Chapter 6

I left the estate, it was a bit difficult getting to town on foot, but I didn't regret refusing Kael's offer to use one of the estate vehicles.

I didn't want to depend on him.

Depending on people was never a good thing.

People always left eventually.

I had learned that lesson the hard way.

Once I got to town, I immediately began my search for a place to stay.

I didn't have much money, but I hoped I could make a partial payment until I found a job. Surely someone would be willing to give me a chance.

As I walked through the streets, I found myself observing everything around me.

People moved about their daily lives.

Shopkeepers opened their stores.

Children ran through the streets, laughing and chasing one another.

Everything looked normal.

As though my entire world hadn't collapsed yesterday.

As though I hadn't been publicly rejected before the entire pack.

As though my own family hadn't thrown me away.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to keep walking.

Pitying myself wouldn't solve anything.

I needed a house.

Then I needed a job.

One problem at a time.

The first boarding house I found was located a few streets away from the market.

It wasn't fancy.

In fact, it looked rather old.

But it was clean, and that was more than enough for me.

A middle-aged man greeted me when I stepped inside.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied. "I heard you have rooms available."

His face brightened.

"You're in luck. One just became vacant this morning."

Relief flooded through me.

Maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as I thought.

The man led me upstairs and showed me the room.

It was small.

There was a narrow bed pushed against the wall, a wooden wardrobe, and a single window overlooking the street.

Nothing luxurious.

Nothing impressive.

But it was mine.

Or at least, it could be.

I walked toward the window, imagining what it would be like to wake up here every morning.

To have a place that belonged to me.

To start over.

For the first time since Lucas had rejected me, I felt something dangerously close to hope.

"It's perfect," I said.

The landlord smiled.

"I'm glad you like it."

He began explaining the rent and payment arrangements.

The amount was more than I had hoped for, but not impossible.

If I found a job quickly, I could manage it.

I was already calculating expenses in my head when he suddenly asked,

"So what's your name, Miss?"

I hesitated.

For a second, I considered giving a false name.

The thought disappeared as quickly as it came.

I had done nothing wrong.

Why should I hide?

"Aria."

The landlord nodded.

"Aria..."

Then his expression changed.

Only slightly.

Most people probably wouldn't have noticed.

I did.

His smile faltered.

His eyes widened just a fraction.

Recognition.

My stomach tightened.

"Is something wrong?" I asked quietly.

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

The hope inside me began to crumble.

The landlord cleared his throat.

"I'm terribly sorry."

There it was.

The beginning of every bad conversation.

"The room is no longer available."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"The room."

He avoided my gaze.

"It was reserved."

A lie.

We both knew it.

The room hadn't been reserved five minutes ago.

I forced a smile onto my face.

"I understand."

The landlord looked relieved.

As though he had expected me to argue.

Maybe I should have.

Maybe I should have demanded an explanation.

Instead, I thanked him for his time and left.

The moment I stepped back onto the street, the smile vanished.

I wrapped my arms around myself.

The rejection shouldn't have hurt.

Compared to everything else that had happened, it was insignificant.

Yet somehow it did.

Because for a few minutes, I had allowed myself to believe things might finally start getting better.

I should have known better.

Hope had never been particularly kind to me.

The second place was worse.

Two women standing outside stopped talking the moment I approached.

As I walked past, their whispers followed me.

"That's her."

"The one who got rejected."

I kept walking.

Pretending I hadn't heard.

Pretending it didn't hurt.

By the third rejection, my confidence had started to crack.

Nobody said anything to my face.

They didn't have to.

The pity was somehow worse.

I wandered through the market, trying to think.

Surely there had to be somewhere willing to rent me a room.

Surely one public rejection couldn't ruin my entire future.

My stomach twisted.

Was I trying to convince myself?

A familiar scent suddenly reached me.

Fresh bread.

I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

The bakery nearby had a few empty tables outside, so I sat down to rest.

A few minutes later, voices from the next table drifted toward me.

I wasn't trying to listen.

Unfortunately, they weren't exactly being quiet.

"Did you hear she's staying at the Alpha's estate?" They were gossiping, about...me.

My hand froze around my cup.

"Which Alpha?"

"Alpha Kael."

The second woman nearly choked.

"You're joking."

"I'm serious."

"No wonder people are talking."

I felt my pulse quicken.

Talking?

Talking about what? I inwardly asked.

The first woman leaned closer.

"I heard he brought her home personally."

"Why would he do that?"

"Who knows? Maybe he felt sorry for her."

The other woman snorted.

"Alpha Kael doesn't strike me as the type to pity anyone."

They both laughed.

I stood up so quickly my chair nearly tipped over.

I couldn't listen anymore.

I left money on the table and walked away.

My heart pounded with every step.

How did they know?

It had barely been a day.

One day.

That was all it took.

By the time I reached the end of the street, another voice reached my ears.

"That's her."

I froze.

"The rejected mate."

"What's she doing here?"

"I heard Alpha Kael is keeping her at his estate."

Keeping her.

The word hit me like a slap.

I turned and walked away before they could say anything else.

For the first time since leaving the estate, uncertainty crept into my chest.

Maybe finding a place to stay wasn't the only problem.

Maybe staying at Alpha Kael's estate had already become one too.