TWO

VALERIE

We pull-up in front of the huge mansion I have lived in half of my life. I have lots of memories here, particularly memories where Alpha Vander would carry me in a piggyback and waltz around the house.

"Welcome back, luna." The maids addressed me when I stepped out. I blinked and stared at them.

"What did you just call me?" I asked, and the three maids who waited for us trembled in fear as Evan halted by my side.

"You accepted my proposal, didn't you? Don't pretend to be so humble," he said and walked away.

Liana, my wolf, practically snarled at his retreating figure.

'Who the hell does he think he is?' her anger is palpable. I shake my head.

'Maybe he is just tired.' I reason for him, and she scoffs.

'Oh stop making excuses for his behavior. He clearly doesn't respect us. How much more when we become his luna?' she admonishes as I stare at his wide back. His dragon tattoo peeking out the back of his neck.

'I am more surprised he even asked us.' I admit, staring at him longingly.

My wolf rolled her eyes and huffed.

'You're going to regret this one day.' She grumbles before retreating to the back of my mind where she couldn't be reached. I sighed inwardly. 

Let's just hope I won't. 

Walking into the mansion, I blushed at the thought of having Evan home for the first time.

I have always lived in Alpha Vander's mansion, which is located at a private villa reserved only for the alpha bloodline. I used to live two blocks down, in a cozy little home with a backyard and a driveway. It wasn't much, but it made us happy. For a short while, I was content with a family of my own. Although both my parents were rarely around, they made sure I had everything I needed and made up for lost time. I couldn't remember their faces, but I remember the sound of their laughter when we played on the grass, but each and every time I do, the next thing I am plagued by the memories of their screams that night. 

I don't remember much, but it's not like I wanted to, anyway. When Vander took me in, he spent more time with me than he does with work and the pack. I don't know why he felt the need to fill in the spot of my missing parents so much that he decided to dedicate his life to me, and by that I meant it quite literally. He sacrificed his life, saving me when I was twelve. We were under attack by otherworldly creatures. Nothing I have ever known. They are not rogues. They are not wolves. But other creatures. 

Before I could be taken by one of them, Vander showed up and saved me. At the time, Evan was placed to fight with other warriors, and he saw his father get stabbed in the heart right before he unleashed his wolf and killed them. He just turned 18, and he had to force his first shift in hopes of saving his father, but instead I was saved. He didn't survive.

Evan's shift was triggered out of rage that he wiped out half of the otherworldly creatures who sabotaged the entire pack. They were forced to flee eventually but we lost half the pack, and a loved alpha. More than that, he was Evan's father, and mine.

Not even a day after Evan took over, handling Vander's funeral and learning how to run a pack. He is the reason this pack never faced another attack for six years, healed the pack, and built everything back from the ground up.

But ever since Vander died, it felt as if I lost something more. I lost a father, and more than that, I lost a friend.

I lost him in the process of grieving. In the past six years since he became alpha, he no longer slept in the room next to mine. We barely spoke a word to each other even if in fact, we are living in the same house. I could barely catch him when he does come home but it would be just to take a shower. He never ate any of the meals I left out for him, but that didn't stop me from trying. I figured that if I scored better in my exams or excelled in school and pack training, he would at least come home.

The mating ball was my one chance to spot him and hopefully know whether my dreams of being his mate will come true. 

When I first came, I became uncomfortable with all the eyes fixated on me. I wondered if it was the sparkling silver dress Lydia sent me from abroad to wear for this very day. Lydia is Evan's grandmother. She's a sweet, kind woman. When I met her, all the fear I had of evil stepmothers dwindled away as she showed me the kind of love I had craved from my own. Unfortunately, she moved away and could only speak to me through calls or video chat, but she was always there for me, pulling the strings when I get harsh bullies and even reprimanding Evan more than once. 

I sighed and looked at Evan's closed bedroom door.

Is he not going to talk to me after all that? Or is he immediately regretting his decision now? 

Just as anxiety reared its ugly head once again, I hear his voice.

'Come in.' he linked just as I was about to get in my room. I turned and faced his room. Why did he have to use the mind link?

I scrunched my nose. Heart pounding, I knocked on the door three times, letting him know I am coming in. I opened the door and nearly have a heart attack when I see him come out of the shower dripping wet. My eyes instantly landed on his wide, muscular chest, his firm, eight-pack abs, seamlessly moving down to his V-line that I could perfectly see thanks to the towerl stooped low around his waist. 

"I-I...!" my cheeks flame in an instant, adrenaline filling my veins I barely see his lips move.

"Close the door." he says and my heart stops.