ONCE BETRAYED: TWICE RECLAIMED

cus was the stillness. The room was still, ex

ce hit me like a

rying the scent of him-earthy, musky, and maddeningly intoxicating. Alex

My father. Liam. The pack. Even strangers couldn

d the chaos of the previous night. My dress sprawled w

ead with trembling hands, the mat

ill feel pleasan

to collect what remained of m

vely grasping the fro

a raspy voice cut through my

ed, but fierce, like the kind of stor

s curled in a smirk. She leaned against the doorframe, her fram

napped, my embarrassment qu

ame's Ruth. I run this place, and I'm h

's touch. I never considered money, not even a single time. When my father was alive, I simply wr

d. "I don't have any

t. "Not my problem, princess. You either cough up some

had left of my father. It wasn't significant-a plain silver chain featuring a crescent moon

red, tears burning th

eadable as she examined the pendant. For a moment, I thought she might keep it, and my he

." However, you will be working this off, no excuses. The kitchen i

igned for creating fine strokes on a canvas, not for washing dishes covered in grime. But

even though the phrase

rely pointed her thumb towar

he strong aroma of garlic and onions. The noise of pots clanging and shouted commands cause

rease, and bits of food drifted on top. The view made my stomach turn, yet I compelled myself to

ot," a shy voice rem

nds fidgeting anxiously in his apron. His hair was dark and somewhat lengthy, casc

ed, redirecting my at

erved him from the edge of my vision while I cleaned, his slender figure almost vanishing amidst the disorder of the

spun while I toiled, the repetitiveness of the job yielding to the heaviness of my recollections.

seemed as if it had been sque

dishes. Her tone wasn't gentle, yet it wasn't malicious eit

urned to the tiny room assigned to me, my hands s

Regardless of it all

inue to battle. Because that was all t

settle the bill. It was embarrassing, yet after all I had

her hair offered me a bundle of fresh clothes. "Here you go," she said, dropping them

esture catching me off

lied with a shrug, already

ard, brought Liam to mind. He had previously gazed at me with affection, held my hand conveying

e shower for as long as I felt comfortable, allowing the water to wash away the dirt from the day before. A

yled and woven, now hung lifeless and wet around her face. This did not appear to be the face of a

holding onto the sink's edge until my knuckles went p

entering the compact dining space, a plate was already set

ked, looking at the sma

in the air, then mumbled what seemed to

more entertaining than frustrating. "Th

et his shoulders appe

s accumulated faster than I could clean them, and the clatter of utensils was nonstop. W

a glass of water and a plate of cold stew in front of me a

s making me react slowly. "Why do

though it wasn't worth

receiving assistance from others

ew. The delicious warmth enveloped my belly, and fo

id as I finished eating. "Her office is

hen an elderly man shuffled out, his face red, his shirt fastened incorr

or women, particularly for those lacking defense. I

hoarse voice inv

ehind a small wooden desk cluttered with papers. She barely glan

nted to ask if... if I could stay. Work here in exchang

owing as she observed me. "Are you thinking o

sively. "I'll cover my expenses; w

don't hear that phrase weekly?" "Girls like

ed, my tone more composed than I antic

sly not impressed. "You are c

tables, and anything else that needs attention. I will provide you with a tiny room on the upper f

and I nodded rapidly. "Thanks a

uments. "And don't believe this is a type of friendship."

ar feeling I couldn't identify. As I started to walk away, she said, "And

to my new room. She was right. I'd been soft before, trusting

e of myself. No pack. N