006

Eva

Thelma's voice stopped me as I reached the door. "Eva, wait! What's going on? What's too late?"

I hesitated, not wanting to explain. "Never mind, Thelma. I need to head out. Good night."

Thelma's concerned expression lingered, but I didn't have time to reassure her. I rushed out of the apartment and hailed a cab, my heart racing with every passing minute as I hoped Lorenzo would give me a chance. I was relieved to find the city bustling with activity, a stark contrast to the quiet, dark nights of Wild Song Pack.

As I arrived at the office building, I realized it was already closed. The security guard stood outside, vigilant, his arms crossed. He was about to enter inside to have his usual sleep when I quickly hurried to him.

"Sorry, miss. The building is closed. Nobody's inside," the security guard said brusquely as I approached him, not giving me a chance to explain.

I pleaded with him, trying to appear pitiful and innocent. "Please, I need to get in. I have an urgent meeting with Alpha Lorenzo."

The guard raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You made an appointment with him?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt. "At this time?"

I hesitated, biting my bottom lip. "Not exactly at this time... but yes, we do have an appointment. I was supposed to see him some minutes ago."

The guard shook his head. "He's already left, miss. Just a few minutes ago."

Desperate, I rushed outside and scanned the parking lot. That's when I saw him - Alpha Lorenzo, sitting in his car, about to drive away.

Without thinking, I sprinted towards the car, reaching the front just as he was about to accelerate. I stood in front of the car, my hands on the hood, and my eyes locked with his.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised to see me. "Well, well, well. Look at what we have here."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Alpha Lorenzo, I'm so sorry I'm late. Please, don't leave. We can still discuss that—"

Alpha Lorenzo checked his watch, his expression unyielding. "You're already late. We have nothing to discuss."

"Please, hear me out first," I begged him. "I know I'm late, but—"

He cut me off, his voice firm. "There's nothing for us to talk about. Good night... Eva, or was it Ava?"

"Ah, no, please!" I pleaded tearfully, "Wait, please!"

But he just drove off, leaving me standing alone. However, desperation crept into my mind, and before I could think twice, I took off after the car, sprinting as fast as I could, but it was no use. I couldn't keep up.

As an Omega without a wolf, I didn't have the speed or endurance to chase after a really fast car. I slowed to a stop, panting and feeling defeated, watching as the car disappeared into the distance.

I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. I had failed. I didn't get the job, and now I had no idea how I would help my sister. I had promised her I would support her, but now I felt useless.

I trudged back to the sidewalk, feeling hopeless. What would I do now? I couldn't just give up. I had to find another way to help my sister, but what?

As I stood there, panting and defeated, I realized that I was alone on the now deserted street. The streetlight cast an eerie glow, making the shadows seem to stretch and twist around me. I looked around, but there was no sign of life. No cabs, no buses, no people. Just the quietness of the night.

Fear began to creep in as I wondered how I would get home. It was late, and I knew everyone would be asleep by now. I was miles away from my apartment, and the thought of walking alone in the darkness was unsettling.

I thought of an idea - I could check into a nearby hotel for the night. At least that way, I would be safe and could regroup in the morning. I spotted a hotel a few blocks away and made my way towards it.

As I entered the lobby, I approached the receptionist, trying to look more composed than I felt. "Hi, I'd like a room for the night, please," I said, trying to sound confident.

The receptionist looked me up and down before naming an exorbitant price. I hesitated, realizing that I couldn't afford it. "I...I don't think I can pay that much," I stammered, feeling embarrassed and scared.

The receptionist raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested in my predicament. "Sorry, miss. We're fully booked anyway. You might want to try another hotel down the street."

The receptionist's words cut deep, making me feel like I wasn't worth helping. I felt a sting of embarrassment and sadness as I realized she was just trying to get rid of me. I didn't say a word, just nodded and turned away, trying to hold back my tears.

As I walked out of the hotel, I felt defeated and alone. The receptionist's dismissive attitude had broken my spirit, and I wondered if anything good would ever come my way.

I began to walk, not knowing where I was going, just trying to get away from the hotel and its unfriendly receptionist. As I turned a corner, I saw a motel in the distance. Motels were cheaper, and I hoped they might have a room available.

I trudged towards the motel, my feet heavy with exhaustion and my heart heavy with sorrow. I pushed open the creaky door and approached the front desk, hoping against hope that they would have a room for me.

"Hi, do you have a room available?" I asked, trying to sound hopeful.

The receptionist looked up from her phone, a mixture of curiosity and kindness on her face. "Yeah, we have a few rooms left. It's $40 for the night."

As I reached for my purse, my hand trembled. I knew that $40 was a huge amount for me, and I had been saving it for something else. But the darkness and the distance to my apartment had driven me to this point. I slowly opened my purse, my fingers hesitating as I pulled out my card.

Handing it over to the receptionist was even harder. I held the card tightly, my fingers refusing to let go. The receptionist looked at me with concern, trying to gently pry the card from my grasp. But I couldn't let go. It was as if the card represented my last shred of security.

Just as I was about to release the card, a hand closed around my wrist from behind. I gasped, startled, and tried to pull away. But the grip was firm, yet gentle. I turned to see who it was, and my eyes met a pair of icy blue eyes.

"Alpha Lorenzo?" I gasped, my eyes widening in shock, my pupils dilating wildly.