章 59: Chapter Fifty-Nine
*Present Day*
Serena heaved the snow off the front porch. The powder sprayed across the snowbank at the edge of the deck, adding to the increasingly tall height. The wind nipped at her exposed ears and nose as she shoveled another mound of snow off the stairs. With one final toss of the snow, she leaned the shovel against the railing.
She leaned against the rickety wood rail and scanned the winter view. Flakes drifted from the sifting boughs, creating a white translucent sheet protecting her from the inner woods. Sun rays glittered against the snow and refracted into billions of colors. The prints from Lucian leaving that morning were all but filled from her shoveling and his tricks. He would sift the snow behind him when she was left alone so that no one could find his trail to follow.
Soft crunching echoed through the quiet winter morning. Serena's breath caught in her throat. Nervousness and uncertainty spread through her body, racing her heart as they extended their touch to her core.
Twigs cracked as the crunching came closer, snow tufts fluffing as they fell from the moved boughs. Serena tightened her grip on the railing, using it as a stress relief. It didn't work. She set her jaw and ran into the house, locking the door behind her.
She pressed her back firmly against the door as the steps reached the deck. Their ominous thuds rang in her ears as they approached the door.
A soft knock sounded on the other side of the door three times quickly, then twice slowly.
Venus.
Serena sighed, and immediately the pent-up anxiety washed away as the familiar sound of Venus rang through the door.
"Serena?" Venus whispered against the door.
Serena flung the door open, and Venus fell right through, crashing into Serena. The two tumbled to the floor in a pile of winter coats and snow.
"It's been a while," Serena said as she slowly pushed Venus off. Venus rolled to the ground, kicking the front door closed behind her.
"Yes, it has. Anything new to report?"
Serena shook her head as she stripped from the winter shells. She slid to the living room and plopped on the couch. Venus followed close behind.
"Atlas is still looking for you. He knows I know where you are. If we keep this up much longer, he might not ever let me leave again." Venus ran her fingers through her hair, loosening the chunks of snow that clung to the strands.
Serena sighed and buried her face in her hands.
"I don't think I can be with someone who murdered my dad..." She confessed, her voice strained. Her whole head pounded every time Atlas was mentioned. The stress his name brought always brought her to her knees.
Venus wrapped an arm around Serena and patted her gently.
"I know..." She rest her cold head against Serena's and sighed. "He still loves you."
Serena shuddered. A cold chill set in her bones as she thought of Atlas and his feelings still being there after the couple of months she had been gone.
"He needs to get over it. I don't care if we're mates. I don't love him-"
"Atlas is your mate?"
Serena and Venus froze, and their eyes turned sharply toward the living room entrance.
Lucian was standing there, arms full of wood freshly cut and dripping. The melting snow plopped on the floor, the only sound to fill the awkward silence.
Serena sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Yes. But it's a long story." She waved a hand, dismissing it.
The wood clattered to the floor beside the fireplace, leaving Lucian without anything to hold. His eyes were wide, his chapped lips parted, complete shock written over his face.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't think it was necessary."
"Necessary?" Lucian almost shouted. His hand was firmly planted on his hip. "Serena. I need to know these things. How else am I to protect you? We made a promise to tell each other about our pasts."
"Well, you haven't been totally honest either!" Serena shot up from the couch. She stormed over and jabbed Lucian's chest. He backed toward the hallway wall with each jab, Serena gaining ground. Venus rushed after her, pulling Serena off Lucian. "How can I trust someone that hasn't given me shit about their past? After all that talk about wanting to get to know each other and know more about each other, you've given me nothing."
Lucian raised his hands in surrender and glared down at Serena.
"You have no right. I have told you plenty, but all you do is blow me off. You still haven't told me what the hell the chest in the basement is. Every time I get close to it, you turn into a feral animal and attack me."
Serena froze, her fist raised high above her head. Venus tugged one more time before releasing Serena. Serena backed away, her face pale. Lucian lowered his arms and followed her into the room.
"I feel like I need to leave..." Venus spoke slowly to the two angry roommates.
They snapped their eyes to the poor newcomer.
"Yes." They said simultaneously.
Venus cocked her head and blinked a few times, registering the sudden change in the room.
"Alright. I'll come later. Serena, don't forget about what I told you..."
Venus exited the frustrated cabin and made her way toward a lost pack with a lost Alpha.
Serena plopped on the couch, and Lucian sat in his usual chair. Both were glaring daggers and unwilling to submit to the other.
As the fire died beside Lucian, so did Serena's resolve.
"What did you want to know?" She sighed, running her hands through the roots of her curls.
Lucian leaned back in his rocking chair and began the slow rocking of thoughts.
"What did you mean Atlas killed your dad?"
Serena shut her eyes tightly.
"Yes. He murdered my dad and let me believe a rogue had killed him. Later, we found his body, and Eli discovered it was actually Atlas who killed my dad. Atlas later told me, and I ran away. Venus helped me to escape and has been keeping Atlas at bay while I stay here with you. That's why I came here. It was my family's."
She opened her eyes and lifted them to Lucian. His features were soft against the warm glow of the embers beside him. His eyes were serious but curious about the woman before him. His hair clumped because of the grease and the lack of showers but still slicked back, exposing his shaved sides and his pink ears.
"And I was here, keeping the house that was rightfully yours away from you."
"Yes. But you've helped me, so I'm glad you were so stubborn about it." Serena redirected her gaze to the smoldering fire. The glimmering orange and red coals mesmerized her.
"What about the chest in the basement?"
A lump clogged her vocal cords. The words that wanted to come hung in her throat, refusing to leave their comfortable place in her mind. She looked back at Lucian, her hands clasped firmly in her lap. He leaned forward, intent on listening to everything she was to say.
"That was the last gift from my father."
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