Page 170

"Adira, I know you’re here," Valerie said, panting as she searched around. She was no match for Adira when it came to running and was already tired. The woods, no matter where, all looked the same. The only things in sight were the trees.

A figure darted into the darkness, and Valerie began the chase once more, yelling, "Adira, stop running."

She was surprised when Adira stopped and turned to face her, her expression dark. "What do you care?"

"I just want to talk." Valerie caught her breath. She shouldn’t have taken on this job, given that she was now human and also in high heels. Thank goodness she didn’t twist her ankle or anything like that.

"I hate you," Adira let out, but somehow, Valerie wasn’t offended. Having Alpha Denzel’s love was enough to make everything else seem insignificant.

"I know. But I don’t hate you," Valerie responded honestly. Adira’s gaze was clouded with confusion as she pointed out,

"You’re lying. You can’t like someone like me." Adira was certain of that, but Valerie had her reasons for not hating her. When she thought that Alpha Denzel hated her, it clouded her mind. She took no interest in him, but now it was understandable why every woman was in love with him.

"Mistakes are forgivable," Valerie explained to her.

Adira’s eyes welled up with tears. She hadn’t spoken to anyone in days and had no appetite for food. Even sleep eluded her, but the last person she ever wanted to have this conversation with was Valerie.

"Not mine. I don’t deserve Troy. I just want to die."

Valerie didn’t judge her but rather used her own experience as an example. "I also wanted to die once. Come sit here, and let’s talk about it. It’s just the two of us, and it’s not like I can defeat you in a place like this."

"You’re tougher than me," Adira pointed out, not believing Valerie’s words since she had fought with her before. Valerie smiled bitterly.

"Only in human form."

"I don’t get it," Adira said, confused and skeptical about everything. Valerie found a log and made herself comfortable, tapping her hand gently on the side.

"Sit down, and let’s talk." Adira didn’t refuse and sat beside her. This was a rare moment, and it wasn’t as if they were rivals. "I have my secrets too, Adira. If anybody would want to die, then it should be me."

No matter how Valerie put it, Adira couldn’t understand. "Alpha Denzel loves you."

"And Troy loves you. Why don’t you want to go back?" Valerie asked seriously. This was Adira’s second chance, and she would become the Luna of the Night Shade Pack as well.

Adira wiped a tear from her eyes before letting it out. "After all I’ve done, I will only feel like a sinner close to him."

"He doesn’t see it that way," Valerie encouraged her. This Adira was indeed different from the one she met in the Evergreen pack.

Adira couldn’t believe that Troy would still love her after all she had done. Perhaps he wanted revenge on her. "It’s just a matter of time before he rubs it in my face."

Valerie disagreed. Adira was condemning herself, and it wasn’t right. "Adira, you have to forgive yourself."

"So easy for you to say. Your life is perfect." Envy laced Adira’s words. Valerie smiled bitterly and thought to reveal her secret, if that would make Adira understand what she was driving at.

"No, it isn’t. I just decide to be happy."

"What can make you sad?" Adira asked, not understanding Valerie’s sentiments. But Valerie needed some assurance before spilling her secret.

"How can I trust that you won’t tell?"

"I’m ready to forgive and begin trusting myself. If it’s so sensitive, I promise not to tell." Adira was eager to know what could make someone like Valerie sad when she had Alpha Denzel by her side.

"I lost my wolf when Alpha Denzel rejected me," Valerie revealed, and Adira’s eyes widened.

"What? I don’t believe it."

"You already said that he loves me, so why do you think he hasn’t marked and mated with me yet?" Valerie asked. Adira took a closer look at her neck, and indeed, there was no mark there.

"You must be feeling awful," she sympathized, temporarily forgetting her problems. Her wolf had been trying to comfort her, but she locked her away.

However, she knew that she would never be able to live without her wolf. Valerie had every reason to be sad but chose to be happy.

"We all have battles we fight, Adira. I wished to die when I realized how much I lost, but sometimes you just have to accept the problem and live beyond it. If your mate doesn’t judge you, then give him the chance to love you," Valerie advised. Adira’s mood sank a little.

"I’m afraid I’m not the right person for him," she finally revealed the reason for her fears.

"Why don’t you say it to his face then?" Valerie asked. Their job was to get Adira to the Night Shade Pack. Whatever happened between her and Troy was their pack’s business.

"Okay. I will," Adira agreed.

The two remained there in a comfortable silence, in each other’s embrace. No one knew how much time had passed.

"There you are. You gave us a scare," Alpha Denzel’s voice jolted Valerie awake before she knew she was dozing off. He was with Alpha Idris. Alpha Denzel was stunned by the position he saw them in but did not speak about it.

"Have we been away for long?" Valerie asked, looking to her right and was amazed. "Or, she’s sleeping."

"Let me carry her to her room," Alpha Idris volunteered and carried Adira to her room.

"We should have a good rest," Alpha Denzel said to Valerie when they returned to the cottage. By the time they woke up the next day, it was already past midday.

"Should I say that you two have not been resting well?" Luna Fernanda had waited since morning for them to come out to eat, but seeing them now, she could not be upset with them. Alpha Denzel suddenly recalled something and spoke with a sense of urgency.

"Aunty, I need to go into the woods."