Chapter 49: Selling Her Story

-Serena-

Home once again …

Could I even call it home?

I wasn’t so sure anymore. It still looked the same, but I had changed so much, that it was hard to believe it was only a few weeks since I was here. I was now on the werewolves’ side … it was so weird to even think, and it was even weirder to think I was the alpha of all alphas’ mate. If anyone had told me this would be my life just a little over a month ago, I would have punched them in the face and told them never to say something so ridiculous again, but here we were. Here I was … ready to end the war once and for all. It was strange to think I was fighting against the hunters now, but I would do my best to save as many as I could. They really were just misled and misguided. It was time they saw the truth.

“Ready?”

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Rogan behind me. I smiled at him, and he pulled me closer. I kissed him, letting my lips linger a little longer than I should have. When I pulled back, I saw him smile.

“It will be fine. They will let you in.”

I nodded.

It was my plan after all. I was the one who suggested I went in first and then let the others in. I was the one who could walk right through … hopefully. The rest would hide here in the forest until I could get them inside. Rogan had made it clear to everyone that killing the hunters could only happen if necessary. They were supposed to capture them, so we could help them.

“I know,” I said. “But I’m not quite ready.”

He looked at me confused, and I took a step back.

“Rip my clothes.”

He looked even more confused.

“What?”

“It can’t look like I’m perfectly fine,” I said. “It needs to look like I fought my way out.”

Rogan seemed unsure, and when he didn’t move, I grabbed my own knife I had strapped to my thigh. I would have to hand over all my weapons before I walked in though. It would be suspicious if I came fully armed. I started cutting my clothes a little, making them look like they had been ripped, and then I squatted down and smeared mud all over me. Both my clothes and the skin that wasn’t covered got quite dirty. When I stood up again, Rogan shook his head a little, but he knew I needed to do this. I had to sell my story or I wouldn’t be able to get the others inside.

“There,” I said.

“This is crazy.”

“Necessary,” I corrected and smiled at him.

Yet I saw him slowly shift his weight around.

“Or maybe you don’t really want me to go in there? Don’t you trust me?” I asked.

“I trust you,” he said. “It’s them I don’t trust.”

He nodded towards the base, and I looked over my shoulder, seeing all the bright lights lightening up the front of it and where all the cars were parked. I turned back to Rogan and stepped closer to him. I took his hand and smiled a little at him, knowing my smile had a calming effect on him.

“It’s going to be fine. Just like you said,” I said.

He sighed and nodded, and my heart started to beat faster, knowing he worried so much about me. It just meant he cared a lot.

“Now,” I said and let go of his hand. “Hit me.”

Rogan stared at me shocked.

“What?!”

“I couldn’t have gotten away from you without a scratch. Now hit me.”

Rogan shook his head.

“No, no fucking way,” he said. “I’m never hurting you again. You’re my mate!”

“Rogan, I need to sell the story. Put some power behind it. I need to be bruised well.”

“No!”

“Rogan!”

“Let me,” Hannah said.

She stepped forward, but Rogan grabbed her arm.

“You’re not hurting her,” Rogan growled lowly.

“She is right. She needs to sell the story.”

“It’s fine, Rogan. It’s okay,” I said.

He didn’t seem happy about it, and I got that, but I couldn’t walk in there without even a scratch. I needed to be able to show them that I had been able to get away, and no one would believe me if I had gotten away from the alpha of all alphas without even a small bruise.

Rogan slowly let go of Hannah, and she stepped closer, placing herself in front of me, almost smiling a little, as she got ready to punch me.

“You know I have wanted to do this for a while,” she said.

“Wonderful.”

She didn’t warn me, she just pulled her arm back and slammed her fist right against my face. She put a lot of strength behind it, and it almost felt like my jaw might have been dislocated, but luckily it stayed in place. Rogan had to reach out and stabilize me though, or I would have hit the ground.

“Okay, enough!” he said.

“No, once more,” I told her. “Other side.”

She just happily complied and did as I told her, hitting me again, and then once in the stomach, making me bend over and cough like crazy.

“I said enough!” Rogan growled.

I tried telling him it was fine, but I could barely speak. I just did a thumbs up and signaled it was perfect. I could already feel my face pounding and starting to swell. It would be all nice and bruised in just a moment.

“I’m … okay,” I finally got out.

“No, you’re not,” he said and continued to support me.

“It’s good. I can feel it starting to swell.”

Rogan took a look at me, just making sure no serious damage had been done, while Hannah stood further away smiling happily almost.

“I made sure not to go easy on you,” she said.

“It’s perfect,” I told her, and she looked almost surprised that I wasn’t madder.

“I don’t like this,” Rogan said.

I grabbed his hands and looked him in the eyes, trying to show him this was the way it had to be.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“I shouldn’t have let her do this to you,” he said.

“I wanted her to.”

“Serena …”

“I need to go now,” I said and started to strip myself of my weapons, handing them to Rogan. “We are ending this war.”

He seemed a bit hesitant, like he wasn’t sure he could let me go, but when I had handed him all the weapons, I kissed him again, silencing him, before I started to walk towards the base, going down this small hill. I walked towards the big and high fence that surrounded the whole base and knew the camera would quickly recognize me, as I stood in front of the gate.

It took a little time, but then the gate finally opened. I started to walk towards the door that led inside, holding my stomach, since I was still a little sore. I put on the best show I could and got myself mentally prepared for the story I would soon have to sell, but even before I had reached the door, it opened, and out came a handful of hunters, the High General in the front.

“Serena?” she asked.

I smiled at her, but then had an idea. Just before I could reach them, I made myself trip and made it look like I was too weak to get up again. She quickly ordered someone to go help me, and I noticed the one helping me up again was Elisa. She was part of the group I had been assigned. She smiled at me and looked almost happy to see I was still alive.

“Let us take her inside and get checked,” the High General said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Our eyes met and I nodded to her, showing her that I agreed, as Elisa helped me inside, yet even though I was acting all sweet and compliant, I was boiling inside just from seeing her. I already knew she had been part of killing my parents, but I still wanted to know why. I needed answers, and I would get them in one way or another.