Sean blinked, polite but firm. “There’s a line, sir. I’ll be with you in just a minute.”
The guy scoffed and muttered, “This place is a joke.”
My shoulders tensed.
He stayed right there at the counter, muttering under his breath, making a show of tapping at his phone like the world owed him something.
And when Sean stepped away to hand a latte to the woman who was next in line, the guy moved. Elbowed Sean aside to reach for the pastry case, like Sean was in his way and not doing his job.
Sean stumbled, catching himself on the edge of the counter with a hiss of pain. Something inside me snapped.
I was there in a flash, stepping between them before I could even think.
My body moved on instinct, the bear roaring awake inside me, claws pressing beneath the surface, heartbeat hammering so loud it drowned out the music, the customers, even Rafael calling my name.
“You want to try that again?” I snarled, voice low and shaking. “Go ahead. Touch him one more time.”
The man looked startled. Then smug. “What’s your problem? It was an accident.”
Accident. Seriously? A growl tore from my throat before I could stop it, guttural and deep enough to make the man pale.
I took a step forward, the space between us electric with tension, my muscles coiled and ready to rip him apart for just existing near Sean.
My breath came hard. My hands shook. The shift was close.
I could feel my teeth pressing sharp behind my lips. My nails had already thickened, claws beginning to curl.
“Beau,” Rafael’s voice came from somewhere behind me. “Back off. Come on, man. Let it go.”
I didn’t move. Couldn’t. Everything narrowed to red and rage and mine.
“Beau,” Rafael tried again, louder, stepping up to grab my arm, but I shrugged him off without even registering it.
Then Sean was there. His hand touched my wrist. Light. Gentle. Just a whisper of warmth.
“Hey,” he said softly. “I’m okay.”
His voice hit me like a thunderclap through the fog.
My vision cleared. I blinked. Realized how close I was to losing control. How much my bear wanted to hurt this man.
I looked down, saw Sean’s calm but worried face, and everything inside me loosened. My claws retracted slowly. My breathing slowed.
“I’m okay,” Sean said again, thumb brushing the back of my hand.
The guy mumbled something and left in a hurry, but I barely noticed. All I could hear was my own heartbeat thundering in my ears.
All I could feel was the shame clawing its way up my throat. What if I’d shifted? What if I’d scared Sean?
“I need to go,” I muttered.
Rafael, finally able to reach me without getting bitten, nodded quickly.
“Yeah. Take a breather. I’ll cover,” Rafael said.
I walked out into the cool air, the scent of sugar and flour clinging to my shirt, my body still too tight, too wired. I’d nearly lost it. In front of customers. In front of Sean.
And the worst part? It had felt good. For a moment, just one, burning second, it had felt right.
