LILY Do I think I am better than anyone else there!?!
I donât think. I KNOW I am.
Of course, I canât say that out loud.
Whatâs worse, the crowd keeps growing.
Iâm angry. My wolf is snarling and barking in my head at the injustice of this situation. Like we should be inconvenienced. Ugh. This is the worst!
But on the the surface, I maintain my composure.
I have to.
Itâs not long before more Sanitation Service Center workers, along with people sent by the police, arrive to help look for the ring.
Itâs ridiculous!
Itâs freezing cold and me and Annabelle are surrounded by onlookers as weâre interrogated by the police, all while standing next to piles of garbage and breathing in waves of noxious fumes.
Needless to say, the ring ultimately is not found. When the police finally allow us to leave, Iâm on the verge of vomiting from the stench.
"Lily, what do we do? This incident has been blown way out of proportion. Theyâre deeming it a criminal case.â Annabelleâs nervous.
She gets in my car and buckles her seatbelt.
I donât mind the occasional prank or joke, but having the police involved is never a good thing. I canât imagine my father will be okay with this. As Alpha he is adamant about only garnering positive media attention.
âWho on earth reported the case?â Annabelle asks. âEven the police came."
"I'll handle it. Itâs not like the case can be resolved," I tell her.
Inwardly, Iâm feeling very unsettled by this.
Although Iâm less worried about the criminal case and more concerned about my self-image. As a celebrity who was often photographed in high-class venues, to be seen spending the last hours beside piles of garbage⦠that will make for salacious headlines.
Between the fans, workers, and police, there were plenty of people at the scene recording me and Iâm really worried this is going to start trending. That was all I needed. A viral video of me besides steaming piles of garbage. Ugh!
I call my agent then my publicist.
Finally, I call my father.
Heâs going to be pissed.
* * * * * * * * *
GRACE Iâm engulfed in the stench of garbage. Itâs permeated my clothes, my hair, my hands. Although I wore gloves and had washed my hands multiple times, a faint odor still lingers.
Shame mounts in my stomach.
Jay will smell it.
Thereâs no way his wolf will miss it.
As for my body, even after changing out of my uniform into my street clothes and jacket, the smellâs still there.
"These rich people are too much. They just lose a ring and suddenly, weâre the ones tortured for it!? If it's such an expensive ring, why didn't they look after it more closely themselves?" Claire grumbles.
Iâm too tired to say much. But I manage a few encouraging words for Claire before grabbing my bag and heading out.
Itâs really late.
Iâve been on my feet working for sixteen hours straight. The street lamps are bright and the wind is blowing something fierce.
On the bright side, maybe that will blast some of the stench away.
Today, I am once again hit with the stark difference between what my life used to be and what it is now.
Itâs pathetic, really.
I had no power.
Not as a wolf.
Not even as a human.
I was at Lilyâs mercy in both worlds and I hate the way that makes me feel.
I wanted to argue so badly. To call Lily out for her bullshit and to insist if she lost the ring then for Lily to search for it.
But I never said a word.
Because I need this terrible job. No one else will hire me.
And how pathetic is that?
My past self could have given up on this kind of job and still have found plenty of other opportunities, but it was extremely hard for my present self to find even this one posting.
My past self wouldâve flashed fangs and dared Lily to do something about it.
Though fights were uncommon in my grandfatherâs pack, Iâd still been taught to fight and I had some scraps coming up. Itâs just the way of wolves.
Dating Sean had only shown me that battles could be waged in boardrooms or bedrooms.
Ava. I whisper.
I wait, hoping for some grumble or growl. A yip to show me sheâs alive.
Nothing.
Dejected, I resign myself to my existence. Really, I need to stop complaining. People the world over are suffering and struggling and Iâm not so special.
If I wanted to survive, stay warm, and eat well, I could only continue on.
Suddenly, I see something in the road ahead and I stop in my tracks.
I stare dazedly at the nearby figure standing by the gate of the apartment complex.
Jason!
He waited for me to come back!
The light from the street lamp shines on him and his handsome face is the balm I needed.
My present self is different from my past self, at least. I'm no longer alone.
"Jay." I run the steps toward him but then stop hurriedly.
His brows draw together in confusion. "Sister?"
"I... There's a strong stench on me now, so don't come too close to me.â I hold up my hands. Iâd rather not try to explain. âItâs been a hell of a day,â I admit. I laugh because it beats crying.
His frown deepens.
I force a smile to lighten the mood. âBah, these are silly things. I work in sanitation.â I shrug. âToday I stink. Letâs go in. It's cold out here."
I start toward the building, thinking if I get there quickly enough, I can jump into the shower and wash my clothes before I stink up the room.
But a pair of arms loop around me from behind and in the next moment, Iâm pulled into a tight embrace.
âJay!"