DIMITRI"Trust me. This is the best decision you've made in a while," Silas said as we neared the entrance of the pack.I shrugged. "I guess it is."I was on my way to the pack a few days after my last visit there. Silas had sort of talked me into visiting the pack again. But before he had even made the suggestion I had already been thinking deeply about it. I was staying at the pack for a few days this time. There was just one thing that made me feel out of sorts."Valeria and the baby will be fine. She just has to be, with three bodyguards looking after her," said Silas, breaking into my thoughts, saying the exact same thing that had been preying on my mind. "Ah! Here we are."Silas drove through the gates straight to the pack house. I was expected this time. Silas had told the leaders of the pack that I was coming for an extended visit, and they were all there, waiting for us.The first day, I took a tour of the pack. I pointed out alterations and additions that had to be made to t
VALERIAWe were rounding up the Rosy William project, and I was kept very busy putting in the final touches. Every morning when I got to work, I ticked off each day until the end of the project on the little calendar that had pride of place on my desk.Realizing I wasn't really making any significant progress in the report for the project which I was supposed to be typing, I sighed and pushed the sheaf of papers away from me. I walked over to my window and tried for what felt like the umpteenth time that day to immerse myself in the sight of parts of the city I could see spread out before me. The distraction did not work. Not one bit.Again, I found myself thinking of Dimitri and the kiss we had shared in his bedroom a week ago. Unconsciously, my hand went to my lips which had been a little bruised and swollen after the kiss. I closed my eyes. I shivered at the memory of him running his tongue across my upper lip over and over again until I had felt like swooning from the assault on m
VALERIAShe didn't look too good. Was it a trick of the light or my imagination? I gently ran my fingers across her cheek. She stirred, opened her eyes. I watched the awareness come into her eyes slowly, too slowly. It seemed her reflexes too weren't as good as they had been the last time I saw her."Hi honey. You're here. You should have woken me up immediately. How long have you been sitting there?"Worry knotted my insides at the sound of her hoarse voice. She looked so weak, so frail. What had gone wrong now?"You're not well, gran," I said.She smiled and struggled to sit up. I reached for her, wanting to give her my support. With a smile, she waved me off and sat up herself."I'm fine, dear. I'm fine. I'm just a bit under the weather today. It's nothing serious." She looked at something over my shoulder. "Isn't that right, doctor?""What did I miss?" said the doctor cheerfully.He came further into the room and started examining her."I commented on how pale she was looking," I
VALERIAMaybe he was used to giving and receiving the cold shoulder for days on end, but I was not. I felt it was high time we trashed it out the reason for his recent attitude once and for all.He was in his usual haunt, his study. He was scowling at the screen of computer as though it had done him a personal injury. His scowl deepened when I stepped into the room. He looked as though he would have liked nothing better than to order me out the way he had order me out of his bedroom the last time. I refused to be intimidated by his stare. I marched up to his desk, drew up a chair and sat to show him I meant business."What's your problem with me?" I asked.Before seeking him out, I had decided that going straight to the point was the best form of approach."I don't understand what you're talking about. I don't have a problem with you or anyone else," he said.I slapped down the files he was trying to flip open. I kept my hands there, splayed on them. There was no way I was going to le
DIMITRII shuffled from one foot to another, moved my neck from side to side to ease the tension there while keeping my eyes on the target. My fists were clenched so tight that I could feel my fingernails digging into the flesh of my palms. It was painful, but I didn't mind. I even clenched my fists tighter. The pain helped me focus."Come on, Dimitri. Are you going to stand there all day?"His words prompted me to action. I lunged and aimed a punch at his head. He ducked just in time and my fists encountered only air. I swore under my breath. He shook his head, skipped a few steps backwards and began circling me really slowly. "Your focus is off today," Silas said.He tightened the straps on his boxing gloves. I felt my eyes narrow."Why don't you come just a little closer so we can see how off my focus is," I growled.Silas laughed and took another step backwards when I came closer."No thanks," he said. "I don't think I'm such a fool to do that. I don't want to get my head knocke
VALERIAIt was happening again. I felt my heartbeat speed up. We had just got out of the car and there they were, seemingly coming out of nowhere, like a flock of vultures. I supposed it was irrational of me but I always thought of them that way. I pressed close to Noah, dug my fingers into his arm as we began to walk briskly towards the restaurant. The place was so close, yet felt so far away. I felt them closing in. I couldn't wait to get into the sanctuary of the restaurant so I could breathe again.As always, Noah seemed unaffected by it all. He walked confidentiality, nodding and smiling to the reporters whose eyes he met. As they shoved their cameras and microphones at us, asking, always asking if we were dating, what plans we had for our relationship. Noah kept saying cheerfully 'No comment. No comments. I'm sorry, but I have no comments."The restaurant's doorman bowed us in and thankfully, the doors closed, shutting out all the questioning voices and the flashing lights. The
DIMITRI"Alright. I think that about does it for today," Rosy said.As the others began to pack up their things, I left the meeting room. Outside it, the air felt more breathable. Maybe this was because breathing the same air as Noah had been steadily driving me nuts. It was a wonder I had been able to successfully sit through a meeting with him there. After a minute, I rolled back my sleeves to check my watch. What were they still doing in there? Maybe Valeria and Noah had used the opportunity to begin one of their discussions. I supposed I could go back in there to order her back into her office. Here at least, I could minimize her contact with Noah. Just as I had that thought, the door to the meeting opened again and stayed open as Rosy and her team hurried past. Noah and Valeria walked out. I moved out of their path."... very good presentation, Val," Noah was saying.He was finally walking out with Valeria at a much slower pace than Rosy and her team."Oh. Thank you. But was it r
VALERIAI felt my heart literally stop for a moment or two before it started up again. My one thought was that I was being attacked. The person who had poisoned me was back to finish the job. The weight of the person on top of me pressed me against the mattress. Knowing I would probably get only one chance to do this, I sucked in screamed as loudly as I could. The weight on me lifted, and the next moment I was lying on my back, staring into Dimitri's eyes. I stopped shrieking at once. I tried to gather my wits."Hey. It's just me. Are you okay?" he asked after I had remained mute for about a minute.I shook my head, tried to catch my breath. Dimitri helped me sit up. I slapped his hand away. I pressed a hand to my chest."What did you think you were doing?" I puffed. "Why did you sneak up on me like that?"A ghost of a smile appeared on Dimitri's lips. "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. I've been here so I could talk to you. It's not my fault that you were so preoccupied that didn't