Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter 33
Aria’s POV
After the call, I was still unsettled. The silence that followed felt heavier than any noise. The rain finally stopped and the sun was gradually coming back up.
I looked down at Lana cradled in my arms, her soft lashes resting against her flushed cheeks. My heart softened, then clenched again.
No matter what, Nathan could never find out about her, about us.
If he did, there’d be no escaping his reach. He’d take everything, just like before.
I drew in a long, steadying breath and gently pulled Lana’s tiny hand from her mouth. She made a soft noise, half protest, half contentment. My lips curved faintly.
"Hungry again, huh?"
The maternal instinct was strong but so was the exhaustion that nipped at my bones.
My wolf, ever protective, huffed inside me, restless. She hated how vulnerable we were like this. We were cornered, hiding, struggling just to keep our pup fed.
I moved to the cupboard and scooped what little formula remained in the tin. Just a thin dusting of powder scraped the bottom.
I sighed, my voice trembling,"That’s it, baby. Last of it."
The clink of the spoon against the can felt deafening in the small room.
Even the cheapest formula wasn’t cheap enough. Every bottle, every diaper, every doctor visit drained the little I managed to earn. I hated it, hated how far I’d fallen.
Once, I could walk into a courtroom and silence a room with one sentence. Now, I counted coins just to feed my daughter.
But she’s worth it, my wolf whispered. She’s everything.
I nodded to myself. Payday was only a few days away. We’d make it. We always did. Even without Nathan. Even without the gilded cage he’d once called love. Lana and I would be fine, as long as we had each other. Just the two of us against the world.
By the time I’d fed and changed her, she was already drifting off to sleep, her tiny fingers curled around one of mine. Watching her chest rise and fall was enough to soften the ache in my heart.
I changed into soft clothes, finally ready to rest. My wolf settled as I sank into bed, eyes closing. Maybe for a little while, I could forget everything but few seconds later...
A knock shattered the quiet.
I froze. Every instinct sharpened at once.
Someone was outside.
I slid out of bed quietly and opened the door, ready to shift if I needed to. But it wasn’t danger, it was kara. Her face was flushed from the sun, sweat gleaming on her forehead.
"Is Lana sleeping?" she whispered.
I nodded, stepping aside. "Yeah. What’s wrong?"
Her scent told me she was agitated, bitter and angry. I could feel it thrumming off her. I handed her a towel, and she wiped her face, taking a deep breath before blurting, ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
"Kevin is a complete bastard."
I blinked, frowning. "What?"
She grabbed my hand, her grip tight. "They hired another cleaner today, and Kevin gave away your bed!"
For a second, my brain refused to catch up. Then everything went cold. "What about me?"
"That’s the point!" she hissed, eyes blazing. "He’s already screwing you over and he’s barely started this new position! He’ll probably send someone to tell you any minute."
Her anger radiated like heat. I wished I could feel it too. Instead, I just felt numb — ice creeping up through my chest, stealing my breath.
This was the last thing I needed. The last thing Lana needed.
Before I could even process it, a sharp knock echoed through the dorm room.
kara and I locked eyes — both of us already knowing who it was.
My wolf growled low in my mind, They’re coming to take what’s ours again.
And this time, I didn’t know if I had the strength to stop them.
Sure enough, when I opened the door, Kevin was standing there with a young girl hovering nervously behind him.
"Aria, we got a new person. Give up your bed," he barked, his voice stiff and forced.
But he wouldn’t look me in the eye. He was a coward!. His gaze darted anywhere but my face, as if meeting my eyes might set something off.
My wolf was restless beneath my skin, pacing, her tail flicking in irritation.
He was hiding something. I could smell it. That faint tang of guilt always gave him away. I could not help but wonder who was behind it this time.
I didn’t move. "Why?" I asked, my voice low, sharper than claws.
His face reddened immediately. "Why?! Who’s in charge here? you or me?" He threw his arm out dramatically, trying to look powerful.
Then, with a smirk that made my wolf bristle, he added, "Oh, and by the way—you’re fired!"
