\[Serenity’s POV\]
“Uncle Jose,” I announce, not wanting to hear what he is saying. “There’s something that isn’t making sense to me.”
Although he had answered a lot of questions about our family’s history, it left me uneasy. Extremely uneasy.
“What is that?” Uncle Jose asks, smiling.
“If what you’ve said is true and Ellie is your great-great-grandmother, then why does she look like my mother and aunt Elise?”
From what we were told, Ellie was an ancestor of my father, not my mother, but she favored my mother and aunt. How did that make any sense?
“That,” Uncle Jose chuckles, giving me a mischievous grin. “What if I told you that her twin sister became Luna of Emerald Moon after she disappeared?”
“What?” I gasp, eyes widening. “Then doesn’t that mean that my parents... They’re…”
At my words, a burst of laughter escapes Uncle Jose’s lips, but I can’t seem to find anything funny about what is happening.
“Jose,” Uncle William hisses, anger flashing in his eyes. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Serenity just looks too cute.” He manages between gaffaws. “Don’t worry,” he continues, turning his gaze toward me. “Your parents aren’t related by blood in the slightest.”
“But you said...”
“Yes, I said,” Uncle Jose confirms, “but how could Ellie possibly have children if she was turned rogue?”
“That,” I begin, considering. “But you said...”
“Yes, I called her my great-great-grandmother.” He confirms. “But the one who continued the New Moon bloodline was never Ellie; that was just what others were taught to believe, which is why I called her that. You see, Ellie had two sisters. One was her twin Olivia, who became the Luna of Emerald Moon when Ellie and Ezekial disappeared. And the other Jane. Jane was the one who continued the New Moon bloodline, but she was an adopted daughter, the child of my great-great-great-grandfather’s friend who died in war. But since she couldn’t possibly become Luna and lead with her background, she was glamoured to look like Ellie.”
Eyes widening, I try to process what I’m being told. How could someone force another to pretend to be someone they weren’t? How cruel.
“She lived a good life,” Uncle Jose assures me. “And it is because she was willing to make that sacrifice that not only am I here, but also your grandmother and even your father.”
Nodding, I don’t speak, though my heart is hurting for Jane.
“Hey you,” Uncle Jose calls, drawing Maverick’s attention to himself. “Why don’t you do something to cheer up your mate, hm?”
As he speaks, he moves forward, grabbing me by my shoulders and gently shoving me into Maverick, who wraps his arms around me.
“Got it,” he announces so damn seriously that you would think he was receiving orders to protect me over do something else. “Does this mean that we are done here?”
“We are,” Uncle Jose confirms. “Off with you. I’d like to speak with William alone if you don’t mind.”
“No problem.”
I don’t even get a chance to respond or argue before Maverick is whisking me off, leading me upstairs where our lodgings would be. How he already knows where my room is is beyond me, but when we step inside, I take in my luggage sitting on the floor waiting for me.
“How?” I ask, turning to eye Maverick. “Were you able to know which room was mine out of so many?”
“Easy,” he smirks. “If it belongs to you, I can find it.”
For a moment, I don’t speak as I stare at him, trying to make sense of what he is saying. Did he have some secret ability that he wasn’t telling me about? I doubted it, but I guess anything could be possible when it came to these strange beings that came out of the blue.
“You’re going to get wrinkles if you keep frowning.” He points out, smoothing the skin between my brows. “We’ve had a long day. We should try to relax a bit.”
“Relax,” I repeat.
Right. Relaxing would be ideal, but I just couldn’t stop my anxiety.
“If you keep doing that, I’m going to kiss you.” Maverick warns, causing my eyes to widen in shock.
“You… what?” I gasp.
“What?” He chuckles, eyeing me. “Are you that opposed to me doing it?”
“I’m not,” I squeak, not sure what to make of this new version of Maverick. “But how can you say that so easily? Especially with both my uncles downstairs?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He sighs, grabbing my chin and tilting my head so I look up into his eyes. “Isn’t it better that we do what we want when we want? Life is too damn short and unpredictable to hold off.”
Leaning in, he gently presses his lips against mine while his hand slides down to my throat, wrapping around it, but not squeezing. Instantly, I feel something in me flare, and I can’t stop myself from reacting to what he is doing, standing on tiptoes to deepen our kiss.
Releasing me, he whirls me around and then attacks again, shoving his tongue between my lips so it can start to dance with my own while he starts to lead us to the bed. When we reach, I feel myself falling, and when I hit the mattress, I’m left staring up into Maverick’s dark, hungry eyes.
“Mav-maverick,” I gasp, my heart racing. “What are you…”
He doesn’t respond as he moves, crawling on top of me and then pressing his mouth against mine once more, introducing me to a whole new kiss. This one wasn’t sweet or gentle; it was fierce and insistent. How he knew to do such things was beyond me, but I both liked and hated it at the same time.
“How?” I pant, turning my head so that his mouth can begin to explore my jaw.
“How what?” He husks against my skin.
“How do you know how to do such things if you’ve lost your memories?”
Although I know I shouldn’t care in the slightest about what he did in the past and with whom, I can’t help but feel insecure. Maybe it was because up until this point I always considered him mine and a part of my pack and my past, but he had this whole other life that I knew nothing about.
“Serenity,” he sighs, drawing my gaze back to his. “Listen to me.”
Swallowing down the jealousy that I’m feeling, I simply nod. Why in the hell was I even thinking such things at a time like this? It had to be because Uncle Jose mentioned having a way to return his memories.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, knowing that I was ruining the mood. “I just can’t…”
“If you don’t want me to have my memories returned, then I won’t.” He says, causing shock to rush through me. “You’re uneasy because you fear that things will change between us if they’re returned, right? Then I won’t have them returned. That way you don’t have to be uneasy.”
“No!” I gasp, sitting up so fast that my forehead slams against Maverick's, and I fall back down. “Ow,” I hiss, rubbing the spot I hit.
Laughing, Maverick shakes his head and bends down, kissing the place that I hurt before grabbing my hand and pressing it against his chest.
“Do you feel this?” He asks, making sure my fingers are firmly pressed against him.
For a moment, I don’t speak as I try to make sense of what it is that he is saying until I understand that he is talking about his heart and how quickly it is beating.
“Only you,” he murmurs, kissing me again.
“What?” I whisper against his lips. “What did you...”
“Only you,” he repeats. “Can make my heart race like this. And only you,” he continues, lifting my palm to his lips and kissing it. “Can make me feel so alive. Before you, I lived in a world of darkness and pain, but you, you were the light at the end of that tunnel. If anyone should be uneasy here, it should be me. The me who you chose can’t compete with the one that the goddess destined for you.”
At his words, I feel my heart squeeze painfully. Here I was being a selfish brat and only thinking about my feelings while he was thinking such things.
“Even if I find my mate,” I say, my voice firm. “Even if he comes, I will always choose you.”
“You don’t know that.” Maverick counters, giving me a sad smile. “But that doesn’t mean that I won’t do everything in my power to keep you beside me, so be prepared, because I’m stubborn and won’t give you up so easily.”