Valerie:

“Where the hell were you last night?” Vadim asked, snapping at me and I raised an eyebrow. The fact that the man was in my apartment was confusing enough as it was, and to think that he was asking such a question was even weirder.

“I doubt that I need to answer to you at the age of twenty-six, do I?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. I was forcing myself to ignore the clench that I felt in my chest as anger boiled through every cell in my body, and though I didn’t even understand why I was feeling this way because of a wolf, I knew to keep it quiet.

“I waited for you almost all night only to find out that you went clubbing…”

“Again, I don’t need to answer to you, Vadim.” I said, reminding him of his limit. The man was my twin, and though we were both close, I hated when he tried shoving his nose in what didn’t concern him.

“I’m sorry,” he said, avoiding my eyes. “I was worried when I didn’t find you in the house and when I found out that you were clubbing at the wolf’s…”

“The two of us know very well that I chose to move out of the house because of this ‘wolf’ obsession.” I said, stopping him. “Therefore, unless it is another topic, please, we either close this one or you show yourself out the door.”

He frowned in confusion at my attitude before cupping my cheeks to make me look at him. Tears fell from my eyes before I could stop myself and he frowned before wrapping his arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. I fisted his shirt, knowing that he wouldn’t be asking any questions. At this point, I knew that he would just hug me to let me know that he was there for me.

But I knew that I had to compose myself fast; otherwise, he was going to start getting suspicious and if that happened and if questions were to be asked, I didn’t know how I was going to answer them.

I pulled away to look at him and he smiled in assurance. “How about we take a seat and watch a movie? Maybe I can get you some chocolate? Or better yet, call mum to come over…”

“Mum?” I asked, and he smiled. The fact that she was here was a surprise as it was, and I couldn’t help but shake my head in question. “How?”

“I don’t know how he did it, but he convinced her that coming over would be best. I wanted to come and get you yesterday, but you never showed up.” He said, and I smiled before wiping my tears. I went to take a step back but he grabbed the jacket that I was wearing. “But first, you are going to tell me where you got this jacket.”

“If I am going to be telling you about every man that I sleep with on a drunken night, I doubt that you, as my BROTHER, would be okay with it.”

“TMI.” He said, and I rolled my eyes. “At least tell me that you remember his name this time?”

“Don’t answer, number ten.” I said, and he laughed, shaking his head at me. It was a name that I knew that I would never forget, and the fact that he used me the way that he did was one thing that I was going to keep in mind; however, for now, I was going to shut the topic before more questions were asked. “I’ll go and get ready before the two of us head out. I also have a jacket to burn later.”

“Yikes, he was that bad?” He asked, and I raised an eyebrow. He raised his hands in mock surrender and I shook my head.

“I swear, sometimes you forget that you are my brother and not my girl-friend.”

“I can be both depending on the situation, but then again, you would rather speak to a girl than to your own sibling.” He said, mocking me and I laughed.

“Yes, just like you would rather not gloat about the next girl that you have sleeping in my guest room after you’ve both kept me awake throughout the entire night.” I said, and he smirked.

“Touché.” I walked to my bedroom without answering as I stripped off the jacket. My heart raced against my ribcage as I looked at it for a second too long, recalling his kisses, his eyes on mine, the gentle touch. I looked away as I tried recomposing myself, and taking a deep breath, I threw the jacket on top of my bed before entering the bathroom to shower.

My heart raced as the hot water cascaded around my body, and I couldn’t help but find myself thinking of his blue eyes. The way they met mine as we both danced. The man had approached me in the club, his eyes focused on mine, as if led by some trance, and his voice, which made my heart skip a beat as goosebumps rose over my skin despite the loud music made me gulp.

His words were simple, and his voice was barely loud enough for me to hear, but it was my body that heard it long before my ears did.

“Hello, mate…”

I shook my head, snapping myself out of my daze as I took a deep breath.

“Snap out of it, Valerie.” I whispered to myself. “Just fucking snap out of it…”

Alessandro:

“You have been spending more and more time outside, you do realize that?” Daniella asked, wrapping her arms around me from the back. She gently kissed my back, letting her lips linger there as I fixed my tie. “I don’t even remember the last time the two of us actually slept and woke up on the same bed without you being up before I was or in bed, if you ever do get in anymore, long after I slept.”

I stayed quiet as I kept my eyes on the mirror, but knowing Daniella, I knew that she would not drop the subject. If anything, she was going to do her best to get me to talk about what was bothering me, and that wasn’t something that I wanted. She wouldn’t like my answer, and I knew that I didn’t keep the topic to myself for months only to voice it out now.

I turned around to face her and she shook her head in question. “Did I do something to piss you off without knowing? If so, please do let me rectify, Alpha.”

I didn’t respond for a few seconds before cupping her cheeks and kissing her forehead. The issue was not her, and that was something that I knew very well.

It has been months since I have rejected my mate, and though I knew that normally, it shouldn’t affect me for more than a day or two, a heavy feeling settled in my chest and I couldn’t find myself finding a way to put a name to it.

“I’m just a little busy lately, Daniella, I don’t want you overthinking something that did not happen.” I said softly. She looked down at my chest before nodding.

“You called me by my name, and that is something that has been going on for months now.” She said, noting it out. I took a deep breath and smiled before connecting my lips with hers. She kissed me back, and wrapping her arms around me, I knew that she wanted to deepen the kiss; however, I pulled away before she could.

“I will see you later tonight,” I said, and she took a deep breath before taking a step back.

“I believe that later tonight would be long after dawn, wouldn’t it?” She asked, and I turned to the mirror. She let out a silent laugh before nodding. “I am going out for the day, I have a few things to tend to. If there is anything that you need…”

“Keep me posted on where you are going and you have my card if there is anything that you want to buy.” I said, stopping her. She stayed quiet for a few seconds before nodding. She walked toward me once again and gently kissed my cheek.

“If there is anything bothering you, what you are doing is not going to take us anywhere. Just talk to me and the two of us will solve it.” She said, and I looked away from her before nodding. “But considering the fact that you just stated that you would be seeing me later tonight, I will be waiting for you.”

“It would depend on whether or not I had work. If you find yourself growing tired, then you can just fall asleep; there is no need to…”

“We shift tonight, Alessandro, I doubt that you would be working when you are in wolf form.” She said, stopping me. I cursed under my breath, and she raised her eyebrow. I looked her in the eye as she walked toward me, gently running her finger over my chest, her breathing somewhat heavier than normal as she clearly feared how I would be reacting. Nevertheless her heartbeat was calm, but I could tell that she was trying to catch my attention somehow. “I think that it is time for our wolves to connect like they used to.”

I smiled and put my hand on hers, stopping her from making it go lower down my abdomen and she sighed and took a step back. I didn’t respond, and instead, I chose to walk out of the room, heading downstairs where I knew that Leonardo would be waiting.

His eyes met mine and he raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of my expression.

“Rough morning?” He asked, smirking when I didn’t respond. I rolled my eyes and nodded at the door.

“I just need to get the hell out of here. Only then would my morning be easier…”

Valerie:

“Mum, you know that I am not a child,” I said through the phone as I put my hand on my swollen stomach.

“Val, I never did say that you are, but wolves shift tonight, and you know how your father feels about any of you being outside when that happens.” She said, and I sighed. It was something that was drilled into my head, and no matter how much I tried to forget about it, my family had the habit of reminding me.

“You know, mama, if the family stopped hunting the wolves down, maybe they wouldn’t be after us.” I suggested as I tended to one of the cats that was laying in her cage. Having been spayed, she was just waking up.

“It runs in the family’s blood, little huntress. Mind you, not everyone inherited my blood like you,” she said, and I laughed. “Just stay safe and inside. For your child’s sake at least,”

I ran my fingers over my stomach for a few seconds before nodding. It has been four months since that night, and my baby was a constant, daily, reminder of it.

“Don’t worry, mama, I will be staying in the infirmary a little later than normal. Work has been piling up…”

“Or you have been trying to avoid thinking about the baby’s father.” She said, and I looked down at the cage for a second before taking a deep breath. She didn’t know who he was, and I doubted that she would be accepting it if she found out anyway.

“I will call you tomorrow morning, okay, mama?” I asked, and she sighed.

“Alright, sweetheart, just stay safe and be sure to stay inside.” She said, and I hummed in response before she hung up. I put my phone down as I wrapped the lab coat around my body. I had to admit, over the four months, I did hope, for a second at least, that he would pop up at my door to know about his child. I didn’t have it in myself to go back to his hotel, but knowing that he was El Capi dei Capi, I knew that he could easily find me if he wanted to.

“You know, you have been playing with my mind a lot lately.” I said, putting my hand on my stomach as I spoke to my child. “I still have to find us a place to go a few years after you’re born. For your safety, at least, I can’t have them sensing your wolf blood.”

My heart throbbed and I walked toward my desk as the howls of wolves echoed around us. Normal people wouldn’t hear them, but as a huntress born, I did. I just often pretended that I didn’t because I didn’t want to think of harming anyone because of how they were born.

My stomach growled, and I rolled my eyes at it. “Really? This is like the sixth meal that I am going to be having today.”

I shook my head at myself, knowing that I was being ridiculous as I spoke to an unborn child, but then again, we did always learn that a baby could hear his mother talking when inside her.

“Fine,” I muttered as I got up from my chair. “Let’s go and find something to eat so we can feed you…” a loud thump stopped me from completing my sentence, and I couldn’t help but frown in confusion as I knew that the sound came from the front door.

A heavy feeling settled in my chest, and I knew that the thump came from a wolf. I could sense him outside, and it was an Alpha blood, even worse at this point.

I opened my drawer and pulled my gun out, loading it with a few bullets. The last thing that I was going to allow right now was for a fuss to be happening here. And considering the fact that I knew not to call mom right now, I knew that disabling the cameras would be a better option. Otherwise, the family’s security team could watch, and God forbid that my father finds out that an Alpha has been walking on my grounds.

I walked toward the door and couldn’t help but frown when I saw that the shadow of the wolf was still. The wolf wasn’t moving at all, and no footsteps could be heard, not his at least.

I looked out the window to see him and couldn’t help but frown at the sight of the black wolf that lay with a pool of blood under him. My heart raced and I couldn’t help but find my breath getting caught in my throat as the footsteps of hunters made my heart drop.

I opened the door and the wolf, who was leaning against the wall, fell inside almost immediately, taking me off guard as I saw his left shoulder and chest. Both were shot by bullets, and I could tell by the trail of blood that followed him here that he’s been injured for a while now.

“Fuck,” I muttered, pulling the creature, or more specifically, trying to, inside. My heart raced and I couldn’t help but frown at the sparks that coursed through my veins as I touched the wolf, and that was all it took before his body shifted back to human.

I frowned at the sight of the man’s blonde hair. His chest rose and fell with each heavy breath that he took, and his eyes were closed as he lost consciousness, clearly drained from the loss of blood. But that wasn’t what made my heart drop. It was me taking sight of his dirty and injured face, processing who he was as he lay in front of me.

“Alessandro?”