Chapter 6: Familiar Strangers

SARA’S POV

Sara felt like the air had left the room as he walked in.  For a second she could not breathe. Killian Blackwood stood in front of her like some ghost from her worst nightmare.

He looked older now, broader, taller and more dangerous.

His jaw was sharper than she remembered and his shoulders looked wider beneath his black shirt. His dark hair was shorter now, neatly trimmed, and his blue eyes were colder than before.

He looked every bit like an Alpha. Like the powerful man he had grown into. But no matter how handsome he looked, Sara only saw the devil.

The man who had broken her, the man who had thrown money in her face and the man who had told her to kill her babies. Her fingers curled into fists.

"Well?" Killian asked again, his deep voice pulling her from her thoughts. "What exactly does Ms. Miller have against the Crescent Moon Pack?"

Sara stared at him. Her heart was pounding so loudly she thought he would hear it. But then something hit her. He did not know her. He did not recognise her.

Not even a little. Her chest tightened. Of course he didn't. Why would he? She had changed everything. Her face, her name and her entire life.

To him Sara Miller had died six years ago. Her lips slowly curled into a cold smile. Nothing hurt more than realizing the man who ruined your life could not even remember your face.

Her heart hardened. "Why would I have anything against your pack?" she asked calmly.

Killian stared at her for a moment before stepping closer. And then closer and then even closer.

Sara froze.

Her wolf, the wolf that had been silent for six whole years, suddenly stirred inside her. It woke up violently. Like it had been sleeping this entire time and had only now remembered it was alive.

Mate. The voice whispered inside her head. Sara nearly staggered. No. Not now. Not after everything. Her wolf pushed harder.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

"Shut up," Sara snapped in her mind. Her wolf whined. It had abandoned her for years, it had stayed silent when she needed comfort.

But now it wanted to wake up because Killian was near? No. She had survived without it. She had survived without him. And she would continue surviving until she got her revenge.

Killian frowned slightly, staring at her. "You seem uncomfortable," he said.

"I am fine," Sara replied sharply.

His eyes narrowed. "Then answer my question. Why are you refusing to help my pack?"

Sara crossed her arms. "Why should I help your pack?"

Killian looked taken aback. He stepped closer again until there was barely space between them. Sara hated how her body reacted, she hated how her heart raced and definitely hated how her wolf purred.

"My people are dying," Killian said quietly. "The rogues are getting bolder every day. They keep breaching our borders. My warriors are dying trying to stop them."

He looked at her with those stupid beautiful eyes.

"And from what I hear, Ms. Miller is a woman with a kind heart."

Sara almost laughed in his face. Kind? Kind? The word made rage explode inside her chest. Kindness had gotten her nowhere in life.

Kindness had made her weak. Kindness had made her easy to destroy. She let out a bitter laugh. "Kind?" she repeated.

Her heels clicked loudly as she walked around her office. She gestured at everything around them.

"The cars outside are mine."

She pointed toward the large glass window. "This building is mine."

She walked toward her desk. "This company is mine."

Then she turned to him, her eyes cold. "Do I look like I got all of this by being kind, Alpha Blackwood?"

Killian's jaw tightened. Sara stepped closer. "Do I look like I built this empire through kindness and sweet words?"

Killian said nothing. Her voice became sharper. "And why exactly should I care if your people are dying? What business is that of mine?"

His face darkened immediately. His Alpha aura rolled off him. The room became tense. "You speak boldly for someone who does not understand the seriousness of this matter," Killian growled.

Sara smirked. "And you sound weak for an Alpha who cannot protect his own people."

That sentence hit him hard in the chest. Sara saw it immediately and smirked. That was what she wanted. His eyes flashed dangerously.

In one second he was in front of her. He was so close she could feel his breath, so close her body remembered him. Sara's breath hitched. Killian stared at her intensely.

His eyes moved slowly over her face. His expression changed. From confusion to desire and then recognition.

Sara couldn't place the feeling. It was like some part of him felt her, like his wolf knew. But his mind did not. His breathing deepened.

For one moment neither of them moved. Then Killian stepped back suddenly. He lowered his gaze. And when he looked up again, his face had changed.

The anger was gone. Now he looked tired. Broken even. His voice softened. "I lost someone to the rogues once."

Sara froze. Killian swallowed. "My mate." Her heart stopped. "My mate died six years ago during a rogue attack," he said quietly. "And I could not save her."

Sara stared at him. Shock filled her chest at his words. He continued. "So when I say I do not want more people to die, I mean it."

For one second, one tiny second, Sara almost believed him. Almost. But then her anger returned. No. He was lying.

He was trying to manipulate her. Using sympathy to get what he wanted. Just like he always had. If he cared so much then why had he sent her away?

Why had he thrown her money and told her to kill their babies? Why had he abandoned her to die?

Her face became cold again. She pointed toward the door.

"Leave." Killian blinked.

"What?"

"I said leave."

His jaw tightened.  "You are seriously refusing me?"

Sara walked toward him slowly. "No," she said. "I am giving you a chance."

His brows furrowed. "You have five days." He stared at her. "Five days to come back here with a reason good enough to make me care."

"And if I don't?" he asked.

Sara smiled coldly. "Then your people can keep dying."

Killian stared at her for a long moment. His jaw clenched. Then finally he nodded once. "Fine."

He turned and walked toward the door.

But just before leaving, he stopped. Without turning around he said, "There is something about you."

Sara's stomach dropped. Killian slowly looked over his shoulder. His blue eyes locked onto hers.

"Something about you feels familiar."

Sara's breath caught. He stared at her for what felt like a long time, not speaking, just assessing her. Then he left.

The second the door shut behind him, Sara collapsed into her chair. Her entire body trembled.

Her wolf stirred again.

Mate.

Sara clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. "No," she whispered. "He is not my mate anymore."

But deep inside, for the first time in six years, she was no longer sure if she believed that.