Chapter 4

The bell chimed above my head as I stepped inside the bookstore. The scent of old paper and ink wrapped around me which was usually a comfort, but today it did nothing to ease the knot in my chest.

I hadn't even made it halfway to the counter before my boss's sharp voice cut through the quiet.

"Amaris, To my office. Now."

Several heads turned and heat flooded my face as I nodded and followed him, my steps slower than they used to be, weighed down by more than just the baby.

The small office smelled of stale coffee and dust, papers stacked in disorganised towers across every surface. He didn't even ask me to sit.

"You've missed work three times this month." His arms crossed over his chest. "Do you know how that looks?"

"I know," I said softly. "I'm sorry. I..."

"I run a business, not a charity." His eyes went to my stomach, lingering a second too long and disgust followed. "And I can't afford employees who aren't reliable especially now."

My heart dropped into my stomach. I knew what was coming before he even opened his mouth.

"I think it's best if we let you go."

Air rushed from my lungs. Losing this job meant losing everything—my rent, food, any chance of staying independent.

Of keeping my baby safe.

"Please." The word came out broken despite my effort to sound strong. "I know I've missed days, but I've never slacked when I'm here. I work harder than anyone else. You know I do."

He scoffed. "You're pregnant, Amaris. That's not exactly an advantage."

My hands curled into fists at my sides. "I didn't choose to be unreliable. I chose to survive and I can still do my job better than anyone else you'll hire. I won't ask for special treatment. I won't take breaks unless absolutely necessary. I'll stay late, come in early, whatever you need."

Silence stretched between us. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless and afraid.

"I just want to earn my pay," I continued, my voice threatening to break. "The same way everyone else does."

He studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

Finally, he exhaled sharply. "This is your last chance. One more slip up from you, I don't care if you're bleeding out and you're done. No excuses."

A wave of relief hit so hard my knees nearly buckled. "Thank you. I won't disappoint you."

He waved a dismissive hand. "Get to work."

I stepped out of the office, heart still racing. The shelves, the register, the quiet hum of the store—all of it suddenly felt precious again.

I tied on my apron and got to work.

The bell chimed again hours later while I was crouched near the lower shelves, carefully sliding books into place, when a familiar voice reached my ears.

"Amaris."

I looked up and froze.

Federic stood just inside the doorway, dressed too neatly for the dust and narrow aisles. His coat was pressed, boots polished, dark hair perfectly combed. He looked like he'd stepped out of a different world entirely and didn't belong here.

"Federic." I rose slowly, ignoring the protest in my lower back.

"Lila told me you were working today." He stepped closer. "She asked me to check on you."

Damn her. I'd specifically told Lila to stop trying to set us up.

I forced a smile. "I'm fine. I don't need..."

"You shouldn't be here." His eyes swept the cramped store before landing back on me. "Not like this. A heavily pregnant woman like you should be resting."

My shoulders stiffened. "This is my life."

"For now." He moved closer as his voice softened. "But it doesn't have to be forever."

He reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The gesture felt too intimate and uncomfortable that I had to step back.

"I can give you safety," he continued. "Protection, a real home where you wouldn't need to answer to men like him to keep a job that's killing you."

My chest tightened. "You make it sound easy."

"It is easy if you let me take care of you."

My wolf bristled beneath my skin, hackles rising.

"And what would that make me?" I asked quietly. "Yours?"

He didn't deny it. "It would make you safe."

I shook my head. "I don't want to be kept. I want to stand on my own."

His brow furrowed. "Why? You're carrying a child Amaris, you shouldn't have to struggle like this. It's not healthy for either of you."

"I'm a wolf," I said, voice low but steady. "Not fragile or helpless and certainly not something a human can shelter without cost."

Federic reached out as if to touch my arm but stopped himself. "I don't care that you're a wolf."

"But the world does." I looked at eyes. "And one day, you will too."

Silence stretched between us, heavy and uncomfortable. The quiet hum of the bookstore suddenly felt too loud.

"You wouldn't need to work this hard," he said again, softer now. "Not if you were with me."

I held his gaze, without backing down. "I don't belong to anyone."

Something flickered across his face, I couldn't tell if it was disappointment, or his wounded ego.

"I'm not offering ownership," he said carefully. "I'm offering a future."

"And I'm refusing it because it isn't my future."

I stepped back, creating distance between us. My hands trembled slightly, but my voice didn't waver.

"I appreciate your concern, Federic but I won't trade my independence for comfort. Not now. Not ever."

He studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

"You're stronger than you realize," he said. "And far more stubborn."

A faint, sad smile touched his lips. "If you ever change your mind... you know where to find me."

He turned and left, the bell chiming softly behind him.

I sagged against the shelf, pressing a hand to my racing heart.

I made the right choice, I told myself even if it didn't feel like it.

The hours crawled by and my feet began to ache while my back felt compressed as the baby pressed heavy against my bladder but I kept working.

The last customer left as the sky turned black. I moved slowly through the aisles, gathering stray books and straightening chairs. This was always the part of the day I dreaded most when the others found excuses to leave early and the closing work quietly became mine alone.

I didn't complain as complaining wouldn't keep a roof over my head.

I reached for a book shoved onto the highest shelf, standing on my toes. My fingers brushed the spine but couldn't quite grip it.

"Just a little more," I murmured.

Then I felt it.

A sudden prickle down my spine. This wasn't fear or alarm but recognition.

My wolf surged forward so fast it stole the breath from my lungs. The world sharpened as the scent of paper and dust were overwhelmed by something much more deeper and stronger.

Strong hands reached past me, lifting the book from the shelf with ease.

"I've got it," a deep voice said quietly.

My first thought was Federic but I would know if it was him because this feeling didn't belong to him. My wolf had never reacted to Federic, never stirred, never acknowledged him as anything more than human.

This was different.

This was...

My pulse thundered as I slowly turned.

The man standing behind me was taller than I remembered and his dark hair fell just past his shoulders, and his eyes...

Oh God.

My mate.

The Alpha of Ashborne.

The bond snapped tight between us as six months of distance evaporated in a single heartbeat.

I staggered back, my hand flying to my stomach as if to shield it.

His eyes widened.

"You..." His voice broke as he looked down, finally noticing the curve beneath my loose dress.

Color drained from his face. "You're pregnant?"

"No, I just had heavy dinner." I said as I tried to walk past him but he held my arm.

I could feel his wolf beneath the surface—confusion, disbelief, regret crashing together like waves against rocks.

He took half a step toward me before stopping himself, jaw tight.

"I didn't know," he said hoarsely. "You disappeared. The pack searched for weeks..."

"That's because I didn't want to be found." I snapped . "And I didn't think you'd care."

His eyes looked to me. "You're my mate."

The word hurt more than it should have.

"You didn't claim me," I said quietly. "You didn't choose me either so I chose myself."

His hands curled into fists. "You left before I could..."

"Before you could what?" I looked at him.

The bond pulsed painfully between us. Old memories filled my mind again. The heat, closeness, that reckless night that had changed everything.

A fleeting moment, he'd called it.

"You shouldn't be doing this alone," he said.

"I have been and I will continue to."

Footsteps echoed near the front of the store. I stepped back, creating distance even as the bond screamed in protest.

"If you're here to drag me back," I said softly, "you're wasting your time."

His gaze dropped to my name tag, lingering there. "I'm here for business."

My heart cracked. He wasn't here for me?

Of course he wasn't.

"I can't..." My voice broke. "I can't do this."

"Amaris..." he reached out to me 

I didn't let him finish. I turned and ran as fast as my big belly let me.