Chapter 48: You’re Given a Chance
Chapter 48: You’re Given a Chance
(Aria’s POV)
I was carefully measuring out precise amounts of dried moonflowers for a pregnancy–friendly remedy when my supervisor approached my workstation. Her face looked tense.
“Aria, your presence is requested in the manager’s office,” she said, her voice unusually tight.
I frowned, setting down my measuring tools. “Did he say what it’s about?”
“You have a visitor.” Her expression told me everything I needed to know–this wasn’t a pleasant visit.
With a sigh, I removed my work apron and headed toward the manager’s office. My stomach knotted with anxiety. Outside the door, I straightened my simple green blouse and smoothed my hair, trying to look presentable despite the herb dust that inevitably clung to my clothes.
When I entered, my manager wasn’t alone. A short, shrewd–looking woman with perfectly styled black hair stood beside his desk. She wore an expensive tailored suit with distinctive red accents. Her face held a haughty expression that instantly made my wolf bristle.
I recognized her immediately–Margaret, Claire Watson’s pack representative and business manager. The woman who had been pressuring Silver Leaf for weeks to make me work exclusively for Claire.
“Ms. Summers, thank you for joining us,” my manager said, his discomfort evident in his forced smile. “This is Margaret-”
“We’ve met,” I interrupted coldly, remembering our previous unpleasant encounter when she had cornered me in the herb storage
room.
Margaret’s lips curved into what might have been meant as a smile but looked more like a predatory baring of teeth. “Ms.
Summers, I’ll get straight to the point. We need to discuss your continued refusal to work with Chief Healer Watson.”
My manager’s eyes widened slightly. He obviously hadn’t been told the full story. I saw him shift uncomfortably in his chair.
“I believe I made my position clear when your assistant called,” I replied, keeping my tone professional despite the irritation
building in my chest. My wolf paced anxiously beneath my skin.
Margaret waved a dismissive hand, her silver bracelets clinking. “I assumed it was a matter of compensation. Chief Healer
Watson is prepared to offer you three thousand moon–silver per month for exclusive rights to your herbal remedies.”
i blinked in surprise. That was triple my current salary. With that kind of money, I could easily support myself and my pup without
any financial concerns. For a brief moment, I felt tempted.
Then I remembered Claire’s smug face as she left my apartment with a drunken Alexander. I remembered her cold smile at my
mother’s funeral. I remembered the scratch she’d left on my hand, drawing blood without apology.
“Not interested,” I said firmly, my wolf growling in agreement.
Margaret’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Four thousand, then.”
“The issue isn’t money.” My hands clenched into fists at my sides.
“Five thousand,” she countered, her voice sharp as a blade. “That’s my final offer. You’d be a fool to refuse. Do you have any idea
how many herbalists would kill for this opportunity?”
My wolf bristled beneath my skin, offended by her tone and condescension. “I’m not interested in this.”
Margaret’s face flushed with anger, her professional veneer cracking. Her eyes flashed with indignation as she took a step
toward me.
“A herbalist apprentice only, what are you so arrogant about? Believe it or not, I can make it so you can’t survive in this industry!”
Her voice rose with each word, making my manager cringe.
“Ms. Margaret, please,” he pleaded, clearly distressed. “I’m sure we can reach an arrangement that-”
Chapter 48 You’re Given a Chance
+4 Points >
“I’ve already made my position clear repeatedly,” I interrupted, barely suppressing my rage. My wolf snarled within me, wanting to challenge this woman who dared to threaten us. “I’m curious, since your Chief Healer is so popular, why are you chasing after a small herbalist apprentice like me?”
The pointed question hit its mark. Margaret looked like she’d been slapped, her mouth opening and closing without producing words. We both knew the answer–Claire wanted me under her control, not just my remedies.
“If that’s all, I’ll be returning to my work,” I said, one hand instinctively moving to my belly where my unborn pup was growing, my wolf’s protective instincts surging. “Good day.”
I left without waiting for a response, my wolf snarling with satisfaction inside me. Behind me, I heard Margaret’s angry voice and my manager’s placating tones, but I didn’t look back.
For the rest of the day, I noticed whispers and glances from my colleagues. Word had spread quickly about my confrontation with Margaret. By afternoon, I’d gained a new nickname-“Alpha Mate Aria“-referring to my supposed connection with Dominic Blackwood.
“Did you hear she refused five thousand moon–silver?” one herbalist whispered to another as I passed.
“With Alpha Blackwood backing her, she doesn’t need Claire Watson’s money,” came the response.
No one dared to say anything directly to me, their wolves instinctively wary of challenging someone connected to such a powerful Alpha. The irony wasn’t lost on me. For years, I’d been treated with thinly veiled contempt as Luna of the Storm Pack.
Now, a mere rumor of association with Dominic had earned me respect I never received as Alexander’s mate.
As I was cleaning up my workstation at the end of the day, my mobile phone rang. Dominic’s name flashed across the screen,
making my heart jump unexpectedly.
“Hello?” I answered, turning away from curious eyes.
“I’m outside,” Dominic said, his deep voice sending an unexpected flutter through my chest. “Thought we could get dinner before shopping for your Shadow Pack visit.”
“I’ll be right down,” I promised, quickly gathering my things. My wolf perked up at the prospect of seeing him..
I was heading toward the exit when Jason Hart stepped into my path, his friendly green eyes filled with concern. His light brown hair was slightly messy, as if he’d been running his hands through it anxiously.
“Aria, can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked, nervously adjusting the leather cord necklace he always wore–a talisman
containing protective herbs.
“I can’t right now, Jason. Someone’s waiting for me.” I tried to step around him, but he moved with me.
He nodded but didn’t move. “I heard about what happened with Margaret this morning. Everyone’s talking about it.”
I sighed, shifting my weight impatiently. “I’m not surprised.”
“You should be careful,” he warned, lowering his voice so others couldn’t hear. “Claire Watson has strong connections with the Reed family. Did you know Alexander Reed abandoned his mating ceremony for her? It was quite a scandal.”
The casual mention of that painful day made my chest tighten. My mother had been devastated, her already fragile health deteriorating rapidly after that public humiliation.
“I’m familiar with the story,” I replied dryly, my wolf whimpering softly within me at the memory.
Jason’s eyes widened with realization, horror washing over his face. “Oh, right. Of course you would know. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. You were… you were the one he left, weren’t you?”
“It’s fine,” I assured him, though it wasn’t, not really. The memory still stung, even now.
“Listen, if you want, I could talk to Margaret for you. My father knows some people in the Storm Pack healing division. Maybe I
could smooth things over.”
His offer was kind but naive. Jason didn’t understand the depth of animosity between Claire and me.
“I appreciate that, Jason, but it wouldn’t make a difference. Claire and I have… history. This isn’t about herbs or remedies.”
“But-”
< Chapter 48 You’re Given a Chance
+4 Pors
A powerful Alpha scent suddenly filled the lobby, unmistakable even before I saw Dominic striding through the doors. His imposing presence immediately silenced the bustling activity around us, every werewolf in the vicinity subtly turning toward him in instinctive acknowledgment.
He wore a simple black t–shirt that emphasized his powerful build, paired with dark jeans and a leather jacket. Even in casual clothes, he carried himself with unmistakable Alpha authority.
Jason’s posture changed instantly, his shoulders hunching slightly as his wolf instinctively lowered its head in deference to the powerful Alpha. The reaction was so ingrained that he probably didn’t even realize he was doing it.
“Ready to go?” Dominic asked, his silver–gray eyes briefly assessing Jason before returning to me. There was something possessive in his stance that I couldn’t quite decipher.
I nodded, turning to Jason who looked completely intimidated. “This is Jason Hart, a colleague. Jason, this is Dominic.”
Jason extended his hand, visibly trying not to appear intimidated but failing miserably. “It’s an honor, Alpha Blackwood. I’ve heard great things about the security protocols you’ve implemented for the northern territories.”
Dominic shook Jason’s hand briefly, his grip clearly firmer than necessary based on Jason’s slight wince. “Thank you. Aria, we should go if we want to make our dinner reservation.”
His hand settled casually at the small of my back as he guided me toward the door, the warmth of his touch seeping through my thin blouse.
“Bye, Jason. See you tomorrow,” I called over my shoulder, feeling a bit sorry for him.
“We need to get you some suitable clothes for Shadow Pack territory,” Dominic said as we walked to his car. “Don’t embarrass me in front of my grandmother.”
Though his words were teasing, I detected something tense in his tone, almost like irritation.
“I would never,” I replied with equal lightness, waving goodbye to Jason through the glass doors.
Dominic opened the car door for me, then leaned down, his voice taking on a subtly different quality. “Jason Hart, was it?”
“Yes,” I confirmed, curious about his sudden interest.
“I’ll remember that,” he said, his silver–gray eyes reflecting an unreadable emotion as his Alpha scent sharpened slightly.
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