LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
The mind link buzzed to life as I contacted my enforcer, Tobias, stationed at the gates of the estate. "Let Adrian and Elizabeth through."
There was a pause, followed by a hesitant reply. "We know Juliette, Alpha. She’s Gamma, but Adrian... He’s a vampire, and the witch..." Tobias trailed off. I could practically hear the nervous gulp in his throat.
"Tobias," I growled, low and warning. "Do you honestly think they’d harm Teresa? After everything, they’ve done for us? They were here for the wedding yesterday or have you forgotten? Open the damn gates before I co down there myself and rearrange your priorities."
A long silence, then the link clicked off. I imagined him scrambling to comply. Good.
Monts later, Adrian walked calmly into view, flanked by Juliette and Elizabeth, who cradled Eldur—their scary demon baby. That child gave Teresa and nightmares for weeks. I just hoped my Mai didn’t turn out like that or else, I’ll be dood.
The four of them stopped in front of the mansion as I stepped outside to et them. Normally, seeing Adrian, Juliette, and Elizabeth would’ve filled with a begrudging kind of joy. Adrian had been my ntor, in my blind days, teaching how to navigate life like I had the upper hand. Juliette was the sister I didn’t ask for but sohow needed, and Elizabeth? Well, she was Elizabeth. A red-haired nace with the power to turn mountains into molehills if she were in the mood.
But today wasn’t normal. Teresa wasn’t by my side.
Adrian, holding Eldur like the kid was made of glass, stepped forward, his usual calm etched into every line of his annoyingly perfect face. "Lucian." His voice carried that ageless tone, smooth as aged wine. "We ca as soon as possible. Where is she?"
I blinked. "How did you even get here so fast? Your valley to Redfield is a two-day drive. Or didn’t you guys start your journey back ho yesterday?"
He smirked, adjusting Eldur’s blanket. "I have my ways." His fangs flashed briefly, a reminder of just how unnatural he was.
I sighed. "Of course, you do. She’s at the hospital. Follow ."
Without hesitation, we moved in sync, a quiet urgency driving us. I climbed into my sleek black car alongside Rylan, Juliette, and Elizabeth. The engine’s hum was the only sound, but my mind was a storm. As the car pulled away, Adrian vanished in a blur of motion, his vampiric speed leaving only a faint shadow against the fading horizon.
The hospital lood ahead like a cold hell, its sterile air hitting the mont we stepped inside. The scent was unmistakable—antiseptic, bleach, and sothing faintly tallic. It clung to my senses, centing this mont as one I would never forget.
Teresa’s room felt suffocatingly still, broken only by the steady beeping of the heart monitor. She lay motionless on the bed, her vibrant self reduced to nothing but stillness. The sight of her made want to cry all over again.
Juliette was the first to move, rushing to Teresa’s side. She grabbed her hand, her grip trembling as tears welled in her eyes. "Teresa," she whispered, voice cracking. Her desperation was a living, breathing thing in the room.
Adrian, now standing at the foot of the bed, was the picture of barely restrained fury. His jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter. He said nothing, but the storm in his gaze was louder than any words.
Elizabeth, however, was all precision and focus. She strode to Teresa’s bedside, her crimson hair cascading over her shoulders like a battle banner. Her hands moved with practiced ease as she checked Teresa’s pulse, then pressed her palm lightly against her chest and forehead. Her expression turned unreadable as she closed her eyes, whispering incantations under her breath. The room seed to chill with every word she spoke, a tangible ripple of energy prickling my skin.
When she finally stepped back, her face was pale, her amber eyes grave. "It’s a witch bondage spell," she announced.
I blinked, the words sounding almost foreign. "A what?"
Elizabeth didn’t even flinch. "A spell designed to suppress and control its victim. Teresa was under it for so ti, but..."
"Was under? She is unconscious. Shouldn’t it be ’she’s under?’" My voice was sharper than I intended, panic creeping in.
She nodded, her tone steady but heavy. "She was under it. The spell was broken recently. Whoever did it didn’t perform the proper unbinding ritual, leaving her in this state."
The revelation was like hot oil burning my skin. My stomach churned as I tried to process her words. "You’re saying soone had her under their control and then just... yanked the spell off like ripping out a used bandage?"
Elizabeth’s lips thinned, her expression hard. "Exactly. And the incomplete unbinding has caused serious damage. I need to trace the source of the magic to understand the full extent of what’s happened to her."
I staggered back, collapsing into a nearby chair. Hopelessness clawed at , its grip suffocating. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" I muttered, running my hands through my hair.
Juliette was by my side in an instant, her arms wrapping around in a firm, grounding hug. Her voice was soft but resolute. "We’ll figure it out, Lucian. You don’t have to carry this alone."
I leaned into her, drawing in a shaky breath. Her presence was a lifeline, but the crushing weight in my chest remained. "I haven’t told Luke," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t want to break his heart without any answers."
At ntion of Luke’s na, Elizabeth’s head snapped up. Her posture straightened, urgency lighting her features. "Call him. Now."
I frowned, unsure of her sudden demand. "Why? What does Luke have to do with this?"
Her gaze didn’t waver, intense and unrelenting. "Just trust . Call him."
Every instinct scread skepticism, but Elizabeth had never been wrong about this kind of thing before. With a reluctant sigh, I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my contacts until Luke’s na appeared. My fingers hovered over the call button as the weight of the mont settled in.
As the phone rang, a sudden collective gasp filled the room. I froze, glancing around in confusion.
Juliette’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. "Lucian... you can see again?"
Their realization made smile. I opened my mouth to respond, but a voice on the other end of the line silenced .
"Hello?"
It wasn’t Luke.
A woman’s voice greeted instead, and with it, a sinking feeling settled in my chest.
This day couldn’t possibly get any worse, could it?
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