Victor POV

After hours of driving and following dead ends, I collapsed onto my hotel bed, feeling exhausted. I'd been surveilling women, hoping to find my missing friend, Tori, but all leads had led nowhere. My phone dinged when I was about to zone off to sleep. Blinking at the screen, I saw a message from my Gamma: "I found her." I bolted upright, heart racing. The message continued, "Bar 99, tonight at 9." After seventeen long years, we finally had a lead. Her mother had taken Tori at the age of five, and her father had been searching for her ever since. This could be the breakthrough we needed after two years of frustration.

I was so excited that I headed to the bathroom to shower and prepare for a night out at the bar. I remember Tori from her childhood, and I used to babysit her while the Alpha and Luna were busy with other things. But for me, it was more like playtime with a friend. We would have water-gun fights and play hide-and-seek in the garden. I even taught her how to use a water gun and track animals in the forest. She would watch me train and try to mimic my movements, even though she was only five years old. Despite her youth, she was both beautiful and intelligent. Hopefully, if all goes well tonight, we can confirm her identity and report the good news to the Alpha.

After showering and drying my body and hair, I threw the towel back in the bathroom and walked to my luggage to find appropriate evening attire. I found a pair of dark gray jeans and a white button-up dress shirt. I guess that will have to do. After putting on my clothes, I judged myself in front of the mirror.

Of course, being me, I see every flaw, scar, and mark on me, wondering if she will even remember me. My deep brown hair lies just past my shoulders in slight waves. My ocean-blue eyes stare back at me with sadness and longing. Then, my thoughts turn towards the ugly side of my mind. If she does remember me, will she be happy to see me? Will she hate me for not being able to keep her from leaving? My wolf and I have always held a special place in our hearts for her, as she is a close friend I love dearly. I pray the Goddess accepts me and does not run away again.

I hope that... I am good enough to be back in her life.

I reach across the table, grab my black leather coat from the back of the chair, and take one last look in the mirror as I zip it up and straighten the collar. I shot a sad smile before turning to the door and leaving the room.

I arrived at the bar just before nine and found a parking spot in the back. I watched patrons walk in and out, and a few stumbled out. I kept an eye out for Eric. He said he would be there with his fiancée, Tammy, and her friend, Tori.

I am getting slightly anxious. I hope they have not decided not to come or go elsewhere. I waited another ten minutes, then gave up and got out of my truck. I hit the lock button and headed towards the bar.

Suddenly, I hear a girl's voice yelling at someone. I stopped and listened to where it came from. Behind me, a couple is arguing over something in the back lot. I turn and slowly walk in that direction, along the parked cars, to stay out of sight. Once I reach the corner, I see a beautiful young lady screaming at a man with a blond lady standing behind him. He is pleading with her to listen, but she seems too angry. He has done something wrong. I feel uncomfortable eavesdropping on a stranger's fight, about to turn and leave when I hear the man call her name.

"Tori!" Immediately, I turned around just in time to see her pound the hood of his truck and kick the fenders. I smiled a little at myself at that. Good for her. As she stepped away, I saw her shaking her hand from the pain and found myself letting out an angry growl in my chest. I see him exit the truck, followed by a scantily dressed blonde female. He was hooking his belt as he did, which angered me even more. I was beginning to understand the cause of the fight. What an asshole! I wanted to tear him apart for hurting her!

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" He screamed at her as he approached her.

"With me? You disappeared for weeks without a phone call or a text, not a single word!" She yelled back in a raspy voice. Her breathing was heavy and difficult. "...and here I find you with...this!" She looked disgusted at the blonde, who tossed her hair over her shoulder and smirked.

"Oh, he's been...quite busy." The blonde interjected as she pulled her dress down.

Tori, please... let me explain... Tori wanted nothing to do with his excuses. She shook her head at him and walked away. Then I saw him run up to her and grab her arm. What she did next surprised me but filled me with pride. She spun around and, without missing a beat, hauled off and slugged him right across the jaw. It was a beautiful hit. He grabbed his jaw and glared right at her. Without wavering, she challenged his glare and did something I did not think he was expecting. Honestly, neither was I.

She flashed gorgeous amber fire eyes at him, and as quickly as she did, they were gone. She turned on her heel and walked back to the bar.

I surmised that there was some relationship between the guy and Tori, and he f*cked up. By the looks of it, big time! Seeing a blonde girl get out of the truck with him, I am guessing he didn't tell her he had a woman already, or that he had cheated on Tori with her. Either way, the guy was a scumbag who hurt Tori.

'Let me tear him apart!' My wolf, Ivan, demanded.

'No. Not now, anyway. We cannot alert the humans to our presence.'

'He deserves pain! He hurt our Tori!' I thought about what he said. "Our Tori" sounded nice, comfortable, and correct. It gave me a warm, tingly feeling inside my heart.

I find a pair of wolves as bouncers when I reach the door. It does not surprise me; they make exceptionally good muscle men. I stare at them and see a slight bow of their heads as their wolves recognize mine as a ranking wolf. I nodded in return and walked inside.

I slowly walked towards the large wooden bar at the back of the building, taking in the scene around me. The place was packed. Many were dancing and grinding on the dance floor, mingling through the crowd, expertly balancing their drinks without spilling on fellow dancers. I spotted an empty place at the bar and sat down. The bartender eyed me and nodded.

"What'll it be?" He asked while throwing a white bar towel over his shoulder.

"Beer. Draft"

"Leaded or unleaded?" He asked with his brow raised. That was this bar's code for human beer or wolves' beer. A regular beer does not affect a wolf. A slight buzz occurs if they drink enough; otherwise, it has no effect. A "leaded" beer was for wolves only. It had a shot or two of wolfsbane in it to enhance the effects of the alcohol. It gets us drunk faster.

"Unleaded." He stared for a moment, then went off to get the order. I spun around and watched the humans dancing, or what looked like dancing, to the base thumping music coming from the DJ booth on the other side. Many couples were grinding against each other, apparently wanting to do more than dance with their partners.

I grabbed my beer and was searching for Eric when the DJ announced karaoke. I was intrigued when I heard a seductive reggae beat and spun around to see a beautiful woman onstage. It was Tori, the woman I had seen in the parking lot. I froze, captivated by her stunning voice and how she swayed to the music. Her hips moved smoothly, and her hair whipped in rhythm, teasing the crowd. I wanted to rush up and pull her away from all the eyes watching, but I was frozen. As the song ended, she smiled and waved, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

I heard the DJ announce Tori's name, but I was not ready to talk to her yet. I needed to calm down and think of how to introduce myself. As I turned to find Tori, I noticed the man and the blonde from earlier walking towards her. I followed them and grabbed the man's arm before he could reach Tori. I glared into his eyes, hoping he would back down. I just wanted him to stay away from her. "Stay away from the young lady before you regret it," I said low and menacingly.

"What are you gonna do, huh?!" This guy was either drunk or stupid. I was at least four or five inches taller and twice his size. I could break him with one punch. I stood blocking his path with my hands balled at my sides, attempting to control my anger when I heard it. "Victor," in a slightly breathy tone. I spun my head around and caught her eyes with my own. We stared at each other briefly before I noticed her looking up and down my body. When her eyes returned to mine, I saw a slight blush on her cheeks, and she turned away. I grinned before returning to the guy before me and grabbing his arm.

"Let's go find out!" I pushed him towards the door and out into the parking lot.

Once outside, he threw every swear word he could at me. I just stood there, growling lowly at him, deciding if I should throw him in the lake nearby or punch him in the face and knock him out. Either would make me happy.

"What do you want with the young lady?" I said through gritted teeth.

"None of your business, man, back off!"

"It is my business! Now take your sorry ass out of here before you regret it!"

"Tori!" He yelled as he jumped around me and ran up to her. He grabbed her by the arms and got in her face.

"Did you send him after me, huh? Trying to get rid of me by scaring me?!" He screamed at her as he shook her violently. "You're such a bitch! I never did anything to you!" Before I could grab him away from her, his hand came down across her face, and the distinct sound of slapping skin echoed through the lot. She fell back on the ground, hitting her head on the pavement. He lifted his leg and began kicking her in the legs. I was behind him in a flash. I grabbed him by the neck and dragged him away. I threw him to the ground and started punching him in the face. He tried blocking with one arm and swinging punches with his other. He landed a few on my chest and head, but they were like gentle slaps. I was so enraged that it did not register any pain. I picked him up and put him on his feet right in front of me. I was drawing back to punch him again when I caught Tori stumbling over and placing her hand on my arm, which was pulled back to hit.

"I'm done with you, Jonas. I never want to see you again. Stay. Away. From. Me." She enunciated each word to make her point through gritted teeth. He drew in a ragged breath and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Yeah? Or else what?" He stared right at her. That is when we both saw it. Her eyes flashed with amber fire, then returned to normal in seconds. Controlling her rage, she calmed it down and blinked a few times. He had a shocked expression while panting to catch his breath.

"You wanna find out?" She let go of my arm, and I dropped the guy. He rubbed his jaw, glared back and forth between us, and turned to leave. He got into his truck with his woman and kicked up dust before screeching out of the parking lot. I glanced at Tori and saw her talking with her friend, her arm wrapped around her.

I looked at Eric and nodded my head, giving a slight command to watch her. Eric nodded back and led the ladies to his truck.

I slipped away quietly before Tori could ask questions; I wasn't ready to answer. As I drove back to my hotel, I gripped the steering wheel and took calming breaths, realizing I was about to follow that guy and do something I'd regret. I needed to compose myself before reporting back to the Alpha, hoping he'd be pleased we found her and would keep an eye on her.

Upon reaching my hotel, I shut off the engine and took a deep breath before heading to my room. Images of Tori's captivating dance filled my mind-I couldn't believe how beautiful she had become. I sensed a spark of recognition in her eyes, but I wondered if she truly remembered me. My wolf whined at the thought of her not knowing us.

"It's all right, man. She will come around," Ivan whined, and his words slipped into the back of my mind. I understood how he felt. I was hoping she would recognize us, but soon enough.

I swiped the key to my room and entered. Again, throwing my card on the bed, I slumped down and rubbed my face with my hands. I heard my phone ding and quickly picked it up to read the incoming message.

'Taking Tori home,' Good, I thought.

'Text me her address.' A moment later, I received the text with her address. I punched it into my contacts and brought it up on my map. It was only about 15 minutes from here, on the outskirts of town.

I studied the map of her home, which was a bit secluded at the end of a cul-de-sac with only two neighbors. Woods surrounded the backs of the houses, leading to the small town's main street. Just outside was Hidden Falls Medical Center, the only major hospital in the area, run by the local Hidden Falls Pack, a wealthy group with about eight hundred members. Their Alpha, Damon, and Luna, Daria, were well-respected, and their son, Ronin, was still without a mate. The Beta, Raymond, lost his mate during a hunter's attack, and his son, Jax, is next in line for the position. The pack mostly stays out of trouble and has a good reputation for treating its members well.

I slipped off my jacket, threw it on the chair, and headed into the bathroom. Removing my shirt, I stared at the scars and marks in the mirror. Again, I could not help but judge myself negatively for the story marred on my skin. I remember every scar on my torso and where it came from. Not one of them is worth reliving or even mentioning. They all ended painfully and traumatically. Being a Beta and a warrior comes with the territory. Being mateless and alone, I bear the nightmares alone.

I remove my clothing, shower, and turn the temperature to hot. Letting the water wash down my body, I reflect on my evening at the bar. In my mind, I see Tori singing up on stage. Her sweet voice, beautiful face, and perfect body strolled across the stage in front of everyone. I couldn't help the jealousy that ran through me, but I remember our eyes locking with one another and the slight hint of recognition and longing. Maybe she does remember me, or at least finds me familiar. I can feel my heart racing and my breathing hasten as I hear her voice. I place my hands on the tiled walls and think about her. My mind is racing, my heart is longing, and I can feel a painful tightening in my groin. I look down and find myself at full mast and groan to myself. Thinking about what to do, I hesitantly grab myself and begin to stroke slowly. I close my eyes, and all I see is her. Her perfect body was dancing just for me. My strokes become more robust and faster as I lose my breath. Before I knew it, I was stroking hard and fast as I felt my balls tighten and pull up toward my body. I increased my speed and felt the spark run through my lower spine as I released myself all over the tile. Streams of cum run down the wall and wash away in the shower stream. I watch as it disappears down the drain. I can't help but let a wave of sadness wash over me as I return to reality, finish washing myself, and rinse. I hear pounding on my door as I step out and dry with my towel.

"Hang on, I'm coming," I yelled out as I wrapped the towel around my waist and reached for the knob. I could sense my Gamma outside, and a wave of fear ran through me. I opened the door and found Eric standing there, Tammy hiding behind him, worry on her face.

"Gamma?" I tilt my head at him, and he gives me a look of frustrated fear before slightly bowing.

"Beta. We have a problem...."

Victor POV

I remove my clothing, shower, and turn the temperature to hot. Letting the water wash down my body, I reflect on my evening at the bar. In my mind, I see Tori singing up on stage. Her sweet voice, beautiful face, and perfect body strolled across the stage in front of everyone. I couldn't help but feel the jealousy coursing through me, but I remember our eyes locking, a hint of recognition and longing. Maybe she does remember me, or at least finds me familiar. I can feel my heart racing and my breathing hasten as I hear her voice. I place my hands on the tiled walls and think about her. My mind is racing, my heart is longing, and I can feel a painful tightening in my groin. I look down and find myself at full mast and groan to myself. Thinking about what to do, I hesitantly grab myself and begin to stroke up and down slowly. I close my eyes, and all I see is her. Her perfect body was dancing just for me. My strokes become more robust and faster as I lose my breath. Before I knew it, I was stroking hard and fast as I felt my balls tighten and pull up toward my body. I increased my speed and felt the spark run through my lower spine as I released myself all over the tile. Streams of cum run down the wall and wash away in the shower stream. I watch as it disappears down the drain. I can't help but let a wave of sadness wash over me as I bring myself back to reality, finish cleaning myself, and rinse. I hear pounding on my door as I step out and dry with my towel.

"Hang on, I'm coming," I yell out as I wrap the towel around my waist and reach for the knob. I can sense my Gamma outside, and a wave of fear runs through me. I opened the door and found Eric standing there, Tammy hiding behind him, worry on her face.

"Gamma?" I tilt my head at him, and he gives me a look of frustrated fear before giving a slight bow.

"Beta...We have a problem." I glance at Tammy and then back at Eric before stepping aside and letting them in. They quickly step in and head to the bar area. He grabs her hand and gently rubs it.

"Give me a second." I grab some clothes and head into the bathroom to dress. A minute later, I returned in sweatpants and a T-shirt.

Eric was sitting on a stool by the kitchen bar, and Tammy was standing next to him with her arms wrapped around his bicep. Her head was down, and she was staring at her shoes.

I sit on the couch opposite them and stare at Eric with an expectant look.

"What is it?" I deadpan.

"Go ahead, baby." Tammy nodded her head absently and looked back at Victor.

"According to Eric, Tori told me something that you might not like. Although I don't see a problem with it since this is what she does."

"What is it that she does?" I felt uneasy in my gut and waited, somewhat impatiently, for the answer.

"Well ..." She fidgeted awkwardly, "... Tori has been offered a side job."

"What side job?"

Dr. MacDonald has asked her to care for a homebound patient. He's having trouble adjusting back to the real world.

Victor's eyes shot up, and he leaned further to hear the rest. Tammy shifted and rolled her eyes before continuing.

"He is having trouble mentally and emotionally. That is one of Tori's strong suits. Helping people manage their emotional states and return to a more typical, everyday life.

"Okay. What am I missing here?" I asked, still intrigued by the conversation.

The request originated from the Hidden Falls Pack. Eric finished quietly as if he knew the answer would upset me.

I took a moment to let the last statement sink in before reacting. Tori was going to a pack to help rehabilitate an injured wolf.

Wait....what? I felt Ivan come forward to listen in on the conversation as well.

'What did she just say?' Ivan, my wolf, perked up.

"She's going where?" I asked, not quite understanding.

" Our boss asked Tori if she would go to the Hidden Falls Pack to help the future Alpha recover from some injuries," Tammy repeated. "I don't see what the problem is. This is what she does."

"This is not good." I walked around the room absentmindedly, thinking of a way to keep her from leaving.

"If she goes, she'll be on another Alpha's territory." Tammy was not yet understanding the seriousness of the situation. She shrugged her shoulders in confusion.

We cannot enter another territory without an invitation, especially if we wish to be one of their guests. It could start a war." Eric explained.

"Why do you want her?" Tammy asked a little defensively. I sighed and answered softly without looking at her.

"I have my orders from my Alpha."

"Orders? What orders? What do you want with Tori?" Tammy was getting frustrated and upset. She just wanted to protect her best friend and keep her safe.

"I have orders to bring her back." Tammy gave a questioning look. "To bring her back home." Tammy's face showed shock as she took that in. Her eyes darted around the room as she finally understood why they were there. "No! You can't take her away! That's my best friend you're talking about! Practically my sister! Nooo! I won't let you!" She jumped from the bar and stared straight at me, almost challenging. I stood and leaned down to stare right back.

"Eric, you need to explain some things to your mate," I said in a low growl, not liking the standoff with this tiny human female.

"Baby, there's nothing we can do. Alpha says.... We do." Eric answered apologetically as he grabbed her hand and pulled her back between his legs. I did not like to be questioned or challenged.

She slid her eyes to Eric and saw a pleading look as he gently tugged her arm. She huffed a little and leaned against his side.

"Home. Your Alpha is her Alpha?" I shook my head. I looked at Eric, and he nodded his head.

My alpha... is her birth father. Every muscle in her body went limp. She couldn't believe what she heard. Tori had given her bits and pieces of her life as a young child. She could barely remember her father. She did have warm memories, even if she didn't know what they were. No feelings of fear or pain came from them. Tammy knew that Tori often wondered about her birth father. Where he was, what he was doing. Was he still alive? Did he miss her? Did he want to see her again? The fear of those answers kept her from going to find him.

"What if she doesn't want to go?" Eric and I turned slowly in her direction, clearly not thinking that that was an option. She has a life and a family. I mean, her mother just passed away a couple of years ago, but her father, who raised her, is someone she loves dearly."

"Her father has been searching for her for seventeen years. She was taken from him without his permission. He will not hurt her; he wants to know his daughter." Eric's voice held a slight pleading tone.

Tammy sat quietly for a moment, her eyes closed. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and glared at me.

"You have to tell her. You cannot keep this from her." I felt a moment of panic before hiding it. She has known her whole life that her father was not her biological father. She wants to know where she came from. She talks about finding her real dad and meeting him, whether he's an ass or not. That was always a bone of contention between her mother and her. Her mother would never inform her about him, even when Tori begged and pleaded that she had a right to know her father. But no, her mother would never give in. They would get into screaming matches for hours about it, and then Tori would storm out of the house and ignore her for months. Her stepdad knew very little but shared with Tori what he did know and anything he could find out. The worst part was that she didn't even know his name. Tori was given her mother's maiden name, and Chase couldn't even adopt her because Sara couldn't get the parental rights released from the birth father. Tori was depressed about it for a long time, even before I met her. But she has decided now that she's out of school, she will take some time to find him." I stared questioningly at Tammy.

"Does she have any idea who he is? Or where is he?" Tammy shook her head.

"Only that he is an Alpha. She mentions her childhood memories before her mother took her away. She does remember a friend who used to play with her. Nothing detailed, but it always brought a smile to her face. She recalls feeling good and happy when she thinks about him. I perked up a bit, as did Ivan.

'Maybe she does remember us!' Ivan yipped happily in his head. I nodded, and Ivan bounced around in my head like a puppy full of excitement.

"What is it?" Eric asked as he watched the expression on my face. I looked up at the Gamma and chuckled.

Ivan is having a hard time controlling his enthusiasm. Eric grinned at his friend.

"Who's Ivan?" Tammy asked curiously.

"My wolf," I answered absentmindedly as his eyes flashed to Ivan's for a second before returning to normal. Tammy nodded but then stopped. She snapped her head back to look at me and stared, as if trying to read my soul through my eyes.

"Babe? What's wrong?" He quickly stood up as if in defense.

"You're the warm memory!" She announced out loud.

I just sat there watching her, trying to catch up to her thought process and waiting to see where it leads. I glanced at Eric, who was doing the same thing.

"We have to tell her," She finally answered before sitting down again, lost in thought. I shook my head.

"No"

"What? Why?"

"My orders are to bring her back to the Alpha. After that, it's up to him to tell her."

"And how are you going to do that!? You said yourself you can't take her away from another territory. If I know Tori, which I do, she sets her mind to something and sees it through to the end. There is no talking her out of it. Who knows how long it will take?" My face fell at this information, and then I sighed in defeat. "Why can't you go with her?"

It doesn't work like that, babe; we have to be invited. An Alpha doesn't take too kindly to outside wolves on their lands. Especially Betas and Gammas. He might take that as a threat." She shook her head in frustration.

"Geez! Men and their egos! You're making this too complicated." I released a growl.

Especially those packs with which we aren't allied. They are not known for being friendly and inviting. You have no idea how our world works!" I shot at her, a little irritated with her tone.

"You are my Beta, but that is my mate you are yelling at. She is still learning about our ways." Eric stated calmly, not to anger me but with enough heat to project his meaning.

I shot him a warning glare, and Eric bowed his head. Only because he is my friend am I being tolerant of her, but the whole situation has me on edge in the first place. We have finally found Tori, and now she will be out of our reach for an unknown period.

"Whenever we intake a new patient, we visit the room to assess them. For safety, one of us takes the vitals while the other takes notes to maintain an objective view. We stare blankly at her as Tammy grumbles and paces the room.

"I have no idea what you just said," Eric announced, leaning back against the counter.

"Tori would never go in alone," She answered matter-of-factly.

"Okayyy," Eric responded. I stood there nodding my head with a grin forming on my face.

"Right. She needs someone to accompany her." I looked right at Tammy.

Tammy shot up from her seat and backed away from them, shaking her head.

"Oh no! No way! I'm not going to some den of wolves, especially when one is wounded! I watch Animal Kingdom; they get aggressive and violent when hurt!" She held her hands up as if fending off an attack.

"Baby, you can be her assistant! She trusts you, and you know what you're doing." Eric gently explained.

"Yeah? What if something goes wrong, huh? I can't defend against angry wolves! Much less to protect her! I'm a nobody, I have no wolf, you guys have wolves, Tori has a wolf.... sort of, but she can kick butt if she wants to, I can't even kick a habit....so no!"

Eric let loose a loud growl, and his eyes turned black, causing Tammy and me to jump.

"Don't ever say that about yourself again! You are not a nobody; you are my mate, my life, and my reason! I will not stand to hear...." Tammy stepped up to him and grabbed his face in her hands. With a sad smile, she leaned up and kissed him gently.

"My mistake. I did not mean it that way. I meant that I am not a wolf. I am not strong enough to do anything if everything goes wrong." Rubbing her thumbs down his cheeks, he closed his eyes and purred at the feeling. He took her hands in his and squeezed. Putting his forehead against hers, he calmed his breathing and turned to me.

"She's got a point. We can't let just the two of them go alone. There must be another way."

I sat watching their interaction and felt a ping of hurt in my heart. I was thinking about a mate and the love they share. One to calm the other in times of need. I took a deep breath; my hurt turned to longing. I felt a lump in my chest, but ignored it and pushed it down.

I must bring this up with the Alpha and see what he wants to do about it. Did she say when this would happen?"

Without looking at me, she shook her head. "No. I will have to talk with her tomorrow to find out. I could ask her about going along to help." Eric gave a small smile, and I nodded in agreement.

"Get some rest. We'll talk again in the morning. I will call Alpha tonight and let him know." Eric turned and led Tammy to the door before my question stopped him.

"What did you mean about Tori?" She turned and furrowed in confusion. "You said she has a wolf...sort of. What does that mean?"

"Well, I've never seen her change into one, so I assume she can't. Of course, she just found out I know, but I've known her for a while now. She doesn't show the desire to change that Eric sometimes does. I know she has excellent hearing and eyesight. I do think whatever is inside of her helps her with her patients. To heal and recover." She answered with a shrug.

Eric led her to the door and bowed goodnight. I closed the door and locked it.

Sighing, I returned to the bathroom to finish my night routine and changed into some boxers for bed. What the hell is she thinking? Going to another territory and healing a wolf?! That's wild, considering she hasn't been around wolves all her life. Or maybe she has and didn't know it.

All I know is that the Alpha will not be pleased by this news. It's just another roadblock for him to navigate until he can see his daughter again.

Sitting on the bed, I dialed the Alpha's number. After three rings, he answers.

"Did you find her?"

Tori POV

The sun peeks into the room through the crack in the blinds and lands on my face. I must remember to fix those things; this is annoying. My alarm clock goes off, and I shift my eyes to stare at it. It read 7:01. I held the button one number too long and was too lazy to change it. Oh well. My radio comes on and plays a loud, crazy rock tune to wake my mind and get me out of bed. Slowly, I roll over, smack the snooze button, and drop my arm on the end table. It is too early to get up. It's my day off, and here I am, awake. Even better, I have a splitting headache.

Groaning, I threw the covers off and pushed myself to sit. I checked my phone for the daily weather and saw I had a text message. Sighing, I scrolled to open it and saw it was from Tammy. I couldn't help but wonder what she wanted to discuss. It was unusual for her to send a serious text like this.

'Can we talk sometime today? Maybe after your lunch with your dad? By the way, tell him hi.'

I thought about that for a second before replying. Usually, she's a morning person who says happy and cheery words to me, but this is serious.

'Everything okay? You and Eric, okay?' Not a moment later, she replies.

'Yes, we are good. I need to talk.'

'Okay. Would you like to join us for lunch?

'No, it is okay. You need to spend time with Dad. Call me when you're free.

'Will do.' I drop my phone on the end table, stand up, and stretch out my achy muscles. I walk into the bathroom, brush my teeth, shower, and apply my moisturizer. I checked my bruised cheek from last night's altercation and saw that the swelling had decreased quite a bit due to my healing abilities. It is a pale yellow with a slight blue cast at the center. It is still a bit sensitive to the touch, but it is healing well. It could have been much worse if not for Victor. Her thoughts drifted back to last night and to what Victor had done for her. Why did he step in to fight Jonas? Did they know each other? Victor does not even know me; why would he do that? The mystery of Victor's actions lingered in my mind, deepening the confusion.

When I am done, I walk to my dresser and pull out my undergarments and a soft, flowy pink cold-shoulder shirt. In the closet, I choose a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and black ankle boots.

Once I was done dressing, I headed downstairs and into the kitchen. I flip on the radio and listen to the local news station. Not much happens here, as the news is filled with animal stories and birthdays for local centenarians. Well, good for them. That is what happens when you take care of yourself. Smiling, I pulled out eggs, bacon, and some refrigerated biscuits. I bake the biscuits and drop eggs into the pan with the bacon. Once done, I plate them up and wait for the biscuits to finish. The radio plays a favorite tune, and I sing along as I pull the pan from the oven and set it on the counter to cool.

I hear my phone ding and walk over to pick it up. I see a text from an unknown number.

'How is your body today?' I stare at the message, racking my brain to figure out who it is.

"What the hell?" I question aloud. "Who the hell is this?" Immediately, I copied and pasted the text and the number, then sent them to Tammy.

'Who the hell is this?' I hit send and waited for her reply. I saw the three dots circling, and then another ding came through.

'Oh, my goodness, who would send this?' I said, ' I am going to show it to Eric. ' I put the phone down and returned to my pan of biscuits to plate them and pull the butter from the fridge. Another ding came through, and I checked it.

'Tori, this is Eric. I'm so sorry, but that's Victor checking in on you. He is not good with texting, conversations with women, or any conversation, for that matter. It's okay; that's his number; you can answer him if you want. I read the message and felt my insides tighten up. Is Victor texting me? I am squealing on the inside right now.

'Ok, wow. I might have to work on that. I will answer if it is him.' I sent the laughing face emoji.

'Yeah, I agree. It is all good. It is him.' I give him a thumbs-up and return to Victor's message.

I decided to play with him a bit. 'You wanna know how my body is feeling right now?' I see the dots turning, then fading away. They turn again and then go away again. Poor guy has no idea how to answer that. I giggle at myself and then send another text.

'Why don't you see for yourself?' I ended the message with a wink emoji and put my phone down to finish breakfast.

There is a knock at the door as I sit down to start eating my eggs and biscuits. I look up and listen. Oh my, he didn't just take it seriously; he took it very seriously! Slowly, I stand and head for the door. I look through the peephole and find a giant of a man standing there. Holy shit! It is him! I unlock the door and swing it open. He stands there, staring at me. I see his eyes roam up and down before landing on my face.

"Here's the part where you say good morning, and then I answer back." He shifts a little on his feet and looks down. His eyes creep up to look at me.

"Good morning, Tori," he says, standing there.

"Good morning, Victor." I give him a playful smile. "How's your body today?" He flinches a little but does not look away. I giggled at myself and pulled the door open wider.

"Well, come on in; don't just stand there." He bows slightly and then proceeds into the house. I shut and locked the door and headed back to the kitchen. I heard his heavy footsteps, so I knew he was following me.

"You hungry? I was getting ready to sit for breakfast." I pull out a clean pan and some eggs and bacon and begin cooking them. "Have a seat." He sits in the chair beside my plate and places his hands on the counter. A moment later, I plate the eggs and bacon, grab a few biscuits, and put them in front of him. He never answered my question, but I wouldn't sit there and eat with him watching; that would be rude.

I take a seat next to him and push the butter towards him. I smile and nod for him to eat, and he looks at his plate, grabs a biscuit, and then eats it.

"My body is just fine, thank you." I grin as I grab a piece of bacon and chew on it. I see his mouth pulling into a grin, and he nods.

"Yes, I see that. I'm glad you're okay." I glance at him, and even sitting down, he towers over me, so I have to tilt my head to look up at him. His brown hair falls to his shoulders, and his black t-shirt does nothing to hide the muscular body beneath. I paused momentarily before returning to my food and taking a bite. I hear a slight chuckle, and my face goes red, so I grab another mug, pour some coffee, and place it next to his plate.

"Thank you." He grabs the mug and takes a gulp.

We continue to eat in silence, occasionally sneaking glances at each other. When we finish, I take his plate and mine and place them in the dishwasher. I go back to my seat and turn to face him.

"Thank you; that was very good." He also turned to face me, and we stared at each other. I could tell he was getting antsy, so I broke the silence.

There are better ways to ask how I'm doing. Asking about my body is just...."

"... weird, I know. I am sorry about that. I should have started with my name.

You could have asked, 'How are you?' "Instead, I grinned slightly to let him know I was not angry or uncomfortable. He smiled and nodded his head.

"Yes, I suppose so. But we, God-like creatures, do not text much, so..." He gives a cheeky smile, and I go red. Holy shit! Eric must have told him what I said last night!

"Oh my God! I cannot believe he told you that!" I lowered my head to the counter and hid my face with my hands. This time, I heard him laugh aloud.

"Hey, it is okay. I am quite flattered you think so." I shake my head and groan. "No need to feel embarrassed." He places his hand on my shoulder, and I feel a warm energy passing into me. I jerk my head up and look at him. I get lost in the deep blue eyes that stare back at me. I have seen them before, but cannot quite place them. There is a shadow of a smile lingering on his lips as I feel myself getting warm and tingly. I drop my eyes and fiddle with my fingers.

"Tori.... "I keep my face down and clasp my hands together. "... what are you thinking?"

"Why did you help me last night?" I am unsure if I want to know, so I keep my head down and await his answer. I heard a slight intake of breath and a sigh. His hand moves from my shoulder to my chin, gently lifting it to meet his eyes. I blinked at him and gazed into his eyes. Tilting my head, I caught a slight feeling of recognition in them. He had a small smile on his lips as he stared back. Unknowingly, I leaned into his touch without breaking eye contact. He slid his hand to my face and rubbed my cheek.

I'm glad to see that your bruises are healing. I am sorry that I couldn't stop him in time. He brought his fingers up to gently rub my cheek, which had a hint of yellow and blue from the slap I received last night.

"It was not your fault. I am glad you were there. It could have been a lot worse. I closed my eyes as I savored the sensation of his fingers softly caressing my cheek. Leaning into his touch, I opened my eyes and saw Victor's eyes fade to black for a moment, then return to their beautiful blue.

"Tori... "he started, but my phone beeped, indicating a message was coming through. We held each other's eyes before he dropped his hand and stepped back. Victor dropped his gaze, coughed slightly, and glanced at my phone.

"You should answer that. I have intruded on you long enough." He gave a small smile and turned towards the front door.

"Victor?" I called before he shut the door. He turned to look at me. "Thank you for checking on me." I smiled shyly and clasped my fingers nervously in front of me.

He nodded with a mischievous grin and a wink and closed the door behind him.

I stood there, staring at the closed door momentarily, as I heard his truck roar to life and then drive away. With a soft sigh, I looked back at my phone and picked it up to read the message.

'Hey, sweetie, sorry I cannot make lunch today. Rain check?'

'Sure, no problem. Are you okay?'

I am good. Not feeling well. Going in to see Doc MacDonald.'

'Dad!'

'I'm good. Just to be safe.'

'Okay. Stay in touch.'

'Will do, love you.'

'Love you too.' Placing my phone on the counter, I sighed heavily and returned to the kitchen to clean the breakfast pans.

Once I finished with the breakfast dishes, I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Tammy.

'Hey, Dad had to cancel. I'll be home all day if you'd like to come over and talk. I waited for a response, but none came, so I set my phone down and headed to my bedroom to retrieve the laundry basket and start a load.

After starting the wash, I began my weekly routine of cleaning the bathrooms, dusting the rooms, and mopping the floors. About two hours later, I noticed it was lunchtime, so I returned to the kitchen to make a sandwich. Grabbing an iced tea and my plate, I sat at my counter and picked up my phone.

'Is Dad ok? I will be there soon.'

'Yeah, ' he said he's ok, I'll see you soon.'

About half an hour later, the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" I yelled as I skipped down the stairs. Opening the door, I saw Tammy and Eric standing on the porch.

"Hey, guys! You could have just walked in," I greeted them as I opened the door wider. As Eric stepped in, I noticed him nonchalantly sniffing the air and looking at me with an amused smirk.

"What?" I asked. Eric just shook his head and walked into the kitchen, where he started sniffing again. Turning slowly, he gave me a knowing look, and I rolled my eyes in response.

"Tori?" I looked at my friend, standing with her arms crossed and raised eyebrows. "You wanna tell me something?" Tammy stood there, tapping her foot in fake annoyance.

"Not really." I turned my back and walked into the living room.

"Tori!" I huffed and dropped onto the couch.

"I had company for breakfast." Tammy looked at me momentarily before her eyes widened as she realized who it was.

"No!" I grinned widely and nodded. Giggling, Tammy ran to her, jumped on the couch, and grabbed her arm. "Did you ask him over?"

"Not exactly; remember what I sent you that he texted? I got cheeky and told him, " Why don't you come find out?" Tammy's jaw dropped as I giggled and covered my face with my hands.

"And he came over?" Eric asked, stepping into the room.

"He did!" I shouted, and Tammy squealed like a crazed fangirl.

"Wow, I am impressed. Totally not a Victor thing to do," Eric chuckled as he sat beside Tammy.

"He didn't stay long, but I made him breakfast, and we enjoyed each other's company." It was pretty comfortable. I enjoyed it," I answered with a dreamy smile. Tammy squealed again as Eric wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey, should I be worried?" He said, pushing his nose into her neck and sniffing her.

"No, baby, I am all yours. That does not mean I cannot window shop." She gave him a flirty smile. Eric gave a slight growl and hugged her tighter.

I sat watching the loving interaction between the two with a sad smile as I thought about my own life. My longing for a significant other, whether a mate or a human relationship, was still something I wanted and hoped for.

"So, tell me, what did you want to discuss?" I brought the attention back to the here and now, and Tammy sat upright and cleared her throat.

"Well, I was thinking...." Tammy turned slightly and glanced at Eric, who nodded in response. "... You're going to accept that job from Dr. MacDonald, aren't you?" Tammy sat nodding as if answering the question for me.

"Probably, why?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, I think you should take it."

"Okay. Again, why?" I squinted my eyes at the two.

"Because.... I am coming with you!" My jaw dropped, and Tammy clapped excitedly.