Ares:Alastair decided to wait a few days before reconvening. It seemed that his one-on-one with Merari ended far better than mine did with Valene. The alpha she-wolf or whatever she was, seemed to be in higher and far more sensible spirits than she was that evening. Though it was evident that she wracked with some semblance of guilt over what happened. As much could be seen when everyone crowded into the meeting room that afternoon.
An apology was itching to leave her lips with every single member of the meeting she approached.
In a lot of ways-though I hadn’t known Ms. Van Doren for long, in many ways she reminded me of Valene. There was no wonder that the two could not get along.
“Young alpha.”
I turned to her when I heard her voice. I know that she wasn’t talking to Alastair. She’d never call him young, and while I was significantly older than she, I could see why she’d consider me young.
“Ms. Van Doren,” I greeted. “Alpha Barbosa will do.”
She cocked her brow at me. “Will it?”
“Yes,” I replied without pause. “As I am over a century and a half older than you.”
Merari chuckled. “I forget that you’re an old man like, Alastair. It’s easy to forget,” she said. “Espeically…since you’re so sweet on my little girl.”
“I guess Alastair did not tell you…”
“Tell me what?” asked Merari Wade.
“That she is my mate.”
She didn’t seem shocked by what I had just informed her of. In fact, she almost seemed amused by it. With a sigh, she took a step back, and then casually looked around before turning her regard back to me.
“You’re not surprised,” I realized.
“Should I be?” she asked.
Without another word, she walked away.
I hardly registered her nonchalant response before, Valene came sauntering into the meeting room. Except something was off. She was off.
Her scleras were like smoke, hazing her eyes. Her amber-colored irises are exceptionally dimmer than usual.
Instead of coming in and naturally commanding the room as she usually did, she found an empty corner of the room and stood almost dazed and aloof. There was something heavy on her mind. I wanted to go over there. I wanted to check on her.
I didn’t. It wouldn’t have been appropriate after the way we ended things that night in her room.
Screw it.
I had to check on her anyway.
“You showed up,” I said to start.
Usually by this time, the little mimar would have lifted her alluring stare up to me and said something snarky or mocking. Not this time.
Her eyes did lift up up to meet mine. Still alluring those eyes were. They were tired and distant. Almost confused even.
“I’m fine,” she said and then averted her stare. It was as if she’d answered me before I could ask. “I know you want to ask…they keep…” she hissed irritatedly. “They…those…these voices!” she whispered to herself, grabbing the side of her head. She* winced, closed her eyes, and then took a deep breath.
“Mimar. You are not okay.”
When I said this, she looked up at me again but those eyes didn’t stay long. She looked past me, then exhaled.
“I just need to get this over with, and then I can…I can…”
Valene didn’t finish her sentence. She swiftly closed up. When she shifted her attention back to me, I noticed the tears brimming her eyes.
“So, you can get back to the peace of your Cello-”
“It doesn’t!” she snapped through gritted teeth. “It isn’t…working anymore…” her aggressive and persistent words gradually regressed into a aggravated whisper.
She growled and began to fidget a bit. I wanted to help her. I wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on, but before I could even say anything, she glanced at me, a glint in her eye that I could not place.
“Mimar,” I cooed.
She shook her head, “Don’t.”
“Why?” I insisted, shifting closer to her. I looked around, at first thinking about who could hear us then suddenly I didn’t care. “Mimar, you need to talk to me.”
“Alright, everyone! Meetin, now in order!”
Alastair’s demanding voice broke through every side-conversation and murmuring in the room. Everyone’s attention was called to him. By the time I regarded Valene again, I knew I had lost my chance. She had officially shut down no me.
“Mimar,”
She shook her head and walked away. It was shortly after this that the meeting made head way.
“Before we move ahead,” started Alastair, “I would be remiss in my duty as an alpha not to address the elephant in the room.”
The room fell silent and everyone waited for him to finish. Everyone knew where he was going with this.
Alastair looked at Merari. “There was an incident a few days ago. We all know to what I am referring, Merari….Valene,”
Merari stepped forward, “I’d like to apologize for what happened that night. I’ve witnessed the damage caused that night.” She was ashamed. “I swear, that it will never happen again.”
“And how are we supposed to trust that?” The leader of the shifters asked. “Inhumans with powers like yours-like hers!” he glared at Valene, who was still seemingly out of it. “You do what you want! We don’t even know you! So how do we know that we can trust that you won’t do it again?! You owe us no allegiance!”
“You’re right,” Valene said casually. “We don’t.” Where her gaze was distant at one point, she suddenly became very self-aware. She stepped forward. “So when I came back…” she glared around the room. “I could have killed every single one of you…for the way you’ve treated me. If I really wanted to hurt you, I’d have discarded you just as you do humans every single day of your pathetic lives. But I did not.” She scoffed, “I owe none of you any allegiance, but I won’t hurt you.” She rolled her eyes. “None of you…are bloody worth it.”
“Valene?” Alastair stepped forward as he suddenly seemed to notice the dilated look of her eyes, and the disheveled appearance. Merari noticed as well.
“No!” I heard Merari gasp. “Not this!”
“Valene? Are you-”
“Don’t!” Valene snapped. She regarded her father and her mother. “Go on with the meeting. Fill me in later. I…I have to go.”
She glanced at me and in that mere second I saw the concern in her eyes. The fear and confusion.
“She is right,” I finally agreed and as I said this, Valene disappeared out of the room.
“We cannot leave her to her devices-not in this state!” Merari insisted with great urgency.
“What is it Merari? What is going on with her?” Asked Alastair.
“She’s been having the night terrors, again. When they come about, Alastair, it’s not good. Someone has to look after her.”
“Yeah, but she’s right,” said Alastair’s beta. “We cannot keep postponing this discussion. Time running out and we’ve still not come up with a solution for this growin problem that we have.”
“Finish the meeting,” I told Alastair. “I’ll go after, Valene.”
“You’d better take care of her, boy.”
I didn’t bother with a response. Right now, finding Valene was my priority.