Chapter 10: Chapter 10

VALERY

I wake up to the sunlight filtering into the room and blink a few times. It’s already Sunday. Everything that has happened…

I see Alvarius’s sleeping face in front of me and smile, touching his cheek. He groans and pulls me into his chest.

“Hrm… Good morning, kitten.” His voice sounds hoarse and sleepy, and I giggle.

“Good morning.”

He kisses my hair and breathes in. “I love your smell, kitten.”

I blush at his whisper into my ear, and he traces his lips down my neck to my mark.

“One day, I want to mark you for real.”

Mark me for real? What does he mean? Seeming to know I’m confused, he tenses and lets out a sigh.

“Sorry. I’ll explain later. Let’s get up for now and eat breakfast.” He pulls away and kisses my forehead before getting up and dressed.

“I’m going downstairs to prepare everything. Take your time.”

He looks at me before closing the door, leaving me alone in the room. I can’t shake the feeling that something is bothering him, and while I ponder over asking him what it is, I get dressed and drag my heavy body to the bathroom before meeting him in the kitchen.

I stop at the entrance of the bathroom, the door completely ruined. This is where… I shake my head, refusing to remember the events of last night. Stepping around the door, I do my morning routine.

When I head into the kitchen, Alvarius is already cooking pancakes and I smile. But then my gaze lands on the broken window where the wolf came in yesterday and I shiver, holding my arms tightly around my chest.

“Hey… It’s okay. Don’t be afraid. You’re safe now.”

I don’t notice Alvarius coming to me, but he wraps his arms around me from behind and I lean against him. The memories are still so fresh in my mind, and my body trembles as I take a shaky breath.

“What did he want from me? What’s going on, Alvarius? And why am I being targeted?”

He tightens his arms around me, his voice sounds weak. “I’m sorry, Valery. I told you that you’d be safe, but I failed you. Please forgive me.”

I feel his arms tremble as he tries his best to continue. “As soon as I heard the shattering of glass… I was so afraid. I sent my beta, and he went after your attacker when he forced his way into the bathroom. By that time, you already were gone. Then, once he took care of him, he heard another approach you and came running.”

“So that’s how it was.” I turn in his arms and look up at him. “I thought it was the same one.”

He shakes his head. “They were after you, and I’m so sorry. I tried to keep them away for so long.”

My heart stops, and I study him as I think back. “Your injury…”

He nods, pulling me closer to him.

“Yeah. That day, I fought them too. To protect you. I was able to chase them away, but I got hurt in the process.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “B-but why are they after me? Before you told me, I didn’t even believe werewolves existed!”

His arms fall to his sides, and he balls his fists.

I step away from him. “And why do you do so much to protect me? Why did you defend me and get hurt? You didn’t even know who I was!”

He turns away from me and shakes his head. “I’ll tell you later, but for now—”

“No!” With my back straight, I cross my arms and lift my chin. “I want to know now! I think after everything, I have a right to know, don’t you?”

He balls his fists again and turns toward me, his eyes golden and staring into mine while taking a threatening step toward me with clenched teeth. “You don’t want to get caught in between all this crap, Valery. So stop.”

Anger builds up inside me, and I throw my hands up in the air. “Yes, I do! I told you once that if there is something that’s going on that affects me, I want to know about it. Tell me now, or I’ll—”

He growls loudly, his canines elongate and drop past his lips, and I take a step back.

“I said stop! Don’t defy me.”

Tears build up in my eyes and I press my lips together. “Do you trust me so little?” My voice comes out in only a whisper, and I curse myself for becoming weak in front of him. I shake my head. “Fine. If that’s how it is.”

I turn around and take a few steps away from him, but he grabs my arm. Shaking off his hand, I continue walking. I have no idea where I’m going to go. If these werewolves are after me—for whatever reason—I can’t risk staying here or even on campus.

“Valery,” Alvarius calls after me. “I just want to protect you. Why can’t you understand that?”

I can hear the pain in his voice and as I turn around and gaze into his watery golden and sparkling eyes, my heart shatters.

He releases my arm and looks away, but I step up to him and grab his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

“I appreciate that. I do. But, Alvarius, I don’t want you risking your life for me when I don’t even know what’s going on.”

I look deep into his mesmerizing eyes, pleading with him to let me in. “I know I can’t do much to help—I’m only a human. I can’t fight…” I run a hand through my hair roughly. “I don’t know what I can do! But allow me to at least ~be~ there for you.”

I push a tear away from his face with my thumb and smile at him sadly. “I see that you’re suffering. Please, please talk to me.”

He puts his hands over mine and his eyes shimmer golden again as he stares into mine and nods slowly.

“Okay,” he says. “Okay. You’re right. You deserve to know. I’ll tell you everything, but can we eat first? Give me a moment to figure out how I’m going to explain everything?”

I look into his eyes and smile. “That I can do.”