*Valeria*I stared around the room that had been my home for years. Then I walked over and threw the toiletries I had been holding into one of my packed bags.Declan was arrested, and this was all over. My life could go back to normal. All I had to do was get my stuff and move on with my life.But why did I feel so sad still?The answer to that question was to walk into my room just then. He took one look at the bag I was zipping up and his worry turned to anger as he glared at me in disbelief."You were going to leave without telling me?" Dominic asked. "Without telling any of us?"I turned back away from him and continued zipping up the suitcase, which proved hard to do since it was so full."I thought it would be for the best," I said quietly. "I thought that was what you would want.""Don't presume to know what I want, doll," he said, his eyes flashing. "It doesn't matter. You aren't going anywhere anyway?""And why not?" I asked, getting defensive and crossing my arms acr
*Valeria*"Great job, Liam!" I exclaimed in honest excitement.The young boy's face beamed at me, even as he shone in sweat and breathed hard after running a whole lap around the estate. Another young boy finally came up behind him, looking just as winded, but also discouraged."It's okay, Grant," I said, walking forward and patting him on the back. "You still did an amazing job. Now you have something to strive for next time. This is the first time that Liam has beat you, learn from it."Grant still looked upset, but he nodded anyway, putting his hands on his head to catch his breath. As he did, the final kid came around the bend."Come on, Iris! Finish strong!" I yelled at her, watching as she practically limped to the group of us.When she reached us she collapsed to the ground, heaving, and looking proud of herself."Great job," I said, smiling at her. "No, really, I mean it. It has only been a few days, but you guys are already making so much progress! I am so proud of you
*Dominic*I walked to my desk and sat on the chair immediately, my chin leaning on my palm. “It’s been days, Caleb. How the fuck are we not still able to locate that bastard?”“I’m sorry, Alpha. It appears to me that Declan had been careful with his steps ever since you had him arrested that day we went to Sapphire Moon.”Frustration tightened my jaw as I gritted my teeth, consumed by thoughts of Declan’s sudden disappearance. “Here’s what I want you to do: fly back to Sapphire Moon and personally handle the search party for Declan’s disappearance. Do you understand?”Caleb’s eyes widened with disbelief and shock. “Alpha, I don’t want to leave Rosie just yet! I’ve just learned that she’s my mate, and I want to be by her side at all times after all the trauma she had experienced with that bastard, Declan! I can’t just leave her now.”“Trust me on this, Caleb. I understand. I really do. But there’s no one else that I trust more than you to handle this. I can’t have any other Lycan
*Valeria*As I was drying my hair, I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened in the garden a day ago. Suddenly, Rosie burst into the room. She was holding a plate of fruits in one hand and a pile of junk food in the other.“Care for some late-night snacks?” She walked toward me with a bright smile. “Here, you can grab whatever the heck you’d like from the basket. You’ve been working so hard, so eat up and replenish your energy.”I grinned. “Thank you, Rosie. Was the food really necessary? I bet you’re here to pop me with some random gossip you heard in the kitchen!”She smirked and shoved the basket of food onto the desk. “You got me. Although I heard about it when I was checking out the horses in the stables to get Caleb off of my mind, ugh” She grabbed a handful of chips and shoved it into her mouth. “God, I miss her, Val!” I smiled. “Was the gossip about Caleb?” She frowned. “You bet! I had no idea there were a lot of women thirsting around him! He’s mine, and everyon
*Valeria*“That bastard!”Surprised, I turned around and saw Dominic striding in my direction, his face showing something dark and unreadable.“What do you think you’re doing?” he said in a low voice that made me tremble all over. He looked over at my shoulder, his stare directed at Gordon, who walked in peace while holding Liam’s hand. “How could you try and speak so casually with one of my best warriors while you’re in my palace?”I raised an eyebrow. “I see no problem with speaking to other men?”He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at me as if I were a child who had just tried to steal from the cookie jar. “I saw the way your eyes sparkled when you conversed with him.”I gaped at him. “Really? We’re focusing on my eyes now? Could you please stop this at once, Your Majesty?”His gaze narrowed as his lips thinned into a frown. “Stop? This feeling is natural for us Lycans, Valeria,” he glared at me. “You wouldn’t understand.”“Yes, I would, actually!” I snapped bac
*Valeria*"No!" I screamed, jumping in between the two men.My adrenaline was pumping on high alert, but I wasn't afraid. Dominic would never hurt me.Though that's what I had said about Declan as well…I shook my head, I couldn't think like that."Dominic, stop!" I said as he tried to move around me. "Please!"He hesitated just enough, so I reached out and grabbed his arm, hoping my touch would help even more.Gordon's growl turned into a groan of realization. "You've gotta be shitting me. You're mates with King Dominic?"Dominic growled again, his threat clear."Just go, Gordon!" I yelled at him, tightening my grasp on Dominic's arm. "Get out of here."I didn't have to tell him twice. Though honestly, he was probably more scared away by Dominic's incessant growling rather than my words.Dominic was an Alpha, a King, and you could hear it in his tone…even now.Gordon was only gone for a few seconds before I rounded on the man beside me."What the hell," I growled at Domin
*Dominic*Idiot.I honestly couldn't tell if that was my own voice, or my wolf's. He had been yelling at me so much in my conversation with Valeria, and on this thought, we agreed.I am an idiot."Damn right, you are," my wolf growled in agreement with our assessment as we walked away from the pull drawing me to that girl. "Now go get our mate!""No," I told him firmly.Despite the rolling feeling in my stomach, the ache in my chest, and the slow-building pain in my head, I did not regret what I had said. Well…maybe just a little, but that didn't change the outcome."You know that we can't," I growled back as my wolf howled in anger in my head."I know no such thing!" he shouted back at me. "This is your stupid decision, one that I do not agree with, and if you continue to be so stubborn about it I fear that we will lose the chance to get a mate forever. Your dumbass choices affect me too, you know!""It's for the best," I said to him, keeping my jaw clenched tightly."Bullsh
*Valeria*I knew I should be upset. I knew I should be fighting harder to stop; to get away.But I wasn't.All I could think about was how good it felt to have Dominic's hand on my wrist, especially after our fight yesterday. I hadn't seen him again since then, and I had spent all day making sure that I looked good for the party tonight.I wanted to affect him, I just hadn't realized it would take so little time.I opened my mouth to speak, but my heart was beating so fast, and my breath was coming in and out so rapidly that I couldn't find my voice. I glanced behind me just once at the group of friends that were standing there. Rosie and Gia looked encouraging, while the men looked confused.Typical men.When we reached the hall I thought that Dominic would stop, but he kept going."Wait," I said, finding my voice and coming to a stop.Dominic was strong enough that he could have kept pulling me, but he stopped, looking back at me."Wait for what?" he asked. "We are getting