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
VALERIA"I really don't want to go anywhere, Dimitri. Besides, we have both been up and about this week, going to work and all, so that means I've had my own fair share of going out."Dimitri shook his head. He was wearing that expression that showed when he was fixated on a particular idea. His eyes glinted in that way that said he would have his way in this too."Go out with me," he insisted. He walked across the room and came to a stop at my bed. "We can go anywhere you want. What do say to lunch later at a restaurant I just discovered? If you don't want to do lunch, we could go somewhere you like. You must be bored seating in the house all day. Isn't that what you tell me all the time? How come you're refusing to go out now?"A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I suspected exactly what was going on. I was willing to bet that Dimitri really didn't just want to go out for the fun of it. For instance, I could tell from the way he was currently looking at me like I was the on
DIMITRII grunted a reply to one of the pack's leaders who greeted me. I didn't even know who it was. I scarcely even looked at him. Behind me, I heard the car door slam shut. Then there were running footsteps as Silas hurried after me."They are all ready for the meeting, Alpha," said the man who had greeted me. I looked closely and saw it was Ace."Where?" I said."In the meeting room. The same one as last time."I grunted, increased my strides. Ace and Silas had to try to keep up with my lengthy strides. As I walked, my eyes swept the area, noting whether the improvements I had suggested earlier had been done. The moment I pushed open the door to the meeting room, the murmured conversation among those gathered stopped. They turned in my direction. Even when they stood to pay their respects, I could clearly see the worry etched on every face, even on Silas's as he took his seat."Sit down, everyone and let's get down to business." I waited for them to settle down before continuing.