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.

your time,” I

different voice from the line. “Are you counting

the kid’s cheeks. He fumbled with the bills, dropping two

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

when I noticed

18:28

1/3

kind of aggressive 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

out the exact change. I handed him his receipt with

a good night,”

mumbled, grabbing his bag and practically

man had moved up to third in line. “Jesus Christ, kid. Maybe learn

gritted my

approached with a basket of groceries and an

everyone’s in

scan her items. Milk, bread, baby formula. A working mom grabbing necessities after a

day.

Mr. Angry

is ridiculous! I’ve been standing here for twenty minutes! You got one cashier for

the customer’s head, “we have three registers open.

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

people.* The phrase made my jaw clench. But

We’re

“Your best sucks!”

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

I told her, keeping my

gathered her bags. “Good luck,” she murmured as she

was approaching a battlefield: Up close, he was even

with massive shoulders and hands that looked like they could crush a beer

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

shit together.

you taken care of right away, sir,”