Leah's POV
"Are you sure you want to go inside, officer? It's dead fish inside and it smells awful." It's Damian's voice.
"Open the door, kid. Don't make me tear your car apart." The voice said.
"Sure, right away, officer." Damian started unlocking the door.
Just when the last bolt lock was unlocked, I heard a loud scream in the distance.
"She's here! We've found the assassin! All units! Come here right now!" A voice shouted.
All the soldiers started to run in the same direction.
Damian jumped into the driver's seat. The van shot out like a spring, running over the barricades on the road. I had to pull the door back before all the baskets of oysters fell off the van.
Darren peaked from the gap in the curtain and I could tell his pupils dilate.
"What's going on?" I frowned and asked.
"Nothing," Darren said. He quickly stood up and took out his bike from the corner of the van.
"What are you doing?" I asked. I had a really bad feeling about what he was going to do.
"Sorry, Leah," Darren said. "I really gotta go right now. You stay here and let Damian drive you to the city. I have to run some errands. I'll go back to you as soon as possible."
"No, Darren. I won't let you go until you tell me what's happening!" I blocked his way and said.
"I don't have time to explain it to you, Leah. Stay out of my way." Darren said and pushed me aside. He knocked the door of the van open and got on his bike.
Before I could say anything, he had already adorned his helmet and started the engine.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, his bike shot out of the van.
I pressed my head against the window, looking outside. Darren's bike was like a dagger, shooting into the swarm of soldiers.
I had to cover my mouth before I screamed out loud.
What is he doing?! Is he insane?! He was with me just now!
I tried to look back, but our van had already driven away. I couldn't see him anymore.
When I got back to the lake house, everyone was yelling at me.
I didn't talk to anyone and went straight upstairs, shut myself inside the bathroom.
I removed all my clothes and threw myself inside the bathtub, trying to wash off the fishy smell lingering on my body.
What's going on with Darren? Why did he abandon me just like that? What if Damian is a bad person and wants to hurt me? I totally freaked out being left alone like that in the back of a van with dead fish and oysters.
How could he be so cruel and irresponsible? I submerged myself underneath the surface of the water.
Then, I heard the bathroom door was opened and the sound of footsteps approaching.
I surfaced out of the water only to see Finn standing in front of me, holding a pile of dry clothes.
"I'm sorry, Leah. Everyone is shouting at each other downstairs. I just want to hide. So I brought you some clothes," he said.
I stared at him without saying anything.
Finn placed the clothes on the table, but he didn't walk away.
Instead, he just stood there, leaning against the table, looking at me.
"Why did you take his offer to work for him?" I held the edge of the bathtub and asked.
"I didn't want to do it. But Mr. Cleary told me that either I took his offer, or I got sent away," Finn replied in a low voice.
"Send away?! Nobody can take you away from me. Why don't you understand that, Finn?!" I felt agitated and raised my volume.
"You're still married, Leah. Why do you want me if you're still married?" Finn asked.
I was speechless. I didn't even know where to begin. I wiped my face and took a deep breath.
"Finn, you know that Lucas used to be my mate. He rejected me and he would die if he couldn't find his second chance," I said.
"By staying with you, he will be able to find his second chance?" Finn asked. There was still no expression on his face.
"I am his second chance, Finn," I replied in a low voice. "It's the Moon Goddess's will. I can't resist..."
"So what am I?" Finn asked in a cold voice.
I was speechless again.
"Am I the spare one? Your lover boy? A male prostitute that you hired to please you when you're having sex with your husband?" Finn asked. His voice was detached, but I could tell the anger was accumulating inside him.
I stood up from the bathtub and walked toward Finn.
He stepped back to keep a distance from me, but there was no room for him to move back.
He turned his head away from me, but I took his hands and wrapped them around my waist.
He didn't resist, but still wouldn't look at me.
"Finn, look at me," I whispered, pressing my body against his shirt.
He didn't move.
I lifted my hands to tilt his head toward me, and I saw the look of vulnerability in his eyes.
My heart was throbbing. I couldn't watch him being like this.
So I tiptoed and lifted my head, pressing my lips against his.
He didn't turn his head away, but there was no response from him, either.
He just stood there like a doll, letting me play with him.
I moved a bit closer toward him and stepped on his feet, so I could press myself more tightly against his chest.
"Finn, you're my love," I whispered. "My one and only love. I have to stay with Lucas because I can't watch him die. I didn't love him. There was no connection of love between me and him. What you witnessed in the car was his trick. I was influenced by drugs and he took advantage of that. He was doing it to ward you off. He was desperate. Listen to me, Finn. I love you. I love you even without the bond of mating arrangement. I love you as a human being. Not a werewolf woman. Do you understand what I mean?"
Finn lowered his head and stared into my eyes. I couldn't see anything in his eyes. He was staring through me as if I was nothing to him.
Then, he lifted his hand to touch my lips.
I thought he was about to kiss me, so I closed my eyes.
But I didn't feel his lips on mine.
Instead, I heard his cold, monotonic voice, "Leah, you fall in love too easily and that's dangerous for both of us."