Heaven was relieved when she finally arrived at the gas station for her morning shift. It was well-lit and surrounded by other buildings, making her feel safer than she had in her own home. She greeted her co-worker, a middle-aged woman named Linda, and quickly got to work.
As she filled up the tanks and tended to customers, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the distraction the job provided. It kept her busy and her mind occupied, leaving little time for her to dwell on her fears of being hunted by werewolves at night.
As the morning wore on, Heaven began to feel more and more comfortable. The sun was shining, and the bright light made the station feel even safer. She chatted with Linda and the customers, feeling almost normal again.
She decided then and there that she would take the morning shift from now on, even if it meant waking up earlier. It was a small price to pay for the peace of mind it gave her.
The customers were a group of teenage boys, chatting excitedly as they waited for one of their friends to come out of the gas station store with some snacks. Heaven overheard them as she filled up a car's tank nearby.
"Dude, I'm telling you, I saw it on this website," one of the boys said, pulling out his phone. "It's a real picture of the white-haired werewolf in his human form."
"No way," another boy said, leaning in to get a closer look at the phone screen. "Let me see."
Heaven couldn't help but feel curious, so she surreptitiously tried to peek at the phone screen too. The boys were huddled close together, their eyes glued to the phone as they whispered excitedly.
"I heard that the white-haired werewolf was the most powerful of all werewolves," one of the boys said. "He could control other wolves with just a look."
Another boy shook his head. "Nah, that's just a myth. But I heard he was really tall, like over seven feet, and super ripped."
Heaven tried to see the image on the phone screen, but it was difficult with the boys huddled so close together. Finally, one of the boys turned the phone around to show her.
To her disappointment, the image was clearly edited, with the white-haired werewolf's face superimposed onto a random body. Heaven couldn't help but roll her eyes at the boys' excitement, but she couldn't deny that her curiosity about the legendary werewolf was piqued.
Heaven was back to filling up another car's tank when a woman entered the convenience store, catching her attention. The woman looked rich and sophisticated, and she was buying a bottle of wine.
As Heaven watched her, the woman looked up and their eyes met. The woman smiled warmly at her and walked over.
"Hello there, dear. My name is Chanda," she said, extending her hand to shake Heaven's.
Heaven shook her hand, feeling a bit surprised. It wasn't often that customers introduced themselves, and Chanda seemed different from the usual customers.
"I'm Heaven," she said, a bit shyly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Heaven," Chanda said with a smile. "I'm new in town, and I was just stopping by to pick up a few things. This gas station is quite lovely, don't you think?"
Heaven nodded, still a bit taken aback by the woman's friendliness.
"Yes, it's a nice place to work," she said.
"I can imagine," Chanda said, taking her wine and starting to leave. "Well, I won't keep you from your work any longer. Have a wonderful day, Heaven."
With that, Chanda left the store, leaving Heaven feeling a bit puzzled by the interaction. Who was this woman, and why was she so interested in talking to her?
Heaven watched as Chanda walked away and got into her car. Sitting in the driver's seat was a man with light-colored hair, just like Heaven. He was staring intently at her, and Heaven couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
As the car drove away, Heaven got a better look at the man. He had striking features, with a strong jawline and piercing brown eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. He was dressed in a sharp suit, which only added to his intimidating presence.
Heaven couldn't help but wonder who this man was and why he was staring at her like that. She tried to brush it off and focus on her work, but she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered after the encounter.
Heaven's mind was still occupied with thoughts of the mysterious couple as she absentmindedly tended to another car. She wondered who they were, and why they seemed so interested in her.
But her thoughts were interrupted when the customer she was serving called out to her for the third time. Embarrassed, she quickly apologized and refocused on her work.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you," she said with a smile, trying to make up for her mistake. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
The customer shook their head and handed her the money for the gas. "No worries, dear. Just lost in thought, I see. Happens to the best of us."
Heaven thanked the customer and watched as they drove off, feeling a bit embarrassed at her momentary distraction. She knew she needed to focus on her job and not let her curiosity get the best of her.
As Heaven's gaze drifted from the departing customer to the tree in the distance, she couldn't believe her eyes. There, standing under the tree, was the white-haired werewolf from the rumors she overheard earlier. He was watching her intently, his eyes fixed on her.
For a moment, Heaven was mesmerized, her mind flashing back to the first time she had met him, years ago in the forest. She couldn't believe her eyes, and for some reason she felt safe from any harm.
But her trance was broken when another customer came into the store, pulling her attention away. As she helped the customer, she couldn't help but steal glances back towards the tree, hoping to catch another glimpse of the mysterious creature.
When she finally had a chance to look back, the werewolf was gone. Heaven's heart sank a little, disappointed that she missed her chance to learn more about him. She was wondering if she would ever get the chance t
o talk to him and ask what's going on.