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…
inside and flip the light switch. Darkness. I groan in annoyance. “Do I even have a spare
the room when I see a slight movement from the corner of my eye. On reflex, I turn sharply, my heart dropping when I see the tall, masked man who stands in the corner behind the door. He’s in baggy clothing with his hood up, his head is lowered and in his gloved hands he’s holding…
and I instantly grab the small vanity table that stands beside the door, lifting it up and swinging it at him with all my might. He ducks, and the table goes flying
turn, knowing I’m no match for him! I need to alert
the bedroom when he grabs my dress, yanking me back into the room and kicking the door shut. He grabs my hair and throws me to
strong! I’m about to shout for help, but his gloved hand covers my mouth.
A what?
person!” I say as he grabs me by the arm and
as I struggle fruitlessly. “Don’t fight me and let me see if there’s a mark or not. You might just live,” he snarls. That voice sounds
me go?” I ask, my heart thundering, feeling his
a battle of strength, I will lose. His hand wraps around my throat squeezing tightly. He pauses slightly, and at that
ago. “If you really aren’t, then, of course,’ he says, caressing my cheek. “But one sound and I will
though he’s speaking extremely low, it’s him. It’s Sebastian. But if I tell him I know… he might just kill me… even if he’s wearing that black mask. I remain frozen as he moves my head sharply and
sensing his anger rising as he yanks
is…” he yanks my hair as his attention falls to
to throw him back. My eyes blaze and suddenly everything in the room is
using them! It’s rare for a werewolf to be
the bed sheets trying to pull myself up but it’s futile and I only manage to drag the bedding right
raising his hammer and then intense pain ricochets through my head.
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
is dragging me into the darkness and that silver light… is
is it… I can feel
split
then the most excruciating pain I’ve
(PRESENT)
I look around the car, my heart hammering. I’m safe. I’m safe. I clutch my head as I rock myself, trying
feel the ghostly pain in my head lingering. My head still has the
I reply quietly. “And no one would have thought much of the symbol at the hospital,”
there’s a possibility it was just hidden and once her hair began growing, we wouldn’t have noticed
the entire ordeal to them in French, but it was too much, and I am left shaken. Zaia wraps her arms around me. “It’s ok, no one will hurt you,” she whispers comfortingly
apparently found me… but at the same time, it’s obvious they could cook up a story to feed everyone… They were together; they are
peeped through the eyehole, but no one answered the door so Seb
might have come just in time,” Sebastian
I say quietly. “It wasn’t Seb, Val, trust me.” Jai’s eyes are soft and full of concern as
Sebastian says quietly. “I initially thought he had jumped but he had locked himself
as an Alpha,” Zaia says, frowning. Does she trust Sebastian? I look at her, but I don’t know… I think
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 up
of my guards. I managed to get his visor up and although I said to the police, I didn’t see him… his eyes were just
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