Chapter 10
After tying ourselves as one, Luciano and I left the church and Ben returned the minster back to the town where he could sleep and forget that any of it ever happened—it was surely going to be hard night for him.
We stopped by a motel, again in the middle of nowhere. According to Luciano, it was an hour away from the castle and we were going to spend the night here before completing the rest of journey.
I was a little terrified to go back to the castle. Things were never going to be normal again there but it gave me comfort knowing that Luciano was my husband now than just my mate as he was before.
"Do you plan on telling your parents soon? Or are we keeping this as a secret marriage?" I inquired him while walking towards the motel, arms locked and bodies close.
Serena Raven Motel.
"Of course, probably when we get back there."
"And, do you think they'll be fine with it?"
"My parents—they'll be happy but I'm not sure about everyone else." He said, his voice lowering down. "But, who cares?"
I nodded my head and together, we went inside the motel to book a room. We both needed privacy more than ever—especially now that we were married. I wanted to tell Luciano about the strange encounter with Lisa but there was a voice at the back of my head that warned me not too.
The motel was cheap, it was one of those places with the smell of beer and sex lingering all around the air but I was in for it all—it was an adventure. It was open and there were a row of doors across the small structure and right in the middle, there was a reception. An old, strange lady with wrinkles all around her face raised her head and looked at me and then at Luciano.
The tiny hair on my skin rose when I looked back at her. Something didn't feel right.
I tugged on Luciano's arm and stopped him from walking any further, "Are you sure this place is safe?" I asked him, fear in my tone.
"It's safe, princess. It's a motel for humans so there are no werewolves or witches if you're concerned about that. And, if you're forgetting, I'm the king and even if something wrong happens, I can handle. Ben will be here as well in a few minutes," Luciano assured me. His voice warmed me to the core but my enhanced sniffing senses picked up something—something dangerous.
"Are you sure?" I repeated.
"Yes. Come on, it's just one night and we will be in bed all night long," The back of his fingers glided against my cheeks and I nodded my head.
We approached the old receptionist together and booked a room for ourselves, Ben and the other two people who were with Luciano. The woman kept glancing at me, she gave me a strange vibe and I looked away each time, wanting to leave from this place quicker than ever.
When we arrived at the room, I was taken back by how clean and tidy it was. The motel's didn't look good from the outside but it was the complete opposite from the inside. There were a few candles placed across the large walls, a bed with a frame, and a dressing table with a stretched mirror. It wasn't as big as the Luciano's room back in the castle but it was definitely bigger than mine in my Nana's house.
"I'm going to go freshen up. Care to join me?" Luciano asked, standing by the washroom.
I laughed, "I know what you mean by freshening up and I'm already sore so no, not right now. You should go and I'll relax for a while."
"Fine, princess, your loss not mine," he winked before disappearing inside the washroom.
A few moments later, I heard the voice of water dripping against the solid grounds. I sat in front of the dressing table and removed all the jewelry I was wearing. When I looked at my reflection, I found myself smiling and being excited.
I was married.
My thoughts were disturbed when Luciano's phone started ringing continually for five minutes straight. I stood up and grabbed the phone to check who was calling. At first, I thought it was Ben, informing that he had arrived at the motel but it wasn't.
It was Charlotte.
What the—
My breath caught in my throat and my hands began trembling. I tightly clutched onto the ringing phone and looked back at the washroom. Luciano was still showering and I had no idea who was on the phone.
Charlotte was dead.
I killed her with my own hands.
I buried her.
I watched it all.
I did it all.
My mind began making theories and I couldn't keep up with them anymore. I clearly remembered burying Charlotte with her phone. How did someone get her phone back?
When I picked up the call, I bought the phone towards my ears and waited for someone to say something.
"Hello, Luciano." It was Charlotte.
Before I could take another breath, I cut off the call and threw the phone back on the table. She couldn't be alive. I fell silent. It went deadly quiet when the shower stopped. My heart jerked and began pounding hard in the silence. When Luciano stepped out, I began shaking with the fear of unknown. Charlotte was dead but that was her voice on the phone. It couldn't happen.
"What's wrong?" Luciano asked, coming closer to me just in a towel.
I stared at him for a whole minute while I thought about Charlotte. I killed her. "N...nothing," I blurted out after a moment.
"Are you okay? You seem like you have seen a ghost," he sat beside me and placed his hand over my lap, rubbing gently. I had indeed seen a ghost.
"I'm fine,"
"Red. Look at me,"
When I looked at him, I found peace. "It's fine. It was nothing."
"Are you hiding something from me?"
"No..."
"Well, I am," A sudden gasp escaped my mouth and a cold breeze swept through us. Was he hiding that Charlotte was alive? Or something worse?
"Wh...what?"
"Get up and sit here," He pointed at the seat in front of the dressing table.
I obeyed him and went there. He came behind me with something in his hands, something I couldn't see and I hoped it wasn't a knife.
Stop. I shoved away all the negative thoughts. Luciano wouldn't do anything to harm or kill me. He loved me and he proved that through marrying me.
"Close your eyes, princess." He whispered, leaning over me.
I shut my eyes and anticipated the worst. I shifted on the chair as he touched me with his fingers, a cold object grazed over my chest and then I heard a snap. When I opened my eyes, I found a thick diamond hanging over my neck, glowing as if it was the brightest thing in the world. My fear vanished away and I was taken-back.
The pendant my mother had given me was just above it. The diamond was large, and beautifully carved.
"What is this?" I asked, looking at my reflection.
His arms settled over my shoulders and he nuzzled my neck, "It's a small gift,"
"But, why?"
"Because we are married, Red. Call it a token of my love or whatever you want to," His eyes stared into my soul and I looked back at the mirror while touching the diamond. "It's a rare diamond and it's called the Stone of Lycans. It came from the Hanson's, the first ever lycans—or werwolves. My father gave it to me and I want you to have it,"
"It's too much," I whispered. I wasn't sure whether I deserved this much especially after seeing Charlotte call him.
"Nothing that I do will be too much," he pushed aside a piece of my hair and kissed my forehead. "I'll always love you and I want you to remember that, whatever happens, I will be always there."
Mine. Mine.
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