Chapter 3

[Valerie] 

A massive intake of air rushed through my lungs, like a breath of fresh air, and I wheezed as my eyes opened. The great light all around me was white, and I assumed it was Mother Selene, who had come to see me and take me back to her dwelling. Those tears I had tried so hard not to cry were gone. Neither was the pounding ache in my ribs, which stopped my heart and took my final breath.

I looked down at my clothes, amazed that there was anything covering me at all. On my legs, I wore a khaki cotton harem and a basic black t-shirt that clung to every curve of my torso. These were not my property. Perhaps Mother Selene preferred to meet her creation dressed strangely, rather than naked, as I had died.

I was lying on a bed. A bed wrecked by an unending supply of blood from the puncture in my side. When I looked down and gingerly peeled the t-shirt up, my brows knitted with perplexity. Perhaps your wounds and imperfections vanish in death. It's not unexpected, given that Mother Selene was supposed to be the most beautiful Goddess in the sky, and She adored humans. The last thing She wants is for Her creation to arrive beaten and bruised.

I yanked the t-shirt off and examined my arms, remembering all the bruises the odd creatures had given them when they tackled me with their double-jointed fingers, but there were none. Bruises took days to fade, and I wondered how long I'd been unconscious. It didn't seem like long enough, but as I pulled myself up, I felt no discomfort at all. Strange, I reasoned.

Stranger still was the fragrance I was picking up. It was human, but not really human. My surroundings were even stranger; the room around me appeared to be normal, yet it wasn't. I moved to my left, where a window let in sunlight through its drawn curtains, further perplexing me. If it was the sun, that meant I was still alive.

“Hello?” I called out on the spur of the moment.

A knock on the bedroom door startled me.

"Hello, may I come in?" From the other side, a little female voice spoke.

"Um, yeah?"

The door slowly opened, and the owner of the voice entered cautiously. When she noticed me, she smiled and shut the door before coming to stand near the bed. I sat against the headboard, arms crossed across my chest, instinctively folding my legs.

"How are you feeling?" the female inquired as she bent down to examine my arms.

I shrugged and spread my arms for her to see. "I guess I'm alright."

“Wow! You got a little roughed up last night."

"Last night?" I probed. "What am I doing? And who exactly are you?"

She sat up straight and rested her hands on her hips. "You're staying in a hotel room. "Hello, my name is Amelia."

"How did I end up here?"

"You were brought here by my brother. He discovered you dying last night."

"I'm not - I don't think I'm dying." "Do you have anything to do with it?"

"I suppose so," she chuckled, "Alex wouldn't know how to mend you." But I didn't have a hand in anything."

"What exactly do you mean?"

Amelia sat on the edge of the bed and pointed to my side, which had no scar to indicate that I had been harmed at all. "You've already recovered. "I don't know how," she shook her head and frowned, "even the holy herb mixture would only have hurried up your recovery, which would have taken at least two days."

I gulped and turned away from my body, crossing my arms protectively across my chest.

"What is your name?" Amelia's eyebrows rose as she asked the question sincerely.

To be completely honest, I had no idea. I'd never been hurt before, let alone by the bizarre werewolves I'd never seen before. And there I was, painless as if nothing had occurred. Amelia's green eyes were big with amazement, and the more I gazed at her, the warmer they became. She posed no danger to me, yet she was a stranger. And I had no understanding why this stranger thought my life was worth saving.

"My name is Valerie."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Valerie." Amelia gave a kind smile.

"Thank you for anything you done." I was convinced I was already dead."

"There's no need to thank me. My brother is the person you should thank."

“Al-?”

"Alexander Young," he says. He'll be there soon. He had a few things he needed to take care of, and he's left me in charge of you. Hungry?” Amelia stood up and walked to the front door.

"Wait, Amelia! "Who are you?"

"Ah, I almost forgot you'd notice I was different. If that's what you mean, I'm not a werewolf." She raised her hands and showed me her hands. "I work as a werewolf healer." My wolf never showed up, which is why my brother is the Alpha." She smirked and walked out of the room.

What is an Alpha?

Amelia led me out of the room.

“Hey! You're not supposed to get out of bed." She turned around, holding a tray of two plates. "I was planning on joining you for lunch."

“Lunch? Is it that time?" I looked at the wall clock and realized I had slept much of the day away.

“Uh-huh. And if I'm hungry, I can only think how hungry you must be."

In response, my stomach growled, and I motioned to the dining area's eating table. Amelia set the dish down and handed me a plate with a thick slice of rib-eye before taking her own.

"Did you go hunting recently?"

"Two nights ago, I believe." I had last sought for food with the rogue wolves.

"All right, dig in. After yesterday night, you need to rebuild your strength."

"If you don't have a wolf, why is it so bloody?" I questioned aloud as I realized Amelia's steak was cooked just like mine - rapidly browned with the inside almost dripping with blood.

"I have desires, too," Amelia said as she gulped down a bite-sized chunk. She rolled her eyes as if the answer was clear. "All of my ancestors were werewolves." The majority of the ladies in our family were endowed with healing abilities in order to care for the boys who were injured in combat. Our diets, on the other hand, remained constant."

“I see.” Another portion was forced into my mouth.

"How about you?" What group do you belong to, and what happened last night?"

I swallowed in terror. Being a member of the rogue pack was not something to be proud of. I was an outcast, scarcely feeling like I belonged anywhere. I was unable to tell her what had occurred. In any case, not honestly.

"I was out hunting with my pack when we were ambushed by these strange-looking werewolves." "I'd never seen anything like that before."

"I did tell Alex that your wound was unique, unlike anything I'd ever seen before." "The scratches were deeper than any werewolf could have caused."

"I think it's only a matter of time before they're found," I shrugged.

"Alex is on the case. Those mysterious werewolves also preyed on his pack."

"So there are more of them than we encountered?"

Amelia nodded as her phone began to ring. "I've got to have this. Please pardon me."

“Sure.”

Amelia exited the room to take the phone call. I finished the remainder of my steak and wiped my lips with a tissue while I examined the room. The contents of a bag spilled out from one corner of a suitcase on the floor close to the couch. A pair of men's sneakers with their laces untied stood nearby. I was curious who Alexander was and why he chose to save me. Last night, I was confident that I would meet my maker, but She had other plans for me.

I returned the dishes to the tray and placed it on the server before walking around the room. Whoever this Alexander fellow was, he was undoubtedly wealthy. That was evidenced by the solid oak tables and elegant lace drapes.

“Hey.” Amelia returned to the room, clutching her phone to her chest. "I need to get out of here quickly." "Do you think you'll be okay until my brother returns?"

"Of course!" says one. "I feel brand new." I encouraged her with a bright grin and waved as she walked away.

I returned to my room to inspect the bathroom. I had a fresh pair of clothes and a clean towel on the counter, so I decided to take a shower. My heart was overflowing with gratitude as I remembered Amelia's generosity. She not only saved my life, but she also made sure I was comfortable.

"You're not capable of doing that!"

I stopped lathering the soap on my skin as I heard a male voice from someplace inside the hotel room.

"I don't have much of a choice."

A richly deep voice responded.

"You're both hiding something from me, and I'm going to find out."

The first male appeared to be close to the bedroom door. I turned off the water and stood in the shower stall, straining my ears to hear the dialogue.

"It's nothing major, Adam."

"It's important enough to miss their funerals!"

Funerals?

"You'll be there for me."

"This isn't good enough."

"It will have to suffice for the time being." Have you received any information about their whereabouts?"

“No. However, there is something else. Last night, you were targeted. Maybe those obnoxious thugs scared the assassins away."

"This isn't the first time."

"Yeah, just promise me you'll be safe whatever the hell you're caught up in."

"I swear it's harmless; after all, if I die, you'll be there."

"Before I take your place, your sister will feed my balls to the vultures."

“Good. Get out now."

I heard the door click as the first male - Adam, I deduced - exited. I grabbed the towel, wrapped it around myself, and dashed into the bedroom. It was too quiet, so I stalked to the main door, catching a fragrance of something unfamiliar to me. The scent of a wolf was tooth-achingly sweet, so I followed it out the door and into the corridor. One of the two males entered the lift with his back to me. When the other turned and rushed straight to the bedroom, I dashed back inside, keeping my ear to the door. I gritted my teeth as I heard his footsteps enter the room and knocked on the door.

“Yes?”

"You're awake!" shouted the man as the bedroom door slammed open.

I stood there stunned, forgetting that I was only wearing a towel over my body. He, too, was astonished to see me standing there. The green in his eyes mesmerized me, and the longer I stared at him, the more so. His dark hair brushed up on his shoulder, his bangs fanning his eyelashes. His lips were beautiful and cherry-colored, and his nose was properly angled so that the tip was pert and aggressive. In essence, the man in front of me was as delectable as the aroma I breathed, which had grown stronger now that he was in the room. I took a long inhale, disoriented by his aroma. No sweet-scented fragrance, no matter how expensive, could have such an effect on me. When he pushed forward, I didn't feel the need to take a step back, and I was even less concerned about his countenance going from surprise to what appeared to be fury. In fact, I stood there thinking I'd pass out if he got any closer, and I had a strong sensation he'd catch me if I fell.

What was this bizarre emotion in my soul, appearing literally between my thighs? I had no idea, except that my near-death experience had probably changed me.