Chapter 5

Bella's POV 

I blinked rapidly before letting out a shaky breath after realizing who it was.

"Asma," I muttered.

But who else would knock like trying to break the door down?

Another knock echoed through the apartment more louder.

I rose to my feet and headed for the door.

The moment I unlocked the door, it flew open.

Asma rushed inside carrying several shopping bags.

"There you are!" she exclaimed, dropping everything onto the floor. I have been calling you for 20 mins".

I grimaced and removed my phone from my pocket.

Five missed calls.

Oops.

I forgot to look into it.

"Clearly."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Then her eyes fell to the paper gripped in my hand.

A glow warmed her full face.

"No."

I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face.

"Yes."

For one second she simply stared at me. Then she screamed.

The next thing I knew, she threw her arms around me so hard I nearly lost my balance.

"You got it!" she shouted.

"I got it," I laughed.

"You got the job!"

"I know!"

"Oh my Goddess!"

She grabbed my shoulders and shook me dramatically.

Tonight we're celebrating.

I couldn't stop laughing. I felt like everything was easier due to the lighter feeling.

Then Asma suddenly froze narrowing her eyes.

The joy was drained off her face.

My smile faded.

"What?"

She continued staring at me.

Why are you appearing as if someone was hurt or killed?

I blinked.

"What?"

"The job was supposed to make you happy."

"It does."

"It clearly doesn't."

I looked away.

Her suspicion simply heightened as soon as she realized.

"Bella."

My stomach dropped. I knew that tone.

That was Asma's tell me everything right now tone.

How did the interview go?

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

I sighed.

She crossed her arms. l looked at the floor while she kept waiting for me to talk.

The silence stretched between us as I refuse to spill the storm going inside. 

We ended up in the kitchen together, like we always did when Asma had something on her mind or when she wanted to distract herself.

She moved around, pulled out pots and ingredients for us to start cooking. I stood nearby silently washing vegetables a thought never gave me peace.

Tomorrow.

I couldn't get that word out of my mind.

Tomorrow I would walk into that company again as alpha xander Marco's employee.

The name got me all choked up and weighed down.

Asma suddenly bumped my shoulder lightly with her hip. “Focus, Bella. You’re cutting like you’re thinking about your whole life.”

I blinked down at the carrot in my hand. It was nearly cut in half.

“Sorry,” I muttered quickly.

She sighed dramatically. “You need to be careful in that company, you know.”

I paused. “Careful how?”

She turned the spoon to me as if I was in her lecture. “The company's CEO is strict. Very strict. If you don’t perform, you’re gone. No long story.”

I opened my eyes a bit. “He fires people easily?”

“Easily?” she scoffed. “Bella, that man doesn’t even blink twice. If you’re not competent, you’re out. Simple.”

My stomach tightened.

I managed a small nod as I pushed the cutting but my hands were a little slower than before.

Asma wasn’t done.

“And there’s exams every end of the year,” she added casually.

I stopped. “Exams?”

“Yes. Performance exams. If you fail, you get fired.”

I narrowed my eyes and my mouth dropped open a little. “That sounds… intense.”

“It is,” she said, rocking the pot. “But it’s also why the company is the best. Everyone works hard.”

I swallowed.

Hard work I could do.

I can deal with stress.

But working under him…

That was something else entirely.

Asma glanced at me again, noticing my silence. “I know you’ve heard about him before, even if you don’t admit it.”

I froze slightly.

“What do you mean?” I asked too quickly.

She stiffly lifted an eyebrow. “Alpha Xander Marco. King of Nightmare Pack. Even humans know his name now because of his company.”

My heart was pounding at hard.

I straightened my face and faced the vegetable.

“Oh… yeah,” I said lightly. “I’ve heard of him.

Asma nodded, satisfied. “Good, you aren't walking in darkness now.

She kept on cooking, but I was doing my best to keep in step with my breathing.

King of Nightmare Pack.

Even the title had me shivering.

And now I was working under him.

Suddenly, Asma was smiling, as if proud. “But don’t be scared. Honestly, most staff enjoy working there.”

I looked up. “Really?”

“Yes,” she replied, adding spices to the pot. “He’s strict, but fair. And the salary is insane. Plus, extra allowances, bonuses… people don’t leave easily.”

I blinked slowly.

I didn't see that kind of cold man behind that desk.

The man who could destroy someone's life with one word.

“He gives extra allowance?” I asked.

Asma laughed. “Bella, that man runs an empire. Of course he does.”

I slowly nodded, still trying to process it all. While asma placed two plates on the counter and leaned casually beside me.

Then suddenly her expression changed to something more serious.

“Bella,” she said softly. Something in her tone made me look at her immediately.

“What is it?”

She doubted, almost as if she was considering saying something or not.

Then she exhaled. “I want to tell you something.”

My chest constricted slightly and I replied. “Okay…”

“But this remains just between us,” she hastened to add.

I nodded. “I promise.”

Her eyes softened. Then she uttered the words that made my entire world fall on its face.

“I’m in love with Alpha Xander Marco.”

The spoon fell from my fingers and clattered on the counter. It was too loud in the very minute kitchen.

For a second, I couldn’t even move. I just froze up in my mind.

Asma didn’t notice right away. Now she was smiling slightly like she was shy, as though she'd just bit into something that she'd been wanting to bite into for a while now.

“I know it sounds crazy,” she continued, turning back to the stove. “But I can’t help it.”

My throat went dry. I forced myself to breathe and it hurt.

Slowly, I bent down and picked up the spoon again to hide my expression, my fingers shaking just a little.

“…I see,” I said carefully. My voice sounded far away, even to me.

Asma hummed like she was lost in her thoughts. “I’ve liked him for a long time. Even when I was still around the pack, I used to hear stories about him. Everyone did. But meeting him in person? That really made things worse.”

She laughed somewhat in embarrassment.

“I know he’s not the kind of man you just… fall for. He’s dangerous. Cold. Impossible.” She slowly moved the pot from the wood stove, and her eyes grew tender. “But I don’t care. I feel like… if I try hard enough, I could reach him.”

My heart clenched in pain at her words.

I swallowed and my hand reached out to my tummy under the table.

No.

Not now.

Asma continued, unaware of the storm inside me. “I can do anything for him, Bella. Anything. I swear. If it means standing beside him one day… I’d set the whole world on fire.”

The words echoed in my head. I stared at her nodding.

With the soft smile on her face… the dreamy look in her eyes… the way she spoke about him like he was some kind of destiny waiting for her.

That’s crazy…and impossible.

Asma is inlove with my second chance mate.

The father of my unborn baby.

Same man I had been thinking about all night for the past three months; who made me stay awake rather than sleep.

The same one who I had a scent I had always remembered like it was burned into my skin.

The same man who had marked my life without even knowing it.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly too tight.

Of course I had fallen for him.

I didn’t even get a choice in that.

It was an everyday affair…painful…as if it was something I had to bear without anyone knowing it.

And now... Asma was in love with him too.

I placed my hands on the counter and made fists, trying to calm my breathing, my fingers curling in a slow motion.

No.

No, this wasn’t happening.

My wolf stirred within me, restless... confused... almost angry.