They pull up to Damion’s dad’s house. Stephen is a retired Alpha, and he and his Luna, June, moved here years ago when Damion took over the pack. It’s a cute cottage, nestled in a small village in the middle of a forest. They like the privacy and they like being close to nature. It’s peaceful.
Sera has always enjoyed visiting Stephen and June – they’re both very sweet and have always been kind to her. It will be nice to see them one last time.
Damion cuts the engine and Sera is just about to get out of the car when he tells her to open the glove compartment. Sera does as she’s asked. There’s a small blue, velvet box inside.
“It’s my sapphire bracelet,” she says, recognizing the box immediately. “Why is it in the glove box?”
“It’s the first gift I ever gave you,” Damion says, his green eyes sparkling. “Open it.” Sure enough, the stunning sapphire bracelet is nestled inside. “You never wore it. Why not?” He’s staring at her, his eyes intense. Sera’s confused. Why is he re-giving this to her? She breaks eye contact and shrugs. “It’s a beautiful bracelet, Sera. Here, let me put it on you.”
Put it on her? Why? But before she can respond, he reaches over and pulls out the bracelet. “Give me your wrist,” he says, still smiling. She lifts her wrist for him. He carefully and softly drapes the bracelet over her wrist and then closes the clasp. He runs his finger along the bracelet, giving her goosebumps. The moment feels very intimate; he’s close enough to kiss. Is this all in her head? She can feel the spark between them. Can’t he feel it, too? She wants very badly to kiss him, to feel his lips on hers, but she’s far too shy to initiate a kiss. His hand is still on her wrist, his lips are wet, she can feel his breath on her face.
She thinks of all the times he’s run his finger over her wrist like that.
“It’s stunning, just like you,” he says. She looks up at him, confused by this moment. “See? You should wear it.” He looks deeply into her eyes, but then she sees a flicker of confusion on his face, too. He drops her hand.
The moment is gone. And there’s no point in trying to get it back. Why make this anymore painful than it has to be?
“Thank you,” she says, closing the box. “But let’s not keep your parents waiting.”
June comes out onto the porch to greet them. Her silver hair shines in the sunlight, and her face is lined with creases. Her eyes are kind and they sparkle happiness while she grabs them both and holds them in a tight embrace.
“It’s about time you came to visit,” she teases, cupping Damion’s face under the chin. “And it’s about time you gave me some grandchildren.”
Stephen comes out then. Even though he is old and retired, he is still a strong and regal wolf. He has an air of authority about him. “Stop that,” he says to June. “You’re embarrassing the poor girl.”
Sure enough, Sera is blushing. Grandchildren? Tough chance since she’s leaving tomorrow. Although, at one point in time, she’d dreamt about having his babies.
They all sit down on the porch, where a jug of fresh lemonade is waiting.
“You know,” June says, passing out the glasses, “I still remember the first time I met you, Sera. Do you remember?”
“Of course,” Sera says, nodding while June smiles kindly at her. Then June leans back into her rocking chair.
“That damned car,” June sighs. “I told him that car would be the death of him.” June shakes her finger at Damion.
“It was an accident,” Damion says, rolling his eyes. His shoulders hunch forward.
And it had been. A horrific accident that had almost taken his life. The night had been dark, the turn been sharp, and he had missed it completely. He swerved too late and ran right off the road and into a tree, head on. The accident had been so severe, his wolf had gone wrong and he’d lost all feeling in his legs. They’d been sure he would never walk again, let alone ever get his wolf back.
“We’d heard of Merdock,” June says, retelling the story for the hundredth time. “The most talented surgeon around. We knew he was Damion’s only hope. And we were right. But what we hadn’t bargained on was you.” June sighs, looking lovingly at Sera. “You were such a bright young thing. Still are. You had so much patience with our Damion. He was an ass.”
“I was not,” Damion says, appalled.
“Oh yes you were,” June scolds. “You thought you were going to be a cripple! You were convinced of it. And you thought that gave you the right to lash out at whomever you wanted. The temper on you! Sera is a saint for staying with you through it.”
“Was I really that bad?” Damion asks, turning to Sera.
Yes, you were, she thinks to herself. He was aggressive and belligerent and down right mean at times. But she’d loved him anyway.
She’d decided to stay with him after the surgery. They’d all assumed she was an intern, there to assist Merdock, and she hadn’t bothered correcting them. It didn’t matter anyway. All that mattered was his recovery.
“You had….your moments,” Sera confesses. Damion looks down sheepishly.
“In any case, I don’t think he would have made a full recovery without you,” June says to Sera. “You owe her a lot, Damion.”
“I do,” he acknowledges.
And he’s paid his debt. To the tune of five million dollars.
They reminisce and talk for a few more hours. The sun begins to set and the shadows grow long. Sera is glad she came, if for no other reason, than to say good-bye to these two lovely people. They share a wonderful dinner together, roast chicken and mashed potatoes, and when it’s time to get going, Sera is sad to leave.
“We’ll help you clean up then we need to head back,” Damion says. He starts gathering the plates from the table.
“Head back?” Stephen asks. “I don’t think so. I told you on the phone. Your mother’s not well.”
“Seriously, Stephen. You’re overreacting. I’m fine,” June replies haughtily, waving her hand dismissively. “It was just a cold.”
“You’re NOT,” he says authoritatively. “It was pneumonia and you damn near died.” June snaps her mouth shut.
Pneumonia? Damion never said anything to me. Is that why they wanted us to visit? “Damion. What’s going on?” Sera asks, looking from Stephen to Damion. They are side-eying each other.
“It’s just a cough. Honestly. It’s nothing,” June repeats.
“You used to be a nurse,” Stephen says to Sera. His concern is written all over his face. “Please. It gets worse at night. I’ve been looking after her but I’m exhausted. I’m not the young wolf I used to be. Stay with us tonight. Look after her so I can get some rest.”
What? No. We can’t stay here. I have to get home. And Damion’s waiting for….but when Sera sees the look on their faces, she realizes –
They don’t know we’ve broken up.
“I know all about his plans,” June says, as Sera tucks her into bed. She’s such a cute old woman, with her hair in curlers and her nightie pulled up to her neck. “What plans?” Sera asks, as she prepares some medicine for June. “He’s going to take her back, isn’t he? That Miriam?” So she does know, Sera sighs. She turns to June with a faint smile and nods. “Over my dead body,” June replies. Sera can’t help but smile. Even though she’s weak in bed with pneumonia, she’s still feisty as ever. “She’s selfish. I won’t let her come into this family.” “Take your medicine, June,” Sera tells her. June obeys, slamming back the medicine like a shot of tequila. Then she grabs Sera’s arm with a strength that surprises Sera. “We’re on your side,” June says, staring straight into Sera’s eyes. It’s almost too much for Sera. Such a kind, sweet woman. But there’s literally nothing anyone can do; Damion has made up his mind. “How long have you been sick?” Sera asks, trying to change the subject.
Damion heads straight for the front door with Sera trailing behind him. “Hold up there, Damion. Where are you off to, son? It’s late,” Stephen asks, obviously confused. “Miriam is back. She just landed. She’s upset and alone. I need to find her,” Damion replies. “Now? Well, where is she?” Stephen asks. He looks to Sera for answers. But Sera only shrugs. “I DON’T KNOW,” Damion yells, his voice filled with frustration and panic. He rushes out the front door without another word. Sera watches him leave then looks back to Stephen. There’s an awkward silence for a beat then- “Well, what are you waiting for? Go with him!” The last thing Sera wants to do is follow Damion around while he looks for his girlfriend. But Stephen is a powerful wolf – he demands respect. She can’t argue with him. Sera does as she’s told and reluctantly follows Damion into the dark driveway. The drive in complete silence. Sera doesn’t know what to say. Damion’s thoughts are on Miriam. The dark trees whiz by a
“She’s not here either! Damn it!” Damion says, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. I was sure she’d be here. The new Beta’s house is dark and empty. Damion drives away, clearly frustrated. “She could be anywhere,” Sera sighs, also frustrated. They’d be driving around aimlessly. “There’s one more place she could be,” Damion states, pulling a U-turn in the middle of the road. They drive to the Wolf and Fiddle, a small pub near the pack border. Sera follows him inside and sure enough, Miriam is there, sitting at the counter, slumped over a martini glass. Several empty ones are strewn around her; clearly, she’s been drinking. “Miriam,” Damion exclaims, as relief washes over his face. When she hears her name, she turns around. It takes her eyes a few moments to focus, but then she topples off the bar stool and runs, clumsily, into Damion’s arms. She leaps up and he catches her, spinning her around like a scene from a movie. Sera watches
“Sera? Are you okay?”Sera was crying loudly when Damion found her out in the street. The sounds of her sobs hurt him. He hadn’t meant to upset her.“Damion? What are you doing here? I’m fine, honestly! Go be with Miriam. She’s upset. Go comfort her,” Sera says, wiping away her tears with her sleeve.What is he doing out here? And now he’s caught me ugly crying! This is so embarrassing. She sniffs deeply and tries to regain her composure. “I’ve come to check on you,” he tells her. “And you don’t look fine.” He takes a step towards her but she takes a step back.“Nonsense. I’ll find my way home,” Sera says. “I’d really prefer to be alone right now.”“Father has sent someone to take you home. It’s late and it’s dark. I’ll wait with you.”They stand in awkward silence for a few minutes, with only the sound of Sera’s sniffles to break it up. But it’s not long before Mathew pulls up. Mathew sees them both and heads towards them, but Damion intersects them. He pulls M
“Let me take your temperature,” Sera says to June. June doesn’t look any sicker than she had when they’d left earlier, but Sera is still worried about her none-the-less. “It was so nice of you to come back. Wasn’t it nice of her, Stephen? Just to look after me?” June asks, trying to talk with the thermometer sticking out of her mouth. “Yes,” Sera smiles. “But please, keep your mouth closed so I can get a good read. I need to see if you have a fever.” They are sitting in the living room, tea and snacks spread out before them. Sera had thought it was a little odd, the late night spread. If June wasn’t feeling well, then why had she made them all snacks like this?And she really doesn’t seem sick. In fact, she seems happy. She was very enthusiastic to meet us at the door.“Don’t worry about Miriam. Mathew will bring her home. Let’s just enjoy our snacks. And each other’s company.” June is perched on the edge of the couch, smiling, even with the thermomete
“Sorry about the conversation at breakfast. About Miriam. I could tell you were uncomfortable,” Sera says as they pull out onto the road. “I don’t know her well but I’m sure she’s a great girl. I know that you have feelings for her and-“ Mathew’s laughter interrupts Sera. “A great girl? Hardly. She’s horrible. We grew up together. I know exactly the type of person she is.” “But there must be something good about her? Damion’s head over heels for her,” Sera suggests. How could Damion, sweet, kind Damion, love an awful person? Mathew shakes his head. “Damion isn’t seeing clearly. He’s like a brother to me, so of course I want him to be happy. But Miriam is not the right wolf for him. She was with me at one point, when we were younger. But when Damion was named Alpha, she ditched me for him. Didn’t even feel bad about it. Not an ounce of remorse. And get this. After Damion’s accident, when he was all messed up and vulnerable, she wasn’t even here. She
Sera glances around one more time quickly, looking for any chance of escape.There’s none. The man pushes her towards the small wooden house and with every step closer, the scent of blood becomes thicker. Given how thick the scent is, she’s terrified of what she’ll find inside. “Len,” the man says, entering the house. He pulls her through the kitchen. “She’s here. She’s pretty young, though. Are you sure such a young chick can…” They walk into a room then and she sees the source of the blood, lying on a bed. Her eyes immediately scan the situation. It’s bad. It’s really, really bad. “Yes,” the man on the bed says. The blood is dripping from his side and pooling on the floor. The sheet is stained a dark crimson. “He needs to go to the hospital,” Sera states. “He needs proper medical supplies. He needs-“ “Clearly, we’re not going to a hospital, moron. Why the hell do you think we brought you here? You have to save
“You’re healing nicely,” Sera says. And he is. She’s been tending to him diligently, and she’s happy with Len’s progress.She can’t say the same for her living conditions, though. It’s been two days and Sera has resigned herself to the fact that there is no possible escape. She’s tried – the bathroom window, the back door, even the window from the second story – but Len’s men are guarding every possible exit. She has no choice but to stay here and keep caring for Len.“How’s the pain level? Getting better?” Sera asks. “Fine,” he replies bluntly. Len is a man of little words. Sera’s tried to engage him in conversation several times, but his response is never more than a word or two. It’s not that he’s mean; he’s actually treated her quite well. He’s given orders that she be given everything she needs, comfortable bedding, toiletries, nice meals. She’s even been offered an occasional glass of wine with her supper. But even so, the truth remains - she’s still a hostage.