Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Serena hesitated for a moment as she watched Theo take a duffel bag to his car. Her mind reeled with questions. When she reached the porch, she found Theo leaning against the frame, his shoulders slumped. “What happened?” she asked, though part of her already knew.
Theo turned his gaze to her. For a moment, he looked too exhausted to answer. Finally, he spoke. “They fired me,” he said. “They think I’m behind all the sabotage.”
Serena’s stomach twisted. “Fired you? Why?”
He swallowed hard. “They found the missing medical kits in a kitchen supply closet. I never saw them in there,” he said, his expression tight. “They decided to inspect my cabin and found anchor kit parts under my bed.”
Serena’s eyes widened. “I saw them yesterday. I know they are from the anchor kit that went missing.”
He clenched his fists. “You saw them and didn’t tell me?” His anger simmered, and she noticed his eyes darkening. “Someone set me up. If you’d told me, I could have done something sooner.”
She raised her hands in a placating gesture. “I didn’t know what to think. I was shocked.”
His gaze flickered with hurt. “You think I did this? I’ve been framed. How can you not see that?” His voice rose, and fur began to ripple down his arm. His posture grew rigid, as though he was fighting to keep from shifting.
Serena pulse raced. “Theo, calm down. You’re losing control.”
He took a shaky breath. “I need you to believe me. Someone wants me out of the academy. I’d never hurt anyone here.”
She felt torn between pity and fear. She thought of her father’s imposing rage whenever he felt challenged. Theo wasn’t her father, yet the threat in his stance made her instinctively recoil. “I need to go. We can talk about this later.”
He stepped forward, reaching for her. “Please. Don’t go. You have to believe me.”
Her heart thundered as she realized she’d backed into a wall. Memories of her father loomed large in her mind, fueling her panic. “I can’t…” she whispered. “I can’t be around you when you’re like this.”
She skirted around him and rushed away, nearly stumbling on the porch steps. Theo called her name, but she couldn’t bring herself to look back. All she could see was the danger that flickered in his eyes. Tears blurred her vision. She felt foolish for letting her guard down so quickly.