Free Web NovelChapter 34: Chapter 34
Aria’s POV
The words hit like a punch, but I didn’t flinch. I just stared at him, my jaw tight, my pulse thundering.
I was fired? It felt as though another door has been slammed in my face.
Kevin didn’t wait for my reply. He shoved the new girl inside and bolted like he’d just thrown meat to a wolf and didn’t want to stick around for the fallout.
kara, who had been standing off to the side, gaped. "Wait, they’re not just moving your bed, they’re kicking you out completely?"
I pressed my lips together, my hands curling into fists so tight my nails dug crescents into my palms. The faint metallic tang of blood rose, and my wolf snarled softly at the humiliation.
The girl looked completely lost, clutching her suitcases, her eyes darting between me and the empty bed like a frightened doe. She wasn’t the enemy here.
I forced myself to breathe.
"Come on in and put your stuff down," I said, forcing a smile that felt brittle and wrong. "It’s not your fault."
"Thank you," the girl said shyly, dragging her luggage in. Instead of taking my bed, she sat on the one beside it. At least she had some manners.
Still, my chest felt tight, the kind of pressure that builds before a storm. I looked down at Lana, still sleeping peacefully, and my resolve hardened. Enough was enough.
I marched down to the management office, my wolf humming with anger just below the surface. The fluorescent lights flickered, the scent of coffee and ink thick in the air.
"It has been finalized, the paperwork’s already been signed upstairs," Frances said, slapping a red-stamped document onto the desk. The word Termination glared up at me like a wound.
I could almost hear my heartbeat in my ears. "But we signed a contract. This violates labor law—"
Frances’s cup hit the desk with a loud crack, coffee splashing over the edges. Her lazy posture vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp look that cut like steel. "You want to lecture me about labor law?"
Her tone made my wolf’s hackles rise. I clenched my teeth to keep the growl from escaping. ƒrēewebnovel.com
"Here’s the thing, Aria," she continued, leaning forward, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Everyone else in the dorms has permanent positions and benefits. You? Think about your situation. Play nice, take this month’s pay, and leave quietly. Make a scene, and nobody wins."
Her words were venom wrapped in silk.
I held her gaze, unblinking.
She looked away first.
Rage coursed through me so fiercely that my hands trembled. My wolf snarled under my skin, pacing restlessly, wanting out—wanting to bite.
My chest rose and fell, breath uneven, every inhale sharp with the bitter scent of Frances’s smug satisfaction.
But deep down, I knew she was right.
I was just a temp. A disposable worker on a trial contract. No benefits, no protection, nothing. If I took this to court, the legal battle would drain months of my life, money I didn’t have, and energy I couldn’t spare. The realization hit hard like a cold, humiliating punch to the gut.
"The paperwork’s already stamped and approved," Frances said, her voice smooth as poison. "Changing it now would be complicated. Besides, you’ve already met your replacement, she is some poor orphan girl. The world’s full of sad stories, Aria. Yours isn’t special. Got it?"
My claws itched beneath my skin. I could feel them, ready to break through. But I clenched my fists tight, fighting the instinct to bare my fangs.
My wolf growled inside, a low rumble of fury that made my heart pound louder in my ears.
Frances saw the flicker in my eyes and smirked, mistaking restraint for weakness. "Think about your kid," she said, softening her tone with false pity. "At least you’re getting this month’s salary."
At the mention of Lana, my wolf stilled—just a little. The sound of her name always calmed me. My daughter, my little cub.
Yeah... she was all I had left.
But even that thought came with another stab of anxiety. Lana’s formula was running low. Diapers, too. I couldn’t afford to lose another paycheck—not now.
"About this month’s salary..." I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood. The metallic tang fueled my anger and my resolve. "Has it been paid yet?"
"Already transferred," Frances said flatly, her eyes flicking over me with lazy contempt. "If there’s nothing else, you’d better move out fast."
Her gaze lingered on me. Like she was trying to strip me bare, to make me feel small.
I forced my breathing steady and turned toward the door. Words burned on my tongue, but I said nothing. She wasn’t worth it.
Behind me, I caught the faint sound of her scoffing. I ignored and walked away.
By the time I got back to the dorm, the weight in my chest felt heavier than the sky before a storm. I just wanted to hold Lana, maybe breathe for a moment, but the sight that greeted me stopped me cold.
