Bella's POVKnowing all my efforts to speak with the men would be useless, I sat in the cramped police van, my cheek stinging from the force of the officer's slap. "If I knew this was how they treated people here, I wouldn't have come here," I sighed and earned an eye roll from my wolf who was clearly angry at me for putting us in this situation.The van jerked to a stop at the police station, and the officers roughly escorted us out. We were ushered into a dimly lit, dingy holding cell. The cold, hard floor sent shivers through my body, and I clutched my crutches tightly. For the first time in my life, I'd be sleeping in my cell, wouldn't I?A police officer on duty approached the cell bars, his stern expression making it clear that he wasn't in the mood for explanations. "You'll be sorted out later. Sit tight," he grumbled before walking away.I glanced around the cell, seeing the unbothered women chewing gum loudly. They weren't moody like you'd think. It was like they were in a s
Bella's POV"I don't know, girl. Never seen an actual pregnant lady in our age group in Starfall. I'm as confused as you are," she answered and my mouth could only form oh."You can call me Rosa. You hungry?" She asked and I immediately said yes. I couldn't act shy when it came to food.She grabbed a weird-looking device, ordered a few things, and then faced me. "Food will be here in thirty minutes. Come, let's have our bath.""Together?" I muttered, staring at the woman in the robe. Like me and her in a bathroom? Hell no!"Calm your horses, mama. There's a tub and a shower spot so the two of us can take our baths separately. You'll get used to seeing the bodies," she said and tossed me a robe. "Undress. Or do you want me to help you?" She laughed and then headed to the bathroom. "Call me if you need any help. I'll take the shower so you don't have to stress your legs by standing."I sat there, and I slowly undressed, feeling a bit awkward in the spacious, unfamiliar room. The robe f
Bella POVOutside, people of all sizes and ages gathered to look, curse, and mock me. I felt a surge of helplessness and desperation as the officers forced me into the backseat of their vehicle, constantly whipping me if I didn't cooperate."Went off for a while and you got yourself into more trouble in this so-called safe haven? Aren't you thinking Bella? What about the baby?" Dessa yelled at me, causing me to break down in tears.I didn't have an answer for her because I was as shocked as she was. How could this be happening? How could everything have gone so wrong in the span of how many minutes?The ride to the station was a blur of flashing lights, muffled voices, and the persistent throb of pain from the cuffs digging into my skin. My mind raced, searching for any way to explain what happened, but the panic and shock rendered my thoughts disjointed and fragmented. As the vehicle came to a halt and the officers escorted me inside, I was met with the sterile, oppressive atmospher
Bella's POV"Oh really? You're agreeing to my terms without knowing what they are yet?" She chuckled."Yes," I answered, feeling the police officers about to drag me to the van again.Lady Lee hesitated for a moment, a smirk gradually appearing on her face. "Are you sure about this, Bella? You don't even know what she would do to you.." Dessa voiced her concerns."Well, do we have any other option? Or is it until we starve to death in that station?" I asked angrily."I told you to let us go back, didn't I?" She yelled back and went off before I could give her a reply.Finally, Lady Lee sighed, looking down at me with pity and calculation in her eyes. "Fine, get up. I'll make some calls." She waved the officers away and they hesitated for a moment before reluctantly stepping back.A few minutes later, I heard the officers receive a call. With a hiss, they left and I breathed in relief."Thank you so much," I breathed, tears of relief flowing down my face. At least now, I'd have a bed
Bella's POVAs I stood there, the man's lingering gaze made me feel increasingly uncomfortable. His demeanor was icy, and his words sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn't help but wonder what he meant by "big plans." Without giving me a chance to ask any questions, he turned and walked away, leaving me with a sense of unease. I watched him as he disappeared into the depths of the hotel, and then I exhaled a shaky breath.Ms. Chen, who seemed to observe the whole encounter from a distance, approached me with concern and suspicion in her eyes. "What was that man talking to you about?"My smile returned immediately. "Nothing much, he was just welcoming me," I answered not knowing if I should mention the part where he mentioned family. I wouldn't want her to think I'm stealing their customers or something."Hmm. Okay. Just focus on your work." She turned around and left me to concentrate on my duties. However, the encounter with the mysterious man lingered in my thoughts.The day passed
Bella's POV"Don't yell at me, woman! I did what was necessary," Mr. Dave responded calmly. "Do you think not giving her a salary will make her stay? The girl probably looking for ways to get money to take care of herself. For this plan to work, we need her to trust us. As far as I'm concerned, this was the right move to ensure her cooperation."Trust them? Cooperation for what? My mind was flooded with questions, and I couldn't resist lingering just outside the office door.Lady Lee's voice grew even more agitated. "Look, Dave. We can't afford any missteps. If we lose Belle, we lose everything we worked for over the years."I strained to hear every word, my anxiety mounting. As I listened, my thoughts were a jumble of possibilities. Were they running some kind of scheme that involved me? When did they start? How many people were involved in it? Oh Moon Goddess, what have I unwittingly gotten myself into now?Mr. Dave spoke again, his tone measured. "Trust me, Lee, this was a calcula
Bella's POV"Is that a male voice?" I mumbled as my heart thudded in my chest, the blood rushing in my ears as I realized I had been discovered by someone I didn't know. That voice belonged to a man and no, it wasn't Mr Dave's. "I'm waiting…” I heard the deep male voice again and I knew there was no use hiding any longer, and I knew I had to face the consequences of my actions. With trembling hands, I slowly pushed open the door, revealing myself to the mysterious figure.A tall, stern-looking man with a nose mask covering half of his face stood before me, and I gulped hard knowing he wasn't someone from the hotel."Who are you?" I managed to stutter, my voice barely above a whisper.He regarded me with a penetrating gaze, as though trying to unravel my thoughts with just a look. "Who am I? I should be asking you the same question young lady…""No. I live here and you don't, so if anyone is supposed to ask questions, it's me. Who are you? And what are you doing here?" "Oh really. If
Bella's POV Immediately I got in, Max's scent hit me. Ignoring the guy's question, I looked around thinking maybe Max was miraculously in here somewhere but there was nothing. Rosa's nudge brought me back to the present. "Um, yes," I managed to reply, my heart thumping loudly in my chest as I took in another breath. Rosa's boyfriend? That's why she wasn't in the room last night. But then, who was the other guy? And why is Max's scent lingering in here? Especially on Rosa's boyfriend? As if sensing my unease, Rosa chuckled softly and gestured towards the other man. "And this is Peron, Tyler's best friend." I forced a smile, my mind racing to process the sudden turn of events. I couldn't even think of what to say because I didn't know if this Tyler guy told them about what happened yesterday or not. "Nice to meet you both," I said, trying to sound composed despite the flurry of emotions inside me. Peron gave me a warm smile, "Likewise, Isabelle. I've heard a lot about you from Rosa