Chapter 68

Celia

I help the elderly woman out of the booth, the two of us laughing with each other about a story she is telling to me.

When she was a teenager, she had followed a boy around town with the hopes that he would notice her and would want to go out on a date. Instead, he called the cops on her and she had to awkwardly explain that she just had a crush on him and was trying to talk.

“Oh, it was embarrassing!” she laughs as we leave the diner.

I close the door behind us and guide her towards one of the benches outside. We sit down and listen to the waves crash against the shoreline. She moves her purse onto her lap as our laughs quiet down.

Donna reaches inside and pulls out a small wad of cash. She plucks a few of the bills and hands it to me with a small and nurturing smile on her face.

“Here, dear, take this,” she says and places the cash into my hands. My eyes widen and I begin to shake my hand but she holds up her hand to silence me before I can even speak. “Ah! It is okay, I promise. You need it more than I do.”

“Are you sure?” I still ask the question, staring at the cash. It definitely helps me out a lot. I can buy myself a meal later tonight as well as another bus ticket back towards the heart of the pack, where my home is.

“Of course. Here,” she says, pulling out a notepad and pen. She scribbles something on the paper before ripping it out and handing it to me. “This is my address. It is the yellow house with daisies out front.”

“Your address?” I repeat her words and look down at the paper.

“In case you need somewhere to sleep,” she smiles at me and pats my leg.

“Thank you so much,” I breathe out. An overwhelming sense of security and safety flushes my body. “This means so much to me. Thank you.”

“Of course,” she slowly stands from the bench, her cane in hand. “You remind me of a young girl I knew a long time ago. She was kind to me. I would want you to have as much help as possible just like that little girl helped me.”

“You have a heart of gold, Donna,” I smile at her.

“Don’t I know it!” Donna laughs, the sound making me feel so happy. “Take care dear!”

Donna waves at me from over my shoulder and begins to walk in the opposite direction of the beach. I stand and pocket the money and begin to head towards the beach, wanting to get in as much time of the beautiful scenery as possible.

I sit down at the top of the sandy, far away from the water but still close enough to hear the crashing waves and squawking of the seagulls. I look up and smile at them, watching as they fly overhead and towards the town, landing on the light gray asphalt not too far away.

It is so peaceful here. Quiet, too. I wouldn’t mind settling down here, maybe even opening up my own place to be a Healer so everyone has access to it.

I wonder if Soren would visit me if I do this, or if he would live with me and be Alpha King from far away of the heart of the pack.

Wait…no. I can’t think about him. He has hurt me beyond repair, broken my sense of self worth and my self esteem. I can’t go back to him.

Not now and not ever.

I cross my arms over my chest and huff at the thought of him. I can’t even understand why my mind would allow me to think of such positive things about him after he has treated me with such cruelty.

I know that my parents, especially my mother, would tell me that people deserve second chances, that not everyone can be perfect all of the time and understand that people have feelings outside of their own.

Would they be disappointed in me for running away from him? Or would they be like Donna and wish for me to put as much space between Soren and I as possible?

I look to the right of me where a string of beachside houses sit. A long wooden fence cuts them off from the rest of the public world. I am about to look away when a black figure catches my eye.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I push myself to my feet and without wasting another second, I get as far away from the beach as I can. I don’t walk and instead run, sprinting down the empty streets.

I am out of breath when I reach a string of homes. I slow my pace and look around, no black figures to be seen lurking from a distance. My heartbeat begins to slow down and I look towards the end of the street, noticing a yellow house with daisies.

I walk towards it and reach the white picket fence, pushing through without hesitation. Walking up the stairs, I gently knock on the door and am face to face with the woman after a few minutes.

“Oh! That was quick,” Donna laughs. I chuckle with her and scratch the back of my neck.

“I was wondering if I could stay here for the night? If that’s okay?” I ask.

“Of course! Come in,” she steps to the side.

As soon as I am indoors, she closes the door and hustles away to the kitchen, telling me to make myself comfortable while she makes some tea.

I look around her home. It is small yet comfortable, picture framed lining the walls, making it look cluttered but cute. I smile at the photos and take notice of a few items that sit on wooden furniture.

There are a couple of shells that remind me of the one from the night the Duke revealed me to be the missing Lycan princess. I slow my pace around the home and continue to take it in, spotting more and more Lycan-esque belongings.

Donne comes back inside the room with a tray in hand. The tea cups are white with teal and purple accents, a hint of silver in the handles. I sit down with her and take a cup, the question burning in the back of my mind.

“Donna? Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” she smiles at me and takes a sip from her glass.

“Are you…Lycan?” my question makes her pause but a small smile spreads across her face. She sets the teacup down and looks at me, folding her hands in her lap.

“I am, yes. I fled the pack…oh, about twenty-three years ago? I was with a lovely couple and the man’s mother. We escaped together and came here. I settled down while they moved away, though. She was pregnant too!” Donna informs me.

I nod and take in her story before the realization hits me.

Is she talking about my parents and grandmother?

#Chapter