Chapter 5 - Strangers

Sera’s P.O.V

We had been driving for what felt like forever. I had never spent so long in a car before and I was getting frustrated without being able to stretch out my legs. Emma was staring out the window in wonder as we passed towns, houses, and shops. I had forgotten she had never left our beautiful little cabin and small town. Part of me felt a slight pang of guilt for her knowing I should have asked if she enjoyed being there as she never seemed to fit with the lifestyle. Maybe she would have been happier in a town, Glen cleared his throat looking back at me. He seemed to have been able to read my thoughts.  

“Hey what do you, girls think about stopping soon so we can stretch our legs?”

Emma nodded excitedly as mother responded

“Why don’t we stop at that little park we went to last time? They had a little café with delicious cakes”

“Yeah, it’s been a while but I’m pretty sure they are still there”

Glen looked between me and Emma as we both nodded in agreement. I looked back out my side window, watching the buildings growing taller and closer together as we passed. Nerves started to fill me at the idea of being in a city. I hadn’t spoken much in the car. Preferring to be left to my own thoughts as I half-listened to Emma’s excited questions and stories from mother and Glen. To be honest, I was happy for both mother and Emma, they seemed so happy right now that I really did not want to lower the mood. If I was to be honest with them I really wanted to just go home. My hatred at that man, the guilt of keeping a big part of myself hidden from Emma. My fear at what would happen if I did not go through with this was all-consuming. I was almost 18 though, my birthday was in a month and I really hoped that was enough time to figure out what was wrong with me. Although I don’t think death would be too bad, part of me wondered if it would be peaceful. I wondered what my father would be like. I knew he was an Alpha of the Diamond Lake pack and from what I had learned over the years I knew they were vicious and cruel leaders. However part of me could not see mother falling for anyone that was not gentle and kind, even with a mystical ‘mate’ link. What if he was disappointed in me? I mean I had not yet met my wolf let alone turned, what a disappointment for an Alpha to have a child that is almost fully grown and yet more human than wolf.

“SeSe?”

Emma’s voice broke my thoughts, glancing towards her I could see the concern in her eyes.

“Sorry, I was off with the fairies”

I tried to joke but my voice came out hoarse like I was holding back tears. I sighed and noticed both mother and Glen had left the now parked car and were walking towards what must have been the café she had mentioned.

“I’m okay, I promise. Let’s go EmEm”

I smiled at her reassuringly before following mother and Glen. The park we had stopped at was beautiful, thick luscious trees stood around the oval softening the sounds of zipping cars on the highway. The grass was a dark green against the brown picnic tables scattered about reminding me of home. In the middle of these sat a small brick building that could have been mistaken for a bathroom but was the café in question. There was no signage showing what the building was, giving it an almost secret vibe. However, the number of people scattered holding cups would beg to differ. Emma and I were silent behind Glen and mother, glancing at the different people we passed I was almost terrified. To be honest I don’t think either of us had been around so many strangers, even when we would make trips into town with our mother. There were always less than 10 people at any given location and we knew everyone by name. I guess that is what they mean by a small town. My heart panged with longing remembering my small town and our home we had left. Glancing at Emma she looked euphoric with the number of people around. I was slightly jealous of her reaction, she didn’t seem to be nervous at all.

“Why don’t you girls grab a table and Glen and I will grab some drinks and food?”

Mother asked looking back at us, I saw a glimpse of fear cross her eyes before being replaced with her normal joy. Emma ran off towards a free table a little bit away and I followed frowning. What had spooked my mother? I looked back as she and Glen approached the café front and noticed quite a large man with black hair cut into a short crew style. A business-style suit clung to his muscular figure, his eyes were hidden with large black sunglasses. He was staring at my mother and gave off some weird vibes. I sat across from Emma watching intently as my mother walked past him inside without looking at him. The stranger moved his head with her movements, following her. He pulled out a phone and started talking, part of me wrestled with the idea of moving closer so I could hear him. I refused to let anything happen to mother again, she only deserved absolute happiness.

“Who are you staring at?”

Emma asked a tad too loud whipping her head back to look. The man glanced in our direction as Emma turned back to me wriggling her eyebrows.

“Oh, he is handsome”

She giggled out, I quickly looked at her a hint of anger on my face,

“No, he is not”

 Emma giggled louder before I slapped her arm playfully.

“Emma stop, I don’t know why but I got a weird vibe from him”

My voice was soft trying to whisper although I was not sure why as he would not be able to hear me from this distance. Emma looked confused before glancing back towards him as she gasped, I followed and saw he was no longer there. Searching around I was super confused, there was nowhere he could have gone that quickly. Yet it seemed like he had disappeared into thin air. I looked back to the café to see mother and Glen exiting holding our drinks and a large chocolate cake to share. I smiled at them as they approached before nervously asking,

“Mother, did you know that man that was near the door?”

Her eyes lit up in surprise but quickly changed, I knew she had recognized him at that point but was obviously keeping it a secret for some reason.

“Who?”

She asked looking around, pretending she had no clue what I was talking about. I frowned as Emma giggled again,

“He was a handsome man standing near the entrance before, I think SeSe has a crush.”

Mother smiled at Emma softly before glancing at me, concern apparent in her eyes. I raised my eyebrow at her in response waiting for her to say something, she sighed and handed over our drinks.

“I got you girls a hot chocolate, when Glen and I were younger we would only come here for one.”

She was smiling again remembering a lost memory. I looked down at my hands, clenching as the anger began to rise. I could not understand why my mother keeps things from me. Why even now as I was approaching adulthood that she insisted to keep her secrets. I got up,

“I need to take a walk I’ll be back”

My tone was short and a little too aggressive but I needed to cool off. Glen raised his eyebrow as our mother sighed before nodding. Emma looked at me disappointed mouth open to speak but I left before she could ask to come along. 

I walked around the oval park for a while trying to soothe my inner thoughts. I knew it was dumb to get so angry with mother. I knew deep down she did not owe me an explanation for everything and was entitled to her own life. Having said that though, I could not shake the thought that I should know. No. That I needed to know. Somehow deep down I felt like all those secrets she held were about me or Emma and I hated it. I couldn’t talk this out with anyone either, Emma never understood why I felt like this. I had no idea how to explain it to her as I knew it was irrational. I sighed stopping by one of the trees, looking out at the highway and parking lot when I saw him. That man from before was bent down talking to someone inside a parked car. I did not recognize the model but knew it was expensive. I could not make out who he was talking to thanks to the tinted windows. So curious, I approached slowly making sure I made no noise. Adrenaline hit me as I was reminded of the hunts I would go on for rabbits and deer, sneaking was one of the things I was good at. I crouched behind a car and listened

“The girl is here Damon, I called to notify your father not you”

The man sounded upset at this Damon and somehow I could tell he was speaking about my mother.

“Carlos, you dare take such a tone with your future Alpha?”

I assume Damon responded, his voice was deep like honey yet filled with absolute arrogance which caused me to somehow feel both pissed and excited. An Alpha? Like my father? Strange I thought. I mean it made sense that there would be more wolves but I thought Alphas were far and few between as they were the heads of a pack.

“Damon, please you know that’s not what I meant”

Carlos’s voice shook with fear as a gust of wind blew against me I stiffened, my body anticipating something. Confused I lingered for a moment but my body was begging me to run.

“Wait”

Damon growled as I heard a car door open, fear struck me as I imagined him finding me and I ran. I refused to look back, my body would not allow it for whatever reason I just felt like I was prey. My mother looked up at me about to tell me off but stopped and looked back to where I had run from before fear passed her eyes. She did not try to hide this time.

“Okay girls we should get back onto the road or we will get stuck in traffic,”

Glen interjected his voice calm and friendly but his eyes were filled with anguish. Emma stood confused and opened her mouth to protest but I grabbed her hand tightly, allowing some of my fear to show-stopping her. Our walk back to the car was quiet, almost like we were all waiting for something to happen. Thankfully nothing did. I let out a sigh of relief as we entered the car closing my eyes. I would have to ask my mother who they were. I knew she recognized them. I needed to know why I felt the way I did, why my heart pounded with the need to run back to that man. Damon? That was what the stranger called him, why was I scared and yet… Did I want him?