had survived the first day and I am more than ready to clock out and go find Bernard. There were a lot of things that I needed to explain to him, he had seen something that wasn't there.

I have known him for a short time but I have learned a few things about him. Wolves emotions were heightened but the emotions of an Alpha were heightened even more so. Were I to feel my emotions at a hundred, he would be double. He was volatile and I knew that, I was yet to learn how to defuse him when he started ticking. He had no reason not to trust me, there was nothing between Jack and myself, we were just mere friends.

I heard the bell ring as a new customer entered the cafe. I looked up and saw a beautiful blonde hair woman approach the front.

"Welcome." I greeted her with a smile.

"What can I get for you?" I asked.

"Elena, right?" She smiled revealing her perfectly white straight teeth. Her amber eyes were like liquid fire. I had never seen anyone with such beautiful eyes before.

"Hmmm, yes." I pointed to my name that was embodied on my apron.

"That is my name." I muttered, she looked at my finger that was pointing to my apron and then let out a soft chuckle.

"Oh no, I didn't even see that." She responded.

"Oh, okay. So how do you know my name?" I asked.

"I am a friend of Bernard's. He told me a little bit about you." She extended her hand to me.

"My name is Ivory." She introduced herself.

A friend? Bernard had never mentioned her before but then, I barely knew Bernard. I don't even know his favorite color or what he likes to eat.

"His friend?" I looked at her hand skeptically and I returned her handshake, regardless.

She even laughed elegantly and there was so much about this woman that just spoke daintiness and beauty, she was refined and polished. She reminded me of Helen but unlike Helen, she had a kinder personality. Or at least that is what I got from her first impression.

"We dated once upon a time but that was before he officially took the position as Alpha. Bernard and I were just not meant to be." I felt a heavy weight come over my chest at her confession. So this is another woman who had been a part of Bernard's life and is still part of it. I could feel my wolf stirring from deep within me but I pushed her back.

"Really?" I murmured.

"So, what can I do for you today?" She looked up at the menu behind me.

"What is good here, I haven't been here in a while and it looks like Veronica updated her menu a bit." She said.

"It is my first day here so I am not too sure." I was trying to make light conversation because this interaction was making me very uncomfortable.

Insecurities I didn't even know I had started bubbling up to the surface. I couldn't help how my mind compared the two of us. She is a refined and clean-cut woman who seems to have a pure spirit. Her hair was styled perfectly and the light makeup she wore enhanced her beauty. Where I was nothing near her qualities. I had been a wolf for years and I had missed out on one of the girly things that young women did. I didn't know how to apply make-up or even know my sense of fashion. I just wore what Bernard got for me and even then I didn't know if what I was wearing looked good or not. Being compared to Ivory did something to my self-esteem and I didn't like it. I may have been Bernard's mate but even that made me feel secure in what we had. He is an Alpha after all and Alphas had certain duties they had to fulfill.

There was still a mountain of obstacles for us to overcome and I didn't know if my love was going to be enough for the both of us. I knew I loved Bernard but the only question is that does he love me and will he choose me?

"I think I will have a ham and cheese melt and an iced latte, please." She placed her order and brought her pay card out.

"Take home or eat here?" I started preparing her order.

"I would like to have it here and I would love it if you would join me, please. I would love to get to know you a little bit better." Instantly the alarm bell went off in my head. My guard immediately went up and I was on high alert once more.

"I really can sit down now, I still need to work. Thank you for the offer, anyway."

"What are you talking about, Elena? Your shift ends in the next few minutes." I heard Veronica's voice come behind me.

"Have a coffee with Ivory, I know you are still new to the Pack and she could become a friend." Goodness, Veronica is making things worse. I don't want to sit with Ivory or any of Bernard's past girlfriends. It would only make me uncomfortable and that wouldn't be fun for anyone to endure.

"Veronica." Ivory beamed.

"I love the upgrades you have made, I really love them." Veronica came closer to me and took her card from my hand.

"Thank you, dear. You two go and sit, I will bring your orders to you. Elena, would you like anything to eat." She asked but I had no appetite right now. This entire situation had robbed me of every ounce of joy I had from seeing Bernard.

"No, thank you, Veronica." I responded.

Ivory gestured towards a table that was off to the large window that displayed the inside of the cafe. I followed her feeling the bile in my stomach slowly begin to rise. This is not how I had wanted to end my first day here. We sat down and I looked everywhere but at her. She kept gazing at me like she was staring at an eighth wonder of the world and I didn't like it.

"Bernard told me that you are very important to him." She watched me carefully for a reaction.

I did my best to keep my face as neutral as possible. Keeping my true feelings for Bernard is getting harder and harder as the days go by. A lot of people were becoming curious and suspicious.

"Yes, we are friends." I laughed lightly and she returned them knowingly.

"Just friends? I suspected that there may be a little more. I remembered that I was just friends with someone until I wasn't anymore. That is how all the beautiful love stories start, you know? They build their relationship on a foundation of friendship." My heart sank, was she talking about Bernard? Was their love story beautiful? Did it make me a horrible person for wanting their love story to have been toxic and bitter?

"I can assure you that nothing is going on between me and Bernard. I am simply his guest here." I said to her.

"A guest whom he smiles whenever she speaks about her?" She looked at me like she didn't believe me.

"Did you just talk about me with him?" She nodded.

"I went to the hospital to see him a few days ago. He told me about you and I was curious, I wanted to know who the woman who had melted Bernard's heart was. You are the talk of the town, I only found out where you are working because someone I worked with told me that a girl with fiery red hair is working at Veronica's bakery." She muttered.

"So, you guys were close?" I asked and a gentle smile took over her face as her eyes glazed over. Her mind took her somewhere nostalgic that had her smile growing wider.

"We were best of friends. It started when we were only in high school and we decided to give the relationship a go. I won't lie to you, Elena. Bernard was my first love." Her words felt like a knife went straight through my heart.

"But, after a few years of dating, we realized that we weren't mates. It was painful to have let him go but I knew it was something that we both needed to do so that he could find his true mate and I also find my mate." I had heard enough of this conversation, I didn't want to hear any more about his past relationships. I didn't want to make friends with a woman who has been in love with the same man I am in love with.

"I need to leave now, I am so sorry." I stood up from my seat.

"It was lovely meeting you, Ivory. Hopefully to see you again." She stood up from her seat as well.

"But, your food hasn't arrived yet, I am sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable with what I just said. That wasn't my intention." She said but somehow I found it difficult to believe her.

"It is fine, I am not hungry anyway." I responded and I was about to make a swift exit when her hand grabbed mine.

"Elena, I need to warn you, if you and Bernard were going to be together then you needed to be very careful. Watch your back and guard what you have." She said.

What is she even talking about? Was she warning me about herself? I pulled my hand out of her grasp.

"I am a rogue, Ivory. There is no way Bernard would be with a woman like me." I said to her and without uttering any more words, I turned around and made my way out of the bakery.

I didn't stop until I reached my destination. I needed to talk to the one person that would make all of this feel better.