"You're right, Serenity. It's all my fault." Elias's voice was low. "But your safety is more important. Liv has been working withhunters. 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!"
CHAPTER 19
SERENITY KELLER
Monster.
He called me a monster.
I stared blankly at Frank. The man who had proposed to me just minutes ago now wore nothing but fear and disgust on his face. That look cut deep into my heart. I wanted to say something, to deny it, to explain… But in the end, all the words got stuck in my throat. Not a single one came out.
What was there to explain anyway?
I thought to myself. He wasn't wrong. In humans' eyes, werewolves like me were monsters.
While I stood there in a daze, Frank scrambled to his feet and ran toward the café door without looking back. In his panic, he knocked over several chairs. I noticed his movement but felt too drained to stop him.
