Belle And Beast

Ch:10 Pancakes and Juicy Secrets

The small diner Sarena had dragged me in was thick with the smell of sweet syrup and buttermilk. The old checkered floor and dilapidated jukebox in one corner of the room reminded me of all the run-down, once bustling diners I had been to in all my life. It seemed like every small town had one and Water Crest was no exception. Sarena slid into a once-vibrant red booth with a huff looking up at me expectantly. "Well, you just gonna stand there or are you gonna sit?" I looked up to meet Sarena's eyes. They were a pale green, unlike the deep green of her brothers. I had come to the realization that they were nothing alike. Her mid-length chestnut hair was also very different from Callum's short black hair, but they both shared the same perfect olive skin.

I slid into the booth begrudgingly with a loud intake of air. "Why are we here, Sarena?" I wanted to roll my eyes. She just couldn't tell me why were here, no. There always had to be an air of mystery about her and her motives.

She looked up from the menu in her hands momentarily to flash me an annoyed look. "Save your questions till after I've had my pancakes." I really did roll my eyes this time. I wasn't going to protest, though. I needed answers desperately and there was no way I was going to screw that up.

I rubbed my arms up and down as to protect them from the cold of the diner, trying to bid the goosebumps away. I knew I should have brought a jacket. The diner was practically empty as music droned on in the background. There were a few old folks and a couple bright-faced waitresses there to serve their needs.

It wasn't long before a blonde girl with bright blue eyes came to our table with a name tag that read Elowen. She smiled brightly at me before turning her attention to Sarena-the-regular, I assumed. "What can I get you today, Sarena? The usual?" Sarena looked up with a wolfish grin that reminded me of the first night I met her. She was probably somewhere near our age with her light skin and a bright smile.

"Not today, El. I'll take one of Joe's Famous short stacks." Sarena flashed a flirtatious grin at the waitress while handing her the menu. The young waitress took it with a bashful grin while turning her attention to me.

"I'll have the same, please." She nodded her head while writing down our orders then grabbing the menu from my hand politely with another bright smile. She looked back to Sarena with another bashful grin as her cheeks reddened.

"Your order will be out in a jiffy!" Her bell-like voice chimed sweetly. Her voice and demeanor were so sweet, I was suffering from a toothache.

Sarena gave her a flirtatious wink, "You're the best, El." The young girl slinked away with a red face going back to the counter to tell the cook our order. Sarena had turned her attention to her buzzing cell phone after watching Elowen retreat into the back. Her face contorted into a frown before shoving the phone in her back pocket and looking up at me. My eyebrow was raised sky high as if to say 'nice subtle flirting'. "What? I like to keep my options open." She replied slyly with a waggle of her eyebrows. "Besides, your food comes out faster when you flirt with them."

We both laughed at that for awhile. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked once our laughter had died down a bit. I was bursting with questions, they filled my every thought but I didn't understand why I was brought here of all places. A far off look grew in Sarena's eyes as she looked up at me.

"You know, Sweet Sue's have always been there for me," She laughed while looking back down at her hands playing with the straw wrapper. "This town is over run with wolves, Belle. They're everywhere. It's one big pack with dozens of families making it up. The pack that Callum and I came from was small but I've never felt so alone in my life before. All of these wolves and none understand what we go through. All we get are pity glances and smiles. It can make a wolf go mad." She laughed darkly with a small hint of sadness. She looked back up at me, her pale green eyes contrasting against her tan olive skin. There was a dark swirl in her eyes, making her seem scarier than usual, but it had left as soon as I saw it. "I remember the first time I ever came to this rundown diner," Her lips gently tugged at the corners of a sweet memory. "Callum had taken me here to explain where we came from and why people always gave us sad looks." She inhaled a shaky breath. I hadn't known Sarena long but I could tell being vulnerable wasn't something she was good at or did often. "This is where I learned of my heritage. This was where Callum told me everything he could. This," She trailed off momentarily. "Is where my questions were answered."