Stephanie’s POV
I laid on my back, my eyes pouring out tears as I bit back the feelings coursing through me. A sob raked her body, causing me to shake vigorously.
“I’ll keep your secret safe with me provided you agree to do my biddings,” Diane’s voice kept echoing in my head.
Diane was the lady in hoodie on the night of annunciation. I wished there was a way I could say no to her offer, but I just couldn’t. No one must know who I was and why I was around in the estate, especially not Reyna.
“Are you okay?” Reyna asked as she walked into the room. I tried wiping my tears so she wouldn’t notice I had been crying, but she already did, any way.
“I’m fine, Rey,” I managed a smile.
“No you’re not, Steph. You’re crying,” she placed a hand on my shoulder. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I probably just got something in my eye,” I sniffed. “It’s not something to worry about,” I attempted to dismiss her worries. Reyna mustn’t know about my meeting with mistress Diane. She mustn’t know I have something to do with her.
“Really? So where have you been? I came to check up on you earlier but you weren’t around. Did you go somewhere?” Reyna inquired.
I stood up from the bed, trying all possible means to avoid an eye contact. “I took a stroll round the estate. I was bored,”
“Really?” There was this look on Reyna’s eyes that suggested that she wasn’t buying my story.
“Care for some sabswich?” I offered her, trying to act normal so as to dispel every of her skepticism.
“No thank you, Steph,” she turned down my offer. “I’m actually on my way to the training ground.”
“What’s happening there?” I inquired, my curiosity piqued.
“The Alpha asked me to meet him there. He has decided to continue with my training since Jake and I stopped training.”
“Oh I see!” I put down the sandwich which I was already preparing.
“I should be going now, Steph. We’ll talk later,” Reyna walked out of the room, shutting the door gently behind her.
I heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that she didn’t suspect anything, or at least so I thought.
My phone buzzed with the sound of an incoming message.
“Bingo!” That was all. I gasped throwing the phone away.
“Could Marcus have found me?” I wondered.
_________________________________________
Reyna’s POV
As I sat on the grass that fateful afternoon, waiting for John to come so we could continue with our training, I just couldn’t help but feel that Stephanie was hiding something from me.
Her reaction earlier while we talked and how she kept trying to switch conversation into something entirely different, made me wonder if she really saw me as a friend.
I’ve shared everything about my life with her, but I can’t say the same for her. There is always that unfinished part in every story she had shared with me.
Her usual response to some of my questions in trying to get to the bottom of her stories was “it’s not important,” or “it’s better not to talk about it.”
I was still in deep thoughts over everything that had happened earlier when I heard a strange noise from amongst the surrounding bushes.
“John, is that you?” I asked, my heart racing as I stood on my feet.
The strange noise grew louder and my eyes followed the sound, landing on a Lycan, his eyes red rimmed, and his mouth dripping blood. It looked hungry and ready to attack. My heart jumped out of my chest as I realized the snake was more than ready to attack me.
“Oh my goodness, what do I do?” I whispered, praying silently that John would walk in and save me.
My eyes locked with that of the hungry and ferocious Lycan and immediately I closed my eyes, waiting for it to strike me out but the next moment, I heard a booted feet marching something ruthlessly yet I refused to open her eyes.
“Open your eyes, it’s all gone.” Jake said, shaking me slightly as I opened my eyes to look at him. “Jake?” I called, clearly surprised that he was in the training ground at that particular hour.
“What are you doing here all by yourself? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?” Jake went ahead to reprimand me. “What if something bad had happened to you?”
I pulled away from his grip, as it was already hurting me. I just wished he could be half as gentle as his brother. I knew what John would have done if he was the one who had found me in that state.
“Your brother asked me to meet up with him.” I replied, sounding like one who had so much guts, with my eyes scanning the area if the Lycan was still around.
“Stop looking for him. Immediately he saw me, he ran away. You’re lucky I got here in time.”
“Thank you,” I forced out my gratitude. I knew I owed him more. He was right after all. There was no way I could have stood up against the Lycan if Jake hadn’t shown up.
“You’re welcome. Now, come on let’s get out of here. It isn’t safe for you here.” Jake said, forcefully pulling my hands. There was something about his touch that I just couldn’t explain. I just wished he’d be more gentle, to be more like his brother, John.
“But I have to train. What if your brother comes and doesn’t find me here?” I offered a little resistance.
“At least he’ll find you alive, and that’s better than finding you here dead.”
I let out a smile, surprised to see that Jake was really concerned about me.
“Why are you smiling?” He looked at me. “You think it’s not funny? You’re a pathetic!” He took away his hands, but I kept smiling.
There was something about Jake whenever he was angry. He always seemed to look more handsome and irresistible.
“What’s going on here?” We turned to see John a few metres away.
“It’s high time you tell your girlfriend that it’s not safe to be alone within the pack. She can’t defend herself.” Jake walked away.