✨Her Essence✨

9: Wistful

The next day,

The smell of the fall loomed in the air as its breeze brushed my skin. With a rake in my hands, I joined Kaitana and two other maids to gather the countless fallen leaves littering the ground under the trees. It was my favorite time of the year.

The ever-familiar scent of apples and pumpkin lingered in the garden. Some things never change no matter who we become; werewolf or not. I could not help but reminisce about the days I spent in the kitchen with my mom. She made the best apple pie in the world. Believe me, her pumpkin pies were just as great. There was always a celebration in our pack for every new season; I wonder if the humans celebrate it too.

I closed my eyes as nostalgia washed over me.

I miss my mom.

"Hey, Lana, we're done here. Let's go inside." One of the two maids whose name I think is Felicia, called out to me. Felicia is a gorgeous brunette with grey eyes.

"Okay, I'm coming." I pushed the wistful thoughts to the back of my mind and followed them inside. This isn't the time to be weak. The gang is about to get what they want and I can finally be free of all this. Or so I hoped.

"Lana dear, can you come help me?" Maria's motherly voice came from the kitchen.

"Sure thing" I hopped on to meet her. "What can I help you wi-" I froze when I saw a beautiful plate of apple pie on the island.

She offered me a spoonful. "Help me taste this"

I couldn't believe my eyes. Did the universe just spy on my innermost thought and decided to mess with me? "Okay, sure." I took a bite of the pie, and my senses exploded. "Hmm, just as my mom used to make it"

"Then it's good" She smiled.

"Are you kidding? This is superb!"

She laughed and stepped out of the kitchen to get something. Just as she left, another person walked in... Peter.

As always, his mysterious and dominant aura never leaves him. A small smirk appeared on the corner of his lips when his eyes met mine. "Good afternoon, Miss Lana"

"Good afternoon, Mr. Peter"

He grinned, flashing a pair of perfect dimples and pearly-white teeth. "Just call me Peter"

"And just call me Lana."

He nodded. "Fair enough"

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from asking him any more questions, but the look in his eyes made me feel...like I could ask him anything.

"Go on, ask away.". Is he a mind reader or something?

"Okay then." I put on a deadpan face. "You're not Latino."

"Nice observation, Captain Obvious." A hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Okay okay, I didn't mean it that way. Where are you from?"

"Was in the system for as long as I can remember, so I don't know exactly where I'm from." He shrugged it off like it was nothing.

"Oh, sorry. Changing the topic. So, you're a cop?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Someone's been asking about me, I see."

I chuckled. "You wish"

"That seems to be your code word for 'yes'"

Before I got the chance to reply to him, a sudden loud bang came from the living room, followed by Sir Adriano's powerful voice: "THOSE BLOODY BASTARDS!!" Peter and I rushed out to see what was going on. As soon as Sir Adriano laid his eyes on Peter, he pointed at him. "I thought you said the shipment was in order?"

"Yes, I am sure...what happened?"

"THEN WHY DID THE GANG STEAL FROM ME LAST NIGHT?! HOW THE FUCK DID THEY KNOW?!!" I have never seen Sir Adriano this furious. The veins in his forehead and his neck popped out. He gripped Peter's collar. "THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO! HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT!?"

Peter seemed calm the entire time. He did not react or show fear. "There is only one explanation for this, Mr. Beltran"

"WHAT?!"

"We have a mole amongst us." When he said those words, he looked at me.

Does he know it was me?

"WHO THE HELL MIGHT THAT BE?!!" Sir Adriano looked around, his eyes carefully scrutinizing each of us standing there. My heart began to thump loudly, and my hands got all sweaty. I'm in trouble if he finds out! He turned to his right-hand man. "Juan, get Hulio and Gabriel and search every nook and cranny of this house!"

What? I hope they don't find my phone.

"There's no time for that, Mr. Beltran," Peter stated.

"You're right. Gather all the men, I want to look into their souls and find out who did this to me. King just made himself an even bigger enemy..."

Peter and the other men went out. Soon, Juan returned with over a dozen men. They were all tall and dressed in black suits.

Sir Adriano accessed each of the men one after the other until he came to the last man in the row. He stood there looking into the man's eyes. His voice suddenly became guttural.  "I smell fear."

The man started to fidget. "F-forgive me, Boss"

Sir Adriano brought out a pistol from his pocket and pointed it in the man's face. "After everything I did for you Marco, this is how you repay me?"... "Your entire family will feel my wrath. Your children will die by my hands."

Tears flowed down the man's cheeks. "Please, have mercy." His continuous wailing broke my heart. Why is he taking the blame for what I did?

"Dios misericordioso, Bastardo!" Sir Adriano pulled the trigger and blew the man's brain out. His body dropped to the floor like a worthless piece of clothing, and his blood flowed on the floor.

I shuddered at the sight before me. My head was in a haze. What next? Who will be next, me?

"Lana!"

"Huh?" I flinched when Peter mentioned my name.

He walked up to me with a menacing look in his eyes. Gosh, he knows! He fucking knows!!

He stopped a few feet away from me. "Clean up the mess." Was all he said before he walked away with Sir Adriano.

My hands were still shaking when I got the mop and started wiping the blood off the floor. Will this be my fate if they find out about me?

I have got to get out of here!!!