Chapter 5

• Serena's POV.
• I stared at the letter, my mind racing. Who wrote this? But one thing was clear—the person who wrote it was the one who took my mom's life.
• Ava, my wolf, spoke up in my head. "What if it's Penny?"
• I shook my head, pushing the thought away. Penny was bad, but she wouldn't go that far.
• I threw the letter away, looking at my mom's body. Tears blurred my vision as grief and guilt hit me all at once.
• I cursed myself for not picking up her call. If only I hadn't been so selfish, so caught up in my world.
• If I had answered, maybe I could've saved her. I would've heard her voice one last time.
• I trembled as I whispered, "Mom… Please wake up…"
• Memories of us flooded into my mind. I thought about all the hard times when we barely had enough to eat. Mom would give up her meals for me, going to bed hungry, but still smile at me.
• She always told me, "I just want you to be happy and healthy, that's all. You're the best, and you deserve the world."
• I choked on my words, "Moon goddess, why? Why her and not me? Who will be there for me now? Who will I turn to when I'm lost? Who will protect me?"
• I fell on my mom's body, pulling her into my arms.
• "Mom, please don't leave me! I swear, I'll stay by your side forever. I'll never complain about being an Omega again. I won't ask about my father again. Please, wake up! Don't leave me!"
• My heart shattered as I begged her to come back. Tears streamed down my face, and I shook her gently.
• "Why are you leaving me? Please, Mom, don't go! I need you!"
• But no matter how hard I cried, her body stayed still and cold. I held her tightly and refused to let go.
• *******
• It had been three days, and the house smelled awful. I sat with my arms wrapped around my knees, staring at my mom's body.
• I kept begging her to wake up, to say something—but she never did.
• I waited, half-expecting the murderer to come back and kill me. But the only thing that came was silence.
• I tried to end my life, but something stopped me—something I couldn't explain.
• Now, I was in the garden, trying to bury my mom, dragging her body behind me. I was completely alone. There was no one left to turn to.
• After my dad left, my mom's family cut us off. We moved to the city, hoping to start over in a place where no one knew us.
• I looked down at my mom, and the truth hit me.
• I was only twenty, and I had to bury the only person who had ever truly loved me. The thought was too much. I broke down beside her, sobbing.
• Why did this happen?
• I pulled my mom's body into the hole with my shaking hands. My heart broke as I realized this was the last time I'd ever see her face.
• I poured the last shovelful of dirt over her face. It was over. She was gone.
• I felt hollow like nothing was holding me up anymore.
• Dragging the shovel behind me, I made my way back to the house and fell to the ground, sobbing.
• I had no one. No friends. No siblings. No father. And now, no mother.
• As I lay there, my mind replayed everything that had happened. The excitement of finding my mate—only to realize it was Richard. The short-lived hope with Ross. The heartbreak that followed. And now, losing my mom.
• I took a breath and sat up, desperate for something—anything—to numb the pain. But the empty cupboards only reminded me how alone I was.
• I stood there, eyes burning with tears.
• I felt lost—alone—completely unprepared for this life. Grabbing my coat, I climbed into my mom's old truck. Her scent lingered in the air, and I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears.
• I gripped the wheel, struggling to breathe. The emptiness was suffocating.
• So I drove to the store and walked out with three bottles of vodka. Nothing else mattered—I just wanted to forget everything.
• I sat under a tree, staring at the moon. I twisted off the cap and took a long sip, the vodka burning my throat.
• It hurt, but at least it made me feel something.
• I kept drinking, each sip burning as it went down. By the time I reached the third bottle, my body felt heavy, but my head was light.
• Suddenly, I felt a shift in the air and turned. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Richard standing there. His face was unreadable. I froze and didn't know how to react.
• As he stepped closer, a knot twisted in my stomach. I didn't know what I was hoping for, but it felt like I was about to break, and maybe he could stop it.
• Maybe it was comfort, or I just needed to forget the pain for a second.
• Before I even realized what was happening, my hands were on his face. And then, I kissed him—like I needed him to make everything stop.