Cursed Love (The Vallaverse)

16. Moses

Moses

Hunter’s glued to his laptop, his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, his fingers flying over the keyboard in that chaotic, brilliant way only he can manage. He’s in work mode, fully locked in, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he’d already forgotten about last night. But I do know better.

There’s something different about him. Softer. His shoulders aren’t as rigid, a subtle calm in the way he moves, the way his lips twitch like he’s fighting off a grin he doesn’t even realize is there. It wasn’t there yesterday, that softness. It’s new.

I lean back in my chair, my eyes narrowing as I study him. He doesn’t even glance up, too focused on whatever numbers or programs he’s running, but I can see it in his posture, in the way his beast is quieter today. And then it clicks.

“How did it feel?” I ask, my voice cutting through the quiet hum of the office.

Hunter pauses, his fingers hovering over the keyboard and his head tilts slightly, like he’s processing the question. “How did what feel?” he asks, not looking up, but I can hear the edge of amusement in his voice.

I grin, leaning forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “Being inside her,” I say, blunt as always.

That gets his attention. He stops typing, his hands dropping to his lap as he turns to face me. And then he grins, slow and wicked, the kind of grin that makes me want to roll my eyes and laugh at the same time.

“She’s a goddess,” he purrs, his voice reverent of the woman that had been in his arms last night. “Being with her was different. It wasn’t just physical, you know? It felt like everything shifted, like the entire world tilted on its axis and all that mattered was her. Keeping her safe, making sure she was happy, protected.” He pauses, his grin softening into something more thoughtful. “It was grounding, I guess. Like she’s the anchor I didn’t know I needed.”

I raise an eyebrow, surprised at his honesty. Hunter isn’t one to get emotional, not like this, but I can see it in his eyes. He’s not just talking—he’s feeling it.

He turns back to his laptop, but he doesn’t start typing again. Instead, he keeps talking, his voice quieter now. “My beast is still there. I still want to rip things apart, to destroy anyone who looks at her wrong. But it’s not the same. It’s not just rage for the sake of it anymore. I want to rip things apart, Moses, but only to make sure the world is better for her. Safer. Like... she gave me a reason. A purpose.”

The shift is real. That biological, instinctual snap that happens when a Valla meets their Omega. I’ve heard about it, read about it, even seen traces of it in other packs but I didn’t think it would happen this fast. I didn’t think it would feel like this, like my entire fucking world realigned the moment she stepped into it.

Hunter’s been riding that high all morning and I don’t blame him. The connection he has with her already—it’s there, humming between us like a live wire. I can feel how content he is, how fucking grounded he feels for the first time in years and I want that too. I want to feel her in my blood, in my bones.

This morning, I almost didn’t leave the bed. I almost stayed curled around her and Amel like I belonged there, like she wouldn’t wake up and bolt if she found me too close. But a conversation needed to be had and we needed to give her space. I’m not great with words—not like Amel is—so I let him take the lead, trusting him to say the things I can’t.

Now, sitting here in the office, watching Hunter work like his life depends on it, I can’t help but feel restless. That contentment he’s basking in? I need it. I crave it like an ache in my chest, a constant pull that won’t let go. But for now, I let it simmer, distracting myself the only way I know how.

My phone buzzes on the desk, a small notification lighting up the screen. I glance at it, and the corner of my mouth pulls into a slow, deviant grin.

“What’s got you grinning like a lunatic?” Hunter asks, his voice teasing as he pushes his chair back from his desk. He rolls across the room, the wheels of his chair bumping into mine like we’re a couple of kids.

I turn my screen toward him, the grin still spreading across my face. “A certain package has been delivered.”

Hunter raises an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in his blue eyes. “To the basement?”

I nod, locking my phone and leaning back in my chair, stretching my arms behind my head. “To the basement,” I confirm.

Hunter lets out a sharp laugh. “You’re not gonna make me guess, are you?”

I glance at him, my grin turning wicked. “Depends. You too lovestruck to have a little fun?”

His laughter grows louder as he spins his chair back and forth, his hands gripping the armrests like he’s weighing his options. “Depends on your definition of fun.”

“Let’s just say,” I start, standing and stretching my shoulders, “this morning’s about to get a whole lot more interesting.”

Hunter’s on his feet in a second, his grin matching mine as he cracks his knuckles. “Good,” he says. “I was needing a little morning workout anyway. This’ll be perfect.”

The basement is an entirely a different world—a world separate from the pristine, five-story fortress in the city where all the legal work gets done. Up there, it’s all contracts, polished deals, and clean business. Down here? It’s the dark underbelly. The place where conversations get intimate. Where deals get made without paperwork. And, sometimes, where the kind of workouts happen that you can’t exactly log in at the gym.

Hunter and I step through the heavy metal door, the temperature several degrees lower than upstairs. My boots echo against the concrete floor as my gaze sweeps over the dimly lit space, landing on the centerpiece of today’s entertainment. Paula.

She’s tied to a small chair, her arms and legs bound securely, her wrists straining against the thick ropes. Her face is twisted in panic, her eyes wide as they dart between Hunter and me. As soon as she sees us, she starts screaming. Predictable.

“Let me go!” she shrieks, her voice high-pitched, desperate. “You’ve already terrified me enough—I’m not saying anything! Using brute force on me just proves what everyone thinks about Valla! You’re all just—”

I cut her off with a sharp laugh, the sound bouncing off the cold walls. Hunter snorts beside me, leaning casually against one of the steel support beams, arms crossed over his chest. He’s always been good at the silent intimidation thing during these moments. Me? I like to talk.

I pull out the chair across from her, dragging it slowly, the legs scraping against the floor. The sound makes her flinch and I grin as I sit down, settling in like I’m about to have a friendly little chat. “Paula,” I muse, my tone light, almost amused. “Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?”

Her glare sharpens, but there’s fear behind it, a crack in her bravado that I don’t miss. I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and gesture toward one of the men standing near the shadows—one of our employees on private payroll, the kind who gets things done without asking too many questions.

“Appreciate you rounding her up,” I say, nodding to him. “Back entrance, I assume?”

He nods once, his face impassive. “Quiet and clean. No one saw a thing.”

“Good.” I turn my attention back to Paula, who’s shifting uncomfortably in her chair, her breathing shallow. “See? That’s the thing you don’t seem to get, Paula. You’re under the impression that someone’s going to find out about this. That someone’s going to come rescue you.” I tilt my head, letting the grin stretch wider. “But they’re not. Because no one knows you’re here.”

Her face pales, but she doesn’t stop glaring. “You think you can keep this quiet? People already think Valla are monsters—this will only confirm it.”

I laugh again, settling back in my chair. “Paula, you’re making this so much more dramatic than it needs to be. This isn’t about being monsters or brute force. This is about reminding you of your place. You fucked up. You leaked information. And you thought you could get away with it. That was your first mistake.”

Hunter finally speaks, his voice dripping with venom. “And your second mistake?” He pushes off the support beam, stepping closer until his presence looms over her. “Thinking we wouldn’t find out.”

Paula’s breathing quickens, her defiance cracking further as she looks between us. I watch her carefully, the way her jaw trembles just slightly, the way her fingers twitch against the ropes. She’s scared, no matter how hard she tries to hide it. And she should be.

I stand, towering over her, my grin never faltering. “Now, Paula,” I say, my voice dripping with mock kindness. “We can do this the easy way, or we can make this... an experience. But either way, you’re going to tell us what we want to know. And trust me, no one’s coming to save you.”

“What do you want ?” she finally asks, her voice breaking, desperation dripping from every syllable.

“What do we want?” Hunter repeats. He takes a second as if he’s truly thinking, his tongue darting out to lick his lips before he speaks again. “Let’s start with this, Paula—you’re a fucking idiot. You tried to steal from us. The best in the goddamn business. But worse than that, you decided to play with the Valla. Men so close to their beasts, they might as well be them. And you thought that was a good idea?”

Paula’s lip quivers, but she tries to mask her fear with defiance, her voice trembling as she spits out, “So what? You’re going to beat me up? Is that it?”

I shake my head slowly, standing up and closing the distance between the both of us. Her wide eyes track my movements, her body tensing as I come to stand beside her. I lean down, resting my hand over hers where it’s tied to the chair.

“Paula,” I murmur, my growl rumbling just beneath the surface. “Valla might be vicious, but we do have finesse.”

Before she can respond, I snap her finger, the sickening crack echoing through the room. Her scream pierces the air but I slap my hand over her mouth before it can go too far.

“If our Omega hears you,” I growl, my eyes narrowing, “this is going to get a hell of a lot worse for you. Trust me, Paula, you don’t want that.”

She’s shaking, tears streaming down her face as she whimpers against my palm. I pull my hand away slowly, watching her carefully as she struggles to catch her breath, her sobs muffled and desperate.

I crouch down beside her, resting my elbows on my knees as I meet her tear-filled gaze. “Now,” I say softly, my tone calm but deadly, “you’re going to tell us who hired you to steal the information from our system. Because someone did, Paula. We both know you didn’t do this on your own.”

Her head shakes wildly, the tears falling faster as she stammers, “No—no one—I didn’t—”

Hunter snorts, pushing off the table and stepping closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over both of us. “Come on, Paula,” he says, his voice dripping with mock pity. “You’re too loyal to have just made a bad decision. Someone put you up to this. Someone paid you, threatened you, or both.”

Paula’s sobs grow louder, her head dropping as she mumbles incoherently, her shoulders shaking. I grab her chin, tilting her face back up to mine. “Start talking, Paula. Or we’ll keep this going until you do.”

Paula is a complete mess. Her tears are streaking her face, mixing with the snot dripping from her nose, and she’s shaking so hard it’s a wonder she hasn’t passed out yet. All five fingers on her right hand are bent at unnatural angles, swollen and purple. She’s biting back sobs, trying to keep herself together, but the way she flinches every time I move tells me she knows I’m about to start on the other hand.

And I would’ve.

But she finally breaks.

“Wait!” she screeches, her voice cracking as she yanks against the ropes holding her to the chair. “Wait, I’ll tell you, okay? Just stop. Please, stop.”

Hunter lets out a low chuckle from where he’s leaning against one of the beams, his arms crossed over his chest as he watches the scene unfold. I let my hand hover over hers for a moment longer, letting the tension build, before leaning back just slightly. “Start talking, Paula, and make it good.”

She’s gasping for air, her chest heaving as she nods frantically. “It was... it was Teplone Industries,” she stammers, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Another security company. They reached out to me months ago, said they’d pay me a lot of money if I could siphon certain information from Nexora.”

Hunter raises an eyebrow, his lips twitching in amusement. “Certain information?” he drawls, his tone dripping with mock curiosity. “Care to elaborate, Paula?”

“Client lists,” she blurts out, her voice trembling. “Payments. Just little stuff at first. Nothing big. Nothing... nothing harmful.”

I narrow my eyes at her, leaning forward again, and her voice falters. “And then?”

“And then they wanted more,” she whispers, her head hanging low. “They wanted actual data. And I... I tried to say no, but they... they offered me more money, and I—” She cuts herself off, shaking her head violently. “I got caught, okay? That’s when you guys found out. That’s when it all went to hell.”

My jaw tightens as the pieces start to fall into place, the full scope of what she’s done settling over me. This wasn’t a one-time mistake. This wasn’t a lapse in judgment. She’d been feeding them information for months.

“You’ve been giving away data for a while now, haven’t you?”

Her silence is all the confirmation I need. I stand, circling her chair until I’m behind her. I rest a hand on her shoulder, leaning down until my lips are close to her ear. “I used to like you, Paula,” I murmur, my voice soft but deadly, my beast lingering at the edge of my words. “I thought you were loyal. I thought you could be trusted. But you never really were, were you?”

Her shoulders shake under my hand, a fresh wave of sobs wracking her body. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “I’m so sorry. Please, just... what are you going to do now?”

Hunter pushes off the table, strolling toward us with a slow, measured pace. He crouches down in front of her, his blue eyes sharp as they lock onto hers. “What are we going to do?” he repeats, his tone mocking. “Well, Paula, first, let me tell you what you’re not going to do.”

She swallows hard, her wide eyes darting between us.

“You’re not going to go to the police,” Hunter continues. “You’re not going to say a goddamn word about what happened here. Because even if you try, even if you think you’ve gotten away, we’ll always be one step behind you. Always.”

I smirk, leaning closer to her other ear. “You’ll spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder, terrified, hoping it isn’t us coming for you.”

She’s shaking so badly now that the chair rattles against the floor. “Please,” she begs, her voice breaking. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just... don’t hurt me anymore.”

Hunter straightens, his grin sharp. “Oh, we’ll send you on an all-expenses-paid vacation,” he says with a chuckle. “But that comes later.”

Code for sending her off to another country with little means of returning to our little city. At Nexora, it’s more than just security, it’s peoples’ entire lives that we hold in our hands. The rich and famous come to us to protect their dirtiest secrets, to keep their information from ever leaking out into the public eye but that only works when can trust the ones that work with us. I guess interviews are going to have to be a lot more in-depth from now on.

Paula trying to rock her chair against the concrete pulls me from my thoughts. I just laugh at her pitiful attempt, the horror in her expression growing as I stare down at her, a predatory smile playing on my lips. “You’re not going anywhere just yet, Paula. We’ve still got a bit more fun to get through.”

She screams, a loud piercing sound tearing from her throat before I slap a hand over her mouth, cutting it off. “What did I tell you about making noise?” Her muffled cries echo against my palm, salivating for the rest of this ‘workout’.