LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
I had locked myself away in my room for more than a week—a week of silence, solitude, and the kind of deep emptiness that felt like it would stretch on forever.
I willingly put myself back in that prison I swore I’d never enter again the day my father laid dead by my feet. But here I was, my once-strong fra was reduced to a shell, haunted and worn. I could barely recognize myself in the mirror, let alone the wreckage I had done to my room. My reflection – a twisted, half-human, half-wolf form – barely looked back at with red eyes that held nothing but despair. And every day, in my dimly lit room, I curled up in bed, waiting, pleading for Ares to answer , to break this silence that gnawed at my soul. I needed him more than I ever had before, needed him to help find Teresa. But he remained absent, leaving in my misery.
Voices from the other side of my door filtered in now and then, muffled but insistent—Rylan, sotis Alex and even Juliette who I thought hated for what I did. Their worry was evident, the urgency in their voices sharpening with each passing day.
"Lucian, please," Rylan’s voice was a broken whisper, practically a plea. "Just let us in. Talk to us. You don’t have to carry this alone." But I couldn’t answer. What was the point? How could they ever understand this tornt?
I’d lost track of how many tis I picked up my phone, dialing Kenneth’s number, hoping he’d have news. Sothing. Anything. In tis like this, I wished he was a werewolf, then I’d have kept him on mind line at every second of the day. Teresa had been missing for over a month now. Her phone was dead, no credit card transactions, no sightings—nothing but a void. Kenneth would always say the sa thing, "I’m still looking, sir. I won’t stop." Each ti, I’d snap the call shut, sinking deeper, my mind replaying every mont I’d had with her, every word I’d spoken, every mistake I’d made. Regret twisted like a knife inside , tearing apart whatever sanity I had left. I was unraveling, piece by piece, and it felt as if I’d reached the point of no return.
One evening, I found myself lying on the cold, hard floor, my claws digging into my own flesh, trying to punish myself. Maybe if I hurt enough, she’d co back. Maybe if I suffered enough, it would make up for driving her away.
I was nearly asleep, delirious from exhaustion and sorrow, when I heard it—a voice, so soft I almost missed it.
"Lucian..."
I froze, barely daring to breathe. My heart hamred against my ribs. Was it real? Could it be?
"Ares?" I whispered, my voice hoarse from lack of usage. I held my breath, waiting, terrified he’d vanish like a fignt of my imagination.
"Yes, Lucian... it’s ."
Relief surged through , a tidal wave of emotion so overwhelming that I dropped to my knees, hands shaking. Tears blurred my vision as I clutched at the emptiness around , as if I could hold onto his voice, as if it might slip away again.
"Ares, I’m so sorry," I choked out, barely able to contain the torrent of guilt and sha. "I drove her away. I did this to us. I don’t deserve forgiveness."
There was a pause—a heartbeat of silence that felt like an eternity. And then, his voice, gentle yet edged with sorrow, wrapped around like a balm. "It’s my fault as well. I shouldn’t have claid her when you weren’t ready I’m sorry. I left because I couldn’t bear it either, Lucian. Losing her... it tore apart too. But I’m here now. Let’s find her together."
The weight of his words struck , settling deep inside. His own pain, the rawness of it, mirrored my own. The beast within , my other half who had been silent for so long, was suffering too. And sohow, knowing that he shared my pain made it a little easier to bear. I wasn’t alone in this after all.
I sank back, my head tilted toward the ceiling as I let out a shuddering breath. "I missed you, Ares. Every day... I felt like a part of was dying. I needed you, but I thought... I thought you’d abandoned ."
Ares’s voice softened. "I could never abandon you, Lucian. But I got lost in my own guilt. When I couldn’t reach you, it felt like I had failed... that I’d lost everything."
I closed my eyes, the last of my strength slipping away as I felt his presence, comforting, familiar, and yet fragile, like a barely healed wound. "I know that pain, Ares. I thought... I thought I’d lost you both."
We stayed there, our words spilling out, speaking every broken thought, sharing each regret, every mory that haunted us. Little by little, we began piecing together the shattered parts of ourselves. Ares listened to my fears, my guilt, and he shared his own, revealing just how deeply he’d felt Teresa’s absence. I could feel his determination growing, reigniting like a spark in the darkness.
"Lucian," he said finally, his tone steady. "We’ll trace our broken bond. I don’t care how faint it’s beco. I’ll find her. I promise you, we’ll find her."
For the first ti in what felt like forever, a fragile hope blossod within . Ares’s resolve filled the void I’d been carrying. The darkness began to lift, just a little, and a sense of wholeness crept back, a feeling I thought I’d lost forever.
Just then, that persistent knock thundered against the door once more, sharper and more demanding this ti. Rylan’s voice, rough with urgency and a hint of frustration, echoed through the silence. "Lucian! Open this door, or I swear, I’ll break it down if I have to!"
A low chuckle vibrated in my mind as Ares spoke, calm but insistent. "Go on, Lucian. Let them in."
Taking a shaky breath, I forced myself to stand, legs heavy beneath as I reached for the door. A sign of days of starvation. My fingers trembled against the lock, but as soon as the door swung open, I was t with the fierce, unhesitating forms of Rylan and Juliette. They pushed forward, enveloping in a hug so powerful and desperate that it felt like they were pressing back to life.
"Lucian..." Juliette’s voice cracked, thick with unshed tears as she clung to . Her words spilled out in a flood of worry and relief. "You... you scared us. I thought... I thought we’d lost you. Don’t ever do that again, please."
The warmth of their embrace seeped into , a balm I hadn’t realized I craved. Their loyalty, their unwavering presence—it wrapped around the shattered pieces inside , and I whispered hoarsely, "I’m sorry. I never ant to push you both away. I just... I didn’t know how to handle it all."
Juliette nodded, her grip on my arms unwavering as if afraid I might slip away. "We’re here for you, Lucian. Whatever it takes, we’ll help you find Teresa. We’ll bring her back."
Rylan’s hand landed firmly on my shoulder, his gaze intense yet softened by concern. "You don’t have to bear this alone, Lucian. We’re your family, rember? And..." he hesitated, his eyes scanning over with a combination of worry and relief, "you’re... half-shifted."
I swallowed hard, feeling the remnants of my earlier transformation attempts still lingering on my skin. I had almost forgotten about that. For the past week, I hadn’t been able to shift properly; every ti I tried, it always ca out as a half shift. It was part of the reasons I was so frustrated.
Ares’s voice stirred gently in my mind, guiding . "Try it again, Lucian. Bring yourself back."
With a deep breath, I focused inward, willing the wolf within to recede. Bit by bit, I felt the claws retract, the feral edge lting away until my human form fully returned. I looked up, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and relief washed over .
Rylan’s serious expression broke into a wide grin as he pulled into another hug, his laughter rumbling against my shoulder. "There he is! Welco back, Alpha." I smiled against him.
Rylan pulled back to look at . I guess he could feel that sothing about had changed. "Has Ares co back?" he asked, his eyes searching mine with hope in them and I smiled, the widest I had ever smiled and nodded. Rylan jumped for joy and pulled back into another bone crushing hug making chuckle.
Juliette stepped closer, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, managing a soft, hopeful smile. "Ares... was he really... gone?"
Rylan’s face grew somber, his gaze flicking briefly toward before he answered her. "For months, Lucian couldn’t reach him. But Ares is back now."
Juliette’s eyes widened, fresh tears brimming as she wrapped her arms around once more. "I had no idea... Lucian, I’m so sorry. I should never have left you alone."
I held her close, her embrace grounding , the warmth of her presence a solace I hadn’t felt in far too long. "It wasn’t your fault, Juliette. I did this. I’m the one who pushed you away. But I swear, I’ll make this right. I’ll find her. I won’t stop until she’s back."
We stood together in that quiet, bittersweet mont, their arms supporting , helping to lift the weight that had been crushing . When they finally pulled back, I felt a faint sense of lightness, a sliver of hope beginning to take root.
Rylan and Juliette both looked at , their expressions softened with understanding, a tentative smile playing on their lips.
I cleared my throat, attempting a weak smile. "All right, enough with the hugging. I think I’ve t my quota for the year."
They chuckled softly, and in that mont, I knew: I wasn’t alone in this battle. I had my friends, I had Ares by my side again, and soday, I’d have Teresa back in my arms as well.
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