With what I believed was my brightest grin, I nodded and told her that. "Yes, but it's a bit of a crisis right now. If you did that, you'd be doing me a great favour. "

"All right, I'll be back "But I'm not going to make any promises."

I made a half-bow while clapping my hands together as if in prayer. Expressing gratitude, " Many, many thanks! "

I apologise if I came across as too needy, but I really needed to find work. Even if I was adept at avoiding detection and finding food and shelter illegally, it didn't mean I like it. If everything were on the up and up, there wouldn't be nearly as much tension.

"That booth over there is where you may wait."

She indicated one that was situated near a window and bathed in bright sunlight. It seemed understandable that one would be left unoccupied.

In an effort to seem professional, I made my way there and took a seat. It seemed possible that this was the reason I wasn't being employed, albeit I was unclear as to what it really included.

About five minutes later, to my utter amazement, a tall, wide guy with a reddish complexion emerged from the rear. Yeah, I kind of figured I'd be ordered to leave. But he saw me and sat down opposite me in a matter of seconds.

"Julie says you're in the market for a new job."

"Yes! To begin, I'd want to introduce myself." ?

"I see. How many hours a week would you like to work?"

"Typically throughout the day. As I conduct my online classes at night, it's unlikely that you'll see me out and about in the city after dark, especially as a young lady.

"You don't have an automobile."

The moment I heard his voice, my stomach did a little twist at the sound of his fear. "No, but I'm just around the corner!" The stroll wouldn't take more than four or five minutes at most. That's why I believed this company would be a fantastic place to work.

"I see. But, although we no longer accept paper applications, I am able to mark new ones that arrive via our web portal as urgent. Please provide me your contact info; I need to call you.

"Would an email work? In comparison, mine is rather special. Yes, of course! "

Even if my email address was a throwback to my freshman year of college days, it wasn't why I still used it.

After three unsuccessful interviews, I realised that prospective employers didn't appreciate it when applicants didn't have access to a phone. In fact, for many of them, it was the last straw that caused them to be disqualified.

"Great!"

My pulse was racing as I spelt out my email address for him to write down. It was probably silly of me to worry so much over a casual chat with a potential supervisor, but I was desperate for work.

" I promise to get back to you as soon as possible,"

My God, I really hoped he wasn't trying to get under my skin with a lie.

"Thanks! Now go out and enjoy your day. "

Having gained some optimism, I shook his hand and left. I wasn't the sort to invest all my hopes in one location, so I moved on.

After that, I go on to the subsequent location.

My back was hurting me by the time I had visited every restaurant and business that had a help wanted sign up. It turned out that taking everything from my locker home was a challenging physical activity in and of itself. But, I persisted, and my determination carried me through to meeting with every available boss.

I was able to return home without feeling like the whole trip had been a waste since most of the meetings had gone smoothly.

Thankfully, the distance between points was not too great. Perhaps closer to twenty minutes than the fifteen I had informed the first boss. All of my energy had been used up by the time I got there. I wanted to stay in bed until it was time to hang out with my pals again.

"Hey there,Ania! You have a really tired appearance. "

Somehow, I mustered up the courage to grin at the doorman. While he may be a little intrusive at times, he was a really kind guy.

"Hello there, Mr. My day has been absolutely insane. Holy crap, I'm really graduating!" I didn't really want to talk to him as much as we did, but I figured I should keep things cordial for the time being.

"This is a pivotal juncture in your life. Are you psyched to finally fly the coop? "

Indeed, I doubt I would use the term "excited" to describe my feelings. The phrase "endlessly afraid" seemed more truthful.

Well, I didn't quite come out and say that.

In either case! For my part, I can't wait to make my own dreams come true! I mean, it's not like I hadn't been doing it for years...

"Ho, ho! What about your mom and dad? Have they become as pumped up as you have? "

When my father acts like nothing is wrong, my mother weeps over my outgrown baby clothing.

Another round of falsehoods, but at least they were charming ones. And ones I had to maintain since the doorman had mistaken my family for his own upon our entrance. They were only holding the door open for me since I had one box of belongings and both hands were full. Naturally, I let his assumption keep up, and I had no idea how the family hadn't corrected him.

"Aww, how sweet. There are a lot of individuals who would give everything to have parents like that. "

My heart almost stopped , "Yes, tell me about it."

After saying my goodbyes in a semi-awkward manner, I headed to the post office and rented a mailbox. It had been challenging, but the bargain six-month contract was a welcome relief. It was well worth the three days it took me to explore as much of the city as I could in search of recyclable bottles and cans.

While I was usually successful in avoiding regulations and other forms of interference, I had now discovered that I needed a regular mailing address if I wanted to stay in touch with people. Having a central location for all of my important paperwork, whether it be government forms, school assignments, or requests for financial assistance, has made a huge difference in my life.

It wasn't always a lot, but with the major life event I was nearing, there was always something. I unlocked my little box, took out my letters, and organised them in the lobby before catching the elevator.

It ended out that none of it really mattered. Nothing except spam and advertisements for luxury brands I'll never be able to purchase.

I started laughing at the concept and put my palm over my lips before I could stop myself.

though I was alone as I walked out of the mailroom. While I did not like having to steal, I did sometimes find the thrill of the chase exciting. Hardly the healthiest outlook, but one I tried to justify by telling myself I was making the most of it.

I had stopped at the door to discard some trash mail when I saw something... odd.

I don't remember what prompted me to glance up and see the guy who had just entered the lobby, but I did. A tall, dapper gentleman, he was on his way to the hotel's much too ritzy restaurant under the lobby. His hair was the colour of the earth itself-a rich, royal brown-and his eyes were a deep, ominous amber. He looked like he belonged at an exclusive cafe with his wide shoulders, powerful face, and sharp attire.

There was a split second-just a second-when I felt an odd attraction to him. I couldn't help but go back to sixth grade biology class, when the instructor had placed two powerful magnets on opposite ends of his desk and allowed them to attract each other. I had no adequate words to describe it. The only thing I was aware of was that my whole focus had shifted to the dashing stranger on the other side of the room.

His piercing blue eyes had me paralysed, and I was sure I could smell his perfume even from this distance. It wasn't overpowering , it had a scent that made me salivate since it was more woodsy and natural while yet carrying the unmistakable smell of masculinity and power.

What the hell?

Suddenly rousing from my daze, I slammed my head down and briskly made my way to the lift. That's never happened to me before, so I guess I'm just weary. Oh, the shame! My heart was racing like I'd just finished a marathon, and my muscles tensed up like I'd been petted vigorously. I knew I was starting to feel the effects of all the pressure I was under.

Fortunately, I was able to regain my composure and feel like myself again by the time the lift dropped me down on my level. I took a deep breath and got up to check the community board for information on when the next tours would be happening.

Goodness, I loved that the building's owners were so transparent. Being a squatter, it greatly simplified my life. The trips of which I was aware were being offered included

There were appointments with potential flat tenants all through the weekend, but as long as I departed at a reasonable hour, no one would suspect a thing.

Once they left, I could return to one of the three apartments I visited at night. I would have to conceal the little possessions I did have, but I was accustomed to that by this point and had plenty of places where no one would ever look.

After reviewing the plan many times to help it stick in my mind, I set off for the first flat, certain that I could spend the night there without any problems. Since I had a graduation ceremony to get ready for, it was extremely crucial.

As I reached my misguided haven, I set down my stuff with a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, I wanted a shower badly, so I didn't have much time to relax. Even after a decent exercise, I felt like I smelt a lot stronger than normal, and I knew I had worked really hard.

Strange.

The stress undoubtedly played a role, so I quickly took a chilly shower and then a shower hotter than the flames of hell.

While I was in the midst of unwinding after a long day at work, I overheard one of the realtors admitting guests into an adjacent apartment. Her statements were jumbled and I didn't understand a word, but she seemed to be enjoying herself. That wasn't the first time that I was relieved that she didn't notice the source of the flowing water when it came from a vacant house.

While I cleaned, though, I couldn't help but speculate about her tour group. Was it affluent travellers on the lookout for a second home? Someone famous on the internet who craved the bright lights of the big city? Whoever they were, they probably had a lot of money. Pickpockets might score big on the building's occupants if they didn't have to follow the golden rule of never robbing a person's place of residence. It would have been too obvious, and I didn't need the police nosing about my building to find out why there had been so many theft complaints.

The only option I see is to keep my hands to myself until I've left the area. Keeping myself safe was a major concern of mine, and it had done just that.

When I dried off after my shower, I got down to send letters of gratitude to the professors who had helped me along the way. Whether it was covering the cost of my sports equipment when I was younger, providing me with lunch money when I didn't have any, or just being there for me in general,

I wanted to demonstrate my gratitude, but I knew that sending them money or asking them to write me letters of reference for schools I wouldn't get accepted to would be pointless.

It took me a long while, and I didn't quite have time to complete them all before I needed to start getting ready, so I pushed them to the side for the time being. Collecting all the cosmetics samples I'd managed to stow away and everything my friends had given me over the years -expiration date what? - I began putting on my 'glamour face', as Sarah would say.

After I was pleased with my minimal eyeliner, eyeshadow, and strong lip, I turned to my hair, plaiting it into a smooth braid. In a sense, it almost seemed ceremonial, and some of the anxiousness in the back of my brain ebbed when I picked out some baby hairs and curled them so the curls complimented my appearance.

If I had any luck, some of my friends would have images on their phones that I could later ask them to email me. And even if we all went our separate ways, I'd always remember the good moments we had.

I stowed all of my items away in their hidey-holes and walked out early.

picked up a second tie, looked at it, and then put it down. I felt silly deliberating over what to wear like a teenager getting ready for prom, but I wanted to make a good impression on the few local alpha males I would be meeting.

It essentially meant strong, well-organized, in charge, and successful. Half of my nervousness stemmed from the fact that so much was being said by a single garment.

After much deliberation, I settled on a simple black option. It had gravitas and simplicity.

I gathered the necessary components from my seldom used walk-in closet, spread them out on the floor of my living room, and paced for the better part of 10 minutes. Obviously, this is an essential step in getting dressed. While I was at home, in my mind I was already at the meeting and going through my prepared remarks.

"the previous alpha had big shoes to fill.."

In spite of the fact that I had just recently assumed my position as pack leader after Bert Saw's tragic passing, I didn't want to get off to a boastful start by mentioning that fact. Those who need to act superior over the deceased are either weak or vain.

The previous alpha may have messed us over royally, but he died in a raid that also lost his pack the moonstone. As he had no children of his own, he had put his beta, one William Henry, in charge until I came around.

Even though I was born to lead, I must admit that I was a little... anxious.

Yet I had to rein it in because the more seasoned alphas in my pack would smell weakness a mile away, and that was the last thing we needed.

After pacing for a little more, I returned to putting on my suit, and this time, I fastened my tie slowly and deliberately in front of the mirror. The outfit was finally finished, and I immediately felt better. I also felt a bit more put together and in charge, which was precisely what I needed.

After looking at the time, I knew I wouldn't have much time to go to William's residence on the outskirts of town. This wasn't a party where showing up late was considered chic. Oh no, I didn't want to give the senior alphas a bad image by wasting their time.

There had been, never would be grovelling. I also had no intention of turning into a fanboy who would bend over backwards to please them. But I did think it was important to appreciate the experience of the pack leaders and acknowledge their achievements.

I hastily left, got in my vehicle, and drove to William's place. It would have been more convenient if he had met me at my apartment, given that we both possessed cars. Nonetheless, we were being a bit more careful about our timetable predictability since we still hadn't located the guy who'd murdered Bert.

I beat the previous record by a wide margin, and if I sped a bit, nobody noticed. Fortunately, William was all set to leave when we arrived. My car was safely parked in his tidy little garage, and I climbed into the rear of his stealthily protected conveyance.

It looked like any other sleek black Vehicle, but I knew it had extra security features like bulletproof glass and metal plating on some of the doors. That wouldn't be enough to withstand a full-scale assault, but it would give you some valuable time to assess the situation and devise a plan. If there's one thing I picked up on the battlefield, it's that sometimes seconds may make all the difference between life and death.

"Have you found anything yet?" As William was behind the wheel, I voiced my curiosity. To this day, I find it incredible that he could get about the city without resorting to a GPS since he had memorised so much of it.