CHAPTER 004

CHAPTER 004

Emily's Point of View

My alarm clock suddenly started its noisemaker mode beside my bedside, quickly signaling my awakening.

At 8:30, my eyes widened in shock; it was too late for training! Hastily out of bed I jumped and landed with an audible grunt on the ground below me.

"F!" I hissed under my breath.

My body felt as though a bulldozer had run over it; all over was soreness, with tender and swollen breasts being particularly troublesome.

Confused, I fidgeted between my eyebrows, trying to recall what had transpired last night.

Slowly, I moved towards the bathroom, conscious of the pain between my legs.

Did I Have It..? As soon as those thoughts entered my head, they quickly vanished easily; surely I couldn't have?

As soon as I saw my painted reflection in the mirror, my reaction was immediate: an exclamatory "Sht!" hitched up my breath under my breath in horror.

My nape was covered with various sizes and hues of bruises that ran down from it onto my breasts and stomach.

Hickeys! What happened here, and why did they do it to me?

I sighed, confused. There was no way that I could go to training looking like that.

A realization dawned as I ran my hand across my face in disbelief.

"But, how am I back to my room?" I found myself asking aloud. Wasn't I trapped inside this cabin due to thick snowfall?" I wondered aloud.

As I carefully turned and opened up the shower faucet, my memory of last night came flooding back.

Mila had picked out an elegant little black dress for me to wear for this evening's festivities, which caught my attention immediately.

Who gave me new clothes?" Everything seemed rather confusing at the moment.

As soon as I touched it, a faint scent filled my nostrils, familiar and comforting and evident on its fabric.

Recollections from last night immediately surfaced, prompting me to shout aloud with shock while throwing my dress off as though it were something dangerous or hot that had just burned me.

Alex captured my innocence and my first kiss.

"Alex is my best friend," I murmured to myself.

My heart pounded wildly within my chest, while my stomach seemed as though someone had just turned it over on itself.

"Alex, is this your destiny?" Even that statement seemed bizarre to my ears.

I quickly collected the dress, placed it into the laundry bag, and headed straight for the shower.

As I scrubbed away at my tender and sore body, every movement caused grunting and moaning from me.

After completing the task, I returned to my room to change into clothes for training, knowing full well that I would likely arrive late and possibly forgo it entirely.

Mila's angry voice boomed through my ears as I turned around. To my shock and surprise, Mila sat idly beside me on my bed! I exclaimed in disbelief at seeing her there.

"Where have you been all night?" she barked angrily at me. Jax and I searched everywhere to look for you; we were worried sick! Why was your block up? How did you make your way home? And what were those marks around your nape doing there?"

Mila had finally calmed down when she finished screaming at me. Her anger had subsided.

"This is a long story," I replied, "which I cannot share right now as I am already late for training.

Mila grumbled while rolling her eyes at me; in response, I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion and disagreement.

She reported that "Training was canceled this morning " and noted, "Had your link been open, you would have known Alpha Cole had granted everyone time off today."

"He canceled training?" I was taken aback when it suddenly hit me that my alarm clock, set for 6 a.m. but had gone off at 8:30 instead, had gone off early that morning!

Did Alex set my alarm clock earlier today knowing I would be exhausted after last night?

Mila soon added her two cents: it snowed last night! "Yeah," Mila replied irritably.

My heart leaped out of its chest - this wasn't a dream - it had happened!

Mila found herself deep in thought as she considered how long it had been since snow had fallen on the Midwest. Alpha Cole assured Mila not to worry; indeed he seemed rather pleased.

"Oh," was all that could escape my lips.

Mila replied with puzzlement. Her grandfather told them it is best to enjoy and celebrate snow rather than worry about its presence; changes will soon come our way.

As I nodded my understanding and made my way towards my walk-in closet.

I needed clothes to cover up all of the evidence from last night.

After much thought and consideration, I eventually wore a chocolate brown turtleneck top with comfortable white jeans.

Mila had her suspicions and would ask questions if she thought I had found my match. Should Mila discover Alex as my love interest, they would come pouring forth. If Mila knew who it was, though, that could spell disaster!

On my way out of my room, I grabbed some white sneakers and sat on my bed.

Mila sat comfortably in one corner of my room, flipping through an old magazine.

"Have I made myself clear?" Mila asked while placing down her magazine.

"Mila was trying to protect me; but what should I say?" As much as she wanted me to tell the truth about what had transpired last night, it felt awkward telling someone what had occurred in a matter of moments.

"Nothing to tell," I replied evasively, concealing my true intentions. I was feeling poorly, so I went outside for fresh air, but I must have lost track of time and ended up at home instead."

Mila looked disdainfully upon my words. Her expression showed no belief whatsoever in anything I said to her.

"How are you explaining all these hickeys covering your neck?" she inquired.

"Mosquito bites," I responded quickly without pausing for thought.

Mila threw her head back and burst out laughing.

"Try again," she replied with laughter-tinged eyes, wiping tears from her cheeks and a few from her own. "Maybe then I will believe you."

"That's fine," I responded, "it's just an itchy rash from coming across some poison ivy."

Mila could only laugh and shake her head with amusement at such words from Mila.

"Maybe instead of turning warrior training into stand-up comedy training," suggested she with laughter in her tone.

Mila could see right through my lies; lying wouldn't help her; eventually, she would learn about them anyway.

I crossed my arms around my waist, waiting for her laughter to stop before continuing our dialogue.

As soon as she had calmed down enough, I finally said: "This isn't funny."

Mila assured her cousin that no one would believe what she had just told them because it had snowed the previous night, no mosquito would dare venture outside, and we don't have poison ivy in Pack territory.

As I contemplated my next statement, I kept quiet and considered all my options before speaking up.

"Fine," I finally conceded. "These things are minor. It isn't that I don't want to tell you; rather, it is just difficult knowing exactly how.

Mila replied, "Let's start again from scratch!" as she placed her magazine on her bedside table.

How should I tell my best friend I will soon become Alpha's partner?

"This wasn't the right moment," I thought as I closed my eyes in prayer, knowing now wasn't the time.

"Nope," was my answer eventually. "Things are currently complicated for me to explain, but promise me I will tell all when the time is ripe."

Mila started to speak, but I quickly stopped her.

"I don't even know what happened last night," I replied, hoping to discover it soon.

Mila looked downcast as she became suddenly aware that I was keeping something important from her.

I closed the gap between us by squatting next to her chair.

"Mila," I replied. You're my closest ally and will be the first on my list to know my secret. Just trust me when I say I can't reveal it now—first, let me sort things out for myself before sharing with anyone."

Mila nodded her head and gave me an uncertain smile.

I didn't enjoy keeping secrets from her, yet never in my wildest imagination did I anticipate that my secret would become public knowledge so quickly.