THE PAST KNOWS

SERAPHINA

“No, sorry. She called in sick today. Must be a migraine from a vision or something.” I blatantly lied and wanted nothing to do with him. I already fucked up his life once. I think that was enough. If he doesn’t recognize me, let it stay that way.

Before I could take a step away from him, he suddenly grabbed my arm, physically stopping me from leaving. “I know it’s you. She wears gloves to avoid touching people.”

“Flash news, seers aren’t the only ones who can wear gloves. It goes well with my outfit. Besides, I’m a werewolf like you.” I continued denying it.

“Werewolves can be seers, too. I’ve met one before.”

Yes, because that’s me. Damn it!

I glared at him, knowing that no amount of denying would make him believe otherwise. He held me tightly, squeezing only enough so I wouldn’t go.

“Let go of me this instant, or I will alert the security,” I warned him. Ranks and status aren’t considered in this place if they are hostile, especially to employees. That’s how we are protected in this place.

His hold on me loosened, but he didn’t completely let me go.

“I’m willing to pay. I don’t care how much I need to pay.” He still insisted.

I pulled my hand away. “You can’t afford what I charge.”

Because most of the time, I don’t charge anything monetary. My charge depends on what I see in their futures. That was the only way I’d agree to see another person’s future again. It was the deal I made, hoping I could redeem myself for every mistake and sin I’ve made in the past.

I usually only take those that were truly desperate, much like this alpha… but I can’t take him. Not him.

Even if I want to help, I don’t think I could offer anything that would truly benefit him.

“You don’t even know me. How do you know I couldn’t pay? I did my research before coming here. You ask people to do certain things instead of asking for payment. I could do anything. Just hear me out.”

“I said no.”

I backed away from him and left immediately after my coworker returned. I made my way towards the staffroom. At first, I was just walking, but my steps grew faster as I went on.

My knees were trembling after being hit with reality.

Why did he have to show up now?

I had spent years rebuilding what little of myself I had left. I built a routine to distract myself from pain and sarcasm over guilt. But one look at him, and the entire illusion cracked ever so brittle. If I had stayed out there any longer, he would’ve seen me crumble. He would have realized that I was the same seer he sought last time.

He would have known I was the cursed seer who killed his mate.

I didn’t stop moving until I turned the corner and collided with what felt like a steel wall… except the wall let out a surprised mumbling. I stumbled back, disoriented. My already weakened knees folded, and I landed on my ass with a dull thud and a groan of pain.

“Careful,” the stranger I bumped into said. “You seem to be in a hurry, but be careful.”

His voice was soothing, but it was definitely not what I should be feeling right now. I was already lightheaded, but I could also feel the heat rising to my cheeks from both the fall and his words, combined with soft chuckles.

I looked up and saw him smiling while his tall frame towered over me, broad in the shoulders but not in a brutish way. He looked regal, and my guess is on vampires, even though I don’t smell the scent of human blood that almost always sticks to vampires from him.

He extended a hand to help me up, and I instinctively reached out. His hand wrapped around my bare forearm where my sleeve had pulled up from the fall, and the moment our skin touched, I realized that something wasn’t right about him.

A strange warmth enveloped my body from his touch, quickly spreading throughout my body. The heavy feeling in my chest disappeared, and so did the pain I felt from guilt, but it was replaced with another feeling I couldn’t pinpoint. Whatever it was, it made my breathing hitch, almost panting. My headache also dulled, only because my thoughts started to slow down as my vision swirled a bit.

I instinctively clung to him, wanting something I couldn’t figure out at the moment. All I know is I want to be close to him and feel that warmth even more.

My eyes lifted to meet his. His expression also changed, eyes darkening… no, glowing? I wasn’t red like a vampire’s, but a strange mix of violet laced with blood red, like they couldn’t decide what color they wanted to be.

I sense hunger, but instead of feeling terrified, I only feel more and more mesmerized by looking at it.

My lips parted in confusion. “What are you?”

He tilted his head, gaze fixed on me with fascination in his face, “You taste divine.”

His words snapped me back to reality. I pulled my arm back like I was scalded by his touch. The warmth disappeared the moment our skin broke contact, and I stumbled backward, almost falling again, but I didn’t care. Whatever trance he put me in wouldn’t do any good for me.

“You, what did you do to me?” I asked, taking another step away from him.

His grin grew wider. “I should ask you that question. What did you do to me?”

“Damn you.” I cursed and turned away from him.

He didn’t follow me, but I could feel his gaze burning the back of my head.

“We’ll see each other again,” He muttered. I could imagine him grinning as he said those words.

Still, I didn’t look back, so I bolted to the staff room and slammed the door behind me, locking it with shaking fingers. The soft thud of my back hitting the door echoed in the empty room as I slid to the floor, heart racing and hands still trembling.

What the hell just happened? I haven’t even recovered from seeing that alpha again, and then there was another incident!

I’d seen every kind of creature walk through The Velvet Fang’s doors. At least, I thought I did. I’ve met pureblood vampires, high witches, ragged demons, and alphas from different pack circles and all other creatures. I've lost count of how many monsters I've faced without hesitation, but I’ve never felt so shaken like this. Both by that alpha suddenly coming back into my life and that… man, whatever he was.

After settling here, I never really considered a backup plan in case I needed to leave again. I thought I was finally safe.

Maybe I was just too foolish to think I could outrun it. Two years of hiding have been gone in a single night.

And now the past knows exactly where to find me.