"My mother gave birth to quintuplets, but we didn't inherit any of her human blood. When we were six, we noticed our mother would fight our father over his properties – everything that belonged to him. Our mother was a gambler and a thief.
"Then one day, she killed our father. She took everything and ran away. We were sent to an orphanage. The orphanage wasn't rich or popular, but we had food to eat. I took after my father – except for the anger, which I got from my mother. My brothers, though, completely took after her. They would fight everyone at the orphanage, steal things.
"We found it hard to control our powers on a full moon. Instead of trying to calm down with me by saying our mantra, my brothers would kill kids from the orphanage without anyone knowing. They finally lost it one night during a full moon. At midnight, while everyone slept, my brothers murdered all the children and the adults protecting us. They did this at age fourteen. I wasn't strong enough to stop them. I was a beta, while Alan – the oldest – was an alpha.
"They never abandoned me or thought of me as weak, even though I never joined them in killing anyone. But I abandoned them.
"One night, werewolf hunters were everywhere. They were on our tail. We ran with all our strength. I found a way to escape through a hole they didn't notice. I stopped running and slipped through. I heard them call my name, but I answered from afar: 'Why don't you just die?' I spoke silently, but I knew they heard me. The next thing I heard was three gunshots."
Blaine fell silent, his face sad.
"Why did you leave them?" Lillian asked.
"I hated them. People looked at me like I was also a bad person. They killed innocent people for no reason. And after I left them to die, I worked my butt off in California for five years, then came to New York to learn how to make coffee – because my father loved coffee."
"So they're after you because of that?" Lillian's voice was furious. "They shouldn't call it betrayal. It's their fault you left."
"I still left my brothers. My blood brothers." Blaine stood and walked toward the door.
"Blaine, where are you going?"
"I'm going to show myself to them."
Lillian ran after him. "Don't you dare do anything stupid!"
Blaine looked back. "Lillian, they're killing people because of me."
"So? I don't care, as long as you're not the one being killed." Lillian's words were cold, but Blaine stared at her like she was emotionless.
She didn't blink. Then it hit her. But Blaine had already turned to the door.
He was about to open it when Lillian grabbed his arm. "I mean… it's not because of you that they kill people. It's just who they are."
"Even so, I have to show up." He opened the door and walked toward his car.
Lillian bowed her head, clenched her fists, then ran after him. As he reached for the driver's door, she held it shut. The moon shone bright, as if watching the drama.
Lillian stared at the ground. "I don't know why I feel like saying this, but…" She looked up, her voice soft and pleading. "Please, can you not go?"
Blaine got out of the car and studied her for a moment. "Why are you so scared about me leaving?"
"I don't know. I guess it's because no one will be here to make me coffee." She almost smiled.
Blaine chuckled. "Really?"
"Yeah. So… are you still going to meet them?" She looked up with pleading eyes.
Blaine smiled and gently brushed her hair back. "I won't. I'll try to follow your plan. But if it doesn't work, I'll meet them."
"I'm sure it will work. Now come inside – it's freezing." Lillian pulled his arm like a child dragging her mother to see something.
They went inside. The night passed quietly until morning.
---
The doorbell rang. No one answered. It rang multiple times until Lillian trudged downstairs and Blaine came out of his room.
"Who is that crazy person this early?" Lillian grumbled, collapsing onto the couch.
Blaine opened the door. Gandulf and his mate, Nimona, stood outside.
"We're here to see Lillian," Nimona said, walking to the living room. When they got to the living room where Lillian was, they tried to sit on a couch opposite her.
Lillian sat with her eyes closed. "I didn't ask you to sit down."
Blaine coughed. "Lillian, they're billionaires and our Alpha."
"Your Alpha," Lillian corrected. "They should have called instead of disturbing my sleep." She opened her eyes. "Sit down and tell me what you want – no beating around the bush."
"Blaine, coffee please," Gandulf said.
"No one gets Blaine's coffee for free except me," Lillian stated.
Blaine sighed. "She's always problematic. Don't mind her."
Lillian threw a pillow at him. "Sit down, Blaine."
He threw it back. She glared, then turned to Gandulf and Nimona. "So?"
"We want you to leave this castle. If Blaine's brothers find him, they'll find you," Gandulf said.
"I won't leave. They can't do anything to me." Lillian stood.
"Lillian, your life is more important than proving anything," Nimona said.
"I am focusing on my life. If my career and reputation collapse, I'm as good as dead." Lillian's voice rose.
"Then do it from Mr. Hudson's mansion. Just tell Bryan to track him again," Blaine suggested.
"Miles will stop me. Everyone will stop me. This is the only place I can do what I need to do."
"Please, Lillian. We'll find another way to keep you on top, but you have to leave. My brothers will kill you."
Lillian smiled painfully, then knocked a vase to the floor, shattering it. "Don't worry about me. Even if they try to kill me, I won't die."
She bent down and picked up a sharp piece of broken porcelain.
"Lillian, what are you doing?!" Blaine shouted.
She closed her eyes and pressed the shard against her neck.
---
Will Lillian heal after she stabbed herself on impulse? Donate powerstones to support the story and comment your thoughts on this chapter.