Page 16 of Twinning and Sinning

My jaw widened, ready to take his arm when Seraphina's leg came into view as she kicked the gun out of his hand. Afraid I would take a bite of Seraphina, I ducted down low and watched in my peripheral as she single-handed took the gunman’s hand and pulled it behind his back, hearing a crack. Her foot pushes into his back as he falls to the cement. No one moves as the slow-motion around us speeds up, and the gunman rolls to the ground.

Everyone is silent, except for the tiny cries from the child laying on the ground and Seraphina's heavying breathing.

"Don't touch my babies," she growled out. Trey gripped her arm, and for once, I could be thankful that he touched her. The fire in her eyes glowed as bright as dragons while Trey pulled her away. Dax was still growling, snapping his jaws, making sure no one followed as we all ran down the sidewalk. Jonas cursed the situation and punched the guy to his right.

If he was a Werewolf, this would be an everyday thing, but humans can't heal fast.

"The hell was that, Seraphina?!" My thoughts are interrupted as Trey finally lets go of her arm. We were standing outside of the book shop while Seraphina rubbed her arm. "What were you thinking? You could have gotten shot! And for what? To save a dog?" I growled, but Seraphina got on her knees to pet me. Her loving caresses on my head and chest had me purring.

"They aren't dogs," she snapped. "They are my babies, and I adopted them, and I'm going to protect them. Jonas and his squad of losers weren't going to touch him. They had it coming."

"You've painted a target on your back," Trey ran his hand through his hair as he paced the sidewalk. "You've really done it; now Jonas won't let you go. He likes a challenge, and you, missy, are a challenge. Where did this all come from?" Trey stopped in front of Seraphina as she continued to hold onto us.

"Where is the quiet, innocent girl from the past three months? You got these dogs, and I have seen more of you in two days than I ever would have imagined!"

"Wolves," she corrected. "And I don't know. Caring for someone other than myself made me," she sighed, "protective of them. I just love them to pieces, and I won't let anything happen to them." Seraphina sniffed as she buried her head into my neck.

"She loves us,"Dax linked, but I rolled my eyes.

"Like pets, you idiot, not really love us. She doesn't know us."

Trey got on the ground, seeing Seraphina's eyes begin to water. "Who are you, Seraphina? And no more hiding and lying. I'm not an idiot. I've seen your damn car that has bullet holes all in it," Trey's voice raised, and I immediately stepped forward to warn him.

"I can't tell you, not now anyway," Seraphina wiped away a tear. "It would just put you in danger. Besides, I'll be moving soon," a small smile crept up her face. Trey's eyebrows furrowed.

"What, why? You can't leave. Zoey and I really like you." His voice softened.

"And that is why I will have to go because I like you both too." Standing up, she dusted herself off. "You can't know me, who I am or why I am here. Everyone in this town, their lives could be in danger, and I can't have that. Now with Jonas causing a scene, I've got no choice in the matter. I'll be gone at the end of the week."

Trey's confused face went to anger. "You can't do that; we are your friends, Seraphina; we can help you. Is it that ex-boyfriend deal? I can fuck him up if you want. Zoey and I both will!" Trey slammed his hand on the glass window while Seraphina chuckled.

"It isn't an ex-boyfriend," she trailed off. Her gears turning in her head. Would she confide in this guy? Knowing he would ask Zoey out calmed me down, but I didn't want her confiding in some guy. I wanted her to confide in Dax and me.

Seraphina let out a heavy sigh as those dangerous tears threatened to fall. She held onto this so long; she wanted to talk to someone; we couldn't blame her for that.

"Fine," she breathed. Let's tell Zoey at the same time, so I don't repeat myself. Just know I'm not staying. Once you know everything, you will understand." Trey nodded hesitantly and pulled out his phone.

Dax and I curled up next to Seraphina, sitting in a bean bag chair by the fire. Zoey arrived, and Trey was having his private conversation with her while they made some coffee concoction. It looked like it was going well as Zoey's eyes lit up, and she squealed while jumping up and down.

"Aw, isn't that cute," Seraphina cooed as she laid her head on my shoulder. I'd give anything to make Seraphina jump up and down in excitement. If she only knew about bonds and mates, I hope she would have that same reaction when she finally met us.

Us, there was an us, but just her as a human and us as her pets. I was becoming impatient, and that wasn't like me. I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her we would protect her from her father and that douche Jonas. Growling deeply, I fell Seraphina pet my chest. "Still riled up about earlier, big boy?" Seraphina whispered as she leaned against me.

"Yeah, me too. It's been a long time since I've seen a gun pulled like that. I almost had a flashback myself." Dax put his large head in Seraphina's lap while he whimpered. "It's almost like you guys understand me, huh?" She scratches the top of my head while I purr into it. Giggling, she looks up at two amused friends.

"Gather 'round children, I've got a story to tell." Seraphina sat up straight and pulled her hair back with a tie as they all sat down across from her. Crossing her legs, she put both hands on her knees.

"My father," she paused. "Is the Don of the Italian mafia." With all seriousness in her face, Dax and I stared at her in awe.

"The fuck is a mafia?"Dax questioned me while I shrugged my shoulders. Trey and Zoey's mouths went from shock to laughter as Seraphina kept her serious face.

"No, no, that isn't true," Zoey waved her hand around. "No way!"

"You have an Irish accent sometimes!" Trey countered. Seraphina blew out a breath as she rubbed her eyebrow.

"Just shut up and listen. If you don't believe me, I don't care, but I'm leaving either way after Zoey's party. Nothing else I can do about it." Her friends sat silently, feeling guilty for the outburst, and Seraphina continued with her story.

"My mother was Irish, the one person I spent the most time with. I can speak both Italian and Irish. How my parents met, I don't know their story because their relationship was always strained. Father was gone a lot and made my mom travel with him sometimes, but would always come home, telling him that I needed her. I'm the baby of the family, born 15 years after my two older siblings. My oldest brother, Antonio, will be inheriting the mafia business in a few years while my sister Amelia was married off to build alliances with another mafia." Seraphina stared into the fire while Dax continued to try and figure out what the hell a mafia was.

---