Chapter 16 The End is Where I Begin

Liam’s POV

I stared at Serenity who was sitting on top of the car, staring to who knows where. I pulled out the blanket that Liam and I stock in the car and covered her with it, seeing that she didn’t have a chance to put some decent clothes on and was still in her singlet and boy shorts.

The wind blew her hair across her face, and she ran her hand through it and twisted it one side, holding unto it.

I grinned remembering how she never cared about her hair when we were younger.

“I’m not playing house with you again Serenity.” I snapped as I ran away from her.

“But Liam…” she whined running after me, her red hair all over her face, a maid running after us.

I think we were six years old, and Serenity had discovered the amazing game called house. She would always drag me and Siam to play with her. That day Siam was with the king while the other boys were… I’m not really sure where Jake and Aaron were, probably out causing havoc.

“You can’t leave me alone.” She whined again.

“I’m reading Serenity.” I flopped down at one of the window sits in the library.

“Well, then we can play house and you’d pretend that you’re at the office like daddy.” She says excitedly, “But you’d have to be home by dinner.”

“Fine.” I groaned and opened my book.

She squealed and ran out of the library. The maid stood by the door not knowing where to go.

“I’ll be ok Jess.” I said, “Go after Serenity, I’m pretty sure she’ll be going to cook to play at the kitchen.”

She smiled, “I’ll bring you some tea and éclairs in an hour, master Liam.”

“Thanks Jean.” I smiled and she left.

I start to read and the promised snacks came and I continued to read.

My mom used to read me books when I was younger, and she left quite a collection when she died. I guess it was my way to know her better, I read what she did, and she even leaves beautiful quotes on every book. Like the one I was reading at that moment, Moby Dick. In front she wrote, no dream is too big for anyone not to reach. But foolishness isn’t invited.

Her messages always made me laugh or wonder, but after reading the books, I understood them.

I looked out the window and saw guards were running around, dozens of them running out of the gates of the Knight Mansion, the pack house of all pack houses as Siam likes to put it.

Like in the medieval times, some Alpha boys were sent here to learn a thing or two from the village teacher or tutors about our ways and history.

Siam and I shared the same disapproval of the other Alpha boys, they always made a fuss over Serenity and she didn’t like it. They were mean, like any normal little boy to little girls. And Siam, Jake, Aaron and I always get in trouble for standing up for Serenity.

The day before I was reprimanded by my dad after punching one of the Alpha boys when they pushed Serenity in the mud, she didn’t mind, but I did.

I heard more of the guards running about outside the library.

Security may be high here at the pack house, but not like this.

“Serenity!” I dropped my book and ran to the play room, where I saw her sitting on the little table where she had set up the play set of plates and food on top, she rested her head on top of her arms and was asleep.

I breathed a sigh of relief seeing her.

Dad told me why Serenity was special, that she represented our goddess and that she was to become the wisest she wolf in the future. That was why she was heavily guarded.

I looked around and saw a blanket at the corner where Serenity usually takes a nap.

I picked it up and put it over her carefully, not wanting to wake her up. But she stirred and looked up at me. I waited for a rant or a punch, which she normally does when we make her wait, but instead she smiled.

“Your home.” she says. “I made your favorite.”

I looked over the table and saw that there were cupcakes and chocolates on the table.

“You’ll be killing me before I even get to shift Serenity.” I teased. She giggled and rested her head on her arms again. “Why don’t I bring you to your room, princess?”

She scrunched up her nose, “Don’t call me that. You’re my best friend, I’m not a princess to you.”

“Ok, then let’s go to your twerp.” I said, she gave me a light punch and she sat up, scratching her eyes. I turned around, “Hop on.”

She reached for my shoulder and hitched. I stood up and moved her a little higher, letting her wrap her legs around me, and I held her by the thigh and start to walk toward her room.

“What took you so long?” she mumbled.

I grinned, “I had to finish work.”

“Oh,” she rested her head over my shoulder, “was it hard?”

“Not really.” I said.

“That’s good.” She mumbles again, “Daddy always tells mommy how hard work was getting by the middle of the week.”

“It’s already Friday Serenity, I think the load was fine.” I used the line I always hear Uncle Silver say to dad.

“Good, then you can take a nap with me?” she asked.

“I have to look for a guard first.” I said. “I can’t have them thinking you’re missing.”

“Ok.” She mumbled.

So I stopped by Uncle Silver’s room and knocked. The door swung open and inside I caught Aunt Clarisse in tears, Uncle Silver was calming her down, while my dad was looking at a map and giving orders. I raised a brow, questioned.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Aunt Clarisse looked up at us and cried again.

“Liam, where are you going?” father asked.

“Serenity fell asleep in the playroom, I just want to tell you that I’ll be taking her to her room.”

“No.” Uncle Silver says. “Take her to your room and stay there.”

“My room?” I asked.

“Go Liam.” Father says, “Stay there until we come for you.”

I gave them both a look, then a weak nod. I laid Serenity in my bed and tucked her in.

“Siam…” she whispered. “Stop it…”

I grinned, she always told me about dreaming of Siam still teasing her. Soon after a few minutes of rumbling and sleep talking she finally calmed down and slept again. I sat outside the covers and I watched her. I knew better than to break father’s, and not to mention the Alpha King’s orders, so no matter how bored I was, I stayed inside that bedroom, reading Peter Pan.

This time mother’s message was, Love sees no boundaries or know no time; for it is eternal as a man continue to believe.

Believe in what? I thought.

It has been three hours and I have been getting more distracted of the guards and the bustling. No one came to check on us though. Then, as sudden as the chaos began it was gone. I set down my book and stared at Serenity.

In the book Wendy played mother to the lost boys, and it reminded me of Serenity. They are fearless yet careful, wise but a bit foolish. Both seek for adventures and dreams.

I smiled and lied down beside her, I put an arm over her and closed my eyes.

“Dream high and dream big Serenity.” I whispered. “The mind knows no limit.”

Too big for a seven year old, right? But it was as if it was my mother who was speaking those words, the next thing I know I felt Serenity jostled, sitting up in tears and then she ran out of my room, I quickly followed her to her father’s office demanding to see the girl Siam found.

I didn’t know how she knew, but it was true. That day, Siam found Anna.

Anna was a quiet and scared little girl back then, but Serenity cured that. Soon she was the one running away from Anna.

“Serenity, it’s just a boy-“

“An arrogant alpha boy who thinks he’s the one the fates made for me.” Serenity snapped.

The two were following me around the library as I search for a book I needed for literature. I shook my head hearing the same argument they have every time an alpha boy would arrive. Personally, I agree with Serenity.

The alpha boys didn’t grew up much with the needed brain. They always saw girls as a play thing, and still are. I’m not being a hypocrite, I may be a player, but I’m not an idiot to lead girls in believing that I’m in love with them. For all I know, they plan out who they bang among Siam, Jake, Aaron and I.

“Well, it isn’t as if we’ll know that he is the one now.” Anna said. “It’s just good to have a foundation between them.”

“Yeah, a foundation.” Serenity rolled her eyes, “Like a huge thick brick wall.”

I chuckled and Anna threw me a look, so I went back to searching.

“All I’m saying is that it would make your father happy if you do this.” Anna pointed out.

“And it would piss off Siam if I did.” Serenity argued. “I mean seriously, I have never seen him so angry his entire life compared to the last time an Alpha boy visited.”

I frowned and turned to her, “He just shifted a month before she came to see you, it was stupid of him to brag about it by showing you his untamed wolf.”

Siam and I had a go at that boy, Siam ended up hitting him a couple of times despite the fact that he was a year older than he was.

Anna rolled her eyes and shrugged, “You boys really should loosen up, the prophecy stated-“

“The prophecy will happen on her 18th birthday.” I said, “From where I’m standing that’s still four years away, so I’d prefer that we don’t see these Alpha boys until then.”

Anna gave me a look, “Of course, being her best friend and all, you’d prefer that she’s safe right?”

I stared at her, there was something in the way she said those words. It was as if telling me something more.

“Yeah, I’ve always watched her back.” I said, confused.

“I’m sure that’s all you watch.” Anna snaps.

Then Serenity shrugged and rushed out, “I’m not doing it Anna!”

“Serenity, wait!” Anna ran after Serenity, escaping the glares of the people inside the library.

I caught the librarian glare at me and I gave her an apologetic smile. At the corner, I hear girls giggled, now I gave them a sheepish grin making them giggle again, causing the librarian to slam her hand over her table, the girls hushed, and I rushed my way out.

Outside I looked around seeing Anna at the end of the hall, not knowing where to go.

I grinned and went the other way. Anna may have been with us for a good seven years already, but she still doesn’t know Serenity enough.

I reached the edge of the school where there a tree stood with a huge stone underneath it. I smiled seeing Serenity set on top of the stone arms around her legs.

“You know you aren’t supposed to be alone.” I said.

She sighed and turned to me with a smile, “That’s why I came here cause I know you’ll be able to find me.”

I jumped up the stone and sat beside her, “You ok?”

She chuckled and shook her head, “Trust Anna to bring house issues here at school.”

I chuckled, “So it’s an issue now?”

She looked away, resting her chin on her knees and looking over the wired fence. “Isn’t it supposed to be?”

“No.” I said without hesitation. She glanced my way, as if telling me to explain further. “That’s one of the benefits of being a shifter, you won’t be the alone. Someone is meant to be with you.”

She rolled her eyes, “Lucky me to be stuck with an arrogant alpha.”

“You won’t be saying that once you find him.” I reminded her.

She then made a face, “Yeah, I’d be all googly eyes and crazy about him, like mom and dad.” A shiver ran up our spines.

We knew how the king and queen still deeply in love, and they aren’t actually discreet about it.

“Well, there’s no escaping fate.” I said.

She sighed again. “I know it’s early to say but,” she blushed and glanced at me, “I hope you’d be my mate.”

I looked at her surprised.

“Or at least someone like you.” she leaned on my shoulder.

“Serenity…”

“I know, it would depend on the fate,” she says, “but if it was up to me, I’d choose you anytime and anywhere.”

“Why me?”

She looked up at me, questioned. “Why not? No one knows me like you do, you tell me when I’m being stupid and don’t take crap from me, I trust no one like I trust you and…” she paused, “you’re my Liam, my best friend, there’s no other person I’d prefer to be with.” I smiled at her, she blushed and rolled her eyes up, “That is if it was up to me.”

I laughed and bumped shoulders with her. “I never thought of it that way.” I admitted. “I guess I always saw you as the princess Serenity, the Daughter of the Moon, my best friend.” I snorted. “Almost like my sister.”

“So is that a turn down?” she raised her brow.

“What?” I asked.

“Am being turned down by Liam James Montaine?” she crossed her arms over her chest.

“No.” I said, “I just thought… I mean…”

She started to laugh, “Calm down Liam, it’s cool. I understand what you mean.” She then looked away again, thinking, “Seriously, it’s just mean of the fates to even give me a mate in this messy life of mine,” she chuckled, “maybe they’ll be giving me the worst and most arrogant alpha boy to punish him.”

I grinned, “A life with you is no punishment Serenity.” I said and looked at the wide land that stretched at the other side of the fence. “Not from where I see it.”

Then I felt her breath on my cheek where she planted a kiss. I looked back at her, surprised.

“Thanks Liam.” She says with a smile.

I smiled back, “No problem.” Then I chuckled. “You’re such a girl.”

She laughed and tried to push me off, “Shut up.”

I grabbed her hand to stop her from hitting me and pushed it back to her. We stopped and looked at the view again, Serenity rested her head back on my shoulder, and I fought off the urge of thinking of Anna’s words.

But that was a fail, especially when I finally understood.

She was looking exactly how she was four years ago. Deep in thoughts, only this time, she can’t escape it any more. I looked around and saw three wolves just a couple of feet away from us.

That wasn’t the last time we had that talk, in fact, if I had a dollar every time she’d ask me to be her mate I’d probably be able to afford a brand new car.

So I sighed, time to let your guards down Liam, I told myself.

I walked up to Serenity and sat beside her.

“You ok?” I asked, she turned to me and then away. Duh Liam? She’s been crying on-off, of course she isn’t ok.

I sighed and lied back on the windshield, remembering that day reminded me of what I have kept all this time. What I’ve denied and shut down.

I needed to get her back so we can unite her to Eric, and that would only be possible if I make her understand that none of this was her fault. I stared at her with a frown.

There’s no other way. I thought, so I took a deep breath organizing my thoughts.

“Do you remember when you first asked me to be your mate?” She sat up and turned to me, I didn’t look at her and continued, “You said that you hope it was me who you’d be mated to, or if not at least someone like me, remember?”

She grinned, looking away and resting her chin on her knees.

“It was four years ago.” She said. “Kyle of White Lake came for a visit and Anna wanted me to play little host princess.”

I laughed, “You ran out of the library so fast she didn’t even see where you went.”

She stifled a laugh as well, “We were by the edge of the school, under the tree-“

“Our little secret spot.” I nodded.

“The edge of our cage.” She whispers, reminding me how she used to call the school her personal jail. She turned to me, “What’s the point of this conversation?”

“I never really gave you an answer.” I shrugged.

“Yes you did.” She says. “You said no.”

“No.” I gave her a look, “I said I never thought of you that way-“

“And that’s a no right there.” she hits me playfully on the chest, “Are you enjoying turning me down?”

I laughed and caught her hand, but I didn’t let go of it this time.

“Believe me Serenity, if it was me I would never let you hear the word no, ever.” She gave me a questioned look. “Serenity…” I sighed and looked at her straight in the eye. “Serenity, I thought you should know,” I paused, “that if it was up to me, I would choose you as my mate.”

“Liam…”

I forced a smile, “We all knew the prophecy. It’s moments like this that me being a pure blood doesn’t help.” I stared at our hands, “I’m not meant for glory or fame, not even to be a top at anything. But what sucks is not being able to have what you really want, when you know that you can have it, it’s just that, it isn’t approved.”

“What are you saying Liam?” she asked.

I looked up at her straight in the eye. “That I like you.” her mouth dropped open, obviously surprised. “I know I’m not supposed to, but the thing is, I could have told you many times, maybe even want to be actually be with you,” I chuckled, “I would have offer to be your fake boyfriend just to give me a reason to punch every boy who talked trash about you.”

“Well, you did punch a lot of boys.” She said, before shaking her head, “Liam, are you ok?”

I chuckled, “I think that’s the first time you asked me that.” I shrugged, “I am actually. I mean it was hard, still is. But I know better and you let me take care of you, so yeah, I’m ok.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, “I mean, I would have gone with that crazy idea of having you for a boyfriend, and it doesn’t even have to be fake.”

I turned to her surprise, “Really?”

She grinned, “It’s you Liam, I don’t think dad or Siam would have argued really.”

“I doubt that,” I said, “remember when I got the hands over the covers speech during a sleepover?”

“Well, you can’t really avoid that.” she says.

“We were five years old, Sissy…” I whined making her laugh.

When she was done and calmed, she faced me again, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Cause I knew where I stand.” I said. “It was better to have deal with it alone, rather than have you all confused.”

“Confused?”

I snorted, “I know you Serenity, if we did get together and you met Eric, you wouldn’t know how to break it off with me.”

She laughed, pulled back her hand and pushed me playfully. “Jerk.”

“I’m not!” I said with a laugh, “I’m saying that you can’t break it off ‘cause you’d go I don’t want to hurt him crap.”

“That’s true, I guess.”

“Anyway,” I said, “the point is not because I kept this from you and that it was hard to get through means that it was your fault, it was my decision to do so. I like you for who you are, you can’t just go blaming yourself for that, cause I doubt that it was your intention to make me love you.”

Her head snap up at me, “You love me?”

“Yeah, you know that.” I said, “I always told you.”

“Yeah, but I thought it’s like a best friend thing.” she groaned.

“Sissy, love is love no matter who we are.” I said, a wind blew her hair all over the place, and I pushed it away from her face. “I always did and always will, so shut up with breaking my heart cause you didn’t, as long as you don’t push me away.”

“You know I’d never do that.” she quickly said.

“I know, so chill.”

She then stared at me, “So is that what Siam and Anna trying to tell me?”

“Maybe not the exact same thing, but somehow the same.” I said. “Siam can’t be with Anna cause she’ll be endangered if the hunters think of using him against you. Think about it, if he mates with her and they also find out that she’s your best friend, its double blow to our kind. They weaken you and our alpha.”

“It must have hurt them…”

“Not as much as they’re hurting now.” I pointed out, “And Eric too.” She sighed, “We should really go back now, so you’d be with Eric by tonight.”

She steals a glance at me, “Is that ok with you?”

“Of course it is.” I said. “I’m in no position to be selfish of you.”

“Of course you do, idiot.” Serenity says, “Are you really just gonna hand me over to him?”

“Sissy, Eric is a good guy and you are meant to be with him.” I said. “He can protect you the way no one can, not even me or Siam or Jake and Aaron, or us together. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. Besides…” I grinned, “I want you to be happy, and we both know that’s with him.”

“Liam…” she then leaned forward and hugged me.

I smiled and pulled her close. “I’ll always be here sissy, always.” I whispered to her.

“I know.” She whispered back, then she pulled away and looked me straight in the eyes, “And you know I love you too, right?”

“What’s not to love?” I teased making her laugh. Then I gave her a kiss on the forehead, “Ready to go now?”

She smiled and nodded. I hopped off the car and helped her down.

“Let’s go home boys.” I called out to the guards who stood up in all four legs. Then I lent my hand in front of her.

“What?” she asked.

“Keys.”

She shook her head, “Nah- uh… I’m driving.”

“No, you almost killed us earlier.”

“No I didn’t, scaredy cat. Besides, I’m calm now.”

“Doesn’t mean you wouldn’t go speeding.”

“Well, I like the speed and since I haven’t shifted, driving is the next best thing.”

“Yeah, the next best thing to cause our death.”

“I will not kill us, Liam, if my life depended on it.” She rolled her eyes. “Besides, if I’m not mistaking, I’m a better driver than you and the others are.”

“An A++ in driving doesn’t mean you are better than we are.”

She gave a sarcastic laugh, “Ok, ha, ok… so who was the one who drove us out of trouble from the hunters when we were sixteen?”

“You did, but your dad had our neck for that.” I said, “You were all over the place-“

“It’s called evasive driving.” She whined. “So just let me do this so we can leave.” She walked pass me and to the driver’s door before she stopped, “In fact, I’m gon’na drive to Eric’s place.”

“What?”

“I need to calm myself down and keep my mind busy, so yeah…” she smiled, “I think I’ll drive us to Eric’s place.”

“You know what? I’m not gon’na decide on that,” I said, “I’ll let your dad handle that.”

“My dad?”

“Yeah, cause if you haven’t noticed…” I walked toward the passenger seat, “Siam and Anna are probably worried that you are mad at them, so Siam will give you anything for you to forgive him.”

She gave me mischievous smile and nodded, her eyes twinkling with mischief as well. “Very nice deduction, Watson, my friend.”

“Nice try on the accent.” I teased and step into the car with her.

She starts the car, turned on the AC and radio then turned to me. “Liam?”

“Yeah?” I asked locking my seat belt.

“In case we do die cause of my driving…” she says sarcastically.

“Ha ha, very funny Sissy.”

She stifled a laugh, “But seriously, thanks Liam, for knowing me too much.”

“No problem,” I ruffled her hair, “I guess all those days playing house did us good.”

She gave a loud laugh, “It sure did.”

With that she drove off in a comfortable silence, and I watched the area we passed by, in the rearview mirrors, I see our guards running by us, slowing a bit to match the car’s speed.

“Hey, Liam?” Serenity broke the silence.

“Yeah?”

“Why do you think Aurora’s friends were never known?”

“Aurora? The first daughter?” she nodded, “Well, I guess cause they caused too much scandal that our people never wanted to remember it.”

“I don’t want that to happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m thinking of keeping a journal.” She said with conviction.

“A journal?”

“Yeah, I’ll write about you, Siam, Anna, Jake, Aaron, mom and dad, your dad… Mama Ellena, Eric…” she counted.

“So that’s pretty much everyone?” I teased.

“Everyone who means something to me.” she corrected. “I want the future generation to know how lucky I am to be surrounded by such amazing and great people who loves and cares for me.”

I smiled in approval, “I think that’s a good idea. Maybe you can throw in a photo or two.”

“I definitely will.” She says.

Then she talked of her plans for her ideal journal, as I watched her with smile, hearing her sound a bit more herself.

Yeah, I thought, I love this girl.