Chapter 33

She would live as Valentina Combe, until she was able to figure out the truth of everything, maybe it could also help her understand why she was in Valentina's body in the first place. But she would secretly still be Goldie, Goldie Parson, that was who she truly was, that was who she wanted to be and she wanted to go back home. One way or the other. Goldie thought as she watched Remy talk about the Lunathion ritual.

She couldn't deny that there was something between them that night in Alaska, she also couldn't deny the fact that every single time she was in trouble he was the one who showed go to save her, nobody else came, just him. She had to be more smart and tactical in her approach, if she wanted answers, she had to befriend Remy first. They needed to be on good terms. She didn't blame him for only being with Valentina because of the Lunathion ritual, from the looks of things Valentina had kept a lot of secrets from him too.

In the soft glow of the bedroom's dimmed lights, they sat on opposite sides of the bed, their expressions a mix of uncertainty and curiosity.

Goldie, her eyes filled with determination, took a deep breath before breaking the silence. "Remy," she began, her voice wavering slightly, "I've been doing some thinking lately, and I've realized that maybe I've been running away from something that I shouldn't be."

Remy looked at her, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean, Valentina?"

She sighed, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on the bedspread. "I mean, all this time I've been so focused on remembering my memories, of learning about my past, I suppose in a way it was me avoiding getting close to you, thinking it would be better for both of us because I couldn't wrap my head around the idea of it all..."

"...But the hard truth is, I have nowhere else to go, no one to turn to except for you and I'm tired of putting myself in danger out there."

Remy studied her for a moment, his own emotions flickering across his face. He had known Valentina for a while now, and he didn't think he had ever heard her speak so deeply, or truthfully. "Valentina," he said gently, "you don't have to go through this alone, I told you I would help you recover your memories and do everything in my power to.  You don't have to do everything alone."

Goldie's eyes welled up with tears, and she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Remy."

Remy leaned closer to her, and he wiped away a tear with the back of his hand. "You don't have to apologize for running away," he said softly. "I think now, I finally understand why you did it. But I'm even more glad you're willing to stay now."

Goldie managed a small smile, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "I just need some time to figure things out, you know? Recover my memories, find out who those people who kidnapped me were, what they wanted.

Remy nodded, his gaze unwavering. "I'm working on that... I have also been trying to find out who they were and what they want... I'm sure in time we will find some answers."

As they sat in the quiet room, the tension between them dissipated, replaced by a sense of companionship and understanding. Goldie knew she had made the right decision talking to Remy. She felt relieved that he had listened to her and wished she didn't have to lie to him about some things. She had recovered her memories, but they were not Valentina's so unfortunately they would be of no use to him.

As sad as it sounded, there was no way around it. Would he even believe her if she told him she wasn't Valentina?!

He would just think she was lying to him. Or it was another one of her methods to try and run away from him.

He wouldn't believe her.

She sighed.

"Being an alpha... it seems like a lot of stress."

She said.

She didn't know werewolves or supernaturals existed when she was herself. She didn't even suspect that it did. But now, learning all about it and navigating through it felt like she was plunged into another world. A world of magic, mischief and secrecy.

"I've been an alpha for years now. I took over from my father a long time ago.."

Goldie looked at him with curiosity. "What was it like?"

Remy's eyes held a distant look as he reminisced. "It was a very challenging time and being from this pack didn't make it any easier. Being a young alpha came with responsibilities and expectations, and I made my fair share of mistakes. But it also taught me the importance of leadership, loyalty, and protecting those I cared about."

Goldie listened intently, intrigued by this glimpse into Remy's past. "It sounds like you've come a long way since then."

Remy smiled softly. "I like to think so. Life has a way of teaching you lessons, and I've learned from my experiences. Now, I'm here, and you're here too. My main focus is making sure you're safe and supported."

Goldie felt a strange warmth in her heart. And all he had done since she had met him was do just that, make sure she was safe and protected.

.......

Marielle wasn't called the Spymaster of the Silverback Pride pack for nothing. She had always been a vigilant observer. Her instincts rarely led her astray, and ever since she had met Valentina, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss with Valentina, her Alpha's Luna and mate. Late evening, a few hours after Valentina had approached her for training lessons, she stumbled upon a trove of new information about Valentina that sent shivers down her spine.

With a furrowed brow and trembling fingers, Marielle sifted through the digital trail she had stumbled upon. There, in the dim glow of her computer screen, she found a cryptic message from someone in New Orleans who claimed to know the late Valentina Combe. The message hinted at dark secrets and a past Valentina had never shared with anyone, not even Remy, her mate.

Marielle's heart raced as she considered the implications of this newfound revelation. She couldn't ignore her suspicions any longer; she had to let Remy know about it. But first, she would inform Kale. Kale would let her know what the next line of action was.

As they sat in the library, Marielle leaned in, her voice low and filled with concern. "Kale, I've come across something about Valentina, something I've never seen before, which is quite strange since I've been looking for information on her for months now and I usually come up with nothing."

"It's from someone who claims to know her from New Orleans, someone who suggests she has been doing business with her for a while now, I don't know what kind of business but it definitely sounds shady."

Kale's eyes widened, mirroring Marielle's apprehension. "What did you find, Marielle? Are you sure it's credible?"

Marielle nodded solemnly. "I've done my best to verify it. But before I do anything, I need your advice. Should I tell Remy about this? This could be the key to us finding out who Valentina truly is."

Kale, always the voice of reason, took a moment to think before responding. "Marielle, if this is as serious as it seems, we can't rush into anything. We owe it to Valentina and Remy to find out the truth first."

"Confronting Valentina without solid evidence could do more harm than good."

Marielle nodded in agreement, appreciating Kale's wisdom. "You're right. I'll dig deeper, try to contact the person from New Orleans and gather more information. We need to be sure before we say anything to Remy."

Kale placed a reassuring hand on Marielle's shoulder. "We'll handle this together, Marielle. She's our alpha's Luna and as much as it pains me to admit it, we need her, so we have to make sure this person has something sensible to tell us in the first place."