Between Witches and Wolves

Chapter 11: Just My Luck

Ellie

When I finally make it back home, I crash on the mattress and sleep for seven hours.

I must have walked more than I realized while looking for a new job. My feet have blisters, and my arms are slightly sunburned.

When I wake up, I notice my phone has eighteen missed calls and twenty-three messages.

All of them are from the girls at the club or Tony.

Most of the girls’ messages consist of Where are you? and Are you okay?

Tony, on the other hand, has some pretty shitty things to say.

You’re nothing but a w***e! Looked like you really enjoyed yourself last night, so where the f**k are you? I bet you f****d that whole group from last night and can’t walk today.

Classic Tony.

In reality, I just never want to go back.

Plain and simple.

He can go f**k himself because he will never lay another finger on me.

My wolf agrees. She would rather rip him to shreds than let him even think he can touch me again.

Most of the other messages are more of the same.

Except the last one Tony sent.

Fuck you, b***h. Your last check will be made out by morning. Come and get it. If you don’t show up today by 2:00 p.m. to get it, your loss. It’ll be ripped up and thrown in the trash.

Damn.

As much as I hate to say it, I really need that last check.

Rent is due in two days, and I’m twenty bucks short after paying for all the bus tickets to find a new job.

Dammit.

I really don’t want to go back to that place.

I guess this is what I get for never giving him an address to send it to. But, to be fair, I would hate it even more if he knew where I lived.

I grab an Uncrustable sandwich out of the mini fridge and bite into it.

I’m down to the last bit of my groceries, too.

And since I worked quite a bit extra, that check should be a really nice one.

That check and the five hundred Tony gave me for the dance would easily last me a month or two until I can find a new job.

Guess I have to suck it up and go pick up the check.

It’s only 10:00 a.m., so I think I’ll shower, brush my teeth, and wash my few dishes. Then I can get ready to see that god-awful place one last time.

I grab my stuff and head to the bathroom.

I usually never go during the day because the addicts shoot up and sleep on the floor most of the day, then go out at night to prostitute themselves.

I slowly open the door and, what do you know?

There’s actually no one inside.

Perfect.

I quickly wash my dishes and brush my teeth so I can go ahead and put everything back in my apartment before I shower.

Once that’s done, I check the shower for needles.

All clear.

I jump in, and to my surprise, the hot water is working.

Nice!

For once, it actually feels good to let the steam fill the room.

Someone’s here, I hear my wolf say.

I stop and listen.

Sure enough, I hear footsteps coming toward me.

I don’t have anything nearby to defend myself with.

No need, my wolf says.

Suddenly, my nails lengthen into claws.

If need be, I will protect us, she reassures me.

The footsteps get closer before entering one of the stalls.

Maybe they just needed to use the toilet?

I hear something shuffling.

Like a bag?

Then the person runs out of the bathroom.

My wolf relaxes, and my hands return to normal.

Whew.

That was terrifying.

I calm down enough to finish my shower.

I step out—

And that’s when I see it.

My stuff is everywhere.

My clothes are scattered across the floor, some of them torn.

My underwear is missing.

Then I notice my keys are gone.

Fuck!

Please, no!

I wrap my towel around myself and run toward my apartment.

My door is open.

The second I run inside, something slams into me and sends me crashing to the floor.

Whoever it is takes off before I can make out who they are.

Motherfucker.

That really hurt.

I look around my apartment.

It’s completely destroyed.

The mini fridge has been torn open and searched. My one cabinet has been emptied, and my mattress has been shredded.

No.

I rush to the mattress.

There’s a hidden tear along one side where I keep my wallet.

It had five hundred dollars in it from the other night.

It’s gone.

Dammit!

You have got to be f*****g kidding me!

I let my guard down once while I was showering, and some f*****g thief broke into my apartment.

Of course that’s my f*****g luck.

Now I really have no choice but to go get my last check from Tony.

Ugh.

I can’t believe this!

It’s just my luck that I would get robbed right when I finally decide to quit the club.

What am I going to do now?

Without that five hundred, I won’t be able to afford food or rent for two more weeks, let alone a month.

Now all I have is a check I have to go get that will probably have a pay cut since Tony is such an ass.

Even if I get one of these new jobs, how long will it be before I get another check?

Some places only do biweekly pay.

Plus, how am I going to afford to get to work?

Buying a bus pass is out now because there’s no way in hell I’ll be able to afford it, and a bike is almost just as expensive.

Sorrow and pain overwhelm me.

What am I supposed to do?

I can’t hold back the tears and sobs as I lie on the floor of my grimy apartment, crying.

I haven’t even put clothes on. I’m still wrapped in my towel from the shower.

But I don’t care.

My heart feels like it’s been shattered.

The hope of a new job and a better life suddenly seems so distant.

Will I have to beg Tony to let me keep my job at the club?

Knowing him, he’ll want me to dance or get out.

But what other choice do I have?

I pull myself off the floor and wipe away the tears.

I can feel my wolf trying to comfort me.

It will be okay. We will make it through this, and I promise he will not touch you, she tells me.

I want to believe her.

I want to trust her.

But right now, I feel so broken.

I don’t want to have to survive like this anymore.

I rummage through my scattered clothes and find something to wear. I tie my hair back into a ponytail and try to make myself somewhat presentable.

It’s 1:45 p.m.

I won’t make it to the club before two.

Hopefully, he won’t tear up the check before I can get there.

All I can do at this point is hope and pray as I lock up my destroyed apartment and start walking toward the club.

Nate

We didn’t get a chance to find her yesterday.

Alex and I looked for hours and even stayed at the club until damn near closing time.

No luck.

She never showed.

I was so frustrated when Alex finally told me it was time to leave.

We have practice drills this morning since it’s Monday.

But f**k that.

Yeah, I know Dad is going to be pissed at me, but I don’t give a f**k.

I slip out of the house before dawn with a backpack full of clothes, food, and water.

Once I’m deep enough in the woods, I strip and transform, letting Ash out.

We run off some steam until about noon.

After shifting back, I take a dip in the river to clean up a bit. I eat some of the food I packed and get dressed.

It’s only a short hike into town from here.

The plan is to get to the club and ask the manager if he knows how to contact her.

I already know where she lives, but I don’t want to come off too stalkerish by just showing up at her place.

I’d much rather get her number or something.

It’s about 1:15 p.m. when I start hiking back toward town.

I should get to the club in a little over an hour.

My mind races as I walk.

What am I even going to say?

Hey, remember that girl who worked here? The one I almost killed a vampire over? Can I have her phone number?

Yeah.

That’ll go over well.

I keep picturing different scenarios, trying to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to ask about her without sounding completely insane.

But absolutely nothing could have prepared me for what I walked into instead.