LOGINAARONFIVE HOURS EARLIER/Drip Drip Drip Drip/The sound of the leaking tap in the unisex bathroom temporarily acts as my stress ball. I close my eyes, leaning against the shut door and tap my fingers against its wooden outline to mimic the sound of the tap. “Aaron, I didn't know she would—”Before the useless herring can get the words to roll down her mouth, I raise my finger, silencing her in an instant. “You had… one job” I murmur, forcing myself to calmly breathe. “A simple, minuscule atom of relevance. For one second, your useless life had the opportunity to actually mean something, and what did you go ahead and do?” “I… I didn't expect that woman to be there” she frantically blurts. “...and even if I did, how was I supposed to know she'd come up with a solution to fix everything? Was that even part of what you got me for? How is this my fault?”/FLICK/My eyes snap open the moment she lets the words down her mouth, and I lean off the door to stand straight up.“Come again?”
AARONFIVE HOURS EARLIER/Drip Drip Drip Drip/The sound of the leaking tap in the unisex bathroom temporarily acts as my stress ball. I close my eyes, leaning against the shut door and tap my fingers against its wooden outline to mimic the sound of the tap. “Aaron, I didn't know she would—”Before the useless herring can get the words to roll down her mouth, I raise my finger, silencing her in an instant. “You had… one job” I murmur, forcing myself to calmly breathe. “A simple, minuscule atom of relevance. For one second, your useless life had the opportunity to actually mean something, and what did you go ahead and do?” “I… I didn't expect that woman to be there” she frantically blurts. “...and even if I did, how was I supposed to know she'd come up with a solution to fix everything? Was that even part of what you got me for? How is this my fault?”/FLICK/My eyes snap open the moment she lets the words down her mouth, and I lean off the door to stand straight up.“Come again?”
MASONApart from the finance department, the record department is the most confidential one in the entire organisation. Only two people are granted access in here — the two people that make up the department in the first place. Salvatore and I.“It’ll only be an hour” I remember murmuring to Aurora before I entered. It's been almost four now, and Salvatore and I have been locked in a tuh of war battle with processing the documents for our expansion. “The Mendez Files from the land approval. I've still not seen a thing. Any luck on your side?” I hear him call out. “I told you we should've computed those things instead of leaving it in physical form. I still went ahead to scan it though” I lean off the ergonomic chair, and glance back at him. “It should be in this computer, but I can't remember what I saved it as” I tiredly mumble, and he looks back at me in disdain.“Maybe try searching ‘Mendez Land File’ in the search bar?” He ironically groans, walking over to the system, typing i
MASONApart from the finance department, the record department is the most confidential one in the entire organisation. Only two people are granted access in here — the two people that make up the department in the first place. Salvatore and I.“It’ll only be an hour” I remember murmuring to Aurora before I entered. It's been almost four now, and Salvatore and I have been locked in a tuh of war battle with processing the documents for our expansion. “The Mendez Files from the land approval. I've still not seen a thing. Any luck on your side?” I hear him call out. “I told you we should've computed those things instead of leaving it in physical form. I still went ahead to scan it though” I lean off the ergonomic chair, and glance back at him. “It should be in this computer, but I can't remember what I saved it as” I tiredly mumble, and he looks back at me in disdain.“Maybe try searching ‘Mendez Land File’ in the search bar?” He ironically groans, walking over to the system, typing i
MASONIt comes as no surprise that not a single one of them can raise their voices now. The credit might've been given to Oakley's maneuver, but it's pretty clear Aaron's presence is responsible for the sudden silence in the meeting room.We're all seated at the round table, Aurora beside me, and Aaron's beside him. From the looks on their faces, I can't tell which one of them will burst first. Benjamin in anger? Ortiz in confusion? Salvatore in salvage?/CLAT/The sound of Aaron's foot slamming against the meeting table pops the balloon of discomfort. He crosses his legs, and looks back at every last person in the room in insolence. “Well?! You bastards had a lot to say in my absence. I suggest you speak now or forever hold your peace.”The hesitation bathing them is too clear to mistake. However, just as I'd expected, one is able to shoot through.“So you were the one responsible for what happened a couple days back, huh?” Benjamin stands, and his voice heads straight for the no
MASONDiana-Diamante, simple and short. That's the name of our beverage company. My father thought it was pretty romantic to name his biggest asset after his wife, even though she'd always expressed her distaste for alcohol. Well, biggest asset is a tame way to put it, when it's pretty much the only business of his that survived the past decade. With his hotel business dying out, and his venture into real estate, a harsh memory, Diana-Diamante is actually father's only asset. The entirety of IronClaw rests on its shoulders, so you'd think the man would take it a little serious. Far from the case.Not only has the Alpha not showed up here since mother died, he also willingly gave me control over it at just twenty. Leaving the second biggest business in the entirety of Namora… to a then, twenty year old kid who was still balancing life and college. Sure enough I got the hang of it, but that wasn't until numerous failures and horrible business deals. Luckily, Diamanté is now worth j
ALEXSurprisingly, I didn't see Liam after that. Throughout the pack house, I moved in annoyed anticipation, half-expect him to suddenly appear wherever I was, unapologetic and grinning like he owns the space.He didn't. The day just moved like normal. A bit too normal for my liking. By evening,
CHAPTER 59ALEXThe first training session since the “fracture” was today.Moving the cleared weapons from the armory down to the grounds were no easy affair, especially when we finally got down here. It felt different, and not just in a “it's-been-a-while-since-we-came-out-here” different. It gen
ALEXWhen morning arrives, it's the first in days that's brought along a different kind of feel.No murmurs, no whispers, no gossips about what's being done and who's the next topic of discussion. As if everyone woke up knowing exactly what kind of presence now walks among us.I don’t linger let t
ALEXI wish I could say I knew what I was doing. I don't. I understand that we can't go back to normal and act like nothing that happened a couple days back existed, but for the love of God, it can't continue like this.I pass through the central corridor and feel the eyes that follow me. It's the







