In The End, She was My Beginning

Chapter 4: The Return

Luna couldn’t stop thinking about the man in the coffee shop. His warning echoed in her mind, his words lingering like a dark cloud that wouldn’t go away. "Collins is in danger," he had said. "And you’re caught in the middle of it."

She wanted to believe that it was just a stranger trying to confuse her. But there was something about his eyes, something so filled with pain and fear, that made her question everything she thought she knew about Collins.

Luna hadn’t seen him since the night in the park, and it had been tearing her apart. Every day without him felt like an eternity. She kept replaying the last moments they shared, her heart aching as she remembered the look on his face—the look of someone who was about to say goodbye forever. But why? Why had he pushed her away so suddenly? What was he hiding?

As she walked down the street the next afternoon, Luna saw a familiar figure standing by her apartment building. Her heart skipped a beat. Collins.

Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected him to show up, not after everything that had happened.

He looked different. His hair was messy, his clothes wrinkled, and his face seemed drawn and tired, like he hadn’t slept in days. But even in his exhaustion, there was something magnetic about him, something that drew her in like a magnet.

Luna stopped in her tracks, unsure of what to do. She had been so desperate to see him, but now that he was here, the questions rushed back. The fear. The uncertainty. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to face whatever it was he was hiding.

Collins spotted her standing there, frozen in place. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, he started walking toward her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Luna," he said softly, his voice almost like a whisper.

"Collins..." she breathed, her heart racing in her chest. “Why… why did you leave me like that? "Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”

He stopped in front of her, looking like he was struggling with something. "I didn’t want to hurt you," he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. But I had to. You don’t know what’s at stake. What I’m dealing with. It’s not something I can explain to you."

Luna felt her stomach drop. “What are you talking about? I’m your fated mate. You’re supposed to trust me. Why are you shutting me out?”

Collins closed his eyes for a moment, like he was trying to gather his thoughts. When he opened them again, there was a deep sadness in his gaze. "Luna, you don’t understand. The danger I’m in... it’s real. If you get involved, if you stay too close to me, it could cost you everything."

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Luna whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I’ve been going crazy wondering why you pushed me away. I thought it was something I did. Something I said. But now I see that you’re hiding something from me. What is it? What’s really going on?"

Collins shook his head, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. "I can’t tell you. Not yet. It’s not safe."

Luna took a step closer to him, her voice shaking. "You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care about the danger. I don’t care about whatever it is you’re hiding. I love you, Collins. And I need you to trust me. If we’re going to have any chance of being together, you have to stop pushing me away."

For a long moment, Collins just stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he took a deep breath and exhaled.

"You don’t know what you’re asking," he said quietly. "But I know I’ve hurt you. I’m sorry for that."

Luna looked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "So you’ll tell me? You’ll finally open up to me?"

Collins hesitated, his eyes darting around, as if searching for something—or someone. "I’ll tell you everything," he said at last. "But not right now. Not yet. There are things I need to handle first. Things that could put both of us in danger. I’m not trying to shut you out, Luna. I just... I don’t want to lose you. But if you stay in my life, if you keep pushing for the truth, you might not come out of this unscathed. Please understand that."

Luna felt her chest tighten. "What are you talking about? Who’s threatening you? What kind of danger are you really in?"

But Collins only shook his head. "I can’t explain it now. I need time. Please, just give me time. I promise I’ll tell you everything. I need to keep you safe first."

Luna felt a tear slip down her cheek, and she wiped it away quickly, frustrated. "I don’t know if I can just stand here and wait, Collins. I need to know now. I need to understand what’s going on."

Collins reached out for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers in a soft, gentle touch. "I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But trust me, Luna. I’m doing this because I love you. I need to protect you, even if it means keeping you away from me."

Luna stood there for a long time, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She wanted to trust him, she wanted to believe that he was doing this out of love, but the uncertainty, the unknown—it was eating at her.

"You don’t have to do this alone," Luna said, her voice trembling. "I can help. You’re not the only one who’s scared. But we have to do this together."

Collins’s eyes softened, and for the briefest moment, she saw a flicker of hope in them. "I wish it were that simple," he whispered. "But it’s not. Not right now."

Luna didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know how to fix this. How could she stand by and wait for the truth to come to light when her heart was breaking with every passing moment?

"I’ll wait," she said finally, her voice resolute, though the pain in her chest was unbearable. "But only because I love you too. I won’t give up on you, Collins. Not now, not ever."

Collins smiled softly, his eyes full of both gratitude and sorrow. "I promise, Luna. I’ll tell you everything. Just please, trust me a little longer."

Luna nodded, but inside, doubt and fear were gnawing at her. She didn’t know if she could keep waiting, but she loved

him too much to walk away. And so, for now, she would wait.