Chapter 5
Aria’s POV
“That check clearly means something,” May insisted.
“Come on. We’re not doing this again,” I sighed.
“If he’s not into you, then why did he give you that check? He probably saw you crying and couldn’t stand it. You should definitely go back and see him again.”
“Nope,” I shut it down immediately. “I had one perfect, fairytale encounter with a rich bachelor. That’s enough. I’m not about to go back there and humiliate myself all over again.”
“But-”
“Hey, you two!” our manager yelled from the other end of the aisle. “Less talking, more working!”
We rolled our eyes at each other and got back to inventory.
May had helped me land this supermarket job.
It was part of a chain under a big corporation, so the pay and benefits weren’t bad. May still thought it was beneath someone with my degree, but honestly, I was just grateful to be employed.
Once we finished our section, the manager wandered off to shout at someone else, and May scooted back over to me.
“Just imagine it,” she grinned. “You could write a couple million on that blank check and…BOOM! Instant rich girl life.”
“I’m not gonna do that.”
“Sure you won’t. You’re too nice,” she muttered, half–admiring, half–scolding. “So? What are you gonna write?”
I hesitated.
At first, I actually considered writing the price of a shirt. 19.99 that was. Because apparently, my dignity still thinks it matters.
But let’s be real, Grayson wasn’t just paying me back for a ripped tee, or he would’ve simply handed his assistant a $20 bill.
Maybe… he felt bad I lost my job too.
“I’m going to write the amount I should’ve gotten in severance,” I admitted eventually.
May’s eyes bulged. “That’s it?!”
“I know it’s not much, but it’s what I actually deserve. And it’ll help me cover 2 months of bills.”
May sighed and looked at me like I was the biggest idiot alive. But my mind was made up,
I just wanted to walk away from the mess as quickly as possible. I still wanted to rip Jace’s smug face off, but the best revenge right now was surviving.
6 hours later, we finally finished our shift, exhausted and aching.
Everyone else got to clock out, but not me. I’d volunteered for night shift and closing duties.
The staffs left one by one, yawning, including May. Finally I was alone in this big market.
Now here’s the big secret-
I actually lived here now.
Nobody knew this, not even May.
She thought I’d found a new apartment and moved out, but I just couldn’t keep bothering her anymore. Her roommates were getting
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9:18
Chapter 5
irritated with me hogging the living room and utilities.
And renting my own place seemed way out of budget now.
So I stayed in this supermarket instead.
I closed up the store at night and opened it early in the morning. For the 5 or 6 hours in between, I made a bed out of my coat and slept on the floor near the refrigerated section.
Now don’t ask me why I can’t sleep in the staff’s break room. That room was too hot without AC. At least it was cool by the freezer.
Tonight I was extra exhausted. The manager made us girls haul too many heavy crates around. I fell asleep on the floor in seconds.
It felt like I’d only been asleep for 5 minutes. My alarm hadn’t even gone off yet.
And I was jolted awake by someone screaming:
“-OH MY GOD! What the hell are you doing?!”
I shot upright, still half–asleep.
And I froze.
In front of me stood an entire group of people. Including the manager and several guys in suits. They were all staring at me wide eyes.
And I was only in a tank top and shorts. Half naked.
OH GOD.
What the hell… Is it morning already?!
Why didn’t I hear my alarm?
I scrambled to pull my clothes over my body, my hands shaking.
The stares didn’t stop. They got more invasive.
“Aria Collins! What the fuck are you doing?!” the manager stormed over and roared. “Napping half–naked in my fucking store?! Are you a fucking sex perv?!”
My face went beet red, “No! I–I was just staying here temporarily-”
“Temporarily?!” he yelled, eyes bulging. “I hired an employee, not a fucking squatter! How much water and electricity have you used free?! Have you been stealing food too?!”
“No I swear! I shut everything off when I’m done, I don’t use the water unless I have to… And I paid for everything I’ve eaten!”
Tears blurred my vision as I tried to explain, but he wasn’t listening. His spit actually hit my cheek as he snarled.
“Of all days—you had to pick the day corporate shows up to camp out in my perfect store. You filthy, disgusting little-”
“Aria Collins?”
A new voice called my name. It came from one of those suited men.
I looked up. And my heart dropped.
God I knew this guy. I think his name is Jonathan. A former coworker of mine from Apex.
“Holy shit, it is you,” he grinned in surprise, raising his brows. “Almost didn’t recognize you at first.”
“You… what are you doing here?” I stammered.
“Apex owns this supermarket chain. We’re doing site inspections today,” he said with a smirk, his eyes trailing down to my bare legs. “Man! Most people hit rock bottom after getting fired from Apex, but you fall faster than anyone.”
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“I’m working. Making a decent living,” I said in shaky voice. “There’s no shame with that.”
“Oh really?” he sneered. “Does your job include lying around half–naked on the floor? What is this, a new hooker gimmick?”
The suits burst out laughing. My furious tears were on the verge of falling.
“I’m so sorry, sir. I’ll fire her right away.” The manager groaned.
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“Hold up,” Jonathan drawled with a smirk. “This chick got fired from Apex for messing up a seven–figure deal. You might wanna check your inventory. She could be stealing.”
I was furious. “You know that’s a lie! Jace made it all up. I never made a single mistake at work-”
“Oh please,” he cut me off. “Everyone in the industry knows how you fucked up. Jace was so embarrassed that he had to apologize to all the customers for you.”
The manager grabbed my wrist. “Then you’re definitely stealing from this market as well. That’s it. You are going to jail. When I figure out what you’ve taken, you must pay back everything!”
My heart pounded in my chest.
I didn’t doubt for a second that the manager would come up with something that I didn’t steal, just like how Jace framed me before. It wasn’t hard for guys like them.
But I couldn’t go to jail.
My grandma had no one to count on but me. I can’t leave her.
I knew what I had to do.
The wolf in me surfaced up the next second. I snarled at the manager, yanked my arm free, and ran.
“Stop her!” someone shouted behind me.
I had no idea where I was going. I just fucking ran. Desperate and horrified.
At the door, I slammed right into someone coming in.
“Get away from Alpha!” a bodyguard barked.
I staggered back in panic. But a large hand caught my wrist, steadying me.
“Aria?”
I looked up, still shaking involuntarily.
God, it’s indeed him! I couldn’t believe he’s here.
There’s a tight furrow between Grayson’s brows as he checked me up. Then he quickly unbuttoned his coat and wrapped me in, covering my half–naked body.
“It’s OK.” his voice was deep with clear hint of rage.
I clutched his shirt, gasping for air.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to breathe at all. Tears streamed down
my
cheeks.
“She’s having a panic attack,” a woman said nearby. “Alpha, if I may-”
I silently prayed him not to hand me over. And he didn’t.
“It’s fine, Nova. She stays with me,” he refused. “Aria. Breathe.”
Panicked footsteps echoed behind us. Jonathan’s voice rang out, stunned:
“Alpha Grayson! W–What’s going on here?!”
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Chapter 5
“Nova,” Grayson said in a cold, dangerous voice, “Stay here. Don’t let anyone leave.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
He scooped me up like I weighed nothing, one arm under my legs, the other around my back. I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.
Then he carried me through the astonished crowd, into the store, and found a private room.
“You’re safe here,” he said after he shut the door.
That’s when I broke down. Crying out loud.
Fear, shame, panic–everything spilled out in a messy, helpless flood.
I clutched his wrist like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart. He didn’t pull away.
I cried for 10 minutes straight He waited for my sobs to quiet down.
“Th–thank you…I’m better now.” I sniffled eventually.
He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. I shivered at the way he touched my
“You are always a mess when I find you,” he said. “Why is that?”
“I don’t know…Fate?” I choked.
He let out a dark chuckle. “This is not good.”
“W–Why?” I didn’t mean to be miserable all the time.
His voice was low, rough, and strained.
“Because it’s getting harder and harder for me to leave you like this,” he said.
skin.
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