chapter 007

Valeria POV

Nothing made sense anymore. Why was Alpha Xavier following me? My heart slammed violently against my chest, each beat echoing my terror. The fear gripping me was deep, raw, and impossible to explain.

“Are you trying to kill me, Valerie?” he said, picking up the sharp object I had thrown earlier. A faint smile played on his lips as his gaze lingered on the weapon in his hand.

“I… I…” I stammered, unable to form the right words. Unease flooded my body, heavy and suffocating, as I lowered my gaze.

“If I hadn’t dodged that attack, I would have been badly injured by now, Valerie,” he said, shifting his gaze from the sharp object back to me.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you. Besides, why are you following me?” I asked, my voice tight with fear and confusion.

We stood deep in the woods, surrounded by shadows and silence. I was only a mile away from the Storm Crestwood pack. Why was he here? What did he want from me? The questions clawed at my mind, refusing to let go. No matter how hard I tried to push them away, I needed answers.

“No,” he said with a shrug, walking past me. My curiosity gnawed at me, stronger than my fear, and before I could stop myself, I followed him at a cautious distance.

“Then why are you heading in my direction?” I asked. “You’re supposed to be in your carriage, going wherever you want. Why this path? Do you have something to say to me or are you here to kill me?”

This time, he stopped. He turned sharply, facing me.

“If I wanted you dead, you would have been long gone, Valerie. I’m going home,” he whispered, then turned away and continued walking.

“  Home? “ Was he talking about my home or did he also have a place in the Storm Crestwood pack? The distance between us grew, and panic flared. I quickened my pace, desperate to catch up to him.

“Wait!” I called out.

He stopped and turned back to me.

“Do you need my help, or should I carry you?” he asked calmly.

His words stunned me. I froze, panting as I struggled to catch my breath, my mind racing as I tried to process what he had just said.

“No!” I shrieked. I paused, forcing myself to steady my thoughts before speaking again. “Do you have a place in the Crestwood pack?” I asked, needing to be sure I wasn’t imagining things.

He nodded slightly, silent for a moment. “Yes, I do. Crestwood pack is my pack, Valerie. I’m the Alpha of the Crestwood pack.”

His deep, steady voice cut through me. My eyes widened in shock. He had been the Alpha all along and he had never said a word.

“I didn’t know,” I muttered, biting my lip.

“Now you do, Valerie,” he said as he stepped toward me.

My instinct screamed at me to move. I backed away, but he was faster. In seconds, he closed the distance and wrapped an arm around my waist. I tried to protest, to fight him off, but he said nothing. He simply lifted me off the ground.

I struggled against his grip, panic surging through me, but he didn’t loosen his hold, not even for a moment.

“Stay still, Valerie. I’ll get there soon.” His hot breath brushed against my skin, making my entire body stiffen.

The walk toward the pack entrance was silent and painfully awkward. I couldn’t move or speak. My body remained rigid against his fear and exhaustion holding me captive. All I could do was pray he wouldn’t drop me before we reached our destination.

Then something caught my eye.

The wooden board at the entrance of the pack”CRESTWOOD PACK.

The moment I saw it, my heart leaped with fragile hope. He slowly placed me on the ground, carefully, almost gently. The instant my feet touched the earth, my knees weakened.

I stared at the wooden board, the pack name carved boldly into it, and everything I had been holding back shattered. Tears spilled freely as I dragged myself forward, my vision blurred, my body screaming in pain. But I refused to stop. I have made it this far.

As I walked deeper into the pack, I turned to see if Alpha Xavier was behind me. He was gone. It was as if he had vanished like he had never been there at all.

I turned forward again and kept walking.

Eyes followed me everywhere. Some stared in disbelief, others with pity. I felt them all, but I didn’t care. I was used to it. Ignoring their gazes, I headed toward a door on the left side of the pack.

I paused.

A sharp pain tore through my abdomen, stronger than before. My body gave in. I lost my balance, clutching my stomach as cold sweat broke out across my skin. My hands trembled as I knocked weakly on the door.

Even if I was going to die, it was better to die here far away from betrayal.

Minutes passed. The door remained closed.

Summoning what little strength I had left, I raised my trembling hand to knock again, but my body failed me. My strength gave out.

Just then, the door opened.

And a familiar voice, the voice I had been longing to hear called out to me.

“Valerie!”

My body couldn’t take it anymore. Everything went dark as I slipped into unconsciousness.

I didn’t know how long I had been asleep. Slowly, I opened my eyes and found Sarah lying beside me, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist—just like when we were little. The memory struck deep, dragging thoughts of my parents to the surface. My chest tightened.

I tried to sit up, but her voice stopped me.

“What are you trying to do?” she asked, quickly getting off the wooden bed and rushing to my side to help me sit up.

“I’m fine, Sarah,” I said weakly, though I didn't even believe it.

“You’re not fine, Valerie,” she snapped softly, fear and relief tangled in her voice. 

“Thank the Moon Goddess you got here in time. What would have happened to the baby if you had wasted even a few more seconds?”

The baby.

Just the thought of it made my emotions spiral. Part of me had hoped it was gone but it wasn’t. The child was still there, clinging to life with a strength I didn’t understand. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the storm rising inside me.

Just as I was about to speak, a knock echoed through the room.