COMMENT
Chapter 72
“ARE YOU SURE you don’t want me to come with you?” Alpha Perez asked when he walked Serena to the car, his voice filled with concern. After all, the day had come for her to leave north and spend a brief vacation at her father’s house. He couldn’t help feeling anxious about his wife leaving, especially knowing that Calix, her fated mate, and ex–husband, still resided in
that area.
Rumors had reached him that Calix had undergone a transformation, actively seeking redemption for his past wrongdoings. Not only were members of the Crescent and nearby pack acknowledging his good deeds, but they were also beginning to see the kinder side of him. Some even felt sorry for him, believing that he had been manipulated by Marga into committing his previous actions.
“Yeah, I know that you have a lot going on and I don’t want to disrupt your work or meetings for my sake.” she reasoned before kissing his cheek. “I’ll be back in a week.”
Serena clenched her jaw, fully aware that she wouldn’t be returning. The past few days had been a struggle for her, but fortunately, none of the members of the pack had noticed her pregnancy yet.
“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you.” Alpha Perez wrapped his arms around her, and she returned the embrace with equal fervor. It seemed like they never wanted to let each other go, but eventually, they had to. “I love you, call me if anything happens”
“I love you, too.” Serena nodded, and they let go of each other after their embrace. Their gaze held for a few lingering seconds before his hand gently touched the side of her neck and he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Once their lips parted, he took a step back and waved goodbye.
With that, she climbed into the car where the driver and Alexia were already inside.
“Call me when you arrive home,” Alpha Perez repeated himself, and Serena nodded in acknowledgment before affectionately waving goodbye as the car drove off. She settled into her seat, leaning against the window and closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. She tried to hold back her tears, but the more she suppressed them, the more her heart hurt and the harder it became to breathe.
“Are you okay, Luna Serena?” Alexia’s voice brought her out of her thoughts, forcing her to look at the female warrior sitting in the passenger seat.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She put on a fake smile and turned her gaze to the view outside, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist. It was her decision to leave, but the thought of Alpha Perez and Marga being in close proximity made her uneasy. She shut her eyes, not wanting to dwell on it because whatever happened between them, she was the one at fault for giving them the opportunity to be together.
After spending an hour driving to the station and several more hours on the train, Serena finally arrived at the Crescent Packhouse. The place that had once rejected her was now opening its doors with warmth and sincerity. Alpha Robert, the servants, and Annie were all gathered outside the main house, eagerly awaiting her arrival. But it was Calix who caught her eye as he bowed with so much respect.
She already knew he was staying here but seeing him standing in front of her now was a jolt. He seemed like a different person than she remembered. She couldn’t help but think back to Alpha Perez’s tense behavior when he warned her about Calix yesterday, and even earlier he seemed to be urging her to take him with her.
“Welcome home, Serena.” his father greeted as she approached them. She returned the gesture and embraced him, making eye contact with her nanny who appeared genuinely pleased to see her once again. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes and she couldn’t hold them back any longer. She began to cry, causing those around her to look surprised and concerned
“W–what’s wrong? Did something happen?” Robert panicked momentarily before stepping back and looking at his daughter’s tear–stained face. Serena quickly composed herself, wiping away her tears and forcing a smile to reassure her father.
“I’m sorry, I just missed you and Nanny Annie,” she responded before they went inside the house since the sun was already setting. Some servants directed Alexia to the guestroom while Serena went straight into her father’s study. As much as
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possible, she wanted to inform him of her plans so she could leave before her scheduled return to the north without any
issues.
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“Be honest with Serena, did something happen?” Alpha Robert asked as they settled on the couch, noticing that his daughter had some sort of problem that she was trying to conceal from everyone.
“Dad, you wanted to make up for everything, right?” she asked, and his father nodded without hesitation.
“Yes, I do. But why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”
Serena took a deep breath and looked at her father before she started explaining her predicament to him. “I am pregnant.”
“What? Congratula-”
“But no one knew it, even Perez.” Her interruption caused Alpha Robert’s cheerful expression to dissipate instantly. She then proceeded to explain everything–from Marga staying at their home, the involvement of the Alpha King, and the chain of events that led to her decision to conceal her pregnancy. She shared every detail, ensuring that he would have a thorough understanding of her perspective.
After she finished her explanation, a heavy silence filled the room as Alpha Robert lost himself in thought. His quiet contemplation made Serena uneasy until he finally spoke
“Then what were you planning now?”
“I’m… going to run away, I won’t return to the north,” she replied, causing her father to look at her in surprise. “I know that my actions were not the best, but if I were to tell Perez about our pregnancy, it would ruin all of his plans. I don’t want our unborn child to be a burden for him.”
“Which was why… I wanted you to help me find a place where I can live in isolation. A place where my identity is unknown to everyone.” She added, her gaze firmly fixed on Alpha Robert with a plea in her eyes. He felt torn for a moment as he considered how his son–in–law would react if Serena were to suddenly disappear. It would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar,
“Was that what you really wanted?” he asked carefully.
“Yes,” She nodded without any hesitation, causing him to let out a sigh and stand up. He then made his way over to his table and opened a drawer to retrieve a key, which Serena couldn’t help but stare at as he handed it to her. “W–what is this for?”
“I used to own a house on Avalonia Island, where your grandmother and I would often go for vacation. It was a small island but peaceful and safe place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.” Alpha Robert explained, “The community there was extremely accepting until now; I’m sure you’ll live there just fine.”
Serena’s eyes tearfully glistened as she looked at her father and pulled him into a hug, “Thank you, Dad.”
“You’re welcome..” A smile spread across his face as he gently rubbed her back. Though he had concerns about her choosing to go through the pregnancy on her own, he respected her decision to follow her own path. “Just remember that I will always be here for you if you need me.”
“Why don’t you bring Annie along? It would make me feel better knowing you have someone to assist with your pregnancy.” He added as they pulled away from the hug, “Being alone during pregnancy was not an easy experience. Your mother went through it when she was carrying you, and I saw how challenging it was for her. You will have cravings and as your belly grows, it will become increasingly difficult to move around.”
Serena’s heart swelled with gratitude towards her father, She was touched by his concern and love for her and her unborn child. It made her realize that she wasn’t as alone as she thought she was.
“I would love to have Annie with me,” she said, a smile forming on her lips. “Thank you for being so understanding, Dad.”
“When are you planning to leave? I will make the necessary arrangements for your trip.” Alpha Robert asked, and Serena hummed as she placed her hand on her belly.
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“I wanted to leave in three days,” she answered, her voice and expression filled with determination.
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After discussing further details and making plans, Serena left her father’s office feeling relieved and grateful. She couldn’t believe how understanding he had been about the whole situation. As she walked through the packhouse to find her Nanny Annie, she ran into Calix, who stopped short upon spotting her.
“Sere–Luna Serena,” He quickly corrected himself, and Serena couldn’t help but look at him in amusement. It was refreshing to see the ‘old him‘ again after seeing him in a different light before.
“Do you know where Nanny Annie might be?” she asked, surprising him as he didn’t expect that she would casually talk to him.
“Uhmm, she was in the kitchen.”
“I see, thank you.” Serena strolled past him, but he called out to her without physically reaching for her as he had done before. She halted and turned back towards him, asking “Why?”
“Welcome home,”
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