Chapter 48

Colin sat in the hospital cafeteria, his mind weighed down by the impossible truth he'd just been confronted with. Goldie had told him everything, everything from the beginning to the end. He didn't interrupt her once. He didn't ask her any questions, even when she knew things only Goldie would know. Even though she knew things about him no one else knew, he didn't say one word. He just sat there and listened as she poured out her heart. What she had said, all she had said shook him to his core.

And he wasn't sure he could even comprehend or understand it. As he searched her face, the baby blue eyes, the short black hair, all the ways in which she was different from his own Goldie, he couldn't understand. How could it be his own Goldie?

How could Goldie still be alive?!

For a second he had wondered if he was dreaming again and punched himself to know if it was real, but it was. The woman in front of him was claiming to be Goldie.

"Colin, I don't know how it happened... or what happened, but somehow I'm still alive in this body," she said softly, her eyes filled with earnest sincerity. "I'll give you all the time you need to accept it."

He looked at her, searching for any sign of deception. Magic?! Could it be magic?! Was she a sightseer?! Some sort of liar? He didn't even know how to describe what was happening.

Goldie reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. She scribbled down her phone number and slid it across the table. "Call me when you're ready to accept the truth, Colin."

Colin's head was spinning. He needed time to process this revelation, to reconcile with everything that she had said. He pocketed the number and nodded, his voice shaky. "I'll...I'll need some time."

......

Remy walked into the hospital cafeteria. The procedure had been faster than he had thought and although he was feeling a little dizzy, he still wondered where Valentina was. He scanned the hospital hallways for Goldie, till a nice nurse told him she was in the cafeteria. He had been searching for her, desperate to thank her for her help. She had offered to go with him when she didn't need to, she could have stayed home instead and let him handle it, but she wanted to go, all by herself too.

When Remy spotted Goldie, his heart sank. She was sitting with a man. The man was of average build, he was wearing a dark blue suit, he had short dark blond hair and he was staring at her with an expression he didn't understand. She was seated across from him, Remy could still see her from the side. She was talking to the man, it looked like tears were streaming down her face, but she didn't mind them, she just kept talking and crying. He tried to listen in on their conversation, but he was too weak, the pints of blood he had given still  made him very weak, he shouldn't have left his temporary bed, but he had left his bed to find her. The man's eyes never left her face, almost as if he was in some sort of trance.

Remy felt like he was interrupting a very private conversation, but he couldn't help but wonder who the man was. Or why his presence seemed to sting him so much. Remy didn't say a word; he only frowned, the disappointment and hurt clear in his eyes. She must have recovered her memories and from the looks of things, she must have recovered it a while ago for her to know the man she was speaking to so passionately.

Perhaps he was her lover, perhaps that was Valentina's big secret. A lover that she had hid from him. Remy felt stupid. Stupid for pouring out his feelings during that dinner.

He turned and left the cafeteria without uttering a single word.

......

Marielle anxiously clutched her phone, her heart racing as she picked Madame Eloise's call. The witch had called her out of the blues and she wondered why the witch had called her. Nothing about their last conversation suggested that the woman would call her back, so she was curious this time. Perhaps the witch had decided to give her more information, seeing as it would benefit her greatly. The phone rang, and she took a deep breath before answering. "Madame Eloise?"

A raspy voice on the other end replied, "Marielle Mason right? it's been a while, hasn't it?"

Marielle scoffed. "Yes, Madame Eloise. I'm a little surprised seeing as you called me. What can I do for you?"

The witch's voice was laced with an air of mystery. "You once mentioned that you have access to Valentina. Well I need to reach her."

Marielle knew better than to make promises lightly, especially to a seasoned witch like Madame Eloise. But this was an opportunity that she couldn't let go, she could find out what was between Madame Eloise and Valentina had discussed about.

She could find out more about the concealment spell that Valentina was paying for and what it was for. If she played her part well, she could get all the information she needed. Gathering her courage, she said, "I can help you, but you will have to help me in return."

"What is the concealment spell for? You mentioned that Valentina employed your services for a concealment spell, but you never mentioned what or who it was for."

Madame Eloise let out a sinister chuckle, "My dear, we've been through this. I cannot divulge such information to you. Client confidentiality is very important to me. Since you're so close to Valentina, why don't you ask her yourself!"

Marielle refused to back down. "Valentina is too secretive for her own good and my alpha is concerned about her. If you don't help me, I'm afraid I won't help you either."

"... that is unless you tell me the purpose of that concealment spell Valentina asked you for."

The witch's voice turned icy. "You're very persistent Marielle. But I will tell you once again, I cannot divulge such information to you."

"Then you'd have to forget about contacting Valentina, because if she hasn't reached out to you now, it's obvious she's no longer interested in your services."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, Marielle feared that the witch had probably ended the call. Perhaps she had gone too far, bluffed too much. She had no way of knowing if Valentina was still involved with the witch after her memory loss. Truthfully, there was a lot of things that came out of Valentina's mouth lately that Marielle found particularly hard to believe.

"I cannot divulge anything of note to you. But I can tell you that the concealment spell is for a person. Valentina is hiding someone, someone very important to her."

Someone very important to her?!

"That's incredibly vague."

Marielle complained. She didn't even know anyone related to Valentina, had never seen her with friends or family of her own, how was she supposed to know who was important to her?!

The information didn't help at all, it just got her very confused.

"Well I've done my part. It's time for you to do yours."

Marielle weighed her options. Despite what she had said earlier, she had no intention of giving Madame Eloise Valentina's contact, but she was curious about how it would all play out. So she decided to.

"Fine, I'll help you, but only this once."

Madame Eloise replied.

"Very well, for your sake I hope I'm able to reach her, because I'm expecting payment for the concealment spell for the next month."

Marielle felt the weight of her promise bearing down on her, and decided to let Madame Eloise know that she couldn't make any promises.

"I cannot guarantee anything. I can only provide you with her contact and hope that you reach her. She's not an easy person to get a hold of."

"But I wish you good luck Madame Eloise."

With that, she angrily hung up the call. She would have to call Kale and let him know. It was also time for her to tell Remy, time for her to tell him the truth of what she had found out about his Luna.

She looked at her phone again and forwarded Valentina's contact to the witch. Then she called Remy, she had to tell him.

Remy picked up the call on the second ring.

"My mother's fine. She's out of the woods. We should be back in a few hours."

Marielle felt bad for not calling about that. She had almost forgotten that Ellen had been rushed to the hospital.

"That's good to hear. I need to tell you something... it's about Valentina."

There was a short pause, then Remy grunted.

"Wait till I get home, we have a lot about Valentina to talk about."