Chapter 5.

Chapter 5.

I wake up with huge arms draped over top of me as panic sets in and I spring from my bed abruptly running to the bathroom. My breathing heavy as I slide down the back of the door while images of Parker flash through my mind, I slept with his brother! Tears pour down my face as realization hits, I will never see him again I’ll never have sex with him or sleep in our bed with him again. He is gone, he’s gone and I slept with his brother.

I lay on my floor in a ball crying as a small knock comes at the door.

“Valerie, are you ok?” I hear Preston’s soft deep voice ask as I sniffle trying to situate myself enough to answer him.

“Yes I’m fine, could you maybe get me something to eat please?” I ask trying not to cry when I hear him say ok before leaving my bedroom, I turn the shower on hopping in to quickly wash myself off before running to the closet to get clothes on before Preston comes back.

I pull my shirt on as Preston walks back in with a plate of food wearing only his robe.

“What time is it?” I ask pulling on a button up cardigan and clipping my hair up.

“I’m not sure .” He responds reaching for his phone.

“A little after noon.” He finishes before flopping on to my bed with a piece of toast.

“Oh goddess I need to meet with Evan.” I say shoving some food in my mouth as I grab my things I need before turning to leave.

“Oh, you don’t want to talk?”Preston says sounding disappointed and I freeze thinking of what to say.

“Preston, I can’t talk to you till I know how I feel and what I want to say. So no I don’t want to talk right now.” I answer as I dash out the door before he can say anything else.

I speed walk to the Alpha house knowing he’s going to ask questions so I try to make up answers along my walk. I knock on the door as it swings open and a server is there to greet me.

“Why hello miss Valerie, Alpha is waiting in the office for you.” She answers as I cringe knowing he’s waiting on me.

I stand outside his door taking a deep breath before I enter.

“Come in.” He calls before I even knock and I stand tall walking in like nothing is wrong.

“Good morning Valerie nice of you to join me.” He says with a smile and I go to sit at the table.

“Yes sorry Alpha I was out late last night.” I say softly looking down hoping he doesn’t sense my lie, I mean I was out late last night.

“Is that why you reek of Preston?” He asks as my heart stops and my face drops, I see him staring right at me, tears threaten to spill and I struggle to find the words.

“It just kind of happened I don’t know.” I answer as he nods sitting back waiting for me to continue.

“I went for a run last night and fell asleep in the forest.” I begin while I shift back and forth in my seat.

When I came back it was late and the pack house was empty so I was walking to my room when Preston came stumbling out drunk, I helped him to my room and put him on my couch then I went to bed.” I explain the rest as Evan sits watching me wide eyed and smiling while I talk.

“Holy, do you think he could be your second chance mate?” He asks as I shrug remembering what the moon goddess said.

“Evan there’s something I have to tell you.” I say looking down as he nods sitting up to become more engaged in the conversation.

“You can tell me anything.” He answers as I take a deep breath, we spend the next hour talking about how I’ve been speaking with the moon goddess since my mother and I met, I tell him about how I’ll be rewarded for fighting and winning the final battle and about the caves I found.

“Well we still need to find out where your mother is hiding, we have warriors coming today to help train our men, the twins are coming back to the pack lands with Stella today as well.” He states and I nod listening, the witches live in small cabins in the woods away from the other pack houses they are still on our land just secluded.

“Ok well I will be heading out to the caves to practice and look around a bit, I think I’m going to learn what I need from meditation and listening to the forest rather then having a teacher.” I say as he nods agreeing, I turn to leave the office.

I shift just outside of his house and take off across the pack lands, I’ll head to the caves till dinner then meet up with the twins. I fly across the dirt as my paws carry me quicker then normal, I feel free and completely at one with the forest. I come to my rock ledge quite quickly, climbing up the side checking around me to make sure Im not followed.

I crawl through the little cave that leads to the big room and sit down in wolf form admiring it before changing back. Once in my human form I wide in to the water and let it’s magic consume mine combining with it in to a perfect blend of power. I turn to a noise behind me as Preston pops through the small opening making me gasp and my anger rises.

“What are you doing here!” I exclaim angrily.

“I followed you after you left the pack house, this place is beautiful.” He answers while he begins looking around not even noticing my discomfort.

“You need to leave, you can’t be here.” I say walking toward him to push him out.

“Woah woah woah, why can’t I be here?” He asks looking confused while he stands firm. Not letting me push him back.

“You just can’t , this is my place and no one else is supposed to be here.” I claim as I step back crossing my arms making him smirk, butterflies flutter through me while I try to hold my place.

“You have a lot of secrets don’t you red.” He laughs coming closer as I continue to step back.

“Don’t call me that and don’t touch me.” I say coldly, he looks hurt by my words as his face softens.

“You didn’t feel that way this morning.” He says smirking again shrugging off his hurt expression.

“You caught me off guard this morning and it shouldn’t have happened.” I answer while he continues to creep closer.

“Common Valerie you know you don’t feel like that, I’m drawn to you and I know you can feel it too.” His voice now calm and I step back again looking to the floor.

“I can’t.” I state and I feel my tears burn behind my eyes threatening to come forward.

“You can, I can help you. We don’t feel like this for no reason Valerie, our fate is laid out for us and everything happened for a reason.” He says softly now standing directly in front of me. I look up to him as his dark eyes burn in to me making me melt.

“Im not ready to try and start anything, especially not with you.” I say looking back down.

“Why not me? He was my brother, I lost him too.” He answers as my eyes can’t hold back anymore letting everything out while I collapse to the ground in a heap of sorrow.

“I’m so sorry Preston, I didn’t even think about how you must have felt.” I say between my broken up tears.

He leans down wrapping his huge arms around me and I allow myself to fall in to his embrace coming undone.

“Let me help you get through this, and you can help me. I couldn’t think of any other way I’d want to do this.” He says kissing the top of my head as I lay against him.

His touch sends a low heat through my body, comforting me as it pulls me in. His touch feels amazing and it slows my cry’s while I try to sit up still sniffling, I gently pull myself away from him, wiping my face and turn to him, his eyes are still on me waiting for an answer.

“You still need to leave though.” I say through my sniffles as his face turns once again.

“Why? I want you to show me around here.” He states looking up to the large crystals hanging from the rock.

“Because I need to do something before I go back to the pack house, we will talk tonight.” Before he can answer the water pouring through the opening stops as the familiar voice returns.