LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
The enforcer stood rigid, waiting for my next command. His announcent about the witch at the gates had thrown the room into a tense silence, but I wasn’t about to let anyone waltz into my territory unchecked. Especially not a witch.
"Search her thoroughly," I ordered, my voice sharp. "Make sure she’s not carrying anything that could harm the pack—or us. Once that’s done, bring her to my office. If she so much as blinks wrong, you know what to do."
The enforcer nodded and left swiftly, leaving in a room simring with emotion. Teresa, as usual, looked completely unfazed, lounging against the wall with her arms crossed. Her indifference irked , but I had bigger problems to deal with. Luke, on the other hand, was still vibrating with anger from Gregory’s earlier confession. Adrian sat calmly in his chair, looking like he was enjoying so private joke only he understood, his fingers lazily tapping the armrest.
Rylan, ever the loyal beta, leaned against the doorfra, his gaze locked on . "You’re handling this surprisingly well," he said, smirking.
"Rylan," I snapped, "now is not the ti."
He shrugged. "Just saying. Usually, you’d be halfway across the territory by now, looking for sothing to punch."
Before I could retort, Teresa chid in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let’s all take a mont to appreciate Lucian’s restraint. Truly, a modern miracle."
I shot her a glare. "Do you ever take anything seriously, lately?"
"Not when it involves you looking constipated over a witch," she shot back.
Rylan choked on a laugh, and even Adrian’s lips twitched in amusent.
Fifteen agonizing minutes later, the door opened again. Two enforcers stepped inside, flanking a woman whose presence imdiately filled the room. She was tall and imposing, with wild, curly brown hair adorned with small charms that tinkled softly as she moved. Her skin was a rich, warm brown, strikingly similar to Teresa’s, and her eyes burned with an intensity that made even straighten up. She wore a long, flowing cloak, its edges frayed but vibrant, and her presence practically scread trouble.
"I assu you’re the Alpha," she said, her voice sharp and commanding as her eyes locked onto mine.
I raised an eyebrow. "You assu correctly. And you are?"
She stepped forward, completely ignoring the enforcers flanking her. "I’m Helen. Now, can we skip the pleasantries? I’m here for Teresa."
Teresa raised an eyebrow, her expression still infuriatingly nonchalant. "You’re going to have to be more specific, Helen. People show up wanting all the ti. It’s exhausting, really."
Helen’s lips twitched in what could’ve been amusent, but she quickly masked it with annoyance. "I don’t have ti for your jokes, girl."
"Good," I cut in, stepping between them. "Because neither do I. Start talking. Who are you, and what do you want with her?"
Helen’s fiery gaze snapped to mine, and for a mont, I thought she might actually set on fire with her glare. "I already told you. My na is Helen. I’m Marie’s sister."
The room froze.
"What?" Luke’s voice was low and dangerous, his fists clenching at his sides.
Helen’s gaze softened slightly as it shifted to him. "Marie. Your mother. She’s my sister."
Teresa blinked, her nonchalance finally cracking. "Excuse ?"
I could practically feel the tension rising. Adrian, ever the calm one, finally spoke, his tone smooth and unhurried. "Why don’t you start from the beginning, Helen? Clearly, there’s a story here."
Helen took a deep breath, her posture stiffening. "Marie and I share the sa mother. A powerful witch. But Marie’s father was a fae, which made her... different. She was always unstable, emotionally volatile. She hated that part of herself, hated being a mix of two worlds. She wanted to be human, to blend in. She spent years working on a spell to suppress her powers, to make herself look and feel human."
Teresa crossed her arms, her skepticism clear. "And you’re just telling us this now because...?"
Helen ignored her and continued. "One day, she t a human. Him." She pointed directly at Gregory, who looked like he wanted to lt into his chair. "Marie knew instantly that he was her mate."
The air was sucked out of the room as everyone gasped, including Teresa.
"Wait," Luke interjected, his voice sharp. "What the hell is a mate?"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I’ll explain later."
Helen shot a look that could kill but kept speaking. "I begged her not to go with him, not to give up everything for a dream that would never work. But she was too in love to listen. And besides, her spell had worked. She could live as a human, and she was determined to do so."
Adrian leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing. "And what about Luke and Teresa?"
"When Marie had her children, she realized they weren’t fully human. They showed signs of their heritage—witch and fae magic. She panicked. She brought them to , begged to help her lock away their powers. She wanted them to live as humans, like she always dread."
Teresa let out a low whistle. "Wow. Thanks for the heads-up, Mom."
Helen brushed off the sarcasm with a dismissive wave, her expression hardening as her voice took on a weighty tone. "The spell wasn’t sothing one witch could manage alone. It demanded the strength of two. I was the one who helped her. Together, we sealed their powers inside a small, intricately carved box. We used strands of their hair to bind the magic—an unbreakable tether to keep their essence locked away. Marie was the one who kept the box. No one was ever supposed to destroy it."
Luke’s jaw tightened, the restrained fury in his eyes betraying the storm of emotions he was struggling to control. His voice, though steady, was laced with barely suppressed anger. "And what happened to her after that?"
For the first ti, Helen faltered. The fiery confidence that had defined her presence dimd, replaced by a shadow of uncertainty. She hesitated, her gaze drifting as if searching the corners of her mory for answers she feared to confront. "I don’t know," she admitted quietly, her voice losing its usual edge. "One day, she just... stopped coming to the village. Then, as if the earth itself had swallowed her whole, she disappeared without a trace. I searched for her everywhere, but it was like she had been erased from existence, leaving no trail behind. Just... gone."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling over us like a heavy fog. Finally, I broke the silence.
"So, why are you here now?" I asked, my tone sharp enough to cut through the unease hanging thick in the room.
Helen’s piercing gaze locked onto mine, her expression like a storm brewing. "Because last night, she appeared to in a dream," she began, her voice steady but laced with urgency. "She gave directions to this pack. Told to find Teresa and Luke. She said the spell was broken and that they’re in danger. She told I had to help them."
"Danger?" Teresa’s voice was unusually soft, but her eyes were anything but. They blazed with defiance, a warning that she was ready to face whatever ca their way. "What kind of danger?" she demanded.
Helen shook her head, frustration flickering across her face. "I don’t know," she admitted, her jaw tightening. "She didn’t give details. Just that you’re not safe."
A low growl rumbled in the back of my mind—Ares stirred restlessly, his instincts sharp and bristling at the ntion of danger. I clenched my fists to steady myself. "And where is Marie now?" I asked, my tone biting.
Helen’s expression darkened, her features hardening like steel. "I don’t know," she said again, her voice colder now.
"How convenient," I muttered, the sarcasm dripping from my words. Her glare snapped to like a whip.
"Believe what you want," she fired back, her tone as sharp as a blade. "But I’m here to help—whether you like it or not."
Teresa let out a humorless laugh, her smirk oozing sarcasm. "Well, isn’t this just the family reunion I never put on my calendar?"
Luke, who had been unusually quiet, ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "This is too much," he muttered, standing abruptly. "I need air."
That’s when Adrian moved, his calm and commanding presence finally cutting through the rising chaos. He stood tall, his gaze steady as it swept over all of us. "We’ll figure this out," he said, his voice low but filled with authority. "But first, let’s all take a breath. Tempers are high, and we’re no good to anyone if we lose our heads now."
Helen crossed her arms, the fire in her eyes daring anyone to challenge her. "Fine," she said curtly. "But don’t take too long, Alpha. Ti isn’t exactly on your side."
I glared at her, my patience fraying at the edges. "I didn’t ask for your opinion."
"And I didn’t ask for your approval," she shot back, a sly smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.
For a mont, the room was silent, our emotions crackling like a live wire. Despite myself, I couldn’t help but feel a grudging respect for her defiance.
This was going to be interesting.
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