VALERIE My lips opened and slammed shut, I batted my lashes, my heart twitching in pain. Her eyes narrowed intimidatingly around my body and she chuckled. “Who are you?” She asked and my brows raised in surprise. “Huh?" I stammered, wondering if I heard right. Who am I? Has she forgotten me? I felt relieved and grateful that she didn't remember me. “Oh, me?" I stammered and gulped hard before glancing up at her beautiful face again. “I'm a maid. Julianna sent me over to have your room cleaned up," I said and bowed, making sure to sound as polite as possible. “I don't like it when people bow before me, so stop it," she muttered, and I snapped my head up in surprise. “Huh?" I mumbled again in confusion. I felt confused by her strange behavior. She wasn't acting like the girl I met earlier in the hallway. She sounded different; she smelt different, and she acted different. I parted my lips and spilled out the perturbing question in my mind. “Who are you if you don't mind?” I
VALERIE I slowly turned with my heart in my hand. My eyes widened in dismay as I stared at the Luna of Blood Moon Pack, the vicious and feared queen of the wolf kingdom. From what Bianca told me about her, I could tell her power, aura, and wickedness were full of evil.“My queen," my voice quivered as I bowed low to the ground.“You called my daughter a bitch and a peacock?" Her authoritative voice made my throat knot.I wanted to defend myself but couldn't. No matter how hard I tried, my lips wouldn't part or move.No, Mother, there is–” She raised her hand, shutting Arlene up."Take her away!” She ordered and soldiers trooped into the room. My heart sank as I stared pleadingly at her."Please, have mercy, my queen. Please have mercy!” I finally found my voice and screamed out as they dragged me out of the room.I watched my whole world crumble before me as they dragged me off to an underground. The sound of the steel doors pulling open made my heart leap. I was roughly pushed in by
VALERIE I blinked and stepped back but ended up pushing down a thin, dirty-looking boy to the ground. He cried out in pain, and I spun around, enveloped in guilt.“I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry," I muttered, trying to pacify him as I helped him up and patted his head.He looked up at me with rheumy eyes that pleaded for freedom. The same freedom that I sought for.I couldn't believe that they had a little innocent child locked up in here for a crime his Alpha might have unintentionally committed. I wondered how long he had been in there for an offense, he did not know of.“There, there. Consoling your kind, huh?" Her stinging voice came up again and compelled me to turn around.“You think you've won?" I wanted to stop myself from replying to her curt words but I couldn't. I wasn't weak; neither was I dumb.She frowned and snapped her head back. After the fading of some seconds, she shifted her gaze back to me, her lips stretched out in humor.“Well… have you then?" She muttered, showing
VALERIE My heart thumped loudly and I slowly turned. I felt my heart skip a beat as I stared at Lucian's uptight face.“What are you doing in here?" He snapped in a rugged voice as he ran his eyes over my crouched body in suspicion.“I… I…" I gulped hard, unable to find an answer to his question. My mind reeled, and different suggestions ran through my head, but none of them made sense like the last one.“I came to thank you and your brother for standing up for me," I blurted out, hoping he didn't catch a glimpse of dishonesty in my eyes.“Oh… really?" He muttered in a calm voice and stepped fully into the room, shutting the door behind him.My heartbeat increased as I watched his steps, wondering what was going on in his mind. His face or eyes didn't dare give his thoughts away. I clenched my fist as he got closer, hoping he didn't get to fish out the piece of paper hidden under my ass.I shifted uncomfortably, cranking my head back to check if a peek of the paper was in view but s
KILLIAN A slip of paper caught my eyes as Lucian talked. I squatted down and picked it then flipped it over. My eyes dimmed as I read the names written on the paper.“Wasn't this paper on the table?" I asked, extending it towards Lucian.His lips slammed shut as he narrowed his eyes at it.“And?" He muttered grumpily, slipping on a sapphire ring on his finger.“I found it on the floor," I replied and he snapped his gaze towards me in confusion.“I kept it right here," he tapped a space before him.I glanced down at the place and then at the paper.I saw him put it there and I was sure that this paper didn't fly down to that pace on its own.“What was that girl doing when you got in?" Lucian tilted his head, trying to understand who I was referring to.“What girl?" He asked, settling his gaze and attention on the ring strapped around his finger.“That girl, what is her name?" I snapped my head back, hoping that I'd remember her name.Lucian looked up at me with an amused look on his
VALERIE My jaws fell open as I let her words sink in slowly. “You will help me escape?" I muttered again. A scowl slowly replaced the smirk on her face and she scoffed loudly in disgust. “Your sight irritates me. The best way to get rid of you is by letting you get away from my brothers; that way, I won't be able to cross paths with you every day," she snickered, narrowing her eyes at me. Though her words sent a sharp pain through my body, I was somewhat thankful that she hated me that badly. “That's a good thing," I said, smiling lightly. She tilted her head and returned the false smile before stepping away. “Get out," she muttered and I obeyed her instantly. “I'm going to take you to one of the boundaries of the wolf kingdom. You'll find your way from there,” she muttered and I broke into smiles, showering praises on her. Pride darted across her grey orbs and she smirked before leading the way into the car. My heart kept thumping loudly in excitement as we drove
VALERIE The man gasped out, blood splashed out of his mouth and he dropped to the ground, wriggling in pain. I sighed out in relief and looked across to the door. My heart dropped into my belly when I saw two huge figures standing by the door. One was with a gun and the other had a clenched fist. A cough from the man sprawled out on the ground made me snap my terrified gaze away from them. Only their scent was able to tell me who they were and what they were doing here.The one with the gun stepped in first followed by his brother. He looked up and pulled off the mask on his face. My breath hitched as I stared into Lucian's furious eyes.The other man pulled off his mask, too, and it turned out to be Killian.“Al… Alp… Alpha…" I stammered, searching for words that I could use to defend myself.“Hold your explanation!" Lucian growled and I shuddered in fear.Lucian took a few steps towards the groaning man and squatted beside him. He placed the gun on the man's neck and he stiffened o
VALERIE I was stuck in between Lucian and Killian in the car. If I could find a way to escape from these two, I would have happily done that. Both of them didn't say a word to me, nor did I try to start up a conversation. My body was broken and my mind was already in disarray as the dead bodies that littered in that house kept appearing in my head. I felt a sickening feeling in my belly and clenched onto the hem of my dress, snapping my eyes shut as I bit my lips. I wondered what would become of Chris, silently, I prayed for Chris's safety. I hoped that someone would help him and save him. “You shouldn't have shot him," I whispered and Lucian looked at me. "What did you say?" He asked and I sniffed back the tears that stung my eyes. “You shouldn't have shot that boy!" I groused and he scoffed, glaring at me. “You shouldn't have touched him then? I shot him because you touched him," Lucian said, tracing his fingers along my arm. I frowned and slapped off his hand, gl
VALERIE The cheerful chatter in the kitchen made me stretch my lips into a smile. Two days have passed since that passionate kiss with Damion on the rooftop. It seemed that the kiss was the real reason for my quick healing. Michelle hadn't woken up or she wasn't satisfied with her pretense and the Lycan kings' endless care for her “How are you feeling now?" Monica asked as she ran her curious eyes over my body. “Better than before," I grinned and she giggled. I and Damion had decided when to kick off with our plans of running away. However, I still felt worried about the risky decision that we had made. But life is all about risk, isn't it? So, I was ready to take the risk for the one that I love. “You are making a mistake, Val," Jade's weak voice sneaked into my mind, and I scoffed, narrowing my eyes. “No, I'm not!" I snapped at her and she slid back into her shell. Ever since I decided to leave the Lycan Kings, Jade had refused to talk to me. Though I didn't care about be
VALERIE I stood by the window, resting my weight on the crutch, staring at the running kids in the field.A day had passed since I woke up and yet no sign of them or Michelle. This was enough, wasn't it?I had made up my mind to leave whenever these invisible wounds healed up and whenever I had gotten my revenge on Michelle.I swore to make her pay, and relenting was no option for me. I was going to be a monster, I had to get ready for the sacrifices, and that included locking up my feelings.“How are you feeling?" The last voice I wished to hear echoed behind me.I took a deep breath and turned around, staring blankly at Damion's face.Sadness darted across his eyes when he glanced at the crutch I held onto.“I heard…" he paused and bit his lips, that innocent action causing my heart to flip.“Yeah, we fell, and she was the only one that ended up with a serious injury. Stupid, right? I chuckled, hoping that the pain in my voice didn't reach his ears.He sighed and tucked his hands
VALERIE How many days did I roll down that dark endless abyss? I couldn't calculate.But one thing was certain at a point. I saw a light. It was dim at first, piercing my lifeless eyes with a single ray and rushing hope and life to my dead body. The closer I got to the dim light, the brighter it got, and the greater my hope heightened.“Valerie!" A familiar voice snapped into my mind, setting my dead brain cells back in order.“V!" That nickname sounded familiar but I couldn't place where I had heard it.The light flashed into my eyes, causing me to gasp and slam my eyes shut.“Valerie, can you hear me?" The voice muttered in my head and I fluttered my eyes open.The surroundings seemed strange and full of light, unlike the dark vacuum I had been stuck in.“You're finally awake?" That was a feminine voice, but it definitely didn't sound like my mom's voice.Who owned it? Michelle?I swerved my head around and the face that smiled down at me made my brows raise in surprise.I tried
VALERIE I was beyond shocked when Michelle wrapped her hands around me. “Don't worry, you can cry on my shoulder," she whispered and my brows raised in astonishment. The tears ceased to flow and the pain in my chest vanished, replaced by abashment and curiosity. “What are you doing?" I muttered, still paralyzed by shock. "Trying to comfort a sister,” she muttered. I whisked out of her supposed comfort grip and scoffed loudly. "Comfort? I wonder if you know how to use that word,” I groused and she narrowed her eyes. "As far as you're no longer the crybaby I saw some minutes ago, then it definitely means that I used the word right,” she said, and my eyes dimmed in confusion. Wasn't she supposed to be hating me? I wiped the streaks of tears on my face and tilted my head, getting the annoying encounter out of my mind. “Let's go," she muttered in a calm voice, throwing me into deeper confusion. I wanted to ask her questions about her changed attitude but couldn't. Was it my m
VALERIE I walked swiftly into the field, my heart skipping beats. “Beta!" I called out when I saw him. The beta turned around and looked at me, anger darting across his orbs. He narrowed his eyes and faced the confused trainees standing before him. “Let's kick off with some warm-ups!" He chanted, clapping his hands. The boys formed some lines and began to do some push-ups. “Beta, please can we talk?" I asked, glaring at the boys, who turned to look at me. “Let's go!" He shouted and began to walk around the lines, observing the boys and reprimanding those who seemed weak, threatening to kick them out. I clenched my fist, aware of how furious Michelle would be by now. Though I didn't care about her feelings, I didn't like the idea of standing in a training area filled with boys who wouldn't stop feeding their eyes on me. I bit my lips, watching him as I thought of ways to get this done quickly. “I am sorry, Beta Neil!" I screamed, feeling my throat knot as all heads turned in
VALERIE The surprise on my face slowly melted away, replaced by a smirk.Michelle huffed and rubbed her red cheeks which must be burning.“Hey, woman! Watch it!” She snapped, her eyes filled with rage.My mom scoffed and poked her forehead, earning a shocked gasp from her."What are you going to do about that, huh? You're going to hit me too, right?” Mom snapped, and she flinched back, muttering inaudible words under her breath.She glared at my mom fearfully, backing away as she began to approach her.“Stay away from me, you maniac. I am trying so hard to stop myself from hurting you!" She barked, waving her hand at my mom.I could tell from the fire burning in my mom's eyes that she was more than outraged. She looked like someone ready to kill at any moment.To be honest, I loved that version of my mother, and I loved the way she was putting Michelle in her place.She was taking revenge on my behalf without realizing it. Even though Bianca was the real culprit behind the bruises on
VALERIE I felt heavily burdened with guilt rather than anger after discovering that it was done by Michelle and not the beta. “Yes, I did it. What are you going to do about that?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. I huffed, tears gathering in my eyes. I was scared of talking because I was sure that I would break into tears if I should say a single word. The sorrow didn't sink in because she humiliated me, it sank in after I realized that I had accused the beta wrongly and had ruined my friendship with Bianca myself. My throat was tearing up and I was afraid that the tears would drop out any moment. I turned around and walked out of the garden, not minding if she still needed my services. I blindly ran up to my room and slammed the door shut, slipping down to the floor as I buried my face in my palm, weeping bitterly. Perhaps, if I had waited a bit longer, I wouldn't have hurt the Beta and Bianca as well. “Oh my, what have you done, Valerie Garrett?" I mutte
VALERIE “She pitied me?" I whispered to myself as I leaped across the empty corridor. I was quite grateful that people weren't present in the corridor to feed their eyes on me. I could still hear the girls’ mocking laughter and excited whispers in my head as I staggered away. If someone had told me that Bianca would be among those who would turn their back on me, I would never have believed such lies. But with what was displayed some seconds ago, I realized that no one is to be trusted, not even yourself. She was no different from Margaret. No, she was worse than her. She had been a pretender all along, all she had done was pity me, putting on some deceitful smile on her face to warm up my lonely, deceived heart. “Valerie!” Monica's call behind me stopped my feet from shuffling forward. I stood like a zombie, my body bent forward in a sickly manner. “You… forgot the plate of grapes,” she muttered and moved over to stand before me, a sympathetic look on her face. I took the pl
VALERIE “What have I done?" Those were the words I muttered to myself as I stared at the spot where Bianca once stood. A part of me nudged me to go after her, but the guilt dwelling in me didn't let me take a step in her direction. I staggered back and sighed loudly before trudging back into the manor. With a heavy heart, I sauntered into the kitchen and stumbled into Monica. I wasn't afraid of her as I used to be. A large smile formed on her face and she left her minions to meet me by the door. “What are you doing here of all places?" She asked, folding her hand as she watched me. “I got into trouble,” I muttered and she turned up her lips in amusement. "Again?” She teased, and I nodded, worry etched against my face. “Can you get me a plate of grapes, please? I do not remember where the fruit section is,” I asked. She patted my shoulder, grinning widely. “Stay right here; I will be right back with your order," she muttered and disappeared into a corner of the kitchen. Wit