Chapters 11-17 have been rewritten to improve story flow and pacing. [June 27, 2024]
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The new beginning I crave begins in a quaint town by the name of Cedarwood, just outside of Spokane, Washington. It isn't that I made a conscious choice to stay here, exactly. I sensed shifters at the train station in Spokane and panicked. A rideshare app and a destination chosen at random brought me to Cedarwood. Specifically, to an adorable bookshop cafe on a picturesque little street in the middle of their commercial district.
Seriously, the entire street gives me a modern Victorian vibe, and families all walk because there is literally no parking anywhere. I guess people come here for the charm.
Two weeks later, I'm still at the shop, only now I'm working there. As an added perk, I even get an apartment in the above floor. It was used as storage for a few years by my new boss, and I have a lot of cleaning to do yet, but it's mine, and I love it, even if there are boxes everywhere.
