Chapter 78: Chapter 78

GRACE I frown. I’m at work.

Sean has shown up and cornered me.

My coworkers are watching.

“I have to know for sure, Grace,” he says.

I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

He grits his teeth.

"Are you... with any man right now?" Sean asks politely. Well, his tone is polite, but his question is quite pointed.

And his eyes are sharpening the way they do when he’s very angry.

I’m stunned.

One, that Sean would even come back here. And two, that he would care at all what was happening in my personal life.

"That doesn't seem to have anything to do with you, Mr. Stevens," I say. "I'm working right now, please get out of the way."

I continue to clean the road as if he’s invisible.

He snarls. “Who do you think you are, to ignore me!?” He grabs my arm. "I'm not playing games, Grace. Who was the man with you yesterday?"

I stare at his hand on me. “Let. Me. Go.”

“Answer me!”

Is Sean asking about... Jay? Regardless of why or how he’d seen me, I don’t owe this man an answer.

I don’t owe him anything.

"Mr. Stevens—“

“Alpha Stevens,” he corrects me.

“Not my alpha. Not anymore. Why are you meddling with other people's business? Do I have to report to you whenever I am with my little brother?"

"Little brother? Since when do you have a little brother?" Sean asks. He only knew that I have a younger sister.

I don’t intend to reveal too much. But I know Sean. He’s like a lion with its prey. He wouldn’t relent.

"I took him in as my younger brother, can't I do that?" I ask. “Because that’s what a good person does, Sean. They look to help others—not kick them when they’re down.”

He jerks me so hard my teeth snap together as my head whips back.

“Stop lying to me and answer the question! Who are you seeing?”

“Mr. Stevens!” It’s Claire. She rushes over. “Sir. Please calm down. Don't use violence.”

Sean seems to recall himself. He lets go of my arm and glances around.

“Yes, that’s right, Mr. Stevens,” I say. “You should listen to my coworker’s advice. You know how easily gossip can spread. What if someone takes a photo of you. I can’t imagine Lily or her pac—family—

would want to see you with me.”

He snarls and takes another step back.

He nods at Claire then spins on his heel and stalks off.

Claire glances at me worriedly and says, "Why did that person come to find you?"

I keep my expression bland. ”Who knows?”

But internally, my thoughts are racing.

There’s a rumble.

I hear it.

Feel it beneath my skin.

“Ava!? Ava, please answer me.”

I strain for a sound, a feeling, anything.

“Grace?”

Claire is staring at me and looking very anxious.

I force a smile. “Sorry. I got distracted. Seeing an ex will do that to you, right?”

She nods in solidarity. “Are you all right?”

“I am.”

But a thought occurs to me.

I will never be ‘free’ not while I’m still in this city. And if Sean is sniffing around asking about Jay… then it isn’t just me I need to worry about.

"By the way,” Claire says as she shuffles her feet. She glances away as if she doesn’t want to say what she has to say next.

“Is something wrong, Claire? Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

She sighs. “… You should go to the director and plead for his kindness when you take a break at noon.

I heard that Farah Steele has been collecting signatures to make the director fire you.” Claire winces as she relays that last bit of bad news.

I take a deep breath. Today just keeps getting better and better.

I kind of want to cry.

Instead I muster a smile for my friend and thank her for telling me.

Claire also sighs. Between the two of us, we know if Farrah made a big deal of things, there would be no helping me. Farrah is in management. I’m only an hourly employee and one that could be hired or fired without any consequence.

I mentally prepare myself to be fired.

The rest of the afternoon while I’m cleaning, I weigh my options. I work through arguments in my mind, although I know they’re futile.

It’s easy to know who the director would choose.

After we finished our work, I return to the Sanitation Service Center. Farah is waiting in the lobby.

Of course, she is.

She looks at me with a smug face. "I think you'd better get ready to leave soon. We don't want to work with a criminal."

I remain calm.

Bullies feed off or fear and tears.

“Have a nice night,” I tell her dismissively.

”Act tough all you want. The director will call you into the office later!"

However, a moment later, a staff member from human resources calls from the admin offices, "Farrah, the director wants you to see him in his office."

"He's asking for me?" She squares her shoulders. “Of course. It’s best that I give him all the information.”

She storms past me.

I stand there in the lobby with Claire beside me.

I’m dejected. And it’s not like I even like this job.

But without it…how can I hope to stay in this city.

There are too many packs outside of this neutral zone and they are all gunning for me.

Heck, it isn’t even just wolves. Humans hated her too.

When had the world become so… mean.

I sit on one of the chairs and prepare to meet my fate.

Several minutes later, I hear Farah scream…