Page 24

Valerie felt happier with Alpha Denzel away. There was nothing between them, so the only thing he most probably would want to talk about would be her torture.

Taking a break from watching the butterflies she had been observing, a frown lined her remarkably attractive facial features. The butterflies were in many different colors, feeding on the nectar of some of the flowers. The blend brought out the most profound beauty of nature she ever observed.

Left with no choice, she stood up with great difficulty on her left foot, supporting herself with the toe of her right foot after hopping to stabilize herself. Alpha Denzel’s gaze darkened when he saw the pain in her eyes, but it went unnoticed by her.

Recalling how she rejected his help earlier, he didn’t try to help her this time. "You will have to walk fast. I don’t have time for snails," he snarled. Valerie was embittered. In times past, no one, including the almighty Alpha Denzel, would dare to speak to her in such a manner.

It must be very hard to be human, as the pain from her injured leg caused her to flinch. Never had she endured pain for such a long time, as she would have healed by now. Luckily, an angel stood beside her.

"I will help her. Where are you taking her?" Allesia asked Alpha Denzel with her rare innocence, making it impossible for him to send her away.

"Into the woods. Keep walking until I tell you to stop," Alpha Denzel said. He was inwardly happy that Allessia showed up in time. Though he wanted Valerie to ask for his help, he also knew that she would rather endure the pain than look pitiful in his eyes.

The walk was longer than expected, with half of Valerie’s weight being supported by Allesia. Even with that, Valerie could still feel the pain under her right foot and was sweating from it.

When Allessia noticed that her help was not enough, she stoped and yelled in Alpha Denzel’s direction.

"Hey, hey, Alpha Denzel, are you planning to kill her secretly?"

Alpha Denzel, still thinking about the video, was visibly taken aback by the allegation, but one glance at Valerie and he could tell that she was in pain.

Bitterness clamped his chest as he shook his head. Valerie was too proud to ask for his help. With a deadpan expression, he responded, "Death is too good for her. She has to suffer."

Pain shot through Valerie’s chest. Now that Alpha Denzel was aware of the attack on the Yellowstone pack, couldn’t he piece things together to know that she was innocent? Allessia could not hide her anger.

"You are so ruthless."

Alpha Denzel realized that Allessia was equally tired and used the opportunity to test how far Valerie could endure walking like that without his help. "Increase the pace. I don’t have all day."

Allessia had reached her breaking point. "Goddess. You are so heartless. Can’t you see she’s injured?" She wiped the beads of sweat on Valerie’s face, her heart aching for her. "Val, I will get you crutches."

Valerie stiffened and paused in her already slow-paced steps. "What did you call me?"

Allessia apologized with remorse. "Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get informal."

Valerie shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes. Only her family called her that, but she knew that Allessia had misunderstood.

"No. It’s not that. The last person who called me so affectionately by that name betrayed me the most."

Alpha Denzel’s jaw clenched, but since he was behind, no one saw him as he kept thinking of an everlasting injury to inflict on Scarlet. Perhaps the same punishment as Alpha Tristan would do them both a lot of good.

"I’m sorry to hear that. I might be a member of the Evergreen pack, but I will take good care of you," Allessia made a solemn vow. Valerie was shocked. Adira never liked her, and she wondered what Allessia was all about.

Allessia had hinted from the onset that she knew Valerie, and the latter wondered how. She wanted to ask but couldn’t do so in Alpha Denzel’s presence. But thinking of Allessia’s promise right now, she wondered where Adira was.

"Won’t you return to the Litha Moon Pack? How can you take care of me when Adira is around?" Valerie asked innocently.

Allessia saw nothing wrong, feeling that Valerie would still find out anyway. "Oh, Alpha Idris took..."

"Enough Allessia. Leave us," Alpha Denzel ordered from behind, cutting her off. Valerie felt there was something about Adira he didn’t want her to know. Allessia, on the other hand, could not stop making things difficult for Alpha Denzel.

"You forgot to add my title," she turned to face him with a pout, but Alpha Denzel was not amused, speaking sternly, "Do you know the next thing I will forget?"

Allessia’s brows raised daringly. "You have to refresh my mind."

Succeeding in angering him, Allessia felt proud but was soon humbled by his threat. "If you don’t leave now, I will forget that you are yet to be introduced to the pack and not do so at all."

Not being introduced to the pack was equivalent to not being the Beta of it. Allessia smiled and patronized him. "Mighty Alpha Denzel, breakfast will be ready soon."

As soon as she left, the atmosphere tensed. Even the wind stopped blowing. Alpha Denzel’s look was stern. Valerie sat on the log of a fallen tree to rest her injured leg as Alpha Denzel spoke.

"I will ask you a question, and you will not lie to me."

The corner of her lips curled up daringly. "The only reason you brought me was to make me suffer. I am ready for that, but I can choose to not answer your question," she retorted.

Fear filled her heart when she saw the way Alpha Denzel’s face turned red with anger. She wanted to withdraw her statement but was too proud. The thought that someone was fighting for her against the Yellowstone pack was enough adrenaline.

Alpha Denzel’s fingers tightened around her jaw, and her back was pinned against a tree. The force that pulled her from sitting to a standing position was as fast as the wind.

"What makes you think you have the right to negotiate with me?" Alpha Denzel raged. Valerie feared, but knowing Alpha Denzel never stayed for too long at the pack, she spat,

"Because the Yellowstone pack was attacked. It’s proof of my innocence. Very soon, I will be rescued."

Alpha Denzel laughed. Valerie thought he looked cute when he laughed genuinely. He could take any woman’s breath away, but too bad, she wasn’t one of those kinds of women.

"The attack on the Yellowstone pack is what gives you courage?" Mockery laced Alpha Denzel’s tone. "Let me let you in on something. I never believed those pictures, and it wasn’t the reason I rejected you."

Valerie was so pale, every fiber in her body went numb. "Then...why did you reject me?" Her voice was teary, and she didn’t mind being vulnerable in front of him this time.

Alpha Denzel got the exact expression he wanted. That feeling of helplessness and humiliation that she made him feel a few years ago. This was payback time.

"I’ve known you to be smart. I’m just knowing how forgetful you are. Don’t think that this pitiful expression would move me. It only adds to my joy."

Valerie got the hint that Alpha Denzel was revenging on her for something she knew nothing about.

"What did I do to you? Why do you hate me so much?" She demanded. His rejection was the worst because of how it killed her wolf. If he was justified for rejecting her, then that should be enough for him to set her free.

"I’m the one who asks the question, and right now, your injured foot hasn’t healed. I want to see your wolf," he seriously demanded. Valerie went stiff like a statue.