Chapter 9: An Unexpected Door
The worst part wasn’t getting rejected.
It was why.
Every time I refreshed my email, I saw another polite “We regret to inform you,” and another “We’ve decided to go in a different direction.” At first, I thought maybe it was bad timing. Maybe too many applicants. Maybe I was just unlucky.
But by the sixth rejection—from places I had personal contacts at—my gut started to twist.
By the tenth, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. Someone had to be sabotaging me on purpose.
Elliot’s face came to mind. I didn’t want to believe it, but nothing else made sense.
My resume was solid. My grades were some of the best in my year. I had the training and the experience, along with glowing testimonials from my teachers. I should have been able to get at least an internship, but I was met with rejection at every turn.
Elliot did say I’d come crawling back to him eventually. Maybe this was what he meant. Maybe he was going to keep shutting doors until I had no choice but to knock on his.
But I wasn’t going to give up yet. Lying on my bed with my laptop, I scrolled through a local job board again. My stomach churned. I’d applied to over a dozen places already, and my pride was already bruised enough.
Then I saw it.
(Private tutor needed for a strong-willed young female werewolf. Basic academic subjects and warrior training are preferred. Pay: 3x standard rate. Must be patient. Serious applicants only.)