An Alpha for Valentine

SIX

VALENTINE

I was relieved when Devin and Jason left the room. But my unease refused to dissipate. As I watched them walk away and slowly fade into the distance, I realized that their presence although suffocating was much better than feeling a sense of isolation. Being alone with the Crow pack members was something. As soon as Jason and Devin were out of sight, the pack members who had been flocking me vanished. My bags hit the floor and I was met with hisses. Kerri picked up the bags thrown to the floor and you would think that would do something to alleviate my discomfort. But it didn’t. The Sentinel was cold and calculating. Her eyes were also trained on me. They were not soft. They were not inviting. It was eerie.

"I can show you around if you like," she spoke, her tone flat and uninterested.

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I just want to freshen up and change."

I had been soaked to the bone, my clothes sticking to my skin. Because I had chosen to wear something thin. At the moment, I wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower and change into something comfortable. So there was no point bothering myself to get to know the Crow pack when I would be met with disdain at every corner of the house.

“Can you just take me to the Bedroom instead?”

Kerri's expression remained cool, but I could feel the judgment and disgust radiating off her. The murderous intent that permeated from her was thick enough to snuff the life from me. But for some reason, she seemed to be holding back. It was not for me. As a sentinel, she was loyal to her Alphas. It didn’t matter if she wanted me dead, if it was not the will of either Devin or Jason, she could not lay a finger on me. I however made a mental note to watch my back around her. Just because she was better at hiding her hate did not mean I was safe.

“Of course,” She replied with that cool voice. It was unnerving. It made every wire in my brain go crazy. It would be better if she lashed out or show her anger for my existence in these walls somehow.

Kerri led me up to the room that was to be mine for my stay, and I took a moment to look around. As I entered the room, I noticed an ornate chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, casting a soft glow throughout the room. The plush carpet underfoot felt luxurious, and the large windows let in the sunlight and a gentle breeze. The room is spacious and elegantly furnished with a king-sized bed at the center. The walls are painted in soft shades of blue and green, with an en suite bathroom attached.

"Is this to your liking, Valentine Monarch?" Kerri asks, her voice still as cold as ice.

"It's perfect," I say, giving her a tight-lipped smile.

“Of course it is. It is Devin’s room.” Kerri mused. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”

I closed the door behind her, grateful for the privacy. I then made my way to the large bathroom. The marble floor was cool beneath my feet. The bathroom was extravagant with a large claw-foot tub in the center, surrounded by candles and rose petals. The walls were painted in a pale shade of blue, giving the room a calming effect.

I turned on the faucet and filled the tub with warm water, adding a few drops of lavender essential oil I found into the water. I then slithered out of my cold sticky clothes and entered the tub. As I sunk into the water, I let out a sigh of relief. The warmth soothed my aching muscles, and I felt the tension in my body slowly dissipate. It was good that I shut my eyes and buried myself under the bubbles. I let out a contented sigh under the water. This was just what I needed.

But the tranquility was short-lived. Suddenly, I felt a pair of strong hands on my shoulders, pushing me down into the water. My eyes snapped open in shock, and I struggled to breathe, but the hands were too strong. Panic set in as I realized I was being attacked.

I tried to scream, but all that came out was a muffled gurgle. My heart pounded in my chest as I frantically thrashed around, trying to break free, but it was no use. The hands held me down with an iron grip, and I felt my strength waning.

The water rushed into my lungs, suffocating me, and I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker. I knew I was going to die if I didn't fight back, but I didn't have the energy to do so. Just as I was about to give up, the hands suddenly released me, I jump up from the water, my heart pounding in my chest and I gasped for air, coughing and spluttering.

I saw Kerri and Devin standing in the doorway, their expressions full of concern.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Devin asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Someone tried to kill me," I said, my voice shaking as I cling to the edge of the tub.

"What? Who?" Kerri demanded, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger.

"I don't know," I replied, feeling a sense of panic rising within me. "Someone grabbed me and pushed me underwater. I couldn't breathe."

Kerri shook her head. "I was right outside the door the entire time, Valentine. No one could have come in without me knowing. Are you sure you're not just imagining things?"

I stared at her in disbelief. "Imagining things? I almost drowned! How could I be imagining that?"

Devin stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Valentine, it is alright. Everything is fine."

I didn’t even have to peep into his mind. The look he gave me was enough. He didn’t believe me. Devin, like Kerri, was certain I was imagining things. But I knew what I felt. The hands were real, the struggle was real. I couldn't just brush it off as a figment of my imagination.

"I'm not imagining things," I insisted, my voice rising. "Someone tried to kill me."

Kerri's expression turned cold and condescending. "I was at the door the whole time, Valentine. No one came in here. You must have hit your head or something."

I felt a surge of anger at her words. How dare she suggest that I was making this up? I shook my head, my wet hair dripping onto my shoulders. "I didn't hit my head. I know what I felt. Someone was in here with me."

Devin's grip on my shoulder tightened, his eyes searching mine for any sign of deception. "Valentine, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" I exclaimed, frustrated that they didn't believe me. "Why won't you believe me?"

Kerri's expression softened slightly, but her tone remained patronizing. "Valentine, I think you're just overwhelmed. You've had a long day, and you're tired. Why don't you get some rest, and we can talk about this in the morning?"

I shook my head, refusing to back down. "No, I don't need rest. I need you to believe me."

Devin sighed, pulling me into a hug. "Valentine, I believe that you believe something happened. But we need to look at all the possibilities before we jump to any conclusions."

I pulled away from him, feeling hurt and alone. "So you don't believe me either?"

Devin's expression softened, and he reached out to take my hand. "Valentine, it's not that we don't believe you. It's just that we need to be sure before we start making accusations. Trust me, we will get to the bottom of this."

He didn’t really mean it. He just said it to appease me so like a good little Luna, I nodded, pretending to feel slightly reassured by his words. But deep down, I knew that something was wrong. Someone had been in the bathroom with me, and I needed to find out who it was before they came back to finish the job.