Had she ever been more torn than she was now? She could find out by drinking the first dose of the memory potion.
Valentina rolled around in the bed messing up her hair to try and get her mind working.

'Don't look at me like that.' She said to the three vials, one on the bed and the other two siting erect on the table. Semi had set them up in doses just as Fauna had instructed.

'Talking to it isn't going to help, love.' Semi giggled from the door. In her hand was a bowl of roasted meat.

'Are you sure? Seems to be working. I thinkI can hear them responding.' She replies with a serious face.

'Really.' Semi's sarcasm dripped.

'No.' She woefully admitted.

She wished it did.
She couldn't figure out which memories either vial will awaken. The ones that would remind her why she was mad at Nicholae maybe?
And she just found out that they were married and so they could do married people stuff but that won't be possible if she remembered everything.

'What would you do Semi, if you were me?'

Semi sighed and sat beside Val, propping pillows on the bed to support her.

'Honey, I'm wishing I could forget a few things myself. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. But we can't pick and choose our scars.'
Then she paused.
'At least I haven't figured out how to do it yet.'
She shook her head.
'You're memories hold the truth to your past which, hopefully, it can help us find the bastard Nicholae wants.'

So to help her husband... she loved saying that... her husband ...
So to help her husband, she had to remember everything and possibly end up hating him.

Semi tore into her food making Val a little hungry.
'That looks delicious.' Val commented.

Semi nodded. 'I've been craving meat during my entire pregnancy. And the berries add the right amount of sweetness.'

Semi took a few more bites pretending not to notice Val's longing look at her food. Her pregnancy also made her greedy with her food- not even Osei could pry this bowl from her fingers.

Valentina stared at the ceiling, contemplating.
'I am his wife, that means I must have married him out of love.'

Semi waited to see where this was going.
'That means I can't possibly hate him, I'll be able to look past his past mistakes and forgive him. That's love. Right?'

Semi stared dazedly into her bowl. All that Valentina said was true. True love was forgiveness, and moving forward from mistakes and growing stronger after learning from those mistakes. The problem here was, what if, in the relationship, one person loved the other more. And the one who loved more was unsure if the other person's love could withstand the betrayal enough to forgive and move past it.
To put it plainly, she didn't think Osei loved her enough to forgive her for what she'd done. That was a truth that hurt to admit, and yet it was that, the truth.

She'd basically become Osei's mate because he needed someone to turn to in a time he was hurt. She'd been his rebound and she'd deluded herself in thinking that he could possibly love her as much as he did Danielle once upon a time. And now the woman from his past would be returning into his life once more.
Semi was terrified that her betrayal would push Osei back into Danielle's arms, but the truth would eventually come out. It would be for the best if it was sooner rather than later.

'Are you okay Semi?' Valentina asked her.
In response, she sent her a fake smile.
'No matter what Nicholae did to you, know that he only did it out of love. Don't be too hard on him.'

Valentina nodded. Semi looked out the window. 'We have company.'

Valentina rushed to the window in hopes that her husband had returned. They were already in the second day of their departure.

But it was not. Down in the clearing surrounded by a number of wolves, was a young man with dark hair shaking hands with Osei who had just walked out.

'It's Seth. He works for the dragons.'
How did she know that? She was all the way on the bed and Valentina had the curtains shifted slightly to the side when she peeked below.

'Something must be wrong.' Semi frowned at the implication of the young man's visit.

She carefully stood up from the bed and was about to leave the room until she remembered her bowl she'd set aside.
'I made some rice and there's more of the meat in the oven if you're hungry.'
Then she took hers and left.

Valentina saw the kitchen on her way up into the room so it was easy to find.
She found Rex and Niko already seated at the dining table enjoying their meal.

'Val, sit with us.' He said inviting her to sit opposite so she faced him.

And then he got her a plate of food and a glass of juice.

'You're so adorable.' Valentina said hugging him.

'Of course I am, I take after Papa in that department at least that's what he told me.' He sat back down in his chair and continued with his food.

Niko was Nicholae's son. There was no mistaking the striking features that reminded her of Nicholae. But now that she really thought about it, he resembled someone else.

'Who's your mum?' Valentina blurted the question since Nicholae hadn't been clear about Niko's birth mother and Nicholae's relationship with her.
Had he been an adulterer or was Niko a by product of a relationship after her death.
Or must absurdly and the one she wishes was the truth, was Niko hers.
But his age proved otherwise.

Niko shrugged his shoulders.
'Papa always talks about her but never reveals her identity. But she died giving birth to me, that's why she couldn't take care of me.'
The boy needed to know who his mother was and so did Valentina.
And now it all made sense to her, Nicholae was an adulterer. Why else would she hate him.
But could she hate him because of Niko?
She'd talk to Nicholae about that when he returned but for now, as his wife, she could take on a few roles.
'Would you like a new mother?'

He shook his dark curls and her heart broke.
'I don't want a new one. I don't need one especially if he's going to marry Sasha Draga. She's nice and all but I don't want her as a mother.'

She wanted to ask what about her? But Nicholae didn't want Niko to find anything out until his return when he could properly explain the turn of events to the boy.

Valentina saw Semi come in grabbing a glass of water for their guest.
She roughed Niko's hair and petted Rex,
'Set the dishes in the sink when you're done.' She said to all of them,
'And You two stay out of trouble.' Her eyes fell on the two young ones who were done with their food now.
'Or else I'll have the den mother's babysit you. Or literally sit on you.'

'Roger that, Semi.' Niko replied running out of the Cabin.
Valentina followed Semi back into the room with her eyes.

She was very curious as to what was being discussed and it didn't quite sit well with her that something was going on that she didn't know about.
And so she snuck in to the familiar room and hind behind a wall.

'You can't trust anyone.' Osei advised the young man.

'And it's a good thing you came to us.' Semi added.

'I didn't want to cause an uproar. Plus I also wasn't supposed to be there when I was, knowing the dragons they'd roast me before hearing what I'd have to say.'
The young man spoke while rubbing the back of his neck.
'It felt right coming here because I know that you're the only ones who believed Lord Nicholae when he said someone is planning something malicious.'

'He'll be back from the human world soon. We'll summon him here when he does.' Semi said.
'How long can you be away from your duties before your absence is noticed?'

'A day or so. I hope.'

'That's all we need. His Lordship would be back by then.' Semi assured him.

'And then we can figure just what the hell is happening.' Osei took Semi's hands and played with it.

'I've been meaning to ask you, Seth,' Osei was speaking again.

'Why didn't you grant the Dragon's grace in my favor.'

Seth's eyes rounded, he swallowed realizing that this Alpha might possibly hold a grudge.

'Because it wasn't my call, Osei. Had I granted it to you, especially without Octavian's support, I'd have been punished by my masters.'
His voice was steady in his response, the sincerity in his speech rang clear.
'I did agree with Lord Nicholae, most of these families are petty little bastards. Personally I'd be your ally but I have nothing to offer.'

'Oh, but you do.' Semi quickly jumped up into the offer.
'We have an ally in dragon territory that's all you have to be.'

Seth nodded.
'Also, I wanted to let you know, you have an awesome pack.'

The wolves present shook their furs in pride, the action would literally say: Yes, yes we are.

The meeting was over and so Valentina quickly returned to the kitchen shortly after Semi and Osei joined her. Along with the new comer, Seth.

'Seth, this is Valentina. Valentina, Seth.'
Osei quickly introduced.

'I see you're back to your old antics.' Osei said to her.
At he confused expression he grinned a grin that made her smile back.
'Eavesdropping.' he clarified.

Valentina scoffed and tried to act offended but quickly gave up as Semi and Osei's expression remained unmoved.

'Tracking spell, babe. Send a message to Cayden the moment he pops up on our radar or at the gate.' He kisses Semi on the lips before ushering Seth out the door.
'Let me show you around.'

Semi got down to performing the spell behind closed doors with Valentina present.
'I can do this too? Still amazes me.' She smiled down at Semi.
'I can teach you a couple of things just like when you used to do with me. I have a brew boiling in the back, you can have some. It's your recipe.'
Valentina couldn't contain her excitement, this would be something else she could show Nicholae when he came back.
'I understand the brews are for boosting our powers.'
Semi nods.
'Good. Depending on what's also in the concoction will help with what magic you can properly perform. If it's healing, poisoning, I'll teach you all I know and all you taught me.'
And then Semi fell quiet, concentrating on the task at hand. Semi gripped the sides of the piece of cloth, her eyes looked sunken in gross darkness.
'They're back.'

So why did she sound so sad about it?