“No, he’s fine,” Kael said to me.
“If he’s fine, why isn’t he going to school or coming to the Eagle Club?” I frowned.
“He’s having some issues,” Kael sighed.
I could tell he wasn’t trying to hide the truth from me, so I grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes.
“That werewolf from that night… was it Lucian?”
My heart pounded in my chest, racing uncontrollably.
To be honest, I was scared. The closer I got to the truth, the more anxious I became.
Had Lucian turned into a werewolf?
And worse… was it because of me?
The thought was terrifying.
Kael stared at me in silence for a moment before finally saying, “As much as I don’t want to admit it, Seraphina, I can’t lie to you. Yes, the werewolf that night… it was Lucian.”
“He drank some kind of potion and became like this?” A chill ran down my spine, spreading through my body.
I couldn’t stop trembling. My mind went blank.
I used to hate Lucian, despise him even. All I wanted was to never have anything to do with him again.
That was all.
But now, Kael was telling me that Lucian had become a werewolf!
How horrifying.
I couldn’t imagine it-Lucian, a human, now turned into another species entirely.
The thought of that night, the werewolf attacking and harming people, filled me with an unsettling unfamiliarity toward Lucian.
And, to be honest, I was a little afraid of him.
After thinking for a moment, I said to Kael, “Can I see him?”
“Are you sure, Seraphina? I don’t think he wants you to see him like this.”
“But he’s back to looking like a normal human now, right?”
“Yes, but he’s not in good shape. He can’t control his own body, so we’ve had to sedate him and keep him asleep with medication.”
I nodded.
I understood.
“After I’m done with work, take me to see him,” I said, tilting my head to plead with Kael.
Kael looked at me for a moment before nodding. “Alright.”
As he opened the door to leave, he joked, “Though I have to say, taking you to see my rival is not something I’m thrilled about. But, Seraphina, you won’t disappoint me, will you?”
“Rival? Kael, Lucian and I broke up a long time ago. Do you really think I’m that unreliable?” I rolled my eyes.
“Even if I care about Lucian now, it’s only from a human standpoint,” I added.
“Then I can relax,” Kael said, his tone lightening.
I shook my head. It was obvious that Kael really liked me. He was like a golden retriever, always circling around me.
But his devotion made me feel slightly uneasy.
If he truly considered me his fated mate, what would happen if I ever left him? Would he be heartbroken?
After our conversation, I found myself looking forward to the end of the day.
Thankfully, the Eagle Club had been in a relaxed mood ever since our recent victory. The atmosphere was cheerful, and training wasn’t as intense as usual.
Kael didn’t have to train for long, and by five o’clock, he was ready to take me to see Lucian.
He drove me to a hospital.
Looking at the building, I couldn’t help but ask, “Is this hospital yours too?”
The hospital was well-known in town, one of the larger ones.
I hadn’t expected Kael to have connections here as well.
Kael nodded. “Yes.”
After getting out of the car, I followed Kael through the hospital halls until we reached a room at the far end.
Kael opened the door, and I immediately saw Lucian lying on the bed.
In that moment, I couldn’t even describe how I felt.
I rushed over to check on him.
Lucian’s eyes were closed tightly, as if he were in a deep sleep.
“If we don’t keep him like this, he might summon the wolf inside him and destroy the entire hospital,” Kael explained from behind me.
“I understand.”
I stared at Lucian.
It was the first time I’d ever seen him like this-so lifeless.
He lay on the bed, utterly still. His lips were pale, devoid of any color.
He looked as though he were on the brink of death.
The Lucian I remembered had always been lively and bright, his face full of radiant smiles.
Even later, when he became stubborn and difficult, he was still brimming with vitality.
But now, he lay here, lifeless.
“What should we do?” I turned to Kael and asked.
To my surprise, Kael was looking at me too, his expression tense.
It was as if he were afraid I might still choose Lucian.
“What do you mean, ‘what should we do’? Do you still like him?”
I couldn’t help but smirk and walked toward Kael. Raising my hand, I gave his chest a light pat.
Honestly, I’d wanted to smack his face to snap him out of his ridiculous thoughts, but he was too tall. Even if I tried, he’d easily dodge me.
So I settled for his chest.
“Can you stop thinking about such nonsense?” I frowned at him.
“I’ve told you so many times; I don’t want to repeat myself.” I was growing frustrated.
Kael caught my arm and pulled me into his embrace. “I didn’t mean to, Seraphina. I’m just scared. I’m scared of losing you.”
I sighed and reached out to pat his back. “I just want to know if he can become human again.”
I couldn’t wrap my head around it-my ex-boyfriend, now a werewolf. It felt like something out of a TV show.
“Maybe there’s a way, but we need to find a witch. I’ve already sent people to locate one who can help him. Until then, he’ll stay here at the hospital,” Kael explained.
I was shocked. “It’s that complicated? So, if we can’t find a witch, he’ll be a werewolf forever? And if someone else spreads that potion, won’t more people in town turn into werewolves?”
“Exactly. That’s why we’re working to stop it,” Kael said, frowning.
I turned to look at Lucian again. I still couldn’t accept it.
He had been human, and now this…
I couldn’t forget how terrifying he looked that night.
“Why? Why would he do this? He’s insane!” I exclaimed, turning to Kael. “When will he wake up? I need to ask him myself!”
Damn it. Lucian had been exceptional, admired by so many. Why would he need to become a werewolf?