Serena

18-This isn't over

I couldn't remember the last time we laughed like this. It was bittersweet. I couldn't help but think back to when things were simpler, before all the fights and misunderstandings.

The cell door creaked open, and a stern officer walked in, breaking our moment. "You're free." He announced gruffly.

We all sobered up immediately. The laughter died down, replaced with a mix of relief and trepidation.

Eli stood in the corridor, arms crossed, looking every bit the imposing figure he was. His eyes scanned over each of us, lingering a little longer on me. I knew that look. It was the 'I'm disappointed in you' look. I'd seen it more times than I'd care to admit.

"Let's go." He said, his voice carrying a weight of authority that made us all fall into line without a word.

As we walked out of the station, I felt a strange mix of emotions. I was grateful to be getting out of there, but I dreaded the lecture that was surely coming.

Once we were outside, Eli turned to face us, arms still crossed. His expression was a stormy mix of anger and concern. Standing beside him was Jason, whose intense gaze added to the weight of the moment.

"Get in the car. Now." Eli ordered. We piled into his SUV, the tension in the air palpable.

As we drove away from the police station, Eli remained quiet, his jaw clenched tightly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. Jason sat beside him, equally silent but visibly tense.

When we finally pulled into our driveway and Eli turned off the engine, he sat there for a moment, collecting his thoughts before turning to face us.

His voice was low but sharp, cutting through the quiet tension like a knife. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Eli's voice carried a mixture of anger and disbelief. His eyes swept over each of us, demanding an answer.

"He deserved it." Cade muttered, echoing his earlier statement.

"Beating up people just because they piss you off isn't an excuse." Eli's frustration was heard in his voice.

"I bet that Serena had to do something with this. You know she causes trouble everywhere she goes." Jason's voice echoed. He was slightly right. After all they did that because of me.

"Eli, tell him to shut up." Dean intervened, grabbing my hand to comfort me. I liked this gesture more than I'd like to admit.

Eli turned to Jason, his voice calm but commanding. "Jason, blaming her isn't helping. We need to understand the full story before we react."

Jason scoffed, but his anger was palpable. "She always gets us in trouble." He muttered under his breath.

I felt a pang of hurt at Jason's words, but I held my tongue, knowing this wasn't the time to argue.

"Do you have any idea how serious this could have been?" Eli leaned forward, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his words. "He tried to hurt me." I said quietly, my voice trembling. "He... he almost succeeded."

Eli's expression softened slightly as he looked at me, a mix of concern and frustration in his eyes. "Tell us everything that happened from the beginning."

With a shaky voice I recounted the events of the night, from Peter's advances to my brothers' reaction when they found out. As I spoke, Jason's face darkened further, Eli's fists clenched in anger.

"That bastard! Where is he?" Jason's voice was filled with anger and impulsive rage, ready to take action.

"Eli, calm him down." I said, feeling a pang of fear. Jason's impulsiveness could make things worse.

Eli shot Jason a stern look, his voice firm. " Jason, we need to handle this properly."

"You should have come to us." Jason said with gritted teeth. "We could have dealt with it together."

"Violence isn't the answer." I said, my voice tight.

"What were we supposed to do? Just let him get away with it?" Chase leaned forward, his face serious.

I sighed, shaking my head. "No, but you can't just go around fighting people."

Nate huffed. "He deserved what he got. Guys like him never face real consequences."

"Let's go inside." Eli finally said, his voice weary but resolute. "We'll figure our next steps from here."

Inside the house, we gathered in the living room, the atmosphere tense but less charged than before. Eli paced back and forth, deep in thought, while Jason leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression still stormy.

"I'll call dad." Eli finally said, breaking the silence. "We need to figure out how to handle this legally."

"You will not do such thing." I said, suddenly, taking the attention on me.

I know I must sound absurd, but the truth is they're completely in the dark. My father has a track record of unfairly assigning blame to me, just as he did two years ago.

It's not about the actual facts or events, all he seems to care about is shielding his reputation from any possible tarnish. He's more concerned about appearances than with understanding the truth.

If this were to get out, it would undoubtedly create a scandal, potentially damaging his carefully cultivated public image.

"What do you mean by that? The bastard has to pay for  trying to sexually assault you." Nate said, his voice tense with frustration.

"You beat the shit out of him. What do you want more?" I asked, hoping they would just let it go.

"To face the consequences of his actions." Cade stated firmly, his eyes burning with determination.

I looked around the room, feeling cornered. "Go ahead then. Tell dad. But I will deny everything."

Before they could say anything, I turned around and strode purposefully toward my room.

As I walked away, I distinctly hear Jason let out an exasperated sigh, heavy with frustration. Despite the clear indication of his anger, I didn't bother to glance back.

Once inside, I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering tension.

I pulled out my phone and dialled a familiar number. It barely rang before he picked up.

"Hey, what's up?" He answered immediately, his voice steady and reliable.

"I need a favour." I said, my tone serious, hoping he could sense the urgency in my words.

And with that, everything was set into motion.