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Eighty-Eight
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Set me Free, Alpha Eighty-Nine
VALERIA"I'm sorry," I said after Dimitri had come tentatively into the room and we had been staring at each other for what felt like forever."Valeria..." He reached out to maybe stroke my hair, clenched his fist and gripped the chair's armrest instead. "There is nothing for you to apologize for. None of what happened was your fault.""It is," I insisted. "Partly anyway.""Isn't," Dimitri said. I almost smiled as I was reminded of his usual mulishness."No matter what had happened, I should have known better than to run blindly down the stairs like that in my condition.""You couldn't have known-""That I would fall? No, but at least I should have thought about the consequences if I did fall.""Valeria-""But that's not what I was apologizing for. Not really. I'm sorry I didn't entirely believe you earlier. Noah and Ivy told me about the announcement of your breakup with Summer. They told me the news has been everywhere for two days now. But what about the product launch, our product
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety
VALERIA"How is this even possible?"I held up my finger, examined every inch of it. I felt a sudden surge of hope when I thought that perhaps I had bandaged the wrong finger. I couldn't get my hands open fast enough. I even extended the examination to my wrists and elbows, but after a solid five minutes of close inspection, I had to admit that I was not hurt. Not one bit.My heart began to race. I leaned over the bathroom sink, stared right into the frightened eyes I could see in the mirror. Maybe, just maybe, I had not cut myself at all. Hadn't the knife slipped from my grasp while I had been making sandwiches? I had even been half asleep while doing it. It was possible I had everything completely mixed up in my head. Although the blood... I was almost sure that I had seen blood flow out of the cut. I had even sucked the injured finger. Or hadn't I?I let out shaky laugh. It would be funny if I eventually found that I had gotten myself all worked up for nothing. Who ever heard of cu
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety-One
DIMITRIThe look in her eyes was fear. I had seen it on the faces of people more times than I could count. The question I had been asking myself these past few days was why the hell was the fear directed at me. I paused with one foot at the bottom stairs, taking care to keep my movements slow and deliberate. If I approached, she was sure to go stumbling down all in a bid to avoid me. She looked from me to the lower part of the stairs. I shifted closer to the railing so she could get a better view. I heard her sigh of relief the minute I was no longer half blocking her path. Valeria came down the stairs, taking care to keep close to the railing on the other side."Hi," she squeaked and immediately hurried past me as though she was afraid I would lunge at her or something. I watched her until she was out of sight, then I continued climbing upstairs slowly. I sighed heavily. This was Valeria's attitude these days. She was now frightened of her own shadow. Being around me made her frig
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety-Two
VALERIAI was thinking about how needed a drink- something cold preferably when I heard a voices coming from the kitchen which I was heading towards. Curious, but not wanting to be seen, I peered around the kitchen door to see Silas chatting with Amelia while he wolfed down a plate of porridge she had set in front of him.Wolfed down... An Interesting choice of words, especially when used in relation to Silas. I was a hundred percent sure that Silas was what Dimitri was- a werewolf, and that would take a lot of getting used to. Careful not to make a sound, I took several steps backwards and then went back up to my room. I had thought Silas had gone away with Dimitri, most likely to attend to the affairs of his... pack.Ugh! I still had a really hard time getting used to that word. Since Dimitri and Silas were practically joined at the hip, that could only mean that Dimitri had made Silas stay back so he could watch over me.My suspicions proved correct later that afternoon when I noti
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety-Three
VALERIABy the glint in her eyes and her exasperated expression, I knew just what Ivy was going to say to me.To forestall her, I quickly said, "I'm fine. Really. I'm just usually so tired out after work that I always want to stay at home.""No, you're not," she said firmly. "Valeria, you have been holing yourself up in the office and at the house for some time now. It's like you're practicing on how to be a hermit or something."I smiled in what I hoped was a convincing manner. "You are exaggerating, as usual. I have been fine. I'm fine. I'm just tired and-""And when has being tired ever stopped you from going out? I don't even remember the last time we both hung out. When did we even have a girl's night out? It's been... ages."Ivy was actually right. Even our friendship had received a few hits because of my recent discovery of my abnormalities. A girl's night out with Ivy sometimes meant us hanging out at the spa, a bar, club, restaurant, but the thought of being in such close pro
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety-Four
VALERIA"Why are you suddenly telling me where everything is and what to eat this evening?" I joked. "You always insist on babying me by getting my food for me anyways.""True," Amelia admitted with an indulgent smile. "But I won't be around this evening and for a few days as well."I carefully set down my glass of water. "Why won't you?""I will be traveling for a few days," she explained."I will really miss you. So where will you be traveling to, if you don't mind me asking?"Strangely, Amelia seemed flustered by the question."Oh. I'll just go somewhere not too far away for a while," she said dismissively. "But I'll be back before you know it."She turned away and resumed slicing the vegetables with a little too much noise than was necessary, in my opinion. It was obvious after this that she didn't want to tell me where she was travelling to. That only made me only more curious. Amelia basically had no one that she would want to pay a visit to. Since she didn't want to pursue the
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety-Five
DIMITRIIt was official. I was going to have to spend more time at the pack. I had known it the moment Nox had hurried in and said something about another attack. Tiredly, I gestured for him to have a seat. He perched on the very edge of it. He was too wound up to relax. Beside me were Damon and more of the other pack leaders."Tell us what happened," I said.Nox launched into a tale of the attack he had gotten from some members of the pack which had been attacked. A worried hiss echoed around the room when Nox revealed that the pack which had been attacked was the one close to ours."It's just as I had suspected," I said. "They probably stopped the attacks for a while so we could let our guards down so that they could strike.""Maybe they were even looking to attack us too," said Damon. "They probably found out that our defenses were too strong and that's why they only just attacked the neighboring pack."I spoke loudly to be heard over the murmurs Damon's theory had caused. "Now it
Set me Free, Alpha Ninety-Six
VALERIA"Where exactly is this work dinner being held?" I asked Noah after a moment's silence when I was done teasing him about Rosy."Oh. I thought I told you. It's at Rosy's home." Noah took a hard left turn. "We are almost there."Rosy's house? I was really surprised. I had been expecting the dinner to hold at a restaurant or maybe a private room at an event center, but certainly not in her house."Does she usually host these work dinners at her house?" I asked after thinking it over."No. Not always... I guess," was his cryptic answer.True to Noah's words, we arrived at Rosy's house in a few minutes. House was a word that did not properly depict the grandness of Rosy William's home. Her place was more of a mansion. I was not really surprised though. I already knew she was enormously wealthy. Her place was a testament to that fact.Noah gave me a knowing look as the enormous monogrammed gate swung open as the car approached it. "Impressive huh?""Very impressive," I agreed as I t
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Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty-Six
VALERIAWith my hands on my hips, I took a step back to look at the decorations. After a few seconds or so, I had to admit that the decorators had done a pretty good job. I had as well. Jayden had his superhero theme decorations all in blue, his favourite colour. Jane had her favourite Princess whatsername theme also in bright yellow.I grinned, reflecting on how very different children's birthday parties were from those of adults. The entire living room area was a clash of yellow and blue, and then there were the balloons also, covering large sections of the floor."And what are you grinning about?"I felt myself relaxing at the sound of Dimitri's voice, leaning back against him until his arms went around me. He repeated his question."I was just thinking that the whole place looks like a rainbow exploded in it," I murmured."Mmm. I think I rather like the look of the place. It's an improvement if you ask me."I snorted. "Having kids have made you soft. There was a time when you woul
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty-Five
VALERIAIt was bone-chilling to see Amelia's expression when she realized the game was over. It was like she had been wearing a mask which had suddenly come off. Now I could clearly see what lay beneath the facade she presented to the world. The sight made me shiver and I unconsciously shifted close to Dimitri who gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Amelia, teeth bared, kept looking around like a trapped animal searching for a means of escape."There's no way out now," Dimitri said, leaving the sofa to stand in front of her. "You can't escape so bury that thought.""Why?" I said, the question drawn from my lips before I even thought of it. Everyone turned to look at me but I had eyes only for Amelia, the woman who was my mother but had done things to hurt me more than anyone in this world. "Why do you hate me so much? Why... all this? How could you-""You know nothing!" she declared vehemently. "So don't you think you can sit there and judge me when you don't know half of what happ
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty-Four
DIMITRII let my suggestions about Amelia's and Alexis' eventual capture sink in. When I was sure it did, and that Valeria was in agreement with all I had said, I stood up to leave. Valeria's hand on my arm prevented me from doing so."Wait," she said. "There is something more."I slowly sat back down. "Tell me.""I want to be part of the capture."My response was instant. "Oh no. You can't.""Why not?"Funny she would ask. Even the thought of putting Valeria, especially in her condition, through any form of danger was so abhorrent to me it made me shudder inwardly."Valeria," I said in the most reasonable tone of voice I could muster. "There may be danger when they are caught. I have no way of knowing, true. But I can't take the risk of you getting hurt. Silas, Vance and I with all the others I will bring in to help can handle them. Trust me. It will be best if you stay completely out of it."Then I groaned inwardly when I still saw that stubborn look on her face, the look I knew so
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty-Three
VALERIAOne of Ivy's nurse friends from the hospital clapped her hand over her lips to keep in a giggle."Ssh!" said a friend of Vance who just had to be a bodyguard. His tall, muscled figure could be made for nothing else.The man was smiling himself."Sorry," the giggler apologized as she smiled up at him.I felt much like giggling myself, especially at the look I was already picturing on Ivy's face when she eventually realized Vance had brought a lot of his friends and her friends on their date."They are here," Dimitri whispered in my ear.Dimitri's words were whispered back and forth between everyone."Remember everyone. Don't make a sound when they come in," someone said.I looked straight ahead and saw Vance, lead Ivy by the hand into the private booth of the restaurant where we were all hiding."It's beautiful in here," Ivy said, looking around. "But it's rather dark, don't you think? Maybe a little more light will-"She made a move to touch the light switch. I stiffened, drew
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty-Two
DIMITRISilas, who was to all appearances lounging on the verandah outside while making some calls, met my eyes. For the last few days, I had kept him in and around the house, ostensibly running a few errands for me, being extra security for Valeria, but really he was around to keep an eye on Amelia.We had all come to the conclusion that since she felt herself entirely free of suspicion, she would make a move to contact Alexis or to put her plans into action soon. I felt that she was about to do either or both of these things now.Just this morning, Amelia had been acting strangely. Although she had tried to hide it, Silas and I had noticed her acting ill at ease, although Valeria had of course remained oblivious. Amelia had started acting this way after Silas, as he told me, had overheard her yelling at someone over the phone.A few minutes later, with her handbag slung over her shoulder, she had said very casually, "I'm making a quick trip to the store to pick up some things we nee
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty-One
VALERIAAlthough it had seemed impossible at first, the endless hours after Grandma Reese passed became days. Days became weeks. The weeks eventually added up to a month, and then several months. Though I missed her terribly with each passing day, life went on. My pregnancy became advanced. The doctors told Dimitri and I to expect our child soon.That was the only happy thought that kept me going all through those months. That, and the fact that I had Dimitri at my side.The rest of the time, I was consumed by fear, fear that at least one archenemy was still out there. Dimitri had gently broken the news of Grace's death to me, but had confessed that he still had not found a trace of Alexis. I was terrified that he would one day make an appearance and attempt to harm my child and I. Whenever I voiced out my concerns, Dimitri was quick to assure me that he was still on the lookout for Alexis.And though I took a little comfort in his assurances, I never once forgot that Dimitri was not
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Forty
AMELIAThey were fools. The lot of them. Stupid, trusting fools, but their stupidity suited me just fine. It was how I had stayed hidden all this time, after all.It was a shame about Grace, but it had to be done. She had been becoming a wild card, a disappointment to me. This early in the plot, she had shown that her emotions overruled her thoughts, and anyone who thought with the heart rather than the head was a liability, was expendable. This was why I had taken Dimitri and Silas to the spot where she was to meet with me. Grace was dead now and a lot of the future complications I knew she would bring had died with her.I glanced at the locked door of my room and continued pacing.I had to get word across to Alexis. Just calling him on the phone wouldn't do. I had to see him face to face in order to assure him that our plan was still on, and that Grace's death changed nothing.The only problem now was Dimitri wouldn't want to let me, a supposedly grieving mother, out of his sight. T
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Thirty-Nine
DIMITRIThe place where Grace had chosen to meet with Amelia was very like the place where she had kept Valeria captive. It was on the grounds of a building, a deserted one by the looks of it. The building was in a scarcely frequented part of the city.Silas, Amelia and I got there a full hour before Amelia's appointment with Grace. We chose good hiding spots where we could see and not be seen. Then we settled down to wait for Grace to show up.Thirty minutes before the time of the appointment, we all clearly heard approaching footsteps. A woman came into view. She was wearing a scarf that obscured most of her face and huge sunglasses, but I knew it was Grace. My hands ached with the effort of keeping them still and not going for her right there and then. Grace gave a sweeping look around the area."Get down," I whispered to the persons with me.Though I was sure we couldn't be seen by her, we all went down and peered at her from between the thick foliage of overgrown shrubs we were h
Set me Free, Alpha Hundred and Thirty-Eight
DIMITRI"I can't remember."Amelia had said this more times than I could count in so many different ways, but it still boiled down to the same thing. She still clearly could not remember anything about what Valeria's grandmother had said about her and her past."Why can't I remember?" she said again, with tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes.She glanced over at Valeria. Whenever Amelia had declared that she didn't remember, Valeria, with her head resting on the sofa, nodded mechanically and simply kept staring at the blank wall before her.Seeing that Valeria was more or less unresponsive, Amelia turned to me. "What is wrong with me? Why can't I remember any of what happened?"I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring look, patted her hand. "It's okay. Don't worry. I promise you that I will do everything to find out how your memory was tampered with and if possible, you will get your memories back."Amelia nodded and then just sat there, crying and wringing her hands. I sat by
