27 Chapter 27

Seraphina’s POV 1

For five years, my adoptive parents had vanished from my life completely-no calls, no letters. It was as if I’d never existed in their world,

which was exactly what they’d wanted when they threw me out.

The phone kept ringing. I let it go to voicemail, but immediately another call came in from a different number. Then another. My phone

buzzed with a text message, then another, the notifications piling up faster than I could dismiss them. 1

*Answer the phone, you little bitch.*

*I know where you work.*

*Nightshadow Industries. Don’t make me come there.*

My blood turned to ice. She was using different phones, probably borrowed from neighbors or friends, making sure I couldn’t just block

her number. And now she was threatening to show up at my workplace. I couldn’t let Elizabeth Knight storm into Nightshadow

Industries and cause a scene.

The phone rang again. This time, I answered.

“Hello, Elizabeth.”

“Don’t you ‘hello Elizabeth’ me, you ungrateful little bitch!” Her voice exploded through the speaker with such venom that I had to hold

the phone away from my ear. “Where the hell have you been for five years? Do you have any idea what you put us through? Disappearing

like some common criminal, embarrassing our family name!”

The familiar torrent of abuse washed over me like acid rain. Same Elizabeth, same vicious tongue, same complete inability to take

responsibility for her own cruelty.

“I’ve been building a life for myself and my son,” I said quietly, proud of how steady my voice sounded despite the way my hands were

trembling. “What do you want, Elizabeth? We haven’t spoken in five years. I assumed that meant you were done pretending to care about

my existence.”

But a harsh laugh that sounded like breaking glass. “Trust me, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t be calling you at all. But you need to come

home. This weekend. There are… arrangements to be made.”

“Arrangements?” I repeated, my voice rising slightly. “Elizabeth, I’m not coming back to Whispering Valley. Ever. I have a life here, a job,

responsibilities-”

her voice reaching

my childhood

you, after taking in an

Owe us!”

with the steel in my voice. “You made it very clear five years ago that I

You chose Valerie. You got exactly what you wanted-me gone, out of your life forever. So

00

114

about, find someone else to help

to hang up when Elizabeth’s voice changed, dropping to something low and dangerous that

job at Nightshadow Industries, Elizabeth continued, her tone taking on a calculated quality that made my skin crawl. “I know about your

throat.

years old. Attends Silver Moon Harbor Elementary. Such a sweet little

something were

from my suddenly nerveless fingers, clattering onto my desk with a sound that seemed to echo through the

couldn’t do anything except stare at the

in that same calm, conversational

up, my hands shaking so badly I could

you go anywhere near my son-” I started, but Elizabeth cut me off with a laugh that

Oh, darling, I think you’re forgetting exactly who you’re

“I’m the respected wife of a pack elder. You’re an unwed omega mother with a

they’ll believe if

was being crushed in a vise, making

home this weekend. Friday evening.” Elizabeth’s voice was brisk now, businesslike, as if

If you even think about running, if you consider taking that little bastard

places. There’s nowhere you

line went dead, leaving me staring at my phone in complete silence. The office around me felt surreal, like I was

the building-air conditioning, distant conversations, the

muffled and

She’d raised me, after all, taught me exactly how far she was willing to go

been capable of throwing out a pregnant eighteen-year-old with nothing

capable of far worse things.

spent the entire week in a state of barely controlled anxiety, jumping every

barely sleeping.

both endless and far too short. Every mile that passed on the familiar

pulled into the gravel driveway of the Knight house,

perfectly maintained on

Instead of the cold reception I’d expected, Elizabeth was waiting on the front porch, her arms open in what appeared to be a welcoming

214

makeup applied

and bright. “Oh,

down the porch steps and pulled me into what felt like

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255