Chapter 4 – Secret

• Emily's POV
• I woke up with a bang, with my alarm clock screaming his red numbers next to me.
• 8:30 a.m.
• My eyes widened.
• I was late for training! I jumped out of bed and landed on my feet with a groan.
• "F*ck!" I swore under my breath.
• My body felt like a bulldozer had run over it. It was sore all over, and my breasts were tender and swollen.
• I knitted my eyebrows together, confused, trying to remember what had happened last night.
• I slowly moved toward the bathroom, feeling the tenderness between my legs.
• Did I have..?
• I shook the thoughts off just as fast as they came. I couldn't have—did I?
• "Sh*t!" I gasped under my breath, startled, when I saw my painted reflection in the mirror.
• My nape was covered in all colors and sizes of bruises, running down my breasts and stomach.
• Hickeys! What the f*ck! Who did this to me, and why?
• I sighed, frustrated. There was no way I could go out to training looking like that.
• I wiped my hand over my face, shaking my head in disbelief.
• "How did I get back to my room?" I muttered to myself. "Weren't I stuck in the cabin under thick snow?"
• I carefully turned and headed to open the shower tap, hoping it would help bring back my memories of last night.
• My gaze landed on the little black dress Mila picked for me that night.
• "Who gave me a change of clothes?" Everything was a bit confusing.
• I reached out and grabbed the dress, noticing a faint, familiar scent on the fabric.
• Memories of last night flooded in, and I yelled out, surprised, throwing the dress to the side as if it had just burned me.
• Alex took my innocence and my first kiss.
• "Alex is my mate," I whispered to myself.
• My heart pounded in my chest, and my stomach felt as if someone had turned it over.
• "Alex is my fated mate?"
• I knew it wasn't a question, but even that idea sounded surreal to my own ears.
• I picked up the dress, dumped it in the washing bag, and got into the shower.
• I grunted and moaned with every move I made, washing my tender and sore body.
• When I was eventually done, I headed back to my room to get dressed. I knew I was in trouble because I was late for training, and I was now contemplating just skipping it.
• "Finally!" Mila's angry voice rang in my ears, and I yelled out, surprised to find Mila sitting on my bed.
• "Where the hell did you go last night?" She yelled angrily at me. "Jax and I looked all over for you! We were worried sick! Why was your block up? How did you get home, and what the f*ck are those marks around your nape?"
• When Mila was eventually done yelling at me, her anger had subsided.
• "It's a long story," I said. "One that I can't tell you now. I am already late for training."
• Mila huffed, rolling her eyes at me, and in return, I narrowed my eyebrows at her, confused.
• "Training was canceled this morning," she said. "If you had your link open, you would have known that Alpha Cole gave everyone off today."
• "He canceled training?" I asked, surprised. My gaze landed on the alarm clock next to my bed. I was sure I had set it for 6 a.m., yet it went off at 8:30 a.m.
• Did Alex change the time on the alarm clock? Did he know I would be exhausted after last night?
• "Yeah," Mila continued, suddenly annoyed again. "It snowed last night."
• My heart leaped out of my chest. It wasn't a dream; it really did happen.
• "It hasn't snowed for over twenty-five years," Mila said, deep in thought. "Alpha Cole said not to worry. He looked kind of... happy about it."
• "Oh," the single word slipped from my lips.
• "Yeah," Mila said, knitting her eyebrows together, confused. "He said we should celebrate and enjoy the snow and not worry about it. Change is on the horizon."
• I nodded in understanding and headed to my walk-in closet.
• I needed to find some clothes that would hide all the evidence from last night.
• I eventually settled on a chocolate brown turtleneck top and a comfortable pair of white jeans.
• I quickly got dressed inside the closet, trying to hide the rest of the evidence from Mila. She would bombard me with questions if she suspected I had found my mate. And if she hears that it is Alex, I will never hear the end of it.
• I grabbed a pair of white sneakers on my way out and took a seat on my bed.
• Mila was quietly sitting in the corner of my room, flipping through an old magazine.
• "Are you done ignoring my questions?" Mila asked, lowering the magazine.
• I stopped what I was doing and dropped my shoulders. I knew Mila was only looking out for me, but what should I tell her? The truth? I wasn't ready, and I didn't even know what had happened last night.
• "There is nothing to tell," I said, ignoring the truth. "I didn't feel well and went outside to get some fresh air. I must have lost track of time and gone home."
• Mila rolled her eyes at me, not buying a word I said.
• "So how do you explain the hickeys all over your neck?" she asked.
• "Mosquito bites," I said, without thinking.
• Mila threw her head back and roared out of laughter.
• "Try again," she said, wiping her laughing tears from her eyes. "Maybe then I will believe you."
• "Fine," I said. "It's a rash. I stumbled on some poison ivy."
• That made Mila bend over with laughter, shaking her head.
• "Maybe you should quit warrior training and rather go do stand-up comedy," she said between laughs.
• I huffed, annoyed, and felt embarrassed. Mila could see right through me. Lying to her didn't help. She would eventually find out the truth.
• I crossed my arms around my waist, waiting for her to be done laughing.
• "It is not funny," I eventually said when she calmed down enough.
• "It is!" Mila argued. "No one would believe the sh*t you just said. It snowed last night; no mosquito would dare be outside, and we don't have poison ivy on pack territory."
• I kept silent, thinking about what I should say next.
• "Fine," I said, giving in. "They are hickeys. It is not that I don't want to tell you; it is just that I don't know what to tell you."
• "Then start from the beginning!" Mila said, dropping the magazine on the bedside table.
• How do I tell my best friend that I am the soon-to-be Alpha’s mate?
• I closed my eyes, praying. This wasn't the right time.
• "I can't," I eventually said. "Things are a bit complicated at the moment. I promise I will tell you everything when the time comes."
• Mila wanted to say something, but I stopped her.
• "I don't even know what happened last night," I said, but I was hoping to find out soon.
• Mila's face dropped, and she suddenly looked sad that I was keeping this from her.
• I closed the gap between us, squatting next to the chair she was sitting on.
• "Mila," I said. "You are my best friend, and you will be the first one I tell. Just trust me when I say I can't tell you now. I need to work things out for myself first before I share my secret with you."
• Mila nodded and gave me a weak smile.
• I didn't like keeping secrets from her, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever suspect that my secret would be short-lived.
• ****