#Chapter 4: Not Fated

Tessa's POV

I blink in confusion. "I…"

She narrows her eyes at me. When she speaks, her voice is as sithery and sharp as a viper's.

"I did some investigating, you know," she begins coldly. "And I found that you weren't on the guest list for today's events. And yet here you are! So that begs the question…"

She leans in close, examining me suspiciously.

"How exactly did you manage to make it into this banquet hall?" She asks. "What strings did you pull to get that conductor booted?"

"N-No, I di-didn't do anything," I'm reaching for words. "It was...just an emergency-"

And then Carol rolls her eyes dismissively, cutting me off once more with an impatient interruption.

"Don't get your hopes up, Tessa," she says curtly. Her voice is blunt and ruthlessly no-nonsense. "Even if Evander won't be actively looking for his Fated mate in the future and ends up having to have a baby with you, he'll never bring someone like you–his poor, disabled wife who can't take care of herself–out in public."

She pauses and laughs a little. "Especially not in any sort of way that could affect his campaign."

"I do–I do have a job, you know," I begin carefully. "One I excel at, too. As a matter of fact, that's why I was called in to be here today. I'm fully capable of being independent."

Carol's lip curls in distaste.

I know she doubts me. I know how she sees me. I know how she and all the rest of Evander's staff look down on me and belittle me.

"This isn't ancient werewolf society," I add gently. "I mean, we don't need exceptional hearing to detect danger and stay alive anymore. We're so much better off now. And with the hearing aids I wear…"

Carol glowers at me. "Right," she says slowly. "Those hearing aids of yours."

I breathe out a heavy sigh. "I'm leaving now, Carol. I promise I don't want to disturb Evander's public image more than I already have. I was told to come here for the children, so now that I've done that–"

Suddenly, Janice walks towards me with the group of children in tow. "Miss Tessa!" She breathes out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness we found you. Could you escort the children to their school bus, please?"

I nod.

"Great." Janice smiles at me briefly. "Thanks so much!"

And with that, she's gone.

I look over at the group of children. "Alright, kids!" I say, doing as much as I can do to make my voice sound bright and cheery despite the day's events. "Let's get moving!"

Carol glares at me for a moment before turning on her heel. She starts to walk past me, and as she does, I feel a strange pop! Sensation in my ears.

"Follow me!" I say as I begin to walk.

Something's off, though.

The sound of my own voice…

It's as though I'm underwater. I can barely hear it at all.

As I step outside the banquet hall's door and towards the parking lot, I suddenly realize that things are distinctly off.

I can't hear anything at all.

I reach my hands to my ears, and that's when I know for certain.

My hearing aids are gone.

My heart beats in my chest like a drum. It's exceptionally debilitating to try and navigate the world with only a fraction of the sensory input I'm used to.

Carol is behind this, no doubt, but the sheer cruelty to remove a deaf woman's hearing aids…

What could I have possibly done to deserve this?

But I don't have time to think more about this.

I've got the group of children in tow.

I can see the school bus up ahead. It's not far off. This shouldn't be too difficult.

Can't get caught off-guard. Can't let the stress show. I keep looking back and forth, guiding the children along carefully.

But as we traverse the road, I begin to notice strange looks heading my way from passersby. I must look a little panicked. I'm not used to being without my hearing aids.

One of the children grabs at my hand and looks up at me.

They mouth something, but I can't make out the words. Miss Tessa, probably.

Or Are you okay?

"I… I'm fine," I say slowly, relieved to see the other side of the street just up ahead where the bus is parked. "I'll be fine. Let's just get settled now, okay?"

Finally, I breathe out a heavy sigh as I watch the children file onto the bus one by one. The doors hiss shut and I think I can finally leave.

There's an off ringing in my head, and my ears throb dully where my hearing aids were pulled out.

It's fine. I'll get home safe, and I have another spare set that I can wear once I get back–

Lost in the relentless tangle of my own thoughts, I step into the road, preparing to make my way back to the car that drove me to the banquet hall to begin with.

But as I'm walking, I see a strange sight. Through the windows of the schoolbus, which is headed in the other direction, I can see all the children waving at me frantically.

I frown and squint at them, trying to figure out what's going on.

Am I missing something?

Probably, considering that I can't hear–

I shake my head and whirl around, trying to see what might be happening.

And that's when I spot it.

A motorcycle, rushing towards me all at once, dangerously close, close, closer–

I can sense the world spinning, and the next second, my back is flat on the pavement.

And as my eyes flutter shut, everything fades away until the pain is all that's left.