seven

CHAPTER 7.

Valerie’s POV.

It took no time for Professor Harrison to send me the admission details. Unable to fill them out on my phone, I switched to my laptop.

The moment I went through the questions I had to answer, I was momentarily speechless.

The educational system had changed so much in such a short period. It almost made my heart ache, realizing how much I had missed.

How could I have wasted my time so horribly?

There were so many interesting things I had missed. Staring at the questions, my heart ached even deeper.

More hurtful thoughts tried flooding my mind, but I knew I had to control my emotions for my baby’s well-being.

Pushing my thoughts aside, I began entering the correct details, answering the medical questions before moving on to a few tricky ones that made me smirk as I typed in my answers.

"I haven't forgotten much..." A tiny spark of hope lit in my heart.

I went through every detail before tapping the submit button.

A loud yawn escaped my lips almost immediately and an immense wave of tiredness washed over me.

"I feel so sleepy," I yawned again as I kept my laptop aside.

The events of the past few days were catching up with me.

“We need to rest, little one,” I patted my stomach gently.

Sparing myself another thought, I slipped under the duvet, my eyelids grew heavy and closed.

"Wake up!

Wake up!"

My eyes flicked open. My body jerked upright, and I jumped out of bed.

"Dinner, I haven't prepared dinner yet!" I mumbled, dashing out of the room.

I hastened down the stairs but halted when I realized what I was doing.

"Goodness," I let out a bitter laugh.

I was just sprinting like some soccer player just to cook dinner for a husband who didn't care whether I ate or not.

When was the last time he even tried cooking for me, even when he was less busy?

Forget cooking. What about dates? Or takeout? Or bringing me my favourite snacks?

"Gosh, I can't believe my body still moves for him. I have to stop this," I took a sharp breath.

I turned around and returned to my room.

"What if he asks why you didn't cook?" My wolf asked.

"He might become suspicious.”

"I don't care. Let the maids cook. That's what they are paid for anyway," I snapped.

I paused.

"I'm sorry. I just can't do this anymore," I slipped back into my bed and grabbed my phone.

I could do other things with my time. I could read a book, play a game, or simply rest. Hell, I could do whatever I wanted.

I rolled my eyes.

"Did I just say 'hell'?" I asked myself, and an unexpected smile spread across my face.

A soft laugh escaped my lips before I decided to read a book on my phone. I read until I was tired and switched to watching a movie.

I couldn't recall the last time I had watched one.

Time passed faster than ever. I had my dinner brought to me, and it was pretty good.

Afterward, I freshened up and slipped into bed. I hadn't had time to browse on social media for a while, so I started opening my social media accounts.

While doing this, the door creaked open.

I heard footsteps but ignored them, knowing who had walked in.

"Dinner didn't taste as good today. I thought you were recovering well," His slightly frustrated voice met my ears.

In the past, I might have considered this a compliment. My cooking was good enough for him to notice a change.

However, I didn't care for such pretentious validation anymore.

Without turning to him, I replied,

"I had the meal and it was pretty good. I thought you could try something new."

I tried to make my voice slightly warm but failed.

Silence fell between us, and I could feel his eyes fixed on me. He stared for a while then turned away.

My mind disconnected from his movements afterward until I heard...

"There's no bath ready for me?" Darius' surprised voice echoed through the room.

My hands around my phone stiffened.

I used to prepare his bath and lay out his nightwear out of love despite being tired myself. But no more.

He was a grown man. He had hands. Besides, we had maids to help us, and when had he ever prepared a hot bath for me, even on my most exhausted days?

He wouldn't even offer me a comforting smile. Preparing a bath was out of the question.

"Valerie, are you still upset?" He demanded, stepping closer. "Aren't you being childish right now?"

"I'm sorry for not preparing your bath. You can call one of the maids to do it. Don't worry, they will get the right temperature," I glanced at him with a feigned smile.

He didn't say anything else. He walked back into the bathroom before returning to bed.

For the first time in years, he had prepared his own bath. I thought I would feel guilty watching him do something I had always done for him. Instead, I felt...nothing.

A few minutes later, he started talking about the issues in the pack. I quietly closed my eyes and ignored every word he said.

I could feel his eyes boring into me, his pheromones carrying the scent of his bruised ego.

However, I ignored it all and allowed the Moon Goddess' blessed sleep to claim me.

I slept so well that I didn't bother waking up early the next morning. Darius still had to struggle with everything, including his tie.

"How do I do this?" He complained before tossing the tie onto the floor.

I ignored the chaos, and even when he left, I didn't make any attempt to open my eyes.

My eyes only opened when my phone buzzed beside me. The moment I saw the screen, a smile appeared on my lips.

"Hello, Professor Harrison," I quickly sat up.

"Were you able to submit your details, my dear?" He asked with anticipation evident in his voice.

"Yes, Professor. Thank you so much."

"No need to thank me. You are talented. You should receive your acceptance email within a few days," He announced and my smile grew wider.

"Won't I have to take any exams?" I asked, my smile never leaving my face.

"Yes, you will, but that will be after your acceptance," He replied, making my heart feel much lighter.

I almost jumped out of bed in excitement. Although I wasn't sure about my acceptance, I had answered every question correctly.

"I'm so happy. Thank you so much..."

"Valerie."

I heard Darius' voice and froze.

A sharp breath left my lips as I darted my gaze toward the open door.

"Why are you back?" I gasped, quickly ending the call.

I would apologize to Professor Harrison later.

"Who were you talking to?" He demanded, stepping into the room.

"A friend," I answered.

"A friend?" He furrowed his brows. "Since when did you start having friends?"

"Pardon?"

"Give it to me," He extended his hand, his eyes fixed on my phone. "Give me your phone, Valerie.”