The tense air in the basement was thick with frustration as Kelly's voice cut through the silence, her anger and resentment boiling over. "This is insane! We're kidnappers now? Is that what we've become?"
Serena's gaze shifted to her sister, her expression a mixture of weariness and concern. "Kelly, we need to stay focused. We can't let emotions cloud our judgment."
Kelly's lips twisted in frustration. "Right, because emotions haven't already clouded our lives."
Serena's patience wore thin, and she pointedly suggested, "Go upstairs and get something for her to eat. We don't want her starving."
Kelly's eyes bore into Serena's for a moment before she scoffed, "What? Are we going to serve her a nice, rare steak? Maybe with a glass of fresh blood from the vein."
Serena's voice was firm. "Just find something, Kelly."
With a begrudging huff, Kelly left the room, leaving Serena alone with Draco. The atmosphere was tense as they faced each other, the weight of the situation evident in their gazes.
"Serena," Draco began his voice a mixture of confusion and frustration. "Why didn't you tell me? About you and your sister being vampires."
Serena's gaze flickered away, her fingers tracing patterns on the floor as she hesitated. "How could I have? I never intended to accept your feelings. I didn't want to drag you into my world."
Draco's eyes widened his expression a mix of shock and hurt. "So you never planned on letting us be together?"
Serena's voice was barely above a whisper. "A vampire and a wolf could never be. Our worlds were always too different."
Draco's frustration simmered beneath the surface as he spoke, his words laced with anger. "I don't hate you for being a vampire. I don't care about that. But you should've given me the choice."
Serena's heart ached as she met Draco's gaze, the pain of her decisions clear in her eyes. "I was protecting you. I'm not your-"
Draco's phone buzzed persistently, a constant reminder of the outside world. His hand rested on it, but he ignored the calls, his focus solely on Serena, waiting or her to finish.
Serena's voice shifted, a hint of concern replacing the tension. "Your phone's been ringing this whole time. You should answer it."
Draco's expression softened slightly as he met Serena's gaze, his voice gentle. "No, not until we sort this out."
Changing the topic, she urged him, "Answer it, Draco. It might be important."
With a sigh, Draco picked up his phone, his fingers hovered over the phone, the incessant buzzing finally pushing him to answer. He took a deep breath and pressed the phone to his ear.
"Draco!" The voice on the other end sounded relieved, a mix of worry and anxiety evident in the tone. "Finally, you answered."
Draco's brow furrowed in confusion. "Roy? What's going on?"
Roy's voice carried a sense of urgency. "We've been trying to reach you for hours. We're at the school. Your parents and I were worried sick."
Draco's gaze shifted to Serena, his expression a mixture of surprise and concern. "You're at the school?"
Before he could ask further questions, the phone was suddenly snatched from his grip. Draco's eyes widened in surprise as his mother's voice filled the line.
"Draco, where are you? Are you okay?" Her voice was a blend of relief and concern.
Draco cleared his throat, his voice steady. "I'm fine, Mom. I'm at a friend's place."
His mother's tone was stern, a hint of worry still lingering. "You should have let us know, Draco. We were so worried."
Draco opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, his mother's voice grew even sterner. "Come back home immediately."
Draco hesitated, his heart pounding as he considered his next words. "But, Mom..."
His mother's voice left no room for argument. "No excuses, Draco. Come home now. We'll talk about this."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Draco staring at his phone in frustration. He turned to Serena, his expression conflicted. "My parents are at the school. They're worried sick about me."
Serena's gaze softened, understanding his dilemma. "You should go, Draco. They need to know you're safe."
Draco's gaze held Serena's for a moment, gratitude and regret warring within him. "I'm sorry, Serena. I wish we could finish this conversation."
Serena smiled faintly, her voice gentle. "Don't worry about it. Family comes first."
~~~
As the cab rolled to a stop, Draco stepped out onto the sidewalk, the distant echo of his departure from Serena and Kelly's place lingering in his mind. The grandeur of his home was illuminated by the soft glow of the moon, a testament to the status of his family. The house stood majestically, guarded by an array of watchful werewolves.
The imposing gates swung open as guards recognized him, and Draco walked through. He approached the front door, but before he could even touch the handle, he was enveloped in a warm and familiar embrace. His mother's arms wrapped around him, and he allowed himself to be held for a moment, seeking solace in her presence.
"Draco," his mother's voice was a soothing balm, "you had us so worried."
He offered a faint smile, feeling a mixture of guilt and gratitude for her concern. "I'm okay, Mom. Really."
His father stood behind her, his expression guarded but still filled with an underlying concern. Their relationship had always been characterized by an unspoken understanding. Draco never took his father's strict demeanor to heart; it was just the way things were.
His father's gaze assessed him, his features stern. "You look unharmed."
Draco rolled his eyes in response, a sign of their familiar dynamic. "I am, Dad."
His mother's eyes softened, her grip on him lingering before she finally released him. "Well, we've called a doctor to check you just to be sure."
Draco let out a soft sigh, his patience tested by his mother's perpetual worry. "Really, I'm fine."
As they moved inside, the tension eased slightly. His mother steered him toward the dinner table, scolding him lightly for not answering her calls. Draco offered a sheepish grin, aware that her concern came from a place of love.
As they settled at the table, the clinking of cutlery and the aroma of the meal surrounded them. But the atmosphere was soon disrupted as a figure entered the room. Draco's expression tightened as his gaze met Robin's, a fellow werewolf who had always rubbed him the wrong way.
Robin's confidence was palpable as he approached, and Draco's discomfort was equally evident. His father's favoritism toward Robin had always grated on him. Robin's prowess as an excellent beta and fighter only seemed to deepen the wedge between them.
"Evening," Robin greeted with an air of casual superiority.
Draco nodded in response, his response clipped. "Robin."
The dinner table was a battlefield of unspoken tensions and simmering rivalries, the clinking of cutlery masking the underlying currents that flowed beneath. Robin's presence was a constant reminder of both competition and favoritism and as the conversation veered toward the recent attack, the atmosphere grew even more fraught.
"I heard about the attack at the school," Robin began, his tone casually insinuating his involvement.
Draco's gaze flicked to Robin, his expression guarded. "Yeah so?"
Robin leaned back in his chair, his tone carrying an air of nonchalance. "We were hunting that vampire, you know. The elite hunting team."
Draco's brows furrowed, his gaze narrowing as he absorbed the information. "You were hunting the vampire?"
Robin's lips curled into a self-satisfied smile. "Yeah, slipped away before the attack. Unfortunately, we couldn't prevent it."
As the tension grew, Robin's gaze focused intently on Draco. "Where were you during the attack, Draco?"
Draco's jaw tightened as he met Robin's gaze, his response steady. "I battled and killed the vampire."
Robin's eyes flashed with skepticism. "Battled and killed it all on your own, huh? Impressive."
Draco's voice held a hint of frustration. "The body's there. You can confirm it if you want."
Robin's expression remained unperturbed, his gaze unwavering. "Bullets were found on the scene, Draco. I think you had some help."
Draco's patience reached its limit, and he pushed back from the table, his chair scraping against the floor. "I'm done."
Ignoring his father's calls after him, Draco left the dining room and stormed into his room, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He slammed the door shut and locked it, cutting off the world outside.
In the confined space of his room, Draco's emotions boiled over. The accusations, the rivalry, and the weight of his own choices closed in on him. With a deep breath, he released the tense air that had built up within him, and then, without hesitation, he shifted. His body morphed into that of a wolf, his form sleek and powerful.
He bounded toward the window, his instincts guiding him, and with a powerful leap, he cleared the sill. The night air greeted him, and he raced across the grounds, his senses alive with the scent of earth and the rustle of leaves. He found solace in the moonlit forest, away from the expectations and judgments that had enveloped him.
Under the protective embrace of a tree, Draco settled down for the night, his wolf form curled against the earth. The moon watched over him as his thoughts echoed in the silence, each rustle of the wind a reminder of the tangled threads of his existence.