Irina’s POV

The past few days had felt like a strange, beautiful dream.

I was surviving. More than surviving—I was actually living. The autumn air on campus was crisp and clean. My classes were impossibly hard, but I was doing the work. I was reading the textbooks. I was taking the notes. And I wasn’t doing it entirely alone anymore.

Asher had somehow seamlessly woven himself into my daily routine.

He didn’t push. He didn’t demand anything from me. He just showed up. If I was struggling to carry my heavy anatomy textbook and Luka’s diaper bag across the crowded quad, Asher was suddenly there, taking the heavy canvas bag off my shoulder with an easy, golden smile. If I needed to run to the campus library, he walked with me.

For a girl who had spent the last year completely isolated, battered, and terrified of men, Asher was a revelation. He didn’t look at me with pity. He just treated me like a normal, exhausted eighteen-year-old college student.

The bell above the convenience store door chimed loudly.

I wiped down the front counter with a damp rag. The harsh, buzzing fluorescent lights of the store usually gave me a headache, but today, I barely even noticed them.

I looked over my shoulder. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Asher was sitting on an overturned milk crate near the back aisle, right next to Luka’s portable bassinet. Asher didn’t have class this afternoon. When he found out I had to work a long day shift, he had just shrugged, bought a terrible cup of store-brand coffee, and sat down to keep my baby company.

"Okay, look at this one," Asher said softly, leaning over the bassinet.

He crossed his eyes, puffed out his cheeks, and made a ridiculous, high-pitched popping sound with his lips.

Luka stared at him for a single, silent second. Then, his tiny face broke into a massive, gummy smile. He let out a loud, breathless shriek of pure joy. His little legs kicked frantically against his blanket. He reached his chubby arms up, desperately trying to grab Asher’s nose.

"Ah! He’s going for the face!" Asher laughed, gently catching Luka’s tiny hands. "You have a strong grip, little man. You’re going to be a fighter, aren’t you?"

Luka babbled happily, his eyes shining with absolute delight.

I leaned against the counter, resting my chin on my hand. A deep, profound warmth bloomed inside my chest. It spread through my ribs, melting away the lingering, icy panic that usually lived in my veins.

I watched them play. Asher was so gentle with him. He didn’t mind the loud noises. He didn’t mind the baby drool. He treated my son with complete, effortless kindness.

It was a stark, jarring contrast to the men from my past. He glanced up and caught me watching them.

His golden eyes crinkled at the corners. He offered me that same warm, disarming smile.

"He’s in a great mood today," Asher said, gently tucking Luka’s blanket back around his kicking legs. "I think the teething pain is finally backing off."

"Thank you for doing this," I said softly, walking around the counter to join them. "You don’t have to spend your free time sitting in a dingy convenience store playing babysitter."

"Are you kidding?" Asher laughed, standing up and stretching his long legs. "This is the best part of my day. Anatomy lectures are boring. Luka is hilarious."

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen to check the time.

His easy smile faded just a fraction. He let out a quiet sigh.

"Duty calls," Asher said, sliding the phone back into his pocket. "I have to head out."

"Work?" I asked.

"Yeah. My first official shift at the new job," he nodded. "The executive assistant gig I told you about at the cafe. I have to go to the main corporate tower downtown to sign my final onboarding paperwork before heading out to the private estate."

"You should go," I said immediately, stepping up to the bassinet. "Don’t be late on your first day. You’ve helped me more than enough today."

Asher zipped up his dark jacket. He took a step toward the door, but then he stopped. He looked back at me, his golden eyes filled with a sudden, intense thought.

"You know," he started, keeping his voice low and casual. "My shift manager at the store said Chloe is coming in to relieve you in ten minutes."

"She is," I nodded. "My shift is almost over."

"Come with me," Asher said.

I blinked. "What?"

"Come with me to the tower," he repeated, taking a step back toward me. "Just come take a look at the place. You don’t have to commit to anything. But the HR department is actively doing open interviews for the estate support staff today. Maids, housekeepers, kitchen staff. They are desperate for good people."

My heart did a sudden, anxious flip.

"Asher, I can’t just walk into a massive corporate building holding a baby and ask for a job."

"Why not?" he challenged gently. "You’re smart. You’re hardworking. You’re exactly what they need. And like I told you, the pay is incredible. It’s a private, secure environment. The other maids at the estate would absolutely love to help you watch Luka while you go to your college classes."

I bit the inside of my cheek. I looked around the convenience store. The flickering fluorescent lights. The sticky linoleum floors. The constant, nerve-wracking stream of random strangers walking in off the street. It wasn’t safe. It wasn’t a good place for my son to grow up.

A maid.

"I don’t know," I hesitated, my fingers twisting nervously into the hem of my shirt. "What if they turn me away?"

"Then we walk right back out," Asher smiled warmly. "But what if you do an interview, and you pass right on the spot? You could quit this convenience store today, Irina."

I looked down at Luka. He was staring up at me, completely content and safe. I had to do better for him. I had to be braver.

My wolf stirred in my chest. She pushed a wave of fierce, protective courage into my blood.

"Okay," I breathed out. "Okay. Let’s go."

---

The subway ride into the city’s financial district was loud and crowded.

I kept Luka strapped tightly to my chest in his baby carrier. Asher stood right in front of us, using his tall, broad frame to shield us from the crushing rush of commuters.

When we finally stepped off the train and walked up the concrete stairs to the street level, the entire atmosphere of the world shifted.

We weren’t in the laid-back, brick-lined college town anymore. We were in the absolute epicenter of human wealth and power.

The buildings here didn’t just stand; they loomed. Massive, towering monoliths of dark glass and polished steel reaching violently into the grey autumn sky. The sidewalks were packed with people moving at a frantic, aggressive pace. Everyone wore sharp, expensive suits. The air smelled like expensive cologne, hot asphalt, and cold money.

I instantly felt incredibly small.

I tightened my grip on the straps of my cheap canvas backpack. My worn-out sneakers felt completely ridiculous against the spotless, pristine pavement.

"It’s overwhelming at first," Asher said quietly, noticing my sudden tension. He stayed close to my side, his presence a steady anchor in the chaotic street. "But don’t let it intimidate you. It’s just glass and concrete."

"It’s huge," I whispered, keeping my head slightly bowed to avoid the harsh wind.

"We’re almost there," he promised.

We turned a sharp corner onto a wide, immaculate avenue. The shadows cast by the skyscrapers grew deeper and colder here.

Asher stopped walking.

"This is it," he said, pointing straight ahead.

I stopped beside him. I slowly lifted my head.

The building in front of us was a terrifying masterpiece of modern architecture. It was entirely black. Dark, tinted glass wrapped seamlessly around the towering structure, completely reflecting the grey sky above. It looked like a massive, impossibly sharp blade piercing straight through the clouds. It radiated an aura of sheer, absolute dominance.

A cold shiver violently raced down my spine.

I didn’t know why, but my wolf suddenly whimpered in the back of my mind. A deep, instinctual flutter of warning rippled through my veins.

I took a hesitant step closer to the grand, sweeping entrance. The massive revolving doors were made of heavy, polished metal.

Above the entrance, etched into the dark stone in sharp, elegant silver letters, it bore the name of the company: Obsidian Holdings.