Chapter 18
SERENITY KELLER
The key slid into the café door. With a click, I opened the "home" I hadn't seen in a week.
The familiar scent of coffee beans inside made me nostalgic. I walked in and ran my finger along the windowsill by the door. A thin layer of dust had built up over the week. In the sunlight, particles floated visibly in the air.
"I need to clean this up. I can't reopen the shop like this," I murmured, trying to give myself a pep talk.
Though I had successfully left the Vernal mansion and escaped the past that gave me nightmares, I had to admit that Novella was still in pain over leaving Elias and Arian. A dull ache pricked at my heart. It was deeply uncomfortable.
Just as I picked up a broom to start sweeping, the café door suddenly swung open.
"Serenity! I knew it was you!"
Frank rushed in, his eyes lighting up with joy.
"Frank?" I stared at him in shock. He had lost his usual polished look. His eyes were bloodshot, and stubble covered his jaw.
He hurried over and gripped my shoulders. "That man who took you—he didn't hurt you, did he? Where have you been all week?"
"You were worried about me? Thank you." I gently shook off his hands, touched but unwilling to discuss the past week. "But I'm fine. I just had some personal matters to handle…"
"Personal matters?" His eyes narrowed. "Related to that man who took you? Serenity, tell me—who is he? What's his relationship to you?"
"That's none of your business, Frank." I avoided his intense gaze and pretended to busy myself organizing the counter. "He's just someone from my past. I have nothing to do with him now."
But Frank wasn't giving up. He circled around to stand in front of the counter, forcing me to face him. "So he's your ex-boyfriend? Or—"
"Frank!" I suddenly raised my voice, cutting him off. When he stopped in surprise, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. "I'm sorry, Frank. But I don't want to talk about this. He's nobody important."
"Your reaction says otherwise," Frank said. "Serenity, do you have any idea how worried I've been this week? I filed a police report. I searched all of Tara. I checked every hotel and hospital, and even hired a private investigator. And I realized I know almost nothing about you!"
His voice rose as he stepped back and dropped to one knee.
He pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket.
I recognized it—the ring from his earlier proposal.
"I can't take this anymore! So, Serenity, marry me!
Let me into your life. Let me become your family and know everything about you. I want to be your man and protect you!"
"Frank..."
"Don't say no, Serenity," he cut off what I couldn't say, his voice urgent. "Whoever that man was who took you, he's the past! You can forget him, Serenity. You can have a completely new family. Choose me as your future, and I'll help you forget him!"
Family. Forgetting Elias.
Those words pierced the weakest part of my defenses.
I desperately wanted to forget Elias, to forget everything between us.
But no matter how hard I tried to suppress it, to overcome it on my own, everything he'd said this past week kept spinning in my head.
He hadn't chosen not to save me. Liv had deceived him.
He had reopened the investigation from four years ago and seemed to have found something…
I knew these were just excuses I shouldn't believe. But I couldn't stop wondering if there had been some misunderstanding between us.
Was this the power of fated mates? I didn't know.
Maybe my own strength wasn't enough. Maybe I was just too weak. Like Frank said, I needed to cut ties with my past more decisively. Maybe accepting this proposal and starting fresh really could help me forget.
"All right. I accept."
I closed my eyes and made my decision, hoping this courage wouldn't lead to regret.
"That's wonderful! Serenity, you finally said yes!" Frank jumped to his feet, joy dancing across his face. He opened his arms to embrace me. But at that moment, the sound of shattering glass interrupted him!
A gray beast crashed through the café window, landing on the floor amid a rain of glass shards.
Frank and I stared in shock. It was a gray wolf, twice the size of an ordinary wolf.
Her claws clicked against the floor as the glass failed to penetrate her fur.
Her brown eyes burned with mad hatred, and her bared fangs gleamed coldly.
"Why is there a wolf here?" Frank cried out. He didn't know about werewolves and thought it was an ordinary animal. But I recognized her immediately. It was Liv. I had never seen her wolf form, but I could smell her scent.
Why would Liv reveal her wolf form in human territory? Wasn't she afraid of hunters?
Alarms screamed in my head.
Frank tugged at my sleeve. "Don't just stand there, Serenity! We have to run!"
He pulled me toward the exit. But Liv's target was clearly me. The moment Frank moved, she coiled and launched herself at us with a snarl!
"Frank, get out of the way!" I screamed.
But it was too late. Liv slammed into Frank, who'd been shielding me. He cried out as he flew backward, crashing into the café's wooden tables and chairs with a tremendous crash. He didn't make another sound.
"Frank!" I tried to run to him, but Liv blocked my path with a growl. Her claws swiped down. I barely dodged. Her attack was clearly meant to kill.
"Have you lost your mind, Liv?"
I realized she was serious. If I didn't shift too, Frank and I might both die here.
Novella was ready to fight. I took a deep breath and stopped suppressing her urge.
Instantly, my bones began to shift, muscles tearing and reforming in waves of agony.
It was my first voluntary shift in years.
The lack of practice doubled the pain. My nails became claws, my teeth sharpened into fangs, and fur erupted from my skin.
Seconds later, my wolf form clashed with Liv's inside the café.
We snarled at each other, teeth and claws tearing at fur and flesh. But gradually, I fell behind. An Omega's wolf form was typically smaller than average, an innate disadvantage I couldn't overcome.
Was I going to die here?
More wounds opened across my body. Liv's eyes gleamed with vicious glee. She knocked me down and pinned me, her razor teeth closing in on my throat. Mad, triumphant laughter spilled from her jaws. "Die, Serenity! You'll never beat me!"
Just as her fangs were about to pierce my throat, the café door exploded inward!
A black streak of lightning burst into the café, knocking Liv off me. The impact left me dizzy. By the time I struggled to my feet, a magnificent black wolf was already locked in combat with Liv.
I stared at him. The fierce way he fought, the way he had come to save me, made my heart pound wildly.
It was just like the first time I'd fallen in love with him. He'd rushed in front of me to protect me. And now my mate had come to my rescue once again!
Liv clearly hadn't expected him to arrive so quickly. She trembled and scrambled backward, trying to flee.
As I watched her slip past the black wolf's jaws and charge toward me, I realized my chance had come.
Novella howled with full force. From birth until now, I had never unleashed her power so completely. I slammed into the most vulnerable part of Liv's wolf form, her waist, cutting her escape route.
The moment she bared her fangs in threat, the black wolf lunged forward, working with me to corner her again. Faced with our coordinated attack, Liv grew visibly overwhelmed. But all her defensive strength was focused on the black wolf. She underestimated my attacks—
This was my chance.
Wolf blood boiled in my veins. My front paws scraped silently against the floor as I crouched low, circling around behind Liv.
The black wolf sensed my intent and feinted at her throat. She had no choice but to leap sideways. In that split second when she was airborne, I sprang from behind and drove my claws deep into her ribs, opening a long gash.
Liv let out an agonized scream. Blood poured from the wound. She turned to look at me, disbelief in her eyes. She finally understood that even an Omega could be deadly when pushed far enough.
For the first time, fear flickered across her face.
She whimpered and tried to flee. I didn't give her the chance.
I lunged and sank my teeth into the back of her neck, shaking violently before hurling her at the far wall.
The wall cracked on impact. More blood spread from her body as she twitched on the floor, then went still. She'd lost all ability to fight.
The black wolf didn't interfere with my revenge. When I emerged victorious, he raised his head in a triumphant howl, then walked toward me through the moonlight. He lowered his head and touched his muzzle to mine, the most primal gesture of care and love.
"Elias…" I whispered his name. My heartbeat was completely out of control. Novella leaped with joy, longing to throw herself into his embrace. Then Frank groaned in the distance. No! I'd already chosen this peaceful life. I couldn't turn back. I couldn't fall into the past again!
"Let go of me!" I shoved him away hard and stumbled backward, out of range of his scent.
Something like hurt flickered across Elias's face, but he said nothing.
The black wolf turned silently to look outside the café.
Vernal warriors finally appeared, swiftly securing the now-defenseless Liv.
Herman stepped forward with a coat for Elias.
He shook his head and glanced at me. Herman immediately brought the coat to me instead.
"Luna, are you hurt?"
I pressed my lips together but accepted the coat. I wrapped it around myself and released my shift. "Thank you. I'm fine." I paused. "And please don't call me Luna anymore. I'm not that anymore."
Herman looked helplessly at Elias. But Elias ignored him, his gaze fixed on my bleeding wounds. "You're hurt. Serenity, let Herman take you to the hospital."
"No. I don't need that."
"If you don't want to see me, I won't follow." Elias took a deep breath. "I'll have Herman and Lizzie go with you… But you have to come back to Vernal with me. It's not safe here anymore."
"I'm not going!" I assumed he was trying to force me back into captivity. I resisted. "You say it's not safe here? Before you showed up, this was a peaceful, wonderful place!"
Elias said, "Calm down and listen to me, Serenity. I've tracked down the real traitor. You're innocent. No one will hurt you anymore…"
"I don't want to hear it!" I glared at him furiously, cutting him off.
Only by staying angry could I mask how much my heart still ached for him.
"The real traitor? I don't care anymore!
Elias, this is all your fault! Liv only found this place because of you!
Why do you keep tormenting me? It took me four years to build a new life here, and you've destroyed it again! "
Elias's fur hid his expression, but Novella whimpered in my heart, transmitting the endless waves of sorrow emanating from him.
I hid my hands behind my back, clenching them into fists, forcing down my sympathy.
"You're right, Serenity. It's all my fault." Elias's voice was low. "But your safety is more important. Liv has been working with hunters. She's already given them your location. You can't stay here!"
"What?" I froze.
The hunters knew where I lived? They were coming here? I had to leave. But if I did—what about this café the Goldens had left me?
Was I going to lose this "home" they'd given me and become that Serenity with nothing all over again?
Memories of my time with the Goldens flooded back. Tears slowly welled in my eyes. I wiped them away and said firmly, "You should go. I'm not leaving with you."
"Stop being stubborn, Serenity!" Elias said.
"What right do you have to call me stubborn?
" Sudden fury rose in me. I pointed at the destroyed café around us and screamed at him.
"Look at this place! It took me four years to build this home.
It was my only sanctuary. And now there's nothing left!
Why do I have to lose everything because of you? I'm sick of living like this!"
I pointed at Elias and screamed, "So leave! I'd rather run away alone than go back with you. Take your people and get out of here right now. I never want to see you again!"
Elias went rigid. He just watched me vent, opening his mouth several times only to close it again. I ignored him and turned away.
Finally, he deflated. "Fine. I understand. I won't ask you to come back. But I can't just watch you face hunters alone."
He turned to Herman. "Assign two people to stay here and protect Lu—protect Miss Serenity. Whatever she needs, arrange it. But get her away from here as soon as possible."
"But Alpha—"
"That's an order."
He cut Herman off without room for argument. Then he looked at me, his tone almost pleading. "Is this acceptable, Serenity? At least let them protect you while you leave. After that, wherever you want to go, I won't interfere."
I knew this was as far as he would bend. I said nothing.
Elias gave me one last look. That gaze held too many emotions I didn't dare interpret.
Then he led his people away. I watched him disappear, and complex feelings churned inside me.
Anger. Pain. And a reluctance to let go that I refused to acknowledge.
I forced these feelings down and told myself this was the right thing to do.
Finally, the café fell silent again. Shattered glass and overturned furniture remained to tell the story of what had happened.
The two warriors Elias had left behind hid somewhere out of sight. I had no energy to deal with them. I remembered Frank, who had been knocked aside earlier.
I rushed to him. He was slumped against the wall, a gash on his forehead still bleeding, but he was conscious.
"Frank, are you okay?" Relief washed over me as I reached out to help him up. "Let me take you to the hospital—"
Frank scrambled backward desperately. The fear in his eyes stabbed at me. "Stay away from me! Get away!"
"You monster!"