9 NINE

Veronicas POV

I woke up under my blankets, two arms wrapped around my body. I stretched out a bit and reached my arm behind me, combing my fingers through Xander's hair. Then I felt new people coming into the pack bounds and Xander snapped awake and sat up right bringing me with him.

"Baby it's fine... It's just Ophelia and Clyde." I said before he relaxed and dropped me back down on the bed.

"Wait... What are they doing here? I love them both to death but this is a random time." He said looking down at me while I was snuggling back up under my blankets.

"Clyde and Lia want to form an alliance with a strong pack because they've been having a lot of rouges invading lately. And since we're the strongest pack, and we're close with the two leaders over there, I said we would form an alliance with them." I said while hugging my pillow. Then a growl erupted through the pack house and even from upstairs, I could hear the front door swing open as none other than Alexi and Aaron ran towards the people that entered our pack. Xander and I jumped up and I went full out before diving off the balcony, and pulled a double grab. I wrapped my arms around Alexi, and then grabbed Aarons waist with my legs. They both fell to the ground from tripping but I released their bodies from my grips and rolled on the grass before kicking my feet out to stop. The adrenaline had just come back to me when I rolled onto my back, panting for air. I felt someone lay down beside me and kiss me on the cheek before rubbing my head.

"Long time no see V." Clydes voice said and when I looked up at him he had a soft smile on his features.

"Damn Veronica! Is balcony jumping something common here?!" Lia said before taking my arm and helping me up. I dusted myself off and looked up at Lia.

"Well, it seems to be very common lately. I was forced off a balcony five years ago, and then I chased someone after diving from a balcony yesterday..." I paused and looked off at the forest.

"....And then just now." I said looking back at Lia and Clyde. Clyde and I knew each other before he met Lia. I met him when Xander came back from alpha training since he stayed with us for a little while. Then he left to his own pack in Clydes senior year.

"Uh... Veronica where's Xander? I haven't seen him for a while and he still hasn't met Currin!" Lia said taking in how heavy the air became. She's always respected the relationship between me and Clyde, so has Xander.

"He's in the pack house.." I said before looking up at the balcony where my room was. Ophelia nodded her head and took Currins hand before walking off.

"Talk to me little V." Clyde said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"God Veronica! You basically tackle us after diving off a balcony then get up like nothing?! How about you check on your brother and sorta brother?" Alexi said while holding his arm.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry Lex!" I said before going over to him and helping him up. I took hold of his arm, slowly bending it in and out to make sure it moved properly, otherwise it could be broken.

"You're fine. And you two are the ones who thought my friends were rouges." I said before flicking them both on their foreheads. They glared at me slightly before rolling their eyes and going inside.

"Let's try this again. Talk to me little V." He said before taking my arm and helping up. His arm again wrapped around my shoulders while we walked.

"Well.... Five years ago, Xander and I finally started acting like mates then Daniel and Abel Callahan found their way back into our lives. Abel had a couple guys kidnap me and I was stuck at Callahan manor where I was then face raped by Daniel. Then, Daniel killed himself after a gone wrong murder attempt and two weeks later I found out I was preggo. Nine months later, two kids popped outta me and they're both four now. Then nothing really happened in between, just usual Luna and Alpha duties. But just recently, shit spiraled out of control and OF COURSE, Xander's dad who for some reason had this urge to kill me came out of nowhere and basically sentenced me to be raped, YET AGAIN, then be murdered. Then low and behold, a Callahan kidnapped and saved me at the same time and I almost died from having my throat slit. And finally, I beheaded Xander's dad." I said, pausing to take in the look on Clydes face. It was somewhere between anger, confusion, sadness, spite, and annoyance. Then it became sympathetic as he wrapped me in a hug, and for the first time since everything that's happened, I broke down. Tears poured from my eyes and my throat started to feel raw. My head slowly started pounding and I just wanted to curl into a ball of sadness. My tears had soaked through his shirt on his shoulder and when he pulled away, it was simply to softly wipe away my tears.

"You need to get rest Veronica. We're going back." He said as he stood up and started walking while pulling me behind him.

———

I was being pulled up the stairs and then suddenly Clyde came to a halt.

"Uh Veronica."

"Hm?" I asked as I maneuvered around his strong figure and the sight I saw shocked me enough to make my legs go limp.

"Aaron, that's Ophelias little sister!" I yelled as the two had immediately broken away from their kiss fest.

"I'd like to blame on anything but the mate bond but I can't..." Aaron said before Currin against him.

"..... Yeah I need some sleep.." I said before willing myself to walk past the two and I cracked the double doors to my room open where I then saw Ophelia and she was beaming with excitement.

"Pull out your sexiest dress mamas. We're goin out." she said before walking over to me and examining my face.

"We might as well do a few wake up face masks too." she said before taking my arms and pulling me into the spacious bathroom.

"I just can't get sleep can I?" I said, slightly laughing.

"Nope. And where you crying? Your eyes are super red."

"Eh.. A little bit.... But I'm also super sleep deprived soo.."

"Rip Veronica Snow."

"Pretty much." I said and we both started laughing before dolling each other up.

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"Oh my god.... Xander and Clyde are going to kill us..."