PIPER

As the loaves of bread and pastries of the day were baking in the oven, I started to reminisce about the dream. No, that nightmare. I hadn’t had one like that in years. Maybe it was the trauma but I couldn’t remember how I escaped the fire, but I did. And soon after, I was found by some police officers who took me to a station. They took care of me, gave me food, and water, and asked about my personal information. After a few hours a woman I didn’t recognize walked in, she told me she was my grandmother’s lawyer, Marian Dougal. 

We talked for hours. She told me that when Grandma found out about what my “parents” did, she disowned my “mother” and she never stopped looking for me, even on her deathbed she still had hope that I would show up one day. Marian told me that my name was the only one in Grandma’s will, she made her promise that she would keep looking for me and now that I was back, her work was done. Well almost done, she helped me a lot and I even considered her part of my family. Chosen family.

Everything Grandma had was mine. Money, a shop, and a house were some of the things that she left me, and that’s what brought me to Bramville. It was her hometown. She grew up in the town and when she married Grandpa she left for the city, but when he passed she moved back. I never knew this until I read some of her diaries given to me by Marian. I discovered more things about her just by reading all the entries she wrote.

My ‘mom’ didn’t have that good of a relationship with her but I did, she would write me and visit us just to see me. I could say she was the only one who cared for me, teaching me things about the world and about what we were, something my ‘parents’ never took the time to do. She was with me when my first heat came, she took care of me and explained to me everything about being an omega. I was grateful because if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be what I am today. Well, thanks to her and Marian. They both helped me get to where I am today.

With the help of Marian, I managed to settle in and finish my studies. I even got some certificates in cooking, baking, pastries, and many others. And with that, some hard work, modifications, and a few permissions, I managed to use the shop Grandma left behind and opened my very own bakery, Piper’s Delights. 

I was happy. Baking was everything for me and I felt like I had a great life once again. Well, the only matter that was missing in my life was having a partner. Grandma told me stories about fated mates growing up, she told me the God/dess had someone special for everyone and that my fated mate would come to me one day. I believed her at first but up until now I hadn’t met anyone that made me say ‘mate’. Of course, I was interested in love, but I’ve always believed that everything has its time and if I hadn’t found my mate yet then I might in the future.

‘You are not even trying to date people.’ Said my serpent self, Priya. My only companion for years because it was part of me. 

“You are right, yes. But I have better things to do.” I answered checking the time impatient for the baking to be done.

‘Like what? Reading romance books in your bed and sighing while wishing something like that happen to you but also not even trying to meet people to experience those things with?’ Priya said and I sighed, he was very direct and blunt about many things but I still loved him.

“You know it’s not that easy.” I sighed crossing my arms and leaning my hip on the counter.

‘I know but there’s been a bunch of guys that come to the shop to flirt with you and you ignore them.’ Priya scolded me and I was confused. No one came to the store to flirt with me, not that I know of.

“No, you are wrong. No one flirts with me like that.” I answered with furrowed eyebrows.

‘Really Pip? Really? Not even the handsome alpha from last week who left his number written on a napkin on one of the tables just for you?’ Priya said with sarcasm. I tried to remember the guy he was talking about and when I did, I realized maybe my serpent self was right.

“I did think that was a little weird,” I answered his sarcastic question. Maybe I was too naive to see people’s intentions.

‘See my point? You need to put yourself out there. Download a dating app or something.’ Priya sighed.

Ding! The timer I had set for the pastries rang and interrupted our conversation, but I was glad it was time to get on to work because I didn’t want to keep talking about the dating thing. Priya was so insistent about it but it was something that didn’t bother me. I hadn’t found the one yet and I had no rush to do it. Putting my thoughts and Priya’s nagging aside I took out the things in the oven and prepared them for display at the counter in the shop. 

Once I was done with everything displayed in the right place and the chairs and tables ready. I went to the door, flipped the open/closed sign, and went back to behind the counter. Minutes later, people started to show up at the store and the day went smoothly as always. I did notice this time a guy flirting with me but I was not really interested and ignored him. Priya scolded me in the back of my mind, but I kept working as usual. 

~oOoOo~ 

When the last customer left I flipped the sign and locked the door. I was feeling a bit uneasy, I remember feeling watched when I walked to work in the morning, and when I was working I felt the same way but I brushed it off. Maybe it was nothing and it was just me being paranoid so I continued with my daily closing routine, putting all the remaining pastries and bread in bags to take home, cleaning, and arranging the tables. 

I went to the kitchen to check everything was okay, grabbed my bags, and walked to the door again. I sighed and took the courage to put my uneasiness away, walking out of the door and locking it behind me. 

‘It’s okay Piper, everything is okay.’ I told myself and Priya reassured me everything was fine. 

Not getting distracted by anything, I rushed to my house walking fast. I hated this feeling, I felt eyes on me. I looked around and saw no one, I bit my lip and made my pace faster. I was almost there, just a few more blocks and I would be in my house. I felt as if I was being followed. I grabbed my bag tightly and felt the sudden instinct to just shift and hide in a hole somewhere but I just wanted to get home fast. 

‘Almost there, Pip. You can do this.’ Priya encouraged me, I could tell he was also feeling uneasy but ready to fight if we had to.

I could see the street to my house so I rushed to it, but just when I was going to take out my keys I felt someone grabbing me from behind. I tried to fight and scream for help but my mouth was covered by a piece of cloth, and an unpleasant smell attacked my nostrils. I wanted to shift but I started to feel lightheaded, dizzy, and suddenly everything in front of me went black.