Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
My palms are damp, and I wipe them on my pants before pushing open the library doors. I’m going to get a job. I’m twenty-four years old, and I’ve never had one. It’s about time that changes.
I hold my chin high as I approach Mary, not wanting her to sense my weakness. She’s wearing a dark-red sweater. That’s nice. It won’t get stained with my blood when she rips me to shreds.
She looks up, and the tiny thread of hope I was holding vanishes as she releases a visible sigh. I haven’t even spoken, and she’s already annoyed by me. We’re not off to a great start.
“Good morning,” I greet her.
Mary blinks, looking entirely unamused, as a low hum emerges from the back of her throat. “What do you want?”
I eye the books piled up on the side of her desk. She’s placing plastic sleeves around the front covers. I can do that. It doesn’t look too complicated.
“Are you hiring?” I ask, refusing to let myself shrivel under her sharp glare.
Mary raises a brow, her lips flattening. A clock behind me ticks as the seconds pass, and I find myself holding my breath as the awkward silence between us stretches.
“I’m a fast learner, and I—”
Mary lifts her hand to stop me. My jaw snaps shut with a quiet click.
“I’m not hiring.”
I knew she’d say that. “I don’t need much pay, and I’m available whenever—”
Mary scoffs. “Don’t beg, Evelyn. The answer is no.”
I glance to the right. People are looking, watching my embarrassing interaction with Mary. They’re soaking this up, probably enjoying every second of it.
“Well…” I clear my throat, the words thick on my tongue. “Please let me know if anything changes.”
Mary only stares, her face void of emotion. She isn’t going to respond. I spin on my heel, retreating before I make even more of an ass of myself. The coffee shop is next. The barista there was friendly that one time I went, and I know they’re hiring.
It’s only a five-minute walk there, and I’m relieved when I see the hiring sign is still taped to the front door. I give it a quick scan before stepping inside, a bell above the door chiming as I do so. Confidence, Evelyn. People like confidence.
The place is busy, and I don’t recognize the woman behind the counter. She has the typical brown hair and brown eyes all shifters share, but she’s surprisingly short. I’m average height for a human woman, maybe even a bit on the tall side, and the barista only makes it to my chin.
She spares me a glance, then turns away as if she didn’t see me. She ignores me completely as I reach the counter.
I read the name tag pinned to her chest. “Good morning, Clover!”
She continues cleaning the coffee machine. I rock back on my heels, waiting for her to finish wiping the nozzles with her wet rag. She takes her sweet time, probably on purpose. I’m patient. Once Clover is finished with the nozzles, she begins cleaning the counters.
How long should I wait? It’s clear she has no intention of serving me.
The chime above the door sounds as someone enters behind me. Clover frowns, unable to continue avoiding me. I’m the only one in line, and I’m in front. She’ll have to serve me before the other customer.
Clover finally looks at me. “What can I get you?” Her voice is flat, but I’ll take it. It’s better than her completely ignoring my existence.
“Are you still hiring?” I gesture to the sign. “I’d like to apply.”
Clover blinks, glances behind me, and blinks again. I shift my weight from one foot to the other, then begin counting. If I reach ten and she still hasn’t responded, I’ll leave. There’s only so much disrespect I can endure in a single day.
The shifter behind me clears his throat.
Clover shakes her head. “We don’t need your help.”
Figures. I dip my chin. “That’s unfortunate. Well, thanks for your time.”
Clover raises a brow, probably expecting me to throw a tantrum or storm out of here in tears. I refuse to give her the reaction she wants. I’m not the horrible, spoiled person they think me to be.
Clover shifts her focus to the person behind me. “What can I get for you?”
I turn, locking eyes with Doctor Greg. He smiles, the only shifter willing to be friendly with me. I appreciate it.
“You’re looking for a job?” he asks.
“Unsuccessfully, but yes.”
“The hospital needs a custodian.” He licks his lips. “It’s not glamorous, but it’s a job. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to stop by tonight. Around six.”
Is he serious? I don’t care if the job involves cleaning out bedpans and washing bloody sheets. It’s clear nobody else is going to hire me, and I need to keep busy before I lose my mind.
“I appreciate that.” I drag my hands down my face. “I’ll be there.”
I hurry out of the coffee shop before he changes his mind. I don’t know how to clean, but I’m a quick learner. I’ll figure it out.
The hospital is beginning to feel like a second home.
I shield my eyes, blocking the setting sun’s glare as I walk through the empty lobby. Quiet instrumental music plays from the speakers installed in the room’s ceiling, and I tap my fingers against the empty front desk as I wait for the receptionist to return. I’m anxious.
It feels like hours before somebody finally emerges from the back area. It’s a woman I’ve seen before. Michelle. She’s young, and she offers me a bright smile as she sinks into her chair.
“Evelyn,” she says. She taps on her keyboard, lighting up the computer screen. “You’re here for Doctor Greg, yeah? About the custodian position?”
“Yes.” I purse my lips. “Can you let him know I’m here?”
Michelle clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “He already knows.” She points to a row of empty seats. “Take a seat. He’s finishing up a consult and will be out shortly.”
The quiet tapping of her keyboard is oddly soothing, and I focus on it in a sad attempt to keep my mind from wandering. I’ve been having disturbing daydreams, most of them about HPAW torturing me as they did that shifter.
They cut open my flesh, torturing me under the guise of testing my physical limitations.
The fears have begun infiltrating my dreams, too, the thought seeping into my mind whenever I’m still for too long.
I’m hoping this job helps with that. It’ll give me a purpose, something to break up the monotony of my new life.
“Evelyn!” Doctor Greg bursts into the lobby with a wide smile. “I’m glad to see you.”
Should I shake his hand? That’s what people do during interviews, right? Doctor Greg spins away before I decide on the matter. He gestures for me to follow him into the back.
“We’ve been short-staffed since HPAW’s attack last week,” Doctor Greg says. “Two of my apprentices were called away for training. It’s been a hassle.”
My movements falter. “Training for what?”
“Nothing.” Doctor Greg cuts left down another hallway, and I scramble to do the same. “Forget I said anything.”
That’s easier said than done. Are the shifters planning an attack? Does this have to do with the hushed emergency Logan came to Caleb with yesterday?
Doctor Greg turns down another hallway without warning. The shifters are fast and smooth in their movements. I feel like a baby deer just learning to walk.
He brings me into what looks to be a break room.
A nurse is sitting on the small, beige couch in the center of the room. I recognize her. Nurse June. She was there that day in the woods, when Logan and Sash found me in the cabin.
Her black hair is tied back, and when she flicks a loose strand out of her eye, I can’t help but notice her mark. It stands out against her dark skin, the floral pattern similar to mine. Well, it’s similar to what mine used to look like.
She drops her hand as she notices my gaze, her frown turning into an outright snarl.
“Don’t fucking look at it.”
I jolt, not expecting that. “Sorry.”
Doctor Greg sighs. “Be nice, June. She doesn’t know.”
Know what?
“Her mate passed away when they were children,” he explains. “It’s considered rude to stare at the mark of a relict.” Greg leads me into a connecting room. Inside are shelves full of cleaning supplies, a sink, and a washing machine.
Doctor Greg gives me a moment to look around.
“The job shouldn’t be too challenging,” he says.
“The floors need to be cleaned daily, and you’ll need to restock the rooms after each patient.
” He points to the laundry bin beside the washing machine.
“The nurses will place dirty scrubs and linens in here. You need to wash and fold them.”
That sounds easy enough. The hospital isn’t huge, and it doesn’t seem that busy. Doctor Greg is the only doctor in the area, and I’ve only ever met a handful of nurses. I doubt shifters often require medical help, not with their advanced healing capabilities.
“Pay is every two weeks,” Doctor Greg continues. “Are you free to start tomorrow?”
That soon? I don’t see why not.
“Yes. I am.”
Doctor Greg beams. “Great!”
We step out of the cleaning room, and Doctor Greg digs some paperwork out of a cabinet. It looks official, and I chew at my bottom lip as he slides it between us.
“You’ll just need to fill this out by tomorrow. I know you’ve had a…” He hesitates before continuing. “You have a unique past, so feel free to skip over any sections you aren’t sure about. I’m sure Alpha Knox won’t mind if I skip a few technicalities.”
I flip through the paperwork, reading some of the things I need to fill out. It wants to know my date of birth, which I’m unaware of. In fact, I don’t know most of this information.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask.
Doctor Greg shrugs. “You’re a nice kid. I have better things to do than hate you for something out of your control.”
Slitting Caleb’s throat wasn’t exactly out of my control, but I keep that comment to myself. Doctor Greg is the only person in this pack willing to engage with me, and I’m not going to bite the hand that feeds me. I’m desperate for companionship.