YOU ARE WHAT I NEED [COMPLETED]

29

The atmosphere in the living room was thick with tension as Claire sat down beside Selene, her mother pacing back and forth. The playful banter from earlier was long gone, and an unsettling feeling had settled deep in Claire's stomach. Something was off. The way her mom looked at her, her serious tone—it all felt too ominous.

"Mom, what's going on? Why are you acting like this?" Claire asked, her voice tinged with frustration and worry.

Her mother stopped pacing, her gaze sharp as she looked at her daughter and Selene. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "It's time I told you the truth, Claire. About Mark."

The name sent an immediate wave of dread through Claire. She had done everything she could to push thoughts of Mark out of her mind since he left, but hearing his name pulled all those painful memories to the surface. She felt Selene's hand subtly touch hers, grounding her, but her focus was entirely on her mother.

"What about him?" Claire asked, her voice stiff with nerves.

Her mother hesitated for a moment, clearly gathering her thoughts. When she finally spoke, her voice was low, almost a whisper. "I killed him."

The words slammed into Claire like a physical blow. Her entire body tensed, and for a moment, the room spun. She blinked rapidly, trying to process what she had just heard.

"You... what?" Claire whispered, her voice barely audible. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I killed him," her mom repeated, firmer this time. "And I threatened his father too. He's been after me ever since. That's why you're not safe here anymore."

Claire's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Her mind raced, replaying everything she had just heard. Mark. Her ex. The one who had hurt her, controlled her, made her feel so small. He was dead? And her mom was the one who killed him?

Selene, beside her, was eerily calm. Claire turned to her, noticing a flicker of something in her eyes—satisfaction. But that emotion quickly faded when Claire started to hyperventilate.

Her mother sat down across from her, her face serious. "I didn't want to keep it from you, but I had to wait until it was safe. Or at least, until I thought it was. Now I know Mark's father is seeking revenge. He knows it was me. I have a plan to keep you safe, but you'll have to leave."

The world started to close in on Claire. "Leave? What do you mean I have to leave?" she demanded, her voice rising. The anger bubbling inside her was palpable. She stood, stepping away from Selene and her mother. "I never asked you to do that! I never wanted you to handle Mark like that!"

Her mother rose to her feet as well, her voice growing sharper. "You wouldn't understand, Claire! You don't have a child of your own, so you don't know what it's like! I saw those pictures of what Mark did to you, and I couldn't stand by any longer."

"You went too far!" Claire yelled back, her body trembling with fury. "I never asked for this! I wanted to deal with it on my own. Now I have his father coming after me because of you!"

"Do you think I care what he wants? He deserved to die after what he did to you!" Her mom's voice cracked as she shouted, tears brimming in her eyes.

Selene, who had been quiet the entire time, suddenly stood between them. "Both of you, shut up!"

The room fell silent, her commanding tone cutting through the heated argument like a blade. Claire's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at Selene, surprised by her sudden outburst.

Selene turned to Claire, her eyes softening. "Claire... Mark needed to be dealt with. He was dangerous, and he wasn't going to stop until he destroyed you. Your mom did what she thought was right." Her gaze then shifted to Claire's mother. "But she also made things a lot more complicated. Now, there's someone out there who wants to hurt Claire, and she's not ready for that."

Claire's mom sighed, nodding in reluctant agreement. "That's why I need you to go away, Claire. Just for a while. Stay with your aunt. She lives on our ancestral land, where no one will find you. It'll be safe until this whole thing blows over."

"Safe? You expect me to just leave everything behind?" Claire scoffed, shaking her head. "I just got my life back! I'm not running away from this."

"Claire, listen to her," Selene said softly, stepping closer. Her hands gently cupped Claire's face, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Please, just listen. This isn't about running away. It's about staying alive. Your mom is right. If Mark's father is coming for you, then you need to be somewhere he can't reach you."

Claire felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, her anger and frustration swirling into helplessness. She wanted to fight back, to argue that she could handle this, but Selene's calm presence made it impossible to ignore the truth.

Claire's heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She didn't want to admit it, but the idea of leaving Selene behind scared her more than anything. "I can't leave you," she whispered again, barely holding back tears.

Before Selene could respond, Claire's mom stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "You don't have to, Claire. I pulled some strings. Selene can stay with you on the family land. You'll both be safe."

Claire blinked in surprise, her tear-filled eyes shifting from her mom to Selene. "You... you did that?"

Her mom nodded. "Yes. I know how much she means to you, and I know how important it is for you to feel safe. You'll both be together, away from all this danger."

A wave of relief washed over Claire, her tears now falling freely, but not out of fear or sadness—out of gratitude. The thought of being separated from Selene had terrified her, but knowing they could stay together eased the weight on her chest.

Selene gave her a small, reassuring smile, her hand squeezing Claire's gently.

She turned to her mother, who was watching them with a mixture of sadness and relief. "Fine. I'll go," Claire said quietly, her voice defeated.

Her mom stepped forward, relief washing over her face. "Thank you, sweetheart. I just want you to be safe."

Claire nodded, but her gaze stayed on Selene, who gave her a small, reassuring smile. It wasn't ideal, but if it meant staying alive—and staying with Selene—then maybe leaving for a little while wasn't the worst thing.

But deep down, Claire knew this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.