Chapter 20
Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
VALTOR’S POV
I was in my quarters going over some pack work and I instantly grunted. Where was Riven when I needed him?
Oh–I recalled, I sent him off to an unknown place for a mission. He wouldn't be back for a while. I needed to get more accustomed to pack documentaries. I preferred the physical work though.
I was about to dive deeper into some pack work when the heavy oak door creaked open. Without looking up, I knew who it was. Only one person in the pack had the audacity to enter unannounced.
“Valtor!” Maltor’s voice rang out, followed by the faint giggles of two women lingering behind him. “You always know how to kill a vibe, brother.”
I glanced up, catching the smug grin plastered across his face as he sauntered into the room, his playboy charm practically oozing from his pores. The scent of perfume clung to him, a mix of different floral notes that only emphasized his usual antics. He turned to the girls, giving them a wink. “Give us a minute, ladies.”
They giggled again, casting coy glances my way before disappearing down the hall. The door clicked shut, leaving the room in a tense silence.
“What do you want, Maltor?” I asked, already feeling my patience wearing thin.
He strode over, plopping into a chair across from me, his signature smirk firmly in place. “Oh, nothing much. Just checking in on my big brother. You know, making sure you haven’t lost your touch.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Get to the point.”
Maltor chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Fine, fine. I’ve been hearing whispers. Rumors about you claiming to have a mate. Figured it was time to see if there was any truth to it.”
I rolled my eyes, leaning back as well. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I have a mate.”
His grin widened. “Do you now? And where is this elusive mate of yours? Doesn’t seem like she’s around much.”
I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my composure. “She’s none of your concern.”
“Oh, come on, Valtor,” he teased, his tone mocking. “We’re brothers. I just want to meet the lucky lady who’s managed to capture your icy heart.”
I didn’t respond, hoping he’d take the hint and drop the subject. Of course, this was Maltor—he never knew when to stop.
“You sure she’s real?” he pressed, his tone taking on a more provoking edge. “Or are you just saying that to keep up appearances? Because let’s face it, brother, you’ve never really been anyone’s type.”
I shot up from my seat, my fists clenched at my sides. “Watch it, Maltor.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender, a sly grin still playing on his lips. “Easy there. I’m just saying, if she’s real, why not bring her to meet the family? Have a proper ceremony, show everyone you’re serious.”
“That’s enough,” I growled, my patience snapping.
Maltor chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction he’d provoked. “Touchy, touchy. Fine, I’ll back off—for now. But you know as well as I do, Valtor, actions speak louder than words. If she’s really your mate, prove it.”
I didn’t bother with a response. The anger simmering in my chest threatened to boil over, and I knew staying any longer would only make things worse. Without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room, the heavy door slamming shut behind me.
The cool night air hit me as I stepped outside, my breaths coming in short, sharp bursts. I needed space, distance from Maltor’s smug face and his incessant need to rile me up.
Walking into the woods, the familiar scents and sounds of the night surrounded me, but they did little to calm the storm brewing inside.
Maltor’s words echoed in my mind, each one a thorn digging deeper. He always knew how to push my buttons, but this time, it wasn’t just about me. It was about Indigo. About our bond, our connection.
No matter what Maltor or anyone else thought, I wasn’t going to let their doubts or sneers get in the way of me caring or protecting her.
For now, though, I needed to cool down, to clear my head.
The trees closed in around me as I walked deeper into the woods, the silence broken only by the crunch of leaves under my boots.
My fists clenched and unclenched as I replayed Maltor’s mocking words, the doubts he’d planted digging under my skin like splinters. Doubts I didn’t want to face but knew I’d eventually have to.
“I mean…would it be so bad if I actually brought her to the pack?”
I knew Maltor’s challenge wasn’t just sibling rivalry. Beneath his jabs was an undeniable truth—one I had been avoiding since the moment the bond was forged with Indigo.
I was Alpha of the Westside Pack, responsible for upholding tradition, strength, and stability. And yet, I had chosen a mate without the ceremonies, the approvals, without letting my pack, or my family, know anything about her.
Maybe it wasn’t about proving myself to Maltor, or even the rest of my pack. Maybe it was about proving it to myself.
“It wouldn't be such an impossible thing, would it?”
I slowed to a stop in a small clearing, where moonlight filtered down through the trees, casting faint silver patterns on the ground.
My heart thudded heavily in my chest, each beat a reminder of the bond, of Indigo, and of what we’d been through in the short time since our paths had crossed.
Just days ago, we’d faced an unknown enemy together, yet now, standing alone in the woods, I felt the weight of an even greater threat pressing down on me—one I couldn’t see or fight with brute force.
My head dropped back as I stared up at the sky, the stars scattered across it like shards of glass. Somewhere, the Goddess must be watching, I thought. And if she was, then maybe she knew why she’d thrown me into Indigo’s life. Or maybe why she’d thrown Indigo into mine.
“What am I supposed to do?” I muttered, the question lost to the night air.
A faint breeze rustled through the leaves, carrying with it a whisper, a tug at my senses—a familiar scent, faint but unmistakable.
Indigo.
The bond between us thrummed to life, her presence like a pulse in my veins. She was distant but within reach, somewhere on the academy grounds.
The tension in my chest softened, replaced by a strange calm, an inexplicable warmth that came whenever she was near.
I didn’t need to seek her out; she was safe, for now. But knowing she was close, knowing she was mine—even if only in a way the Goddess could understand—steadied me. I took a deep breath, feeling the wild energy within me settle, my resolve hardening like steel.
One way or another, I would find the truth. I would face down this unknown enemy, protect Indigo from whatever darkness was pursuing her. And if my own family chose to doubt me… well, they’d learn soon enough that I wasn’t the same Valtor they thought they knew.
With one last glance at the sky, I turned back toward the pack house, my path set, my focus clear. The battle wasn’t over—it had only just begun.