Valencia!

Seven

The next morning, Valen woke to the sound of her brother's voice arguing with a woman. “You can't go in there, Terra! Stop being such a raging b***h!” her brother’s voice rang out from the other side of the door. She had just enough time to cover her bare chest before the door slammed open, startling Maximus awake.

Valen quickly sat up in bed, clutching the duvet tightly to her chest, and saw a furious Terra storm into the room. Terra’s eyes swept the scene before her, and she immediately began to cry. “HOW COULD YOU, MAXI!” She screamed, clutching her chest. Maximus glanced at Valen with a worried expression, and her heart began to race, not in a good way.

“I’M CARRYING YOUR PUP!” Terra yelled, throwing a used pregnancy test onto the bed. Maximus reached for the test and ran a frustrated hand through his blonde hair when he saw the results. “f**k. How is this even possible, I was safe?” Was all he said. Valen sat still, completely bewildered by the scene unfolding in front of her.

Her intuition screamed at her to run, but being undressed, she had no choice but to remain frozen beside Maximus. “Get her out of here,” Maximus muttered, almost a whisper to her brother. “NOW!” he shouted in frustration, causing Valen to jump.

Her brother coaxed Terra out of the room, and for a moment, Valen couldn’t bring herself to move from her spot. Her heart broke into pieces with every passing second, and a tear slipped from her eye. What the hell had she done? She couldn’t make sense of the insanely dramatic situation she now found herself in.

“Valen,” Maximus’s voice was gentle, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. “Valen, please,” he called desperately, and his voice snapped her out of her internal monologue. She moved quickly to get dressed, avoiding eye contact as she rummaged through her bag for the clothes she had worn yesterday.

“Valen,” he called one last time, and this time she looked up at him. “I can’t do this,” was all she managed to say as she pulled out a pair of shorts. Maximus seemed almost angry now. “Valencia, please . . . just let’s talk about this . . . fucken A,” he said, frustration and tension lining his voice, making Valen even more nervous.

She grabbed her bag from the floor and walked out of the room, right into her brother. “Are you okay, Valen?” he asked, visibly disturbed. “No, I just want to go home,” she said, and he nodded. “That's right, leave, b***h!” Terra screamed from the kitchen, but neither Valen nor her brother acknowledged her. Her brother escorted her out of the house without saying another word.

The car ride home was silent, aside from her brother’s phone ringing incessantly. They both knew who it was, but he refused to answer. When they finally made it home, Valen grabbed her bag and walked toward the door, but before she could enter the house, her brother grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

“She could be lying, Valen. He hasn’t been with her for that long. This could all just be one huge misunderstanding,” he said sadly. Valen couldn’t bring herself to respond. Her heart was heavy, and her mind was in chaos. “Valen,” Griffin coaxed softly, his hands gently resting on her arms. “Valen, it’s going to be okay,” he promised, pulling her into a tight hug.

The warmth and sincerity in his embrace broke her, and tears began to fall like a river. She clung to him, letting the flood of emotions pour out. The next few days, Valen holed up in her room. After her brother confirmed Terra’s pregnancy, she became reluctant to answer her phone or see anyone. Her family was understanding, offering her the space she needed.

“Valen,” she heard a familiar voice call. “Can I come in?” Ty’s voice was tentative, and she replied quietly, “Yes.” He entered slowly, shutting the door behind him. “Hey, Valen, you okay?” Ty asked, sitting down beside her on the bed.

“No, I’m not . . . I f****d up, Ty,” she admitted, and he nodded sympathetically. “Your brother called me,” he said gently. Valen nodded in acknowledgment. “He’s worried about me,” she said softly, and Ty agreed, “He is.” “I have a mate, Ty,” she said, her voice tinged with sadness. “But he already has a pup with someone else.” She looked up at him, full of shame.

Ty wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I know, Valen. It’s going to be alright,” he assured her sincerely, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her arm comfortingly. “What if . . . what if I went with you to Washington?” Ty suggested, and Valen looked up at him in surprise. “But you’ve always wanted to be a pack guard, like your dad?” she stated, more than asked.

“I know,” Ty replied, leaning into her. “But a change of scenery would be nice,” his words sinking her heart even further. “I don’t want you to give up on your dreams because of me,” Ty shook his head. “I know you don’t. This is something I’ve been thinking about, and I want to go with you, Valen,” he said, and her tears flowed even harder.

“Why are you so good to me, Ty?” She asked, sobbing into his chest. Ty smoothed her hair and calmed her down. “Honestly, Valen, you’re my best friend, and I can’t imagine spending the next four years without you,” he admitted, and it made her cry even harder.

After a few weeks, the pain of the situation with Maximus remained devastating, but the support Ty and her family gave her made it bearable. The pack, of course, had already learned about Terra’s pregnancy, which made Valen feel even more humiliated.

The pull of the mate bond between her and Maximus was still very much present, but Valen had consciously chosen to suppress it. Allowing herself to feel it only deepened the ache in her heart. She didn’t understand why she’d allowed herself to fall for Maximus, especially after only hours of him showing her attention.

Maximus had tried to contact her multiple times, but Valen had no interest in being romantically involved with someone who was about to father a child with another woman, particularly when that woman was the sister of the girl who had made her life hell all through middle and high school.

After a month of avoiding the situation, her father came to her, asking if they could talk about the bond she shared with Maximus. Though Valen was reluctant, she knew it needed to be addressed eventually. Even having lived in a wolf pack for most of her life, Valen knew little about how the mate bond worked. Being a witch, she never thought it would happen to her. Even though her parents were “mated,” their bond wasn’t Goddess-given; they had chosen each other which apparently was something entirely different.

She never imagined she’d find herself in this kind of situation. “Valen,” her father began, sitting at the kitchen table, “I know this is a difficult time for you, and I hate to bring this up, but it needs to be addressed. Maximus has tried to contact you quite a few times. I’m not sure what his intentions are, but regardless, have you made a decision about what you want to do?”

Valen nodded. “I still plan on going to Washington for school, and Ty plans on requesting pack leave to follow me there,” she said, feeling completely hollow. Her father sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Alright then,” he said, “I still think you should meet with Maximus at least once more so you can reject the bond you share.”

Her father’s words hit her hard, and Valen fought to keep the tears at bay. “How does that work?” She asked, her voice cracking. Her father stood and came over to comfort her. “Oh, baby girl, don’t cry,” he murmured as she began to break down.

“I don’t know why it hurts so much,” she whispered, her voice full of anguish. “I barely know him. None of this makes sense.” “I know, Valen,” he said softly. “It’s how the bond works.” “Why did it have to be him, Dad?” She cried, looking up at him. “Why couldn’t it have been anyone else? Why did I have to be mated to someone who’s having a pup with someone else?”

Her father hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry, baby. I know it hurts so much.” Valen wiped her eyes. “I’ll meet with him next week,” she said, her voice steadying. “Do you want me to go with you?” her father asked but Valen shook her head. “I think I can do this on my own if you tell me how, but I’ll let you know if I change my mind,” she said.

Her father gave her a squeeze before returning to his seat. He looked at her, then spoke again. “All you have to do to break the bond is say these exact words: ‘I, Valencia Isles, reject you, Maximus Calloway, as my mate.’ He’ll have to accept your rejection. After that, you’ll feel pain, Valen. It’s best to bring someone with you or maybe meet him here.”

Valen nodded. “Maybe I’ll ask Griffin to go with me,” she said, and her father seemed relieved. “Please do that,” he said. “I’m sure your brother won’t say no.” He stood, put his coffee cup in the sink, and came over to give her a little peck on top of her head. “I love you, kiddo,” he said, before walking out, leaving Valen to gather herself.