Her words hit like cold water.
She turned on her heel, strutting away, her heels tapping their arrogant rhythm on the pavement.
I stood frozen, my pulse pounding in my ears. Fury and frustration tangled in my chest until I could barely breathe. The air was sharp with frost, but all I felt was heat – burning, rising, threatening to slip past my control.
My wolf prowled restlessly beneath my skin, sensing my rage, urging me to fight back, to bare my teeth and tear something apart.
But I couldn’t. Not here.
Because I knew the truth. Even if I took this to court, they’d drag up my past. The prison record. The mugshot. The whispers about the “unstable mother.” No one would believe me. Not a wolf. Not an ex-con. Not someone like me.
So what now? Was I supposed to just roll over and let them trample me?
Three thousand dollars. Once, that would’ve been nothing – pocket change for a night out. But that was before Lana. Before tiny hands and sleepless nights. Before I learned what real hunger and love felt like all at once.
I’d already spent part of this month’s pay in advance on formula and diapers. If Anita really meant what she said, we could survive this month – barely. But next month? Or the one after that? We wouldn’t.
Would I have to take Lana out on the street and beg? The thought clawed at me, cold and cruel. I’d seen women like that before, kneeling on the sidewalk, their babies swaddled in thin blankets, their eyes hollow. Back then, I never understood how someone could fall so far.
Now I did.
The paper in my hand crumpled as I clenched my fist. My claws threatened to push through my skin, but I forced them back. My breath came out in shaky clouds, and for a second, the edges of my vision shimmered gold.
Lana stirred against me, sensing my unease. I looked down at her soft cheeks, so peaceful, so innocent. My heart cracked open. I brushed a kiss against her forehead and whispered, “Don’t be scared, sweetie. Mommy’s here. I will keep you safe.”
But even as I said it, doubt gnawed at me. How long could I keep her safe like this? How long before I failed us both?
Evelyn’s POV
By nine, I was back at the dorm. The place reeked of sweat, bleach, and exhaustion. I barely had time to settle Lana in her crib before the others surrounded me like bees around spilled honey.
“I heard they docked your pay, Evelyn. Is it true?”
“Did you really find a gold necklace?”
“Don’t listen to them! Evelyn’s not that kind of person!”
Their voices buzzed all around.
Then kara appeared, her tired eyes finding mine immediately. She didn’t even drop her bag before she pulled me aside. “Evelyn, did you piss someone off?”
Her voice was low but urgent. kara had always looked out for me even when it got her punished for it.
Because of me, she’d been reassigned to the dump section, the filthiest, most dangerous area in the district. And it showed. She looked like she’d crawled out of hell – grime streaking her face, her hands raw and trembling from cold.
The scent of decay clung to her like smoke. I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed a basin, poured water, worked up soap, and began wiping her down gently.
I fought back the sting in my nose and the rush of tears in my eyes as I worked.
“It doesn’t matter, really,” kara said softly, trying to sound cheerful. “Don’t worry about me.” But her voice cracked, and I saw the tears glint in her lashes before she blinked them away.
She glanced toward Lana, fast asleep, then caught my wrist and tugged me down beside her. “Look at you – crying again,” she said with a faint smile. “You’re a mother. You can’t afford to fall apart. That little one still needs you.”
Her words hit me right in the chest. I wiped my face with my sleeve, trying to pull myself together. “No, I just… I just feel so sorry, kara. I dragged you into this.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Lana’s adorable. I like her. I want to do something for her – not just for you.”
Then she leaned in close, voice dropping to a whisper. “Evelyn, let me ask you – did you piss someone off recently?”
I blinked, confused. “What? Why would you say that?”
“On the way back, I passed Anita,” kara said. “She was in her car, on the phone. I heard your name. She was talking to someone called Mr. Stone – said they were planning to get rid of you.”
My stomach dropped, and my wolf let out a low growl deep inside me. “Are you sure she didn’t say Kevin?”
kara shook her head. “No. Mr. Stone. I’m sure.”
Mr. Stone? I didn’t know anyone by that name. But the name felt wrong in my bones, like something my instincts recognized even if my mind didn’t.
“I don’t get it,” kara muttered. “You’re just a single mom with a baby. Who would have it out for someone like you? But Anita-she runs this whole district. And the way she talked to that man…” kara’s brow furrowed. “She was respectful. Scared, even. That means he’s powerful. I don’t think your job is safe anymore.”
My heart thudded, heavy and fast. My wolf bristled within me.
“You need to start thinking ahead,” kara continued, her voice firm but kind. “You don’t belong here, Evelyn. You’re not meant to spend your life sweeping streets with a baby on your back.”
I stared at her, the words sinking deep.
“Oh, and one more thing,” kara added, already pulling off her vest. “Anita’s one-legged nephew is working the block next to yours this afternoon. Stay out of his way. That one’s trouble.”
With that, she collapsed onto her bunk, falling asleep almost instantly.
Lana slept soundly beside me, her tiny breaths puffing against the thin blanket. Her little face was so peaceful, round and flushed, like a ripe apple.
I reached out and traced a finger along her cheek. She was my reason for holding everything together.
My eyes burned again, and I blinked hard, refusing to let the tears fall this time. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cry anymore. Tears didn’t change anything – they just made my wolf restless, pacing inside me, growling at my weakness.
Since getting out of prison, I’d done everything right. I’d kept my head down, worked hard, never picked a fight. Never even spoke unless I had to. But someone, someone powerful had their sights on me.
Mr. Stone.
The name left a bitter taste in my mouth. Whoever he was, he had power- enough to make Anita Clark bend like a reed in the wind, enough to pull the strings that decided who ate and who starved.
A face flickered in my mind. My stomach twisted, a warning pulse from my wolf. I pushed the image away.
No. It couldn’t be him.
If it were really him… Lana and I wouldn’t still be breathing.
I ran a hand through my tangled hair and exhaled slowly, trying to push down the tension crawling under my skin. My wolf hated uncertainty. She liked clear enemies. But right now, the danger was in the shadows- hidden, watching and waiting.
Who could it be?
Evelyn’s POV
By late afternoon, I was back on my feet, my broom in hand, pushing through the last shift of the day. The sun was sliding low, painting the sky in dull amber, and the air smelled faintly of rain and exhaust.
Lana was bundled against my chest, she was quiet for once. Every few minutes she’d lift her head, her big eyes scanning everything before drooping shut again.
After an hour, I paused on a bench to stretch my back and wipe the drool from Lana’s chin. I brushed my thumb over her cheek, grounding myself in her softness before getting up to finish the job.
The garbage truck rumbled up, filling the air with diesel and rot. I hauled a bin toward it, the muscles in my arms tightening, my wolf wrinkling her nose in disgust.
That’s when I saw her.
An elderly woman with silver hair was walking slowly down the sidewalk, muttering to herself, her eyes scanning the ground. When she spotted me, her eyes lit up with hope.
“Excuse me, dear,” she said, her voice trembling, “have you seen a sapphire ring around here?”
I blinked, taken aback. “No, ma’am,” I said softly, setting the broom aside. “But I can help you look. When did you last notice it?”
She pressed a tissue to her eyes. “It was a gift from my late husband,” she said, her voice breaking. “He gave it to me when we were young. I’ve worn it every day since. Now that he’s gone… that ring is all I have left of him.”
The sadness in her words made my chest ache. I knew that kind of loss, the kind that haunts you, keeps you awake at night.
“I’ll help you find it,” I said gently. “Try to think back, maybe you dropped it somewhere near here?”
She frowned, lost in thought. “I’ve searched the park already. This was the only other place I passed.” Her voice was small now and fragile.
I guided her to a nearby bench, helping her sit down, and handed her a bottle of water. “Here,” I said. “Don’t worry. You might still get it back.”
As she took a sip, a memory flashed in my mind – James , the street cleaner from the next block, the very man Kara had warned me about.
Ten minutes ago, I’d seen him glance around nervously before slipping something shiny into his pocket. My wolf caught the scent of deceit even then, but I’d brushed it off.
Now I wasn’t so sure.
Before I could decide what to do, a group of bodyguards in black suits jogged over. Their footsteps were heavy and purposeful. The moment they stopped in front of the woman, their posture changed. Their heads were bowed slightly and their tone, reverent.
“Mrs. Mrs. Jennifer, we couldn’t find the item,” one said.
The hope in her eyes vanished. “No… What am I supposed to do now?”
Her voice trembled, breaking the way my own used to when I thought no one could hear.
I watched her as she sorrowed quietly. The men around her treated her like royalty. She was someone people listened to. Someone the world bent toward.
A pang of envy twisted through me.
Once, I’d had influence too. Once, I’d been Evelyn Thorne, the rising star of Asterfell. The kind of woman people respected, feared even. But that was before prison, before betrayal.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply