Chapter 7

~Sophia~

The next day, I woke up early, got dressed and prepared myself for work. As I locked my door and started walking towards the exist, I suddenly caught a familiar scent. It was the scent of a werewolf, and it was coming from the room next to mine.

My heart started pounding as I realized who it might be. It couldn't be...could it? I knocked on the door with a sense of dread, and someone opened the door.

It was my stepsister, Leah, stood there looking at me with a cold expression. "What do you want?" she asked, clearly not pleased to see me.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, my anger started rising. 

"This is my place." Leah said and rolled her eyeballs. "Meaning, I live here now," she added, crossing her arms. "Do you have a problem with that?"

I felt my jaw drop as I struggled to contain my emotions. This was the last thing I expected. "Why would you move here?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"It's none of your business," Leah spat back, before slamming the door shut in my face.

I stood there for a moment, feeling a mix of anger, betrayal and heartbreak. My mate, Blake, had chosen Leah over me, and now she was living in the same building with me.

As I made my way to work, tears started to fall down my cheeks. The sadness felt overwhelming, and I didn't know how to cope with it.

I arrived at the Mondragon Company feeling lost and defeated. I knew I had to keep my emotions in check, but it was easier said than done. Suddenly I bumped into Miranda as I was heading to the cleaner space.

"What's wrong?" Miranda asked, noticing the sadness on my face.

"It's Leah, my stepsister," I said, my voice breaking. "She just moved to the same building I'm living in."

Miranda looked at me with surprised. "What!" she scoff, "that your evil sister is really something else, but don't worry if she try anything funny just call me." 

I look at Miranda and smile, then she look at me with sympathy, "I'm so sorry," she said, giving me a comforting hug.

I felt a sense of relief as I hugged her back. It was comforting to know that someone cared.

Clapping, "Wow, so emotional, two rejected and forbidden souls, are now friends. It's suits you though," Mia said, laughing.

I tried to ignore her, and start working. I tried my best to focus on the task at hand. But it was hard to shake off the sadness that had clouded my mind. 

I felt a surge of anger and hurt as Mia insulted us, calling us forbidden and rejected. I couldn't believe she had the audacity to speak to us like that.

"Why would you say something like that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Mia just shrugged. "It's the truth, isn't it? You're a rejected mate, and Miranda is a forbidden child. You don't belong anywhere."

I gritted my teeth, feeling the anger bubbling inside me. But before I could say anything, Miranda quickly excused herself and ran to the restroom to start cleaning.

Mia turned to me and sneered. "And you, werewolf or not, you're just a cleaner. So why don't you do your job and start mobbing the floor?"

I clenched my fists, feeling the urge to lash out. But I knew I couldn't risk losing my job, especially now that I had no pack to fall back on.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. "I'll do my job," I said, my voice cold, "but you have no right to speak to us like that."

Mia just laughed. "Sure, whatever you say, loser! Now, get to work."

I started cleaning the floor, trying my best to focus on my task. But my mind was still reeling from Mia's words. It hurt to be reminded of my rejection and my status as an outcast.

As I worked, I couldn't help but wonder if things would ever get better. Derick walked in, holding a bottle of water with him, immediately he saw my mopping, he intentionally pour the bottle water on the floor which I have cleaned before.

I couldn't believe what was happening. Derick had poured water on the floor that I had just cleaned, "What! why did you do that?"

"Are you talking to me?" Derick asked, "oh you should be grateful that I haven't sack you! So clean it up." I was pain because how could he do that, and he still had the audacity to tell me, to be grateful that I still had a job here.

My anger boiled over, and I stare at him. "What the hell, Sir Derick? Why did you do that?" I demanded.

Derick just laughed, a cruel sound that made my blood boil. "You should be grateful that I haven't fired you yet just like I said earlier. You're lucky to have this job, so you better start showing some respect, else..."

I gritted my teeth, my hands shaking with anger. How could he treat me like this? I was a werewolf, just like him. I deserved to be treated with respect no matter what.

But I knew that arguing with him would only make things worse. So, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

"I'm sorry, Sir Derick," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'll clean it up again."

Derick just smirked and walked away, leaving me to clean up the mess he had made.

As I mopped the floor again, I couldn't help but feel defeated. It seemed like no matter what I did, I was always going to be treated as an outcast and a loser.

But I knew that I couldn't give up. I had to keep pushing forward and trying my best, no matter how hard it was. And maybe, one day, things would get better.

Suddenly, I started perceiving a Wolf scent. It shocking to know that the scent belong to Alpha Blake. My heart was pounding as I watched Derick trying to pick up the werewolf scent he had perceived. I knew that it was only a matter of time before he found Blake, but what is he doing here to begin with? I didn't want to be caught in the middle of their feud.

I quickly made my way towards the exit, hoping to avoid any confrontation. But just as I was about to leave, I heard a low growl behind me.

I turned around, and there was Blake, standing just a few feet away from me. His eyes were glowing with intensity, and I could feel the power radiating off of him.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

"I work here," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I need to make a living, just like everyone else. And why did you care?"

Blake's eyes narrowed, and I could tell that he was angry with me for choosing to work at Mondragon Company, his pack's biggest rival. But I do not care, I only have my self now.

But before he could say anything else, Derick appeared out of nowhere, his eyes fixed on Blake.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice filled with anger.

"I'm here to kill you," Blake replied, his voice calm but firm. "And nobody can stop me."

"You're no match for me, and you know that," Derick spat. "And you're trespassing on my property. I'm asking you to leave now!"

Blake just smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I don't think so. I have business here, and I'm not going to leave until it's done."

Derick's eyes narrowed, and I could tell that he was about to attack. But before he could, Mia appeared out of nowhere, her eyes fixed on Derick.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice firm and commanding.

Derick hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering between Blake and Mia. But then he seemed to make a decision, and he turned and stalked away, his eyes filled with anger.

I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Mia had intervened before things had gotten out of hand but Mia got shocked seeing Blake. "What are you doing in our territory?" Mia asked.

Blake snubbed Mia and turned to me, his eyes softening slightly. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low and intense. "There's a lot we need to discuss." He added.

"We have nothing to talk about!"

I watched as Blake's face fell at my rejection. I could see the pain in his eyes, but I refused to let myself feel sorry for him. He made his choice, and I had to live with the consequences.

Derick scoff, "Wait, you're still communicating with him?" Derick asked me. Mia moved closer to him and say, "I told you, she's a spy!" I defend myself and tell them that, I am not a spy and I don't know why Blake is here. 

The look on their faces shows they don't believe me, Mia and Derick turned and walked away. I also turned and started walking towards the exit, I can hear his voice asking me to stop but I turned deaf ear. My heart heavy with emotion, I don't know if I could handle looking at Blake after what he did to me, let alone having a conversation with him. But a part of me knew that I couldn't avoid him forever.

As I stepped out of the building and into the cool afternoon air. I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. I knew that I needed to face Blake and talk things out, but the thought of it made my stomach churned.