1 Thinking out loud

Note: The story is based on two different worlds. The human world and the werewolf world. The two worlds are fictional worlds, but while the humans are in the 21st century,  but the werewolves are in the 16th century.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual person, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Valerie.

January, 15

The pattering sound against my windscreen didn't just bring back memories, it also reminded me that I didn't have the right to feel so comfortable yet.

I watched my assistant, Lydia through the window shield as she made her way out of the club house. Mr. Angelo still got her tied up to one of his shitty conversations right in front of his clubhouse.

I looked away from the window, and heaved a heavy sigh before looking back at the Ipad in my hand. I stared blankly at the time which read 10:37 PM while the events that happened earlier replayed in my mind.

Being a girl who had to juggle between being a student and a model for the popular Babelion fashion Empire, I'd have to deal with a strict boss who never sees the good in you but the bad.

"You're going to Vidin, Val" Miss Moria had told me the instant I stepped inside her office. Before the words 'You asked to see me' could roll off my tongue, she threw a couple of magazines across her table to me. 

"This weekend." She added, causing me to look away from the magazines on the table, and gave her a surprised look. 

I'd always tried to work with her, tried to ignore the part when she would be so downright mean and bossy, and look on the bright side. I love modeling. It had always been a big dream for me, but I have other things I'm doing at hand right now and she of all people knew that.

"I. . .  You know I can't leave, Moria." I tried to speak straight and concisely. I didn't wanna show her any weaknesses. She feeds on them. 

Upon hearing my rejection, she jumped off her office chair. Her designer dresses never seemed to fit her petite body.

"Because of a few papers?" What was meant to be a question sounded like a mockery statement.

"I need to write those exams, Moria, you know it." I tried to reason with her. 

"Oh, Valerie, my beautiful,  beautiful Valerie." She sings, walking toward me. I knew what was coming when she used that voice on me. She gently placed her hands over my shoulders and smiled into my face before she continued, "I don't know why you bother yourself so much about school. I mean look at you, you're beautiful, so elegant, with this killer body! And you're slaying fashion, Valerie!" 

"I need it. . ."

". . . Because it's what your father would've wanted, I know." She cut me off, completing the statement she must have grown used to. But it was true. My father would've wanted me to go to school. To have a degree that I could be proud of.

My father died when I was ten years old, my younger brother was barely eight years old when we lost him. That wound has never healed. Even after twelve years.

Now sitting down here, in the dark, the thunder trembling high above me, I could feel the sinking feeling washing over me all over again.

Just then, I heard the tapping sound on the window and the door opened for Lydia. 

"What did Angelo say?" I asked her.

Moria had asked me to meet with him. She said he would help me through some papers I needed to sign for my next shooting. But the man has always been a flirt and I've never enjoyed his company. I didn't want to make an appearance in his club tonight,  so I asked Lydia to go and tell him to meet me at a particular place tomorrow. Hopefully, Lydia had some good news.

"He agreed," Lydia replied, a broad smile on her lips as she clapped her hands enthusiastically.

Nodding my head, I put on my glasses and my driver ignited the engine. My face was unchanged as I looked forward, and leaned back in my seat while the rain started to quell.

The car navigated into my house, more like my white mansion and I stepped out of it before bidding my driver a good night.

The first thing I did was get into shower. With very little appetite, I decided an apple would be just fine to eat before going to bed. After that, I retired to my bedroom to work on some of my homework.

I laid against my bed board, my laptop in front of me. But the instant I pushed the laptop open, my hands automatically went to my modeling files and clicked on them. 

Pictures and videos of me were displayed on the screen. Pictures of me rocking designer dresses. I saw the photo of me dressed as a 90's regency model and I never got over how accurate the setting was. It still makes me smile every day. I remembered how Jack said he loved the picture.

Hmm. Jack. . . 

I felt my mood slowly shift into something irritable. Jack was my younger brother. He was twenty years old. I remembered our last argument, the reason why he has refused to pick up or return any of my calls.

Jack graduated high school two years ago but at that time, I was working my way into this job and couldn't afford to send him to a university. Things were pretty much hard then and I struggled to meet our family's ends with the waitressing and bartending jobs I did. And even that wasn't enough. Having to take care of a mother who was suffering from constant heartburn and a brother who was going to college. It wasn't easy. I knew I needed more.

So I decided to move to LA and find a better job, and maybe get into a university one day too, that was how I started my job as a model for Moria.

I'd first taken a cooking job at a fancy restaurant here in LA. Turned out it paid better than any job I ever did. Thanks to my glistening stars, Moria had come to dine, and I was serving her table. I had no idea she had seen some potential in me as she'll say later. Before she left, she handed me her card and asked me to 'swing' by her office so we could talk.

And voila! I was walking my way into my first official job. Because it's been my biggest dream. 

Modeling.

The job paid well, and it gave me opportunities to see the world too. Then I finally put myself in school and took care of my mother. 

And this is where Jack came in.

I asked him to enroll in a university back home, but he refused. He said wanted to leave the place. Wanted a real job, not some school. I didn't know what happened to change his perspective so suddenly because I knew he always loved school. We both did. And I didn't want him to leave our mother while I was here, doing my best to put him into college.

That was the conversation we had over the phone a few days ago and he hasn't picked my call ever since. My mother has been in therapy since last year. The doctor said a lot of progress had been made. She was getting old and I didn't want anything contributing to her failing health.

I breathed out loudly, trying to get the thoughts out of my mind and just focus on studying tonight.

The thought of meeting with Angelo at the FILL & FULL diner tomorrow irritated the fuck out of me. I could recall how he had constantly flirted with me the last time we met to prepare a passport to Canada. It was at the beginning of the year. Now I would have to sit there and watch history repeat itself.

I hadn't realized I slept off until I felt the sun slightly seeping into my room through my open window and burning my eyes.

"Good morning!" Lydia sang as she badged into my room, walking over to my window to push the curtains out of the way to burn my eyes more.

"God, Lydia!" I grunt, trying to hide my face from the wicked rays.

"I made breakfast!"

Lydia had been assigned to me by Moria a few months after I started working for her. I established my boutique three months ago, and she'd been nothing but helpful in looking out for it, and was still performing her job as my assistant. She'd been more of a sister to me in these past few months. But sometimes she could be a pain in the ass! Like right now.

"Get up, Valerie. You have to meet with Mr. Angelo, check in with Moria, and try out the new outfits for the upcoming show and. . . " She rambled.

I grunted again, causing her to pause. I totally forgot about trying out the new outfits. Thank God for my understanding professors, I didn't have to go to class every day.

I let Lydia select my outfit as always before walking out to eat breakfast. Today it was a casual blue BLD gown with black stilettos and my hair, a dangling ponytail.

After finishing my breakfast, we rode to the place where I was supposed to meet with Angelo at exactly 10 a.m. 

Not so surprising enough, Angelo was already seated at a table, well dressed in his unmistakable Italian tuxedos. I wanted to smack off the grin on his lips but instead, I gave him a staged polite smile before sitting down opposite him.

"You came, " he smiled widely.

"I see you came right on time, Angelo" I teased him.

"Well, yes", Angelo went out of the way to order us some steaks before talking about why I was here.

"Your boss needs you on the plane this weekend, I'm sure she told you that. You're to attend a gala for the young prince's coronation."

"Young prince?" I asked, blinking in confusion. What prince? Moria never mentioned a prince.

"Yes, for The Third Prince of Vidin Kingdom."

"Oh, " I chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah," I had no idea who they were. But I've always loved Galaa. Royal Galas to be precise.

"Moria wants you to wear her latest design to the gala and show it off, oh! So elegantly!"

I hate it when he talks like that, but I nod with a smile anyway.

"Um. . . . When exactly is this Gala?" I asked, curiously.

"On the 20th"

I sat frozen, staring blankly at him. I can't make it. I have my exam on the 19th. It was impossible.

"Moria would like me to take you to try out the outfit tomorrow. . ." Angelo continued to talk but all I could hear was that sound, that pondering thump of my heartbeats. This is all bad. The timing was super bad. I couldn't miss this gala, it was a big chance for me on so many levels, but I also couldn't ditch my exam, damn it! 

Folding my hand into a fist, I made a stumbling decision.