Chapter 15
SERENITY KELLER
Iclosed the café door and hung up the Temporarily Closed sign.
When I turned around, Arian was sitting in a chair, eating his sandwich and drinking his milk. He noticed me watching and looked up, breadcrumbs still on his lips, and then he immediately flashed me a big smile.
Warmth and tenderness washed over me. I wished time could freeze in this moment, letting me enjoy this precious time with my child forever.
But reason told me it was impossible. I couldn't reveal who I was to him.
"Did that uncle leave?"
Arian asked when I walked back to his table.
I nodded. "Yes, he's gone."
Frank had barely smiled when he left. He must have been upset. I had not only rejected his suggestion to contact Arian's parents immediately, but I had also given him no answer to his proposal.
I would apologize to him next time we met. Right now, I had more important things to focus on.
After all, Arian's sudden appearance was full of questions.
Tara wasn't anywhere near Vernal pack territory. How had a four-year-old made it here alone? Had Elias discovered my whereabouts and brought him, or was this just a coincidence?
These questions made it impossible to think about how to handle Frank. I sat down across from Arian. "Can we talk, Arian?"
Arian immediately set down his sandwich. "Of course! What do you want to ask?"
His well-behaved manner made me reach out and pat his head. Then I tried to sound casual as I asked, "You said you came out to find your mommy. What does that mean? Do you know where your mommy went?"
"Yes." Arian nodded. "Mommy went to heaven! That's what Daddy said."
I froze, then understood. This was probably Elias's gentle way of explaining my death. So he didn't know I was still alive…
But just as I thought that, Arian added, "But I think he's lying."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he's still looking for Mommy," Arian said matter-of-factly. "He didn't tell me, but I know. Every year he sends Uncle Herman to search along a big river for Mommy. If Mommy were really in heaven, why would he keep looking on the ground? So he must be lying!"
I was stunned.
Elias was looking for me? For four years, he had been searching along the river without giving up?
But why?
If he already believed I was dead, why keep searching? When Liv "died" back then, he hadn't gone this far. I couldn't understand.
Arian pressed his small hands together and fidgeted with his fingers. His tone was firm, showing maturity beyond his years. "So I want to help Daddy find Mommy too. I'll look in the places he hasn't searched. As long as I keep following the big river downstream, I'll find Mommy!"
I couldn't believe it. "But how did you find Tara all by yourself?" It was so far from Vernal territory!
Arian puffed out his chest proudly. "I know how to hitchhike! Like on TV, you stand by the road and stick up your thumb and pretend you're trying to get home. Nice people give you rides. I have an allowance too, so I can buy my own food!"
"That's so dangerous!" My heart raced with fear, and I couldn't help scolding him.
"You were just lucky you didn't run into bad people or hunters.
That's the only reason you're safe. That's nothing to be proud of!
If something had happened to you, I… your daddy would be devastated!
Arian, promise me you'll never run away from home again, and never lie. Do you understand?"
Arian flinched, his eyes quickly turning red.
But he held back his tears and mumbled, "I understand.
I'm sorry… But I have to find Mommy." He sniffled.
"Daddy always looks so sad when he sees me.
He won't play with me, won't hug me, won't even smile.
Uncle Herman says it's because he misses Mommy.
If I find Mommy, he'll be happy and play with me! "
I listened to Arian's broken explanation, unable to speak for a long time.
His words made my heart pound. I couldn't believe it. Elias was actually sad about my death? He had really been missing me all this time? But hadn't he always believed I was a traitor and hated me the most?
"Either way, staying here will make your daddy worry," I suppressed my complicated emotions and said softly. "Tomorrow I'll find someone to take you home."
Arian froze. Then suddenly, tears started falling. "You want to send me away too? Why? Daddy's like this, and now you are too. Nobody wants to be with me. Is it because I'm not good enough? Is that why no one likes me?"
"That's not true!"
I jumped up and pulled him into my arms. He didn't resist. His small head buried in my chest, his body trembling, as if he wasn't used to being held so intimately.
While other children had been with their mothers since birth, my child had no one to hold him. While other kids were being mischievous, he had been forced to grow up too fast. I had thought leaving him in Vernal would give him a happy life. Had I been wrong?
Guilt and heartache tore at me. I gently patted his back, realizing what this child needed most right now was companionship. From Elias and from me.
"You haven't done anything wrong, and no one dislikes you." I made up my mind, put on a smile, and dropped the subject of sending him back. "Would you like to go out and have fun with me?"
He lifted his head from my shoulder, his eyes still wet. "Go out and have fun?"
"Yes. Like an amusement park or a park. Do you like ice cream? I'll buy you some tomorrow. How does that sound?"
"Really?" His face lit up instantly. "Yes! I want to go!"
I relaxed at his smile. "Then it's a deal!"
All the childhood joy and companionship this child had missed, I, his mother, would make up for it.
Early the next morning, I took Arian to the small amusement park in town.
There weren't many rides, but Arian had the time of his life.
He sat on the carousel, clutching the giant ice cream cone I had bought him, laughing happily.
All that premature maturity melted away from his young face, and he finally looked like the four-year-old he was supposed to be.
I kept him entertained from morning until dark. When the park closed at dusk, Arian was exhausted, so I carried him on my back as we headed home.
The setting sun stretched our shadows long, as if the road home was endless too.
Arian suddenly whispered, "I wish you were my mommy."
My steps faltered.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you're gentle and pretty. You make yummy sandwiches and play with me." He nuzzled his head against my shoulder. "And you won't be nice to me in front of Daddy but mean to me behind his back."
His words startled me. "Someone does that to you? Who?"
Arian nodded. "An aunt named Liv. She always wants me to call her Mommy and do what she says. She says my real mommy doesn't like me; that's why she left me and Daddy…"
Liv? How could she say such things to a child!
A rage I had never felt before surged through me, not just at Liv, but at Elias too. Regret flooded back. Maybe I shouldn't have left this child in Vernal. If only I had taken him with me.
But no matter how I thought about it, that had been impossible. In the end, I was the one who had abandoned him first. All that anger instantly turned into guilt.
I stopped walking and set Arian down. I crouched to meet his eyes. For a moment, I almost told him the truth, but reason stopped me. "Arian, listen to me. Your mommy has never disliked you. Even though she can't be with you right now, she loves you very, very much."
"How do you know?"
"Because..." My voice caught. I took a breath before continuing. "Because every mother in this world loves her child."
He nodded, not quite understanding. Then he asked carefully, "So you can't be my mommy?"
"No." I stroked his hair. "But I can play with you anytime, as long as you don't tell your daddy about me."
"Why?"
"Because this is our secret." I put on a mysterious expression. "Secrets between good friends can't be told to parents, right?"
Arian took the bait. No child could resist having their own little secret. He nodded excitedly and covered his mouth with his small hands. "Okay! I'll keep the secret!"
I smiled and stood, taking his hand again. I started thinking about how to get Arian safely back to Vernal territory while still being able to visit him secretly in the future.
Just then, the roar of car engines came in the distance.
Before I could react, a convoy of black SUVs suddenly appeared from all directions. The moment they stopped, countless well-trained wolf warriors jumped out and surrounded Arian and me. Without thinking, I pulled Arian into my arms to shield him.
They parted to create an opening, allowing one final stretch limousine to drive into the circle.
I held Arian, frozen in shock at this sudden turn of events. I watched helplessly as the car door opened and a man slowly stepped out.
"It's Daddy!" Arian saw him and cheered.
But I felt like I had been plunged into ice water.
Elias. I never imagined that after four years apart, this was how we'd meet again.
Four years had passed, enough time to heal many old wounds. Now, seeing him, my first reaction was shock at how thin he had become. But the weight loss hadn't diminished his looks. If anything, it had sharpened his cheekbones, giving him a severity he hadn't possessed before.
"Serenity?"
While I studied him, Elias stood frozen in place. He stared at me with eyes full of disbelief and…joy?
Just as I wondered if I was seeing things, Elias rushed toward me. He threw his arms around both me and Arian, holding us so tightly it hurt.
"Serenity! It's really you. You're not dead… I knew you wouldn't die!"
"You've got the wrong person!"
I cut him off in panic and struggled against his grip. "I'm not the Serenity you're talking about! Sir, please keep your hands to yourself!"
Elias looked at me, sorrow flickering in his eyes. But my denial didn't deter him. "You can't fool me, Serenity. Have you forgotten? We're fated mates. I can tell if it's really you just by looking."
I bit my lip and said nothing.
How ridiculous. I was hearing "fated mates" from Elias's own mouth. Four years ago, I had tried countless times to prove my love for him, to prove I had never betrayed him. But he'd called it nothing but instinct, said it was all pretense and lies.
This situation made me want answers. Why couldn't he ever give me what I wanted? Why wouldn't he leave me alone?
We stood face-to-face, an indescribable tension flowing between us.
Arian looked up at me, then turned to look at Elias. His little face was full of confusion. "What are you talking about? Do you know her?"
"Of course." Elias sighed softly. "She's your mommy, Arian."
"Really? Are you my mommy?" Arian's eyes went wide as he asked me excitedly.
"I'm not..." I wanted to deny it. But looking at his flushed, excited face and his eyes bright with hope, I couldn't get the words out.
I didn't want to hurt this child again. I couldn't bear to disappoint him. So I could only close my eyes and nod heavily.
Arian burst into tears and hugged me. "Why didn't you tell me before? Did I do something wrong?"
My eyes grew wet too. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just..."
"Just because I made some mistakes." Elias suddenly finished my sentence for me. He stepped closer until I could see my reflection filling his eyes. "But I'm willing to do anything to make it up to both of you. So, Serenity—" He extended his hand toward me. "Will you come home with me?"
Home? When had the Vernal pack ever been my home? That place had always rejected me, made me unwelcome.
And Elias. Shouldn't he want me gone? So why was he trying to bring back a traitor like me? Was it because I had given birth to Arian, an heir who mattered to him?
I didn't know.
I didn't care.
All I wanted was my distance.
"My home isn't in Vernal." I shook my head and stepped back with Arian. Elias was about to say something when a commotion broke out beyond the perimeter.
"Serenity! Are you in there? Let me go! What are you trying to do to Serenity?"
I turned and saw Frank. He must have come to walk me home since it was getting dark. But now he was blocked outside by the warriors, fighting desperately to break through. He was no match for them. I looked at Elias. "Let him through."
Elias frowned, his tone somewhat sour. "Who is he?"
I didn't answer. I raised my voice. "I said, let him in!"
Elias's expression darkened, but he still waved at the warriors. They parted to let Frank through. He stumbled in and immediately rushed to stand between Elias and me.
"Are you okay, Serenity?" he asked. I shook my head.
Then he turned to Elias angrily. "Who are you people? Why are you surrounding an innocent woman and child?"
"I should be asking you that," Elias said coldly. "This is between Serenity and me. What gives you the right to interfere?"
Frank puffed out his chest, glaring right back without backing down. "Of course I have the right! Because I—Frank Golden—am Serenity's fiancé!"