Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

161 Chapter 161

Seraphina’s POV 1

The clock above register three showed 8:47 PM. Thirteen minutes past my normal shift. Thirteen minutes past when I should have been walking out the door, heading home to my sad dinner of instant noodles and whatever was left of that questionable bread.

Instead, I was still here. Covering for Mia. Again.

“Next!” I called out, my voice hoarse from eight straight hours of fake cheerfulness.

A teenager shuffled forward with an armload of energy drinks and candy bars. Perfect. Another customer who’d probably pay with crumpled dollar bills and loose change while I stood here pretending my feet weren’t screaming in pain.

“ID?” I asked automatically when I saw the energy drinks.

He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Seriously? They’re not even the hardcore ones.”

“Store policy.”

He dug through his wallet, muttering under his breath about uptight cashiers and stupid rules. Behind him, three more customers waited with the patience of hungry wolves.

This was supposed to be Mia’s problem. Mia should be here dealing with teenage attitude and the growing line of increasingly annoyed

shoppers. But no-Mia was off somewhere with Tuesday Derek, probably laughing and having actual fun while I covered her ass.

Again.

The energy drink kid finally found his ID and slapped it down on the counter. Eighteen years old. Legal. I scanned his items and told him

the total.

“Twelve sixty-seven.”

He started counting out singles. Slowly. Like each dollar bill required careful consideration.

“Come on, man!” someone shouted from the back of the line. “Some of us got places to be!”

The kid’s hands started shaking. “Sorry, sorry. I got it somewhere…”

I felt a stab of sympathy. He was just a kid. Nervous. Probably spent his last bit of money on caffeine to get through a night shift at some

other dead-end job.

time,”

voice from the line. “Are you counting to

kid’s cheeks. He fumbled with the

called out to the line. “Give him a minute, okay? We’re all human

when I noticed

18:28

1/3

energy that made my survival instincts perk up. His face was red with irritation, and he kept checking his phone like every second was costing him

the exact change. I handed him his receipt

good night,”

he mumbled, grabbing his bag

to third in line. “Jesus Christ, kid. Maybe learn to count before you leave the house

gritted my teeth.

of him approached with a basket of groceries and

know everyone’s in a

items. Milk,

day.

Angry

twenty minutes! You got

I called over the customer’s head, “we have three registers open. If you’d

snapped. “I was here first! You people need to learn some

clench. But I

understand you’re frustrated, sir. We’re

“Your best sucks!”

me looked embarrassed. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “He’s been like this the

forty-eight,” I told her, keeping my voice

bags. “Good luck,” she murmured

approaching a battlefield:

like

damn time,” he growled, dumping his items on the belt. Beer, cigarettes, lottery tickets, beef jerky. “You people need

shit together.

care of right away, sir,” I