Gray Valley

t h i r t y - f o u r

I SENSED SOMEONE BEHIND ME. I froze at once, waiting for them to reveal themself. When no one came forward, I decided to directly ask them.

"For the love of Luna, I don't care who you are or what you want; but following me like a stalker isn't going to do you any good. So, I suggest you come out, now."

"As aware as you were back then, aren't you?" a familiar voice snickered. I spun around to glare at Maryanne, her metallic gray eyes meeting mine.

I had only seen her yesterday, but her eyes still made a chill run down my spine.

"Back then?"

"As a child," she explained, . "Before you lost your memories, you were exactly like this... Your extreme awareness was like a seventh sense to you."

"I don't remember you from before," I stated flatly.

"But, you sense me, don't you? How do you feel when you see me, Wes?"

"I'm not Wes," I muttered under my breath.

It was uncomfortable, the feeling I got when I saw her. I could feel strong familiarity with everything about her. It wasn't exactly a warm or relaxed familiarity that I felt with Liam, but I nevertheless felt that we knew one another. And although I felt the connection, there was something strained between us.

"How do I make you feel, Wes?" she repeated, ignoring me completely. "What do you sense when I come near you?"

I had no idea when she moved, but she was standing nerve-rackingly close to me, her body practically touching mine. For almost an entire minute, I couldn't reply.

"I don't know."

"By Luna, you don't know?" she demanded incredulously. "I see... Maybe I read you wrong and you've actually changed-"

"I don't know what it is," I interrupted. "But I don't like it. I despise the feeling I get when I see you, Maryanne."

For a split second she was silent, before her lips twisted into a scornful smile.

"Just as I had hoped."

"Huh?"

"You wouldn't understand if you tried. You're nothing like me... You would never understand how I feel, Wes."

"My name is not Wes," I repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"You know, my habits tend not to leave me," she stated. "I have called you 'Wes,' since forever. I don't think I'll ever be able to change that." I clenched my teeth, suppressing the growl that threatened to surface. "You're just going to have to deal with it."

Why did I hate that name so much?

Maybe... Maybe she was the reason. Maybe she was the reason why I loathed the nickname; why I was so against West calling me that...

"Listen, Maryanne Grant," I began quietly. "I may not like you, or how you talk to me, but that doesn't matter... I am the Alpha and-"

"I don't get it," she snapped. "I don't get how you gained support from the pack. what did you do, even? Threaten them or something?"

"I'm not like your father, Mary... Or even like you. I have people who care for me."

"And so do I."

"Who?" I laughed coldly. "Your brother no longer trusts you, Liam doesn't know what to think and I... I almost hate you."

"The world doesn't revolve around you, Wes," she snickered. "I don't care who dislikes me because I have a father who loves me." Mary paused. "Besides... I have West, don't I?"

What? It took me too long to remember who she really was to me. She was West's mate and he... He loved her.

"No matter how much he loves his little sister, he can't deny his bond to me. The Soulmate Bond is-"

"I know that," I snapped. It pained me to admit that she was right.

"Don't get me wrong... Your relationship is truly admirable," she drawled. "But if it's between the two of us; he'll never fail to choose me."

"You stay the hell away from him..." I muttered under my breath. "Don't you dare come anywhere near my brother."

"Like I said before... I don't lose my habits that easily, Wes," her quicksilver eyes glinted in the darkness. "I've gotten used to being with your brother; I'm not going to give him up that easily. You'll just have to deal with it."

"If you touch him..."

"There's nothing you can do to stop me, Wes."

"You underestimate me, Mary..." I whispered. "It'll all be over if I tell him the truth."