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,” I

voice from the line. “Are you counting to twelve

with the bills, dropping two

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

I noticed

18:28

1/3

the kind of aggressive energy that made my survival instincts perk

teenager finally gathered his dropped bills and counted out the exact change. I handed him his receipt with an encouraging

good night,”

his bag and practically running

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

my teeth.

a basket of groceries and

everyone’s

fault,” I assured her, starting to scan her items. Milk, bread, baby formula. A working mom grabbing necessities

day.

Angry was getting

I’ve been standing here for twenty minutes! You got

“we have three registers open.

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

phrase made my jaw clench. But I forced my voice to

understand you’re frustrated, sir. We’re doing our

“Your best sucks!”

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

her, keeping

quickly and gathered her bags. “Good luck,” she

up to my register like he was approaching a battlefield: Up close, he was even more intimidating-easily

hands that looked like they could crush a beer can

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

shit together.

care of right away, sir,” I said, starting