Too Late To Regret, My Alphas

Rosalie:

The past three days had been so busy that I barely had time to think.

Between morning training with Zaiden and Eiden, writing new Chapters for my novel every night, managing inventory, preparing drinks for the café corner, helping customers find books, and balancing the bookstore’s accounts every evening, every hour of my day seemed planned before it even began.

A few months ago, I had dreamed of having so many customers that I wouldn’t have a moment to sit down. Now that the dream had become reality, I was beginning to understand why Grandma Maggie had laughed when I told her I could handle everything by myself.

I couldn’t.

Not anymore.

The little bookstore was packed from the moment we opened until well into the evening. Students occupied the cafe tables while working on assignments, parents browsed the children’s section, office workers stopped by for coffee during lunch breaks, and regular customers often stayed just to chat.

There were moments when three people wanted recommendations, someone else was waiting to pay, another customer wanted a latte, and the oven timer was beeping all at the same time. I loved every second of it... but I was only one person.

Grandma Maggie noticed it long before I finally admitted it.

"My dear," she said one afternoon after watching me hurry from the coffee machine to the cash register and then straight upstairs to help an elderly gentleman find a history book. "Come here for a minute."

I wiped my hands on my apron before walking over to where she sat with her knitting.

"Yes?"

She looked at me over the rim of her glasses before smiling knowingly. "You are exhausted."

"I’m managing."

"You are surviving."

There was a difference.

I opened my mouth to deny it but ended up laughing instead. "...Alright. I might be a little overwhelmed."

"A little?"

"Maybe... a lot."

Grandma Maggie chuckled warmly. "I have been waiting for you to admit that."

I blinked. "You have?"

"My dear, successful businesses grow because their managers know when they need help." She reached across the counter and patted my hand. "If you think it’s time to hire someone, then you already have my permission."

Relief flooded through me so quickly that I almost hugged her right then and there. "Really?"

She laughed. "I was wondering how long it would take you to ask."

Within a week, we found the perfect assistant.

Her name was Lily, a cheerful twenty-year-old literature student from the local college. She had been one of our regular customers for nearly a month, loved books almost as much as she loved coffee, and possessed an energy that somehow made even the busiest afternoons feel manageable. More importantly, she was wonderfully kind. By the end of her first day, half our regular customers already knew her name.

"I can’t believe you remember where every book goes," she said in amazement while shelving a stack of new arrivals.

"I couldn’t either when I first started."

She laughed as she spoke, "I have got a long way to go."

"You’ll get there."

Working with someone else turned out to be far more enjoyable than I had expected. While I prepared drinks, Lily handled the register. When customers needed recommendations upstairs, she covered the cafe. If I was helping someone choose novels, she greeted newcomers before they even reached the counter. We quickly settled into a rhythm that made every day feel lighter.

A week later, Lily walked into the bookstore carrying a notebook that looked way too familiar. And as I looked at the colorful sticky notes filling it, I realized it was mine.

"I found it in the drawer last evening. I have added a few of my own ideas with yours. Let’s host the Bookstore Day that you always wanted to do. I’ll help you."

I looked up from unpacking a shipment of books. "Should we?"

"Absolutely." She placed the notebook in front of me. "It will be a whole day dedicated to our customers." She eagerly flipped through the notes. "Let’s do some discounts. A reading corner. A children’s storytelling session. A bookmark decorating station. And a blind-date-with-a-book section."

I couldn’t help smiling. "You have really thought about this."

"It’s your idea. I’m just trying to make it come true."

By that evening, Grandma Maggie had enthusiastically approved every single idea. "I knew hiring you was the right decision," the old lady declared proudly as she beamed at me.

The following Saturday became the busiest day the bookstore had ever seen.

Long before opening time, colorful decorations hung from the windows, handwritten signs welcomed visitors, and dozens of mystery-wrapped books sat neatly arranged on a special display labeled Blind Date with a Book. The café introduced limited-time drinks inspired by famous novels, while the reading corner overflowed with beanbags and cushions for children.

The response exceeded every expectation.

Families arrived together. College students brought their friends. Our regular customers spread the word so enthusiastically that new faces continued pouring through the doors all day. Children proudly showed off bookmarks they had colored themselves. Parents thanked us for organizing the storytelling session. Teenagers excitedly exchanged mystery books without knowing what was hidden beneath the wrapping paper.

The cafe remained full from morning until evening.

More than once, I caught Grandma Maggie quietly wiping tears from her eyes as she watched people laugh among shelves that had once stood nearly empty.

"This..." she whispered while looking around the lively bookstore. "This is exactly what I always dreamed this place could become."

I slipped my arm around her shoulders. "We are only getting started."

By the time the event officially ended, nearly every special display had sold out. The blind-date books were completely gone. Half the stationery shelves needed restocking. The cafe had run out of pastries and nearly all drinks before sunset. Even Lily, whose energy seemed endless, dramatically collapsed into one of the reading chairs.

"I think..." she groaned between exhausted laughs, "...I served enough coffee today to keep this entire town awake for a week."

I laughed, feeling equally exhausted. "You did amazing."

"So did you."

Grandma Maggie smiled at both of us. "I’m very proud of my girls."

Warmth spread through my chest. A few months ago, I hadn’t known where my life was heading. Now I stood inside a thriving bookstore surrounded by people who believed in me.

As Lily locked the register and Grandma Maggie switched off the cafe lights, I bent down to gather a stack of books left on one of the tables. The moment I straightened, an odd sensation swept through my body.

I froze.

There it was again. That strange ache. Not painful enough to make me cry out. But also not weak enough to ignore.

A peculiar soreness spread through my arms, legs, and even across my back, accompanied by the same unfamiliar warmth that had appeared after training three days ago. It lasted only a few seconds before easing again, leaving me standing perfectly still beside the bookshelf.

"Rose?"

Lily’s voice snapped me back.

I quickly forced a smile. "I’m fine."

At least... that was what I hoped. Because whatever this strange discomfort was, it was happening far more often than it should.

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