Seraphina's Revenge: A Rebirth In The Apocalypse Novel-Chapter 64: Strength in Numbers

"We’re almost at the dorms," Lachlan murmured as the Hummer’s tires crunching over patches of frozen slush and gravel. "Another ten minutes, give or take, depending on traffic."

Sera nodded from the passenger seat, her arms folded loosely, gaze fixed on the horizon. The snow had started again—light, lazy flakes drifting in and out of the sunlight like it couldn’t make up its mind.

"I want to make one more stop," Noah piped up from the back seat. "Right there."

Lachlan didn’t bother looking. "No."

"Come on," Noah pressed, leaning forward to tap on the window. "It’s a grocery store. Not even raided yet. Look! The windows are intact. According to Sera, we’re running low on food, and if the rest of our team is showing up soon, we need more than just jerky and military rations."

Sera exhaled through her nose. She could feel Lachlan tensing beside her.

"Noah’s got a point," she said at last, quiet. "Better to stock up now before things get worse."

Lachlan didn’t respond. Just pulled into the lot, circling once before rolling to a stop near the front.

The building looked normal from the outside. Noah was right. There were no broken windows, no bloody prints, no signs of a breach. And that was the part that set Sera on edge.

"Keep the engine running," she said, already slipping her blade into her hoodie pocket.

Noah hopped out like he hadn’t just been nearly mauled just the day before. "I’ll check the aisles near the back," he offered. "The fresh stuff is probably gone, but shelf-stable things might still be intact. Not to mention, a store of this size should have their own storeroom in the back."

Lachlan followed silently, walking two steps behind Sera, his eyes never leaving the shadows.

The moment they stepped through the doors, the tension shifted.

Voices.

Shouting.

And definitely not theirs.

Sera froze just inside the entryway. A group of six—maybe seven—people were already inside. Most of them carried backpacks. Two had pistols. One had a pipe.

And they were already arguing with each other.

"I said we take everything and move before the next wave comes."

"There’s too much to carry!"

"Then we leave the weak behind—"

"Hey!" Noah called out, stepping forward.

Lachlan stiffened, his hand going to his waistband where he still had his handgun.

Sera grabbed his sleeve before he could draw.

"We’re not here to fight," Noah added, holding up both hands. "We just need a few things. You take what you want—we’ll grab what’s left and be gone in ten."

The group turned.

The guy with the pipe stepped forward, sizing them up. His shirt was stained and ripped, one eye swollen nearly shut. "You think we’re gonna let you skim off our haul?"

Sera tilted her head. "We don’t take without paying."

"You willin’ to pay in blood?" the man asked.

Lachlan stepped forward once—just once—but it changed the whole atmosphere. That eerie, dominant calm rolled off him in waves. He didn’t speak. He didn’t have to.

Sera saw it hit them. The alpha aura. Even when he wasn’t fully transformed, the creature under his skin pushed against the world like it was hunting something.

The man with the pipe took a step back.

But not before Noah opened his mouth.

"Maybe you don’t have to be assholes about it," he said. "Look—there’s not enough people left to survive alone. You come with us, we’ve got a secure cabin. Protected. We’ve got food, weapons, hell, even hot water. You help us carry supplies, and maybe we all make it through winter."

Sera’s stomach dropped.

Lachlan turned on him so fast it was almost animal. "You don’t bring strangers into a stronghold," he said, voice low and deadly. "Ever."

The other group didn’t answer. They were already backing off, taking their bags and retreating to the back exit without another word.

"Fucking idiot," Lachlan muttered.

Sera didn’t say anything. Just started loading cans and boxes into her bag, fast and efficient. No one spoke for the next ten minutes—not even Noah.

By the time they got back to the Hummer, the creature inside of her was absolutely raging at the fact that Noah had invited other people, strangers who were a threat, back into her territory. She wanted to explode, to take his head and rip it off while she fed on his heart or kidney.

His liver was probably shit.

But it was not okay what he did. Especially since they were already so hostile.

Lachlan tossed his pack into the trunk, then slid into the driver’s seat without a word. Once the doors shut, the silence returned.

Noah tried to say something, but Sera held up a hand. "Not now," she hissed before clearing her throat and made sure that her teeth were in the right order.

Lachlan pulled the satellite phone from the glove box. The buttons were worn, edges chipped. He pressed three numbers and held it to his ear.

"Alexei," he said after a moment. "What’s your ETA to the university dorms?" There was a pause of silence before he nodded. "We’ll see you then."

Sera watched the muscles in his jaw flex. Whatever the response was, it wasn’t resistance.

"They are about 20 minutes out," he announced putting away the phone. "We’ll be able to meet then. Said they’ll hit up one of the dorms and secure the upper floors until we get there."

Sera nodded, pulling her seatbelt across her lap. Nothing today went the way she was expecting it to. And she blamed Noah 100% for that.

"Even if we find survivors in the dorms, we’re not bringing anyone else with us," Lachlan said, quietly but clearly. "No matter what happens." He looked into the rearview mirror and stared directly at Noah. "Do you understand?"

Sera didn’t argue as Noah crisply nodded his head.

She looked out the window, her reflection faint in the glass—hood up, eyes too dark for daylight.

The city skyline was starting to peek through the trees ahead.

And something about it made her creature stir.

Not in hunger.

In anticipation.

"Let’s go," she said. "Before something else happens and Noah decides that he needs to be the savior of all mankind."