Chapter 40

Goldie and Remy sat across from each other during breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, the chef had made scrambled eggs, some porridge, some waffles and fresh strawberries and the sound of chirping birds provided a serene backdrop to their meal. They had not really spoken to each other that morning, because when she woke up Remy was not on the bed. He had left for a jog, or a run, she couldn't remember what he had murmured. She went ahead to brush her teeth and freshen up. She had spent some extra time washing her hair and when she got downstairs she noticed that it was only her and Remy at the dining table. Kale and Marielle sometimes had their meals in their rooms and Ellen who was always having meals at the dining table was sleeping in, leaving only her and Remy.

Goldie couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that had plagued her since she woke up that morning. She remembered when she woke up from her  dream she had been calling Colin's name. Remy asked her who Colin was and she didn't give him a reply. She could tell that it bothered him, It had left her feeling uneasy, and she needed to talk to Remy about it.

"Remy," she began tentatively, "about last night... I noticed you looked upset after I woke you up from your nightmare."

Remy looked up from his plate of scrambled eggs, his eyes meeting her gaze. "Upset?About what, Valentina?"

Goldie hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I don't know, but you asked me who I was talking about as I woke up calling their name and when I didn't answer you looked a little upset as you went back to bed. But honestly, I have no idea who Colin is, and I don't want you to worry about that."

Remy's brow furrowed slightly, and he set down his fork. "Alright. But isn't it strange that you were calling out his name? Perhaps he was someone you knew in your past. What was the dream about?"

Goldie's heart raced in her chest, and she did her best to appear convincing. "Nothing sensible to be honest. I can't even remember much of it... I don't think it was that important."

As she spoke, Goldie couldn't help but notice Remy's intense gaze. He was looking at her intently, and she could feel his eyes boring into her, as if he was searching for something beneath her words. She tried to maintain her composure, but it was hard to do that with his steely gaze on her.

Remy's expression softened when he saw that she was uncomfortable, and  then he leaned back in his chair, his voice gentle. "Alright, Valentina. If you say so. Dreams can be strange sometimes."

Relief washed over Goldie as Remy appeared to accept her explanation. She continued to eat her breakfast, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Remy knew she was lying.

"You're right. It's probably the stress and everything. Must have made my brain a little too active."

Remy nodded, he seemed to agree with her.

"You should get some rest, you have been working quite hard these last few days."

Goldie looked somehow relieved as she faced her food squarely, Remy, on the other hand, couldn't help but wonder why Goldie had felt the need to lie to him. He had listened intently to her heartbeat while she spoke and that skipped beat had not gone unnoticed. It was one of the little skills that came with being a werewolf, but he didn't use it as often as he should because he only utilised it in formal settings. Besides, people had their way of lying while speaking the truth, giving half truths or not revealing the full story, or just outrightly manipulating the situation. The skill unfortunately could not work in those situations.

He knew there was more to the story than she was letting on and he wondered if there was something that she was hiding, but for now, he decided to bide his time and wait for the right moment to unravel the mystery that was Valentina Combe.

......

Goldie and Ellen were spending the day together after she had breakfast with Remy. At least a few hours. Ellen had suggested she go to the spa as a way to prepare for the Lunathion ritual and all she could think about was getting to relax and getting a massage so she agreed. They had embarked on a journey to a serene spa close to the sea. Ellen had made it very clear that the brief retreat wasn't merely for relaxation; it was for her preparation for the sacred Lunathion ritual. Despite claiming to have never seen or experience the ritual before, Ellen spoke about it in complete reverence and awe, making Goldie more receptive to the positive parts of the ritual.

As they stepped into the soothing warmth of the sauna, Goldie and Ellen settled onto wooden benches, steam swirling around them like a comforting embrace.

Ellen, her gaze fixed on the steam swirling around them, finally broke the silence. "Valentina, I've been wanting to talk to you about something."

Goldie turned to Ellen, her eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

Taking a deep breath, Ellen hesitated before she spoke. "I know I might have mentioned this before, but now that we're alone, I feel even more comfortable mentioning it."

"Mentioning what?" Goldie slowly asked.

Ellen smiled faintly. "The fact that you're an entirely different person. I mean I know that you've lost your memories, but your mannerisms, your personality, it seems like everything about you has changed."

Goldie's heart pounded, and she swallowed hard. She managed a nervous laugh. "I think I'm also a little scared about the change... I don't remember who I was before and I'm not sure how I would feel when I get my memories back."

Ellen's warm gaze softened, and she reached out to squeeze her hand. "I like who you are now, I cannot deny it. I don't think I'd have ever been friends with the old you. But the new you is very comforting and refreshing."

Goldie felt a lump forming in her throat, she wished she didn't have to lie, Ellen was such a sweet person. "I'm glad you prefer this version of me. Quite frankly, I think I prefer this version too."

Ellen chuckled softly, her eyes reflecting years of wisdom. "Oh Valentina, I know it's scary but change is not something to be feared. It's something to be celebrated. I think this new you is just you without all the trauma and suffering you had to endure. I don't know a lot  about you but it seems like you've had a very sad childhood and it must have affected you."

Goldie smiled. That could be it, Valentina must have been through a lot for her not to have talked about her childhood or anything about her past. For her not to have talked about her past even to the people she should have considered family. "Thank you, Ellen. Your words mean the world to me. I'm glad you like this new version of me."