Abandoned But Desired By The Lycan Princes

Chapter 6

Odessa's POV

I might lose it if I think about everything I'm leaving behind for too long. I would never make it if I let the fear, anger, and humiliation take over. I pushed them down hard and kept my eyes on the road ahead.

It was a small relief that the bus wasn't crowded. I stopped at a back row that was empty and hoped it would stay that way. I didn't want to talk, look someone in the eye, or chance someone asking me a question. Even though I was tired, I couldn't fall asleep because I didn't know who was looking for me or watching me.

I put my duffle bag in the overhead box and sat down in the window seat. My head hurt from not being able to sleep, but I pushed myself to open my eyes and think about what might be possible. I had to plan ahead and be smart about this.

They were going to get me. That was clear to me. Getting lost for good meant making it impossible for people to find me. I needed a place where a lot of other smells would cover up my own. Many people were in the area, and there wasn't a single smell that could be followed for long.

A city.

It wasn't a place where someone like me should be. My wolf liked wide open places, but instinct wouldn't keep me safe now. The strategy would. That's why I was going to the next state over, to a place that was so big it would drown me in noise and movement.

I don't remember how long I stared out the window at the dark blur of trees and faraway headlights, but the city skyline finally appeared above the trees.

It was really hard for me to move by the time I found a room. It wasn't fancy, but there were open rooms, and more importantly, it didn't break the bank. Before falling asleep on the couch, I double-checked that the door was locked behind me.

I told myself to stop for the first time in days. To take a breath.

I did absolutely nothing all day—just slept, ate, and watched boring TV. The hotel had a pool, which I used to relax and let the heat work its magic. The room was small, but it had a fridge, a couch, and even some plain wall art. I liked the mountain meadow picture because it made me think of something I saw in a Van Gogh book. It was a mean joke, since I had just left my own version of that world.

But I had to have this. A moment to start over.

Of course, guilt set in quickly. I didn't have enough money to treat myself to a day off. I had some saved, but when it wasn't coming back in, it went down quickly. I had to make a plan.

The free breakfast downstairs wasn't very good, but I still ate it. The eggs were tough, the bacon was almost black, and the cereal was old. I didn't expect it to make me miss home so much. Back then, meals were shared and made in big batches for the group. I didn't want to accept how much the loss hurt me.

I quickly left, making sure not to look at the other guests, and went out into the city. It was strange to go from the calm jazz playing in the lobby to the chaos outside. Everything around me woke up: car horns, yelling, the smell of hot asphalt mixed with street food, and a sour smell in the gutters.

I walked with purpose and kept my head up. It wouldn't help me to doubt myself. Things had to go forward for me.

There was a sharp sound that cut through the noise.

A man in a car called out, "Ay, caramba!"

I didn't pay attention to him. Instead, I tightened my jacket around me and walked faster. Cities made of people were like a different kind of forest, full of hungry animals that didn't know what real monsters looked like. He wasn't really a threat, but I couldn't stand that kind of attention.

The tall buildings were very different from where I had grown up. Some were made of sleek glass and steel, while others were more ornate. Together, their patterns made a tapestry of well-planned chaos. It was too much, but it was good in a way. They would feel lost here just like I do.

I stopped at a*****e and looked through a few papers. It seemed smarter to look for a job the old-fashioned way than to just walk into random businesses and hope they had openings. It would be great if I could work in the background without being seen.

One paper had a part on niche jobs, but I didn't need any of them. Another mostly mentioned receptionist and fast-food jobs, which are doable at the very least. Most of the ads were in the Boudoir, but it was too much to look through while standing on the sidewalk.

The man behind the stand asked, "Can I help you?"

"Sorry about that!" I quickly said. "I'm just looking."

He told her straight out, "You want to look, you gotta buy."