46. Selene
Chapter 46
Selene
I ’m sitting in Liam’s apartment, anxiously waiting for him to return. My mind is racing with worry, wondering what could be keeping him so long. Suddenly, I hear a commotion outside the door, and my heart skips a beat.
Emmett comes bounding down the steps in his pajamas, looking surprised to see me here. “What are you doing here?” he asks in a guarded tone.
I swallow nervously, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach. “I’m here because Liam asked me to wait here for him.”
Emmett rolls his eyes, muttering something under his breath. “Whatever,” he says dismissively, starting to walk away.
I scramble to my feet, reaching out to stop him. “Emmett, wait.”
He glances back at me, his expression cold and unfriendly. “What?” he snaps.
Unable to keep the question inside any longer, I blurt out, “Why do you hate me?”
Emmett’s eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. “Because you’re a vampire,” he says bluntly.
I flinch at his words, feeling a pang of hurt deep in my chest. “But that’s not fair,” I protest, feeling tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “I didn’t choose to be a vampire.”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. You’re still one of them.”
I take a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Please, Emmett. Can’t we at least try to talk? Maybe if you got to know me, you’d realize I’m not so different from you.”
He hesitates for a moment, his eyes softening slightly. But then, just as quickly, the walls go back up, and he shakes his head. “I don’t care,” he says, turning to leave once again.
I watch him go, feeling hurt. He hates me simply because of what I am.
But I rally, hoping that one day, he’ll come around and see that vampires aren’t all bad.
Until then, I’ll just have to keep trying to prove him wrong.
I pick up my phone to check for any new message from Liam. Not knowing if he is safe is making me feel slightly insane.
Still, there are no new messages.
It is now close to four a.m.
Maybe I should take Liam up on his offer and head up to his room. I probably won’t be able to sleep, but being in his bed might help a little bit.
I haven’t taken two steps when I hear the car horns in the parking lot all go off.
“What the—”
Then I hear a scream and a loud bang just outside the door.
Okay, what the hell is going on?
As I begin to move toward the door, it door bursts open, and my heart stops as my brother, Levi, and four other vampires storm into the apartment.
Fucking hell!
I thought Liam told me this place had wards and that I would be kept safe, and that Emmett was safe.
“Hello, sister ,” Levi says. “You look surprised to see me.”
Bile is rising in my throat.
This cannot be happening.
“What are you doing here?”
Levi’s expression is hard as he steps forward, his gaze locking onto mine. “How fucking rude!”
“You can’t be here,” I whisper.
”Says who? I’m here for my family ,” he says coldly.
My mind races with questions, but before I can voice them, Emmett comes down the steps and freezes at the sight of them.
“What’s going on here?” he asks, his eyes wide with alarm.
And then Blake walks in.
He has blood all over his mouth and neck, staining his shirt and sleeves. “Sorry, I got a little distracted acquainting myself with your neighbor.”
“Mr. Helwig,” Emmett gasps. “Did you hurt him?”
Blake sneers and says, “Well, well. Look who we have here. What did I miss?”
Panic floods through me, and I turn to Emmett urgently. “Emmett, please, go upstairs,” I plead.
But Levi interrupts. “Stay exactly where you are, Emmett. We all need to have a talk.”
I swallow hard. “Please, Levi, he’s a kid.”
“He’s a wolf. I think it is about time he and I get reacquainted, don’t you think?”
“Blake, please…”
Blake just rolls his eyes and wipes at his mouth. “I told Levi that you picked sides. He insisted on coming here to see for himself. You proved me right.”
“I know what you’re thinking. Give me a chance to explain,” I say.
“This is exactly what it looks like, Selene. You picked a side, a wrong side, as a matter of fact. You betrayed us and your kind. Mom and Dad would be so ashamed,” he says instead as he walks over to where I am standing. “Now, little wolf, why don’t you come down here so you and I can talk?”
My brothers and his companions have never been known for their peaceful intentions, and I fear what they might do next.
I have to find a way to diffuse the situation.
I can’t let them harm Emmett or anyone else.