Ice Veins

Chapter 5: Report [Mowanza & Valerie]

**Logan to the right** ----->

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I knew I only had an hour or so before the patrol changed shifts, so I had to make this fast.

I took no time in shifting into my wolf, every second counted for something like this. I had to ask Alec something important, and it wasn't going to wait.

Making sure no one was around, I bolted through the trees, being careful to mask my scent. If my pack knew what I was doing, who this man I adored was... they'd surely kick me out. Or worse.

Our kind and his didn't exactly see eye-to-eye half the time.

But I loved him, in some small way. Yeah, he may not be my mate, but this love was the closest you could get if you never found them.

Too bad Alec didn't feel the same way. I don't think he ever would either. He only liked one type of woman, and I don't think that was ever going to change as long as I was alive.

Pity. It would've been nice to see his realization of what evil lurked within his home and have him come crawling to me, begging for forgiveness. I wanted to smirk at the idea.

But I had something bigger to accomplish.

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By the time I reached my destination, I was panting. I wondered how the heck Lena had gotten as far with just human blood running through her veins.

Like always, the front door was open for me. Alec always seemed to know when I was arriving and, to be honest, it was admirable. I liked knowing someone was looking out for me.

Quickly ducking behind the nearest tree, I got dressed. Not that anyone would be looking anyway.

I turned to walk into the house when I was abruptly met by her. Now that I looked close, she definitely could pass as Lena, but Lena didn't have that evil glare or have that souless lack of shine to her eyes like this one did. Valerie.

"Good evening." She spat, though it looked as if it were anything but for her.

Brushing off her coldness, I stood tall, "I need to see Alec."

She sneered, "He isn't here. But I can answer anything you want to know."

I rolled my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to her, but I had no choice. I had to know.

"Valerie... what does Alec want with Lena?"

At the mention of Lena, her features softened, but only by a fraction. "Why do you ask?"

I stared her down, "Just tell me. I want to know why Alec went out of his way to bring Lena here!"

Her eyes widened, only to have a smirk cross her face, "Aww, is the puppy fond of Lena?"

I growled, "Valerie." I was losing my patience by now, and I'm sure I looked like a stereotypical were with hair sprouting from my skin and claws etending from my hands.

Unfazed by my threat, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's going to be his bride. He picked her specifically."

My heart sank into my stomach. "What?"

"You heard me. Lena is going to be joining Alec and me for eternity, so kiss her goodbye when Alec gets the chance to come pick her up."

"No." I snarled.

Her interest was picked, but her fear was stronger, "What did you say?"

"I said NO!" I screamed, anger rushing through my veins and forcing me into shifting. Valerie took a few steps back; even she knew to be afraid when my wolf was talking over.

Rather than attack her, however, my wolf took off through the woods, back towards our territory.

We both had only one thing on our mind. Lena couldn't become Alec's bride, no way in hell.

What conflicted us, however...

Was it for Alec or for Lena that we were concerned?

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VALERIE POV::

That went just like Alec stated it would. 

Funny, had the dumb dog actually took a good whiff of the house, she would've known he was here. But she disliked me so much, she didn't expect me to lie to her face.

I usually didn't. I always liked to let her know exactly what I thought of her, and how she shouldn't be close to Alec. She would end up hurt.

Sighing, I shut the door behind me with a loud click as I heard her howling through the trees. Heartbreak was a cruel thing, but it had to be done for the proper events to unfold. Alec had told me exactly what to say, and years of being able to mask my emotions, for the most part, was ideal for the situation.

I wanted to seek out Alec, but he wasn't in the usual room. I knew where he would be without much effort. Ever since Lena was here, he was only ever in the room she had abandoned him in if he wasn't in the usual places. I think he might've actually been fond of her, in some small way.

Well, so she believes she got away with only my help. I wonder what it would do to her to have her know that the reason she was released was because it was Alec's idea to do so, and that I wanted her to stay? He felt bad for chaining her up and had me be the one to release her because he had been afraid. Afraid of her gaze on him.

I'm sure things would've turned out differently and I would have a new BFF right about now.

I went up the stairs two at a time to reach the first bedroom, opening it slowly and offering a soft knock, "She's gone. Why couldn't you just tell her yourself?"

He was sitting with his feet resting on the floor, barefoot. His elbows were resting on his knees and he held his head in his hands, a soft sigh emerging his lips easily caught by my sensitive ears.

As he raised his head, I saw that look in his eyes... that look when something bad is going to happen. I had seen it many, many times before.

Not giving him a chance to call to me, I rushed to his side, quickly climbing into his lap and resting my hands within his as I leaned my head against his shoulder, sighing with him.

He always took it to heart when things were out of his control, but this was his duty. He was the one chosen to see everything to those closest to me. I was sure he even knew of when I would meet my demise, but he was gracious enough to withhold that information from me. I wouldn't want to live knowing the exact time of when I would die.

"If I would've told her, she would've killed me on the spot. This is the way it had to be done, and you are well aware, Valerie."

I nodded softly. I didn't think her capable of it, but if he said it was true, it must be. He was never wrong. His foresight was never going to be wrong, because nothing ever changed it.

He had tried on his most recent, previous bride, to change her fate. He only managed to prolong it, but it did happen. But now he had Lena, she wouldn't suffer the same fate, right?

"What's going to happen?" I asked, almost afraid to and cursing myself for doing so.

"Lena... is going to lose someone....."

I did the only thing I could think of. I held his head against the base of my neck, cradling him and hushing him softly.

He always took it so hard when his wives would be hurt. I had to admit, I felt a little pained by the idea too. Lena was different from the others, and I actually kind of liked her. A little.

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oOo Cliffhanger! 8D