A Memory
NEW YEARS DAY OVER FOUR YEARS AGO
VALERIE. “It’s so late.” I massage the back of my neck as I step into my apartment. We had left the Whispering Mountain Pack after midnight and the journey wasn’t too short.
I yawn, pausing as I stretch when I hear the faint creak of a floorboard, making me freeze. It’s not a violent stormy night that the wind would cause the apartment to creak.
I tilt my head, but there’s nothing more and I almost smile. Why am I being so paranoid? I walk to the fridge, grabbing myself a bottle of water; gulp it down and look through some papers. I have work in the morning.
I sit down at the counter, skimming through one of the reports of a big operation we have tomorrow when I think I hear something again.
Tilting my head, I pause, I really am imagining things. I shake my head. Well, I should shower and get to bed. I need to get out of this dress too.
I get up and walk to the bedroom. Sighing, I mull over everything with Zaia. I hate how life has done her dirty. I wish there was more I could do for her.
I’ll keep sending her the antidote, and I’ll keep checking her bloods but it’s just not enough. Fucking stupid alpha!
That stupid bitch Annalise!
Karma. Karma will bite their ass.
I walk to my bedroom, pausing when I see it standing ajar. Strange, I’m sure I shut the door when I left. I specifically remember trapping my dress in it and then opening it, pulling out the dress and then closing it…
the light switch. Darkness. I groan in annoyance. “Do I even have a spare bulb?” Tonight is not
heart dropping when I see the tall, masked man who stands in the corner behind the door. He’s in baggy clothing with his
lifting it up and swinging it at him with all my might. He ducks, and
I’m no match for him! I need to alert
he grabs my dress, yanking me back into the room and kicking the door shut. He
floor. Fuck, he’s strong! I’m about to shout for help, but his gloved hand covers my mouth. “I need
A what?
don’t know what that is! You got the wrong person!” I say as he grabs me by the arm and violently
me see if there’s a mark or not. You might just live,” he snarls. That voice sounds so…
you let me go?” I ask, my heart thundering, feeling his strong thighs against
like rock. He’s pure muscle and in a battle of strength, I will lose. His hand wraps around
asleep in the car ten minutes ago. “If you really
know… he might just kill me… even if he’s wearing that black
break out in a cold sweat, sensing his anger rising as he yanks and pulls my hair – until he
he yanks my hair as his attention falls to the hammer that lies on
throw him back. My eyes blaze and suddenly everything in the
to be able to do
off, but not for long as he grabs my arm, yanking me to the ground. I grab the bed sheets trying to pull myself up but it’s futile and
he snarls, raising his hammer and then intense pain ricochets through my head. I let out a choked gasp and I grab my head,
faint silver glow spreading around me, but the pain is too much. “I’ll destroy it,” He hisses, as he keeps striking my head, bludgeoning it with the hammer. My ears are ringing and then… I can’t hear anything but my own laboured breathing.
blow is dragging me into the darkness and
is it… I can
split open and the pain- it’s… too
most excruciating pain I’ve
(PRESENT)
as I look around the car, my heart hammering. I’m safe. I’m safe. I
pain in my head lingering. My head still
one would have thought
was just hidden and once her hair
too much, and I am left shaken. Zaia wraps her arms around me. “It’s ok, no one will hurt
apparently found me… but at the same time, it’s obvious they could cook up a story to feed everyone… They were together;
I ask, wondering what they’ll say. “Someone peeped through the eyehole, but no one answered
we brought the door down and found you in your bedroom, I think we might have come
Jai’s eyes are soft and full of concern as he watches
says quietly. “I initially thought he
she trust Sebastian? I look at her, but I don’t know… I
then… either you have a doppelgänger or a twin,” I say quietly. “You aren’t the first to say that,” Sebastian says quietly, I look
a shooter on a bike attacked me, killing countless people and several of my guards. I managed to get his visor up
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