Chapter 5 History isn't Always Old

Serenity's POV

"Eric!"

The next moment I heard a crash, and the remains of the already broken door were all over the room. The hunter had me by the throat, the body raised a foot from the floor and pinned flat on the wall. A few seconds later, I would have been a fur coat now- well, that is, if I was in my wolf shape. I guess I'll just be a regular human corpse.

The hunter turned to face the enormous black-colored wolf behind him. How it was able to go through the small storage room and here, I didn't know, but quite frankly, I didn't care. He growled at the hunter, who just sneered at him and dropped me on the floor, making me groan.

The black wolf immediately jumped at the hunter, bit him around the torso, and tossed him across the room, away from me. He moved toward me and gave me a once over, his eyes dark as night, angry, but somehow a glint of worry and fear was there. When he was satisfied that I was unharmed, he nudged me to get up, but then we both stiffened when we heard a laugh from across the small room.

I peered behind the black wolf and saw the hunter's supposed dead body, but to my surprise, he was lifting himself up, smirking. His wounds were healing. He moved as if he was drunk. Suddenly I heard another growl from the door and saw Liam's wolf, the wolf with me nudged me toward Liam, but I didn't want to leave his side.

For some weird reason, I knew I was safer with him. However, I have never seen or met him.

He nudged me again and practically pushed me to Liam, who caught me with his body and bore his pearly whites at the hunter, but the first wolf growled, making Liam go me back out of the room. I didn't want to leave the black wolf, but Liam was using his beta strength- yes, power differs by ranks too, Siam and the wolf inside were in the same level, somehow.

That means he's an alpha. I was already in the middle of the empty classroom when I stopped and realized who it was. I turned around and saw a half-naked Liam- yeah, we don't lose our clothes, not wholly. It seems our goddess had taught of this ahead of time and make out clothes like a second skin for us.

"What's wrong, Serenity?" Liam asked, "Are you hurt? Did he touch you?"

"Yes…" his eyes widened and turned pure black of anger. "I mean… I'm fine, I think… he touched me but… that wolf… is that-"

"Let's go." Liam grabbed my arm and pulled me to the wide-open door. Students running away from the building.

"No!" I pulled my arm back, "was that Eric?"

"Serenity-"

"Is Eric in there, Liam?" he frowned and nodded. I tried to get out of his hold and go back to the room to help him somehow.

"Serenity, no!" Liam grabbed my arm again, "His command was to get you out. "

"I don't care what father or Siam said-"

"Eric!" he snapped, "It was Eric who gave the command."

I stared at him. I felt the color from my face drain the exact moment there was a crash behind him.

Eric and the hunter seemed to need more space to fight and had moved it into the classroom, which was ransacked within seconds.

Eric gave another growl at Liam, who grabbed me by the arm, "Let's go."

"No! Eric!" I called out to him.

I'll see you at home, cherry blossom. I heard his voice in my head.

I shook my head as Liam practically dragged me across the room. "No… no…"

"Serenity, please." The school was in chaos as students flee out of the buildings and the fire alarm on. I looked back and saw Eric fight the hunter. They were equally strong and fast, which is not possible for the hunter. He is human.

Then, I saw it, a mist around him, a mist forming a wolf.

"Wait!" I screamed again, "Stop this now!"

Liam, in an instant, stopped, and so did Eric and the hunter, and they turned to me.

The hunter smirked. "The goddess' word is the law."

Eric snarled at him louder, let me go, Serenity. He commanded.

"No!" my face was all numbed from crying and shouting. "No, you will stop this."

"I will help you there, princess." The hunter raised his dagger, but to his surprise, he couldn't move. "What the- "

"Give up," I said, walking up to him. "Set her free."

"Serenity-"I heard Liam call and followed me.

"Stay there, Liam." I gave my full attention to the hunter. Controlling the soul of the wolf he had with him. "What did you do, hunter?"

He smirked at me, his body still frozen by my command, "You see her, or should I say, you see yourself?"

I frowned. "What do you want?"

"I told you what I want." He hissed, "It's just the issue of how to get it without killing you again."

Eric then stepped between us.

Not while I breathe, cursed one.

"You cannot harm me, Alpha. Not when your princess tells you not to."

Then I'll be the one to kill you.

From behind me, Siam lunged and slashed the hunter's throat and torso. I closed my eyes from the gore, but I couldn't stop hearing the sound of tearing flesh and cracking bones. I felt a fur wrap around me, enclosing me with calm and safety.

Finally, when everything was quiet, I looked up and saw I was already on the floor, snuggled on Eric's wolf.

Siam gave the remains of the last glare before moving toward us, and I saw the mist now wrapping him, surrounding him. Then it stopped and faced me, You have saved me, sister… this man had freed me, and I am happy to serve him with his clean heart.

Serve him? I thought.

"Serenity…" I turned and looked at Liam, who wasn't staring at me but over me. So were Jake and Aaron, who was standing behind Liam.

I followed their eyes and saw Eric's wolf covered with blood. My eyes widened, and I reached for his neck and ran my hand through his fur. I felt his heavy breathing and panting.

"Eric…" I called. His eyes were no longer black and angry. Instead, it was the warm green that I first saw in Mama Ellena's bathroom.

"Eric, I'm so sorry…." I whispered and hid my face in his neck underneath his ears to make sure he heard me.

Don't be silly, Serenity. I promised to keep you safe, didn't I?

You can't go… I tell Eric through our mind link, but only to him, you can't leave me…

So you can also feel it? There was amusement in his voice. I thought I was going crazy.

What? I stared at him with a questioned look.

You're my mate Serenity. He said, the pull, they want to see you, the pain of seeing you sad, the need to protect you… it was a sign. You're my mate.

I stared at him in realization.

The moments I knew I should have been mad at him. Times that I would have stormed off and yelled and kicked if it was other boys, but Eric was different. I let him through my defenses; he himself stepped up to my brother and best friend.

I should have seen it then. The signs he spoke.

He is my mate.

"Eric…" I sobbed.

"Serenity, we need to get him out of here," Siam says.

I looked up at him and saw the wolf hovering over him.

I can save him, and it said, but only if your brother releases me…

"S-Siam…" I stammered, "you can save him…."

"We'll see what mama Ellena would say-"

"No, no…" I shook my head roughly. "That hunter… you… you freed an old wolf's soul when you killed him. She's still here. She can save Eric, only when you give her up."

"An old wolf soul?" Siam asked.

"Please, Siam, believe me…." I pleaded.

"If it means that much to you, Serenity…."

"But," I stopped him, "you have to understand, by gaining this old soul, you have become twice the wolf you are. Twice powerful… but if you give her up…."

I looked away, ashamed of what I have just asked from him.

He is an alpha and the king. He needed that power.

"Serenity?" Siam reached for my chin and made me face him, "Eric saved you, he was ready to give up his life for you… If you say that I have the power to make him better and somehow repay that, then with no hesitation, I will help him…" he smiled, "just like how he protected you."

A laugh escaped me, and I threw myself at my brother, hugging him around the neck. Thanking him non-stop until he let me go.

"Anything for you, princess." He said, "Now, how do I do this?"

I looked at the mist, who smiled. There is no need for words, it said. Then with one great wind, she encircled the room. I crouched down over Eric's body while Siam shielded me as well.

The next thing I knew, I felt something holding my arm and stirring someone underneath me. I looked down and saw Eric turned back to his human form.

"Eric!" I dove at him, resting my face on the crook of his neck, half my body on his.

I heard him stifle a laugh, "Serenity, I can't breathe…."

I moved back and heard the boys laughed around me. Eric sat up.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You were acting stupid," I said.

"Serenity." Siam and Liam said in unison.

"You saved my sister, Alpha Johansen." Siam reached out his hand for a shake. "You have my full trust."

"Thank you, Alpha Grey," Eric says.

Siam laughed, "Call me Siam. Alpha Grey is my dad."

"Siam." Eric agrees." I guess that makes me plain old Eric."

"Not so plain after saving the princess," Aaron said with a smile.

"Now c'mon, let's have that wound of yours checked by your grandma. She'd probably rip my head for letting you fight alone." Siam says.

"Grandma?" I asked.

"Mama Ellena." Liam said, "Didn't he tell you?"

"Well, no, not really…." I gave him a look.

"I did say I was visiting someone," Eric said as he tries to stand, but then he hissed and reached for his side, where blood was still oozing out of a deep cut.

"Serenity, come on," Liam said. "We need to get you out of here."

"We can't go through the doors; there would be a crowd there," Jake said.

"Well, we can't really wait for them to get back inside," Aaron said. "How about the windows?"

"We'd still need to reach the parking lot," Siam said. "You ok there, buddy?"

"Yeah…" Eric hissed again.

"Let's just go through the nearest exit leading to the parking lot," I said.

"But the people-"

"We'll just say Eric got into an accident." I said, "That isn't technically a lie either."

"Fine." Liam says, "but you'll have to make up the excuse or something."

"Fine," I said as Liam helped Eric walk.

Twenty minutes later, I watched as Mama Ellena was telling us off while fixing up Eric. Siam had to go see dad and report what happened. So Liam stayed behind. Siam would, without a doubt, sent in guards to pick us up.

"Seriously, taking out a hunter all by yourself, a cursed one at that." Mama Ellena scolded Eric, who was whining in pain.

"Grandma, I'd appreciate it if you stop poking my wound in front of the girl I'm trying to impress?" he groaned.

"Oh, shush!" Mama Ellena says, slapping him near his wound making him wince again.

I bit my lip feeling guilty again. It was my fault that he was in this position, injured and in trouble.

"Mama Ellena…" I said.

"And you, young lady. You knew better than to stay in that room longer than five minutes."

"I'm sorry…." I mumbled, feeling guiltier than ever.

"Grandma, stop it," Eric says, his voice with a hint of Alpha. "You're making her feel worse."

"Well, just think of what you made me feel when you walked into the house bloody and pale, huh, Eric? Would you want me to jump for joy?"

"Mama Ellena, it wasn't Eric's fault." I said, "I should have taken precautions. I should have stuck with the security procedures…."

"Serenity…"

"I'm sorry…." I felt my eyes fill with tears again.

"Oh, princess…" I heard her sigh then she walked up to me. "I'm sorry, I was just worried. You are stubborn as my grandson is foolish. I should have expected it, but still, I thought I taught both of you better than that."

"You did, grandma," Eric says, "you told me that I should take care of my mate, pure blood or not, and I did."

"Your mate?" she turned to me, I gave a weak nod, and she lit up instantly. "Oh goddess, I mean, Serenity…." I stifled a laugh. "Is it true? But you haven't shifted yet. How would you know?"

"Aside from the pull?" I said, "I just do… I guess this bond is more mysterious than we thought."

"Oh, this is good news!" she says, hugging me. "Wow, what have your father said?"

I shook my head, "No one else knows. I want to tell them when I'm sure myself, on my birthday."

I glanced at Eric, who smiled and gave a weak nod.

Then there was a knock on the door, and Liam's head popped into the curtain.

"Pick up's here," he said. "Your mom said she has a room prepared for mama Ellena. They want all of us near until patrol sends news that the perimeter is clear of hunters."

"Then I'll go get my packed-up medicine bag." Mama Ellena said, "Come young Beta, I need you to help me carry it out."

"Sure thing Mama Ellena." He says, holding up the curtain for her. "We'll see you two downstairs."

I nodded and watched him go before I faced Eric, who was now sitting up and swing his legs on the side of the bed.

"Hey, be careful…." I walked up to him, wanting to help him but didn't know-how.

"I'm ok, cherry blossom." He teased. "Glad to know you are worried, though."

I gave him a look, "You scared me. I thought I was gonna lose you."

"I'm not that easy to get rid of," he says, "you know that." I chuckled and walked up to him and cupped his face in my hand.

"If ever you are right… if what you say is true…." I swallowed a lump that seemed to have appeared on my throat. He looked me straight in the eyes, which gave me butterflies on the stomach, and my heart was doing the twist and shout. "you can never scare me like that, Eric… you just can't. My heart won't be able to take it."

He smiled at me, resting his forehead on mine as he cupped my hand with his. "Same goes for you, love." Then he took my hand and kissed my palm. "If you are my mate, and I know that you are, then you will be my whole life. Losing you is and will never be an option, Serenity."

With that, he kissed me on the forehead. My whole body exploded, freeing the tiny butterflies inside me, just with the small gesture of love and passion he had given me.

"As much as I would like to mark you, to make you mine, even to just give you a proper kiss," he said, voice going raspy, "I do agree with you. We should wait for your birthday. I don't want you to regret anything."

"I won't," I whispered and let him hold me a minute more before we made our way to the car.

"Serenity!"

I ran up to my mother's arms, letting her hug me tight- too tight, in my opinion- I wanted her to make sure I was safe, so she would calm down. When she calms down, so would dad, who was at present running with the other guards, checking the perimeter personally.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" she asked.

"I'm fine, mom," I said. "I promise. The boys pushed through for me, as always."

"But we had help this time." Siam reminded and stepped up beside mother and gestured for Eric to step up. "Mother, this is Eric Johansen from the Crescent Pack. He was the one who had saved our Serenity."

"Your Highness…" Eric was about to bow when my mom, being the melodramatic mother that she is, walked up to Eric and hugged him as well.

"Young Alpha, you do not know how thankful I am for what you did." She then pulled away and stared at Eric with admiration. "I am sure my husband feels the same and would be happy to reward you with anything your heart desires."

"I don't think he'd be able to give me what my heart desires the most, right now, Queen Serafin." Eric glanced at me, which I was sure the others caught, making me blush like crazy. "But I assure you that no reward is necessary." he continued. "I will do it again if needed."

"Well, let us not hope of a repeat, shall we?" my mom says as she moves toward me again. "I'm sure my daughter would be delighted to help you around the house."

"Of course, mother," I said with a smile.

"Good, the maids will bring your things to your rooms. Mama Ellena, I have had a little snack prepared. Please join me in the garden. You have much to tell me."

"Of course, Serafin." Mama Ellena says. Yes, she can get away without bowing and calling mother or dad highness or queen or king. Not that we're lenient to her, it's just that she was also the same woman who assisted grandma to her delivery of mom, then she helped on our deliveries, so she's practically family.

"You'd take care of Eric, won't you kids?" mother asked.

"Yes, mother." Siam and I said in unison.

"Good." She said, "I'll have food be brought to you."

We all nodded and watched them leave. Yep, that's all the time mother needs to check on me. We were never that close as she was always busy taking over dad's place whenever he leaves, which was always.

"I'll have to check on security." Siam says, "Father wants a full force security tonight, just in case. So I have to leave you with my sister, Eric. Would that be alright?"

"Of course, I wouldn't want to keep you from your responsibilities," Eric said.

"As I would love to get out from them." Siam joked. "Anyway, we should go-"

"SERENITY!?!?!"

We all looked at the main door and saw Anna run up to me and threw her arms around me.

"Shit…" I heard Jake mumble under his breath.

"Anna! Where have you-"

"You have your brother and these two-"referring to Jake and Aaron, "to ask of my whereabouts." She glared at them.

"Me?" Siam asked, as questioned as I was.

"Seriously, leaving me there to wait and find out that you escaped." Anna snapped.

"What did you boys do?" I asked.

"We told her to wait outside the gym when your brother called for us," Jake said.

"We knew that if we put you two together in a room after the attack, you'd be all clingy and crying," Aaron added.

Anna hit him on the head, "You don't care if we cry or laugh our hearts out. I'll do what I want when I know my best friend is in trouble."

I smiled, "I'm fine now, Anna, don't worry."

"I know." She sighed, "Everyone knows what Eric did."

"Everyone?" I asked, glancing at Siam, who didn't meet my eyes.

"As I said, we need to go." He said. He walked up to me and gave me a kiss on the forehead, "We'll see you later, little sister."

"Stay safe," I said.

"We will." He says as he leaves.

"Don't tire Eric so much," Liam says, giving me the same brotherly kiss, "and stay out of trouble."

"We will," I assured him. The moment they left, Anna and I finally relaxed.

"So, what happened?" Anna asked.

"Just a hunter attack," I said.

"How many were there?"

"One."

"Just one, and you needed five full-grown wolves with you?" she eyed Eric, who shrugged.

"You don't understand Anna, this hunter, he was…." I paused, thinking. For lack of better words, I said, "-different."

"Different?"

"It was almost he wasn't human," I said.

"I sensed and smelled wolf on him," Eric said. "And a wolf's scent is never that strong on a human even how long a human stays near at a wolf. It would never get its signature scent like that."

"So he's a shifter?"

"No, he wasn't," I said, shaking my head, then I sighed. "I wish I have something to hold that is his. Then I would be able to see."

Then I heard another hiss escape from Eric and saw him grab his wound.

"We should get you cleaned up Eric, you looked like a mess," Anna said.

Eric managed to chuckle at her, "That's the thanks I get for saving your best friend?"

Anna laughed, "Well, your living is enough, isn't it?" she teased back, and they both laughed.

Then I remembered the mist, the wolf that Siam had freed and gave Eric. I stared at Eric, and finally, she appeared.

You need answers… she says.

Will you give them to me? I ask.

Only if you ask the right questions, with that, she disappeared again.

"What is it?" Anna asked, shaking me out of my thoughts.

"I think I know how to get answers," I said.