Chapter 27
Tori's POV:
I stood there staring at William Sullivan's distant figure, feeling a strange emptiness wash over me.
"Earth to Tori!" Morgan waved her hand in front of my face, breaking my trance.
"You okay? You've been staring into space for like five minutes."
I blinked, trying to push away the heaviness in my chest. "Sorry, just thinking."
Morgan's expression softened.
"Well, stop thinking and start walking. I know this amazing place that makes the best moonberry tarts in all of Moonhaven."
She grabbed my arm, tugging me away from the plaza.
"Trust me, one bite and you'll forget all your problems."
The small café Morgan led me to was tucked away on a side street, its warm yellow lights glowing invitingly against the late afternoon shadows.
Inside, the scent of fresh pastries and spiced tea filled the air.
We found a quiet corner table, and Morgan immediately launched into an enthusiastic description of every item on the menu.
"We'll take the moonberry tart and the cinnamon moon roll," Morgan told the waitress with confidence. "They're absolutely the best-sellers here."
When the waitress brought our order, Morgan leaned forward eagerly, her eyes fixed on my face.
"Try it! Try it!" she urged, practically bouncing in her seat as she waited for my reaction.
I took a small bite of the tart, the sweet-tart flavor exploding on my tongue. The buttery crust melted in my mouth, and I couldn't help but close my eyes for a moment.
"Well?" Morgan demanded.
I nodded, taking another bite. "You weren't exaggerating for once."
"Hey! I never exaggerate," she protested, then immediately giggled. "Okay, maybe sometimes."
For a brief moment, I allowed myself to enjoy this—just being a normal teenager with a friend, eating sweets and laughing.
No pack politics, no painful past, no uncertain future.
But then I glanced up and my blood froze.
Across the café, a pair of eyes burned into mine with pure, undiluted hatred.
Lisa Morris.
Noah's mother sat three tables away, her coffee forgotten as she stared at me with such venom I could almost feel it like a physical blow.
The same face that had screamed at me in the courtroom, demanding my execution rather than detention.
I forced myself to look away, my appetite vanishing instantly.
Maybe I shouldn't have left the dorm today after all, I thought grimly. The universe seemed determined to parade every ghost from my past in front of me.
I needed to get Morgan away from here—now.
Lisa Morris made Hannah look like a model of stability and restraint. The woman was practically unhinged with hatred, and I had no idea what she might do if she approached our table with Morgan present.
"Morgan," I said quietly, keeping my voice steady through sheer force of will. "I just remembered I have to pick up some supplies for class. Would you mind heading back first?"
Morgan frowned, clearly confused by my sudden change in mood.
"We could go together after we finish—"
"They're about to close soon. Plus, I might be a while choosing the right materials." I interrupted, the lie rolling off my tongue with surprising ease.
"And you mentioned you have that assignment due tomorrow, right? You should get back and finish it."
I hated lying to her, but keeping her safe from Lisa's unpredictable rage was worth it.
"Are you sure? I don't mind—"
"I'm sure." I managed a smile that felt brittle on my face. "Really, go ahead. I'll see you tomorrow."
Morgan looked uncertain but eventually nodded.
"Okay, if you're sure." She gathered her things and stood. "Text me when you get back to the dorm, okay?"
I promised I would, watching her leave with a mixture of relief and guilt.
The moment the door closed behind her, I felt Lisa's presence before I heard her. The chair across from me scraped against the floor as she sat down uninvited.
"How considerate of you to send your little friend away," Lisa said, her voice deceptively soft.
"Afraid she'll find out about your past? Or afraid of what I might do to her?"
I met her gaze steadily. "In broad daylight in a public place? What exactly do you think you can do?"
Lisa's smile didn't reach her eyes.
"That's right. You're not afraid of me anymore, are you? Four years in Silver Fang, and suddenly you think you're untouchable."
"I didn't say that." I kept my voice level. "I just don't see why I should fear you."
Her nostrils flared, anger replacing the cold calculation in her eyes.
"You killed my son, you little bitch!"
Several heads turned our way. I lowered my voice, "Your son tried to force himself on me. He killed my brother!"
"Lies!" she hissed, leaning forward. "Noah would never—"
"He would and he did," I cut her off, feeling Tracy stirring beneath my skin. "And if I had to choose again, I'd make the same."
Lisa's face contorted with rage.
She half-rose from her seat, one hand reaching across the table toward me. "You murderous little—"
I caught her wrist before she could touch me, my reflexes faster than either of us expected.
"Don't," I warned quietly. "I'm not the same terrified Omega you screamed at in court four years ago. I won't let you or anyone else touch me ever again."
Surprise flickered across her face before hardening back into hatred.
"And you can stop wasting your time coming to my workplace or following me around town," I continued, my voice low but steady.
"I'm not hiding anymore. I have nothing to be ashamed of."
Her lips curled into a snarl. "You're a murderer!"
"Noah's death isn't just on me," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper.
"It's on you, too. You raised him to believe he was entitled to take whatever he wanted. You taught him that Omegas were beneath him, just objects for his amusement. You made him the monster he became."
I leaned forward slightly.
"Your endless coddling and blind defense of his actions made him think he was untouchable—that he could even take a life and face no consequences. You made him the monster he became."
Her face paled, then flushed with fury. "How dare you—"
"The worst part is, you know I'm right," I said, releasing her wrist and standing.
"Deep down, you know exactly what kind of person your son was becoming."
I threw enough moonstone on the table to cover our bill, then turned to leave.
"This isn't over," Lisa called after me, her voice shaking with rage.
"Not by a long shot. You'll pay for what you did. 'A life for a life'—that's the way it's always been and always will be."
I didn't look back, keeping my pace steady as I walked out the door.
Only when I was several blocks away did I allow my hands to tremble, the delayed reaction of adrenaline coursing through my body.
Tracy whined anxiously in my mind. She's dangerous.
"I know," I whispered to myself. "But so am I now."
I leaned against the cool brick wall of a closed boutique, head bowed as I tried to steady my breathing.
Every time the events from four years ago resurfaced, it was like tearing open a wound that never truly healed.
No matter how much stronger I'd become, no matter how many times I'd replayed those moments in my head, the memories still had the power to send my heart racing and my hands shaking.
I stared at the sidewalk, watching my trembling shadow as I counted breaths.
One. Two. Three. Four.
A pair of polished black leather shoes stepped into my line of vision.
I froze, slowly raising my gaze.