Kael
After exchanging messages with Seraphina, I rushed to the school.
I didn’t want to waste a second-I couldn’t afford the risk.
The thought of Lucian constantly harassing Seraphina haunted me. I knew that once Lucian broke free of whatever control held him, he would go after her first.
But when I reached the classroom where Seraphina had her lecture, I realized I was already too late.
Marek was inside, his face stricken with worry.
The moment he saw me, he hurried over and said, “Kael, Seraphina was just taken by Lucian. I can’t sense where he’s gone.”
“He won’t have gone far,” I replied. “Wherever he took her, it’ll be somewhere he feels in control.”
With that, I began the search, mobilizing everyone under my command to assist.
I was certain Lucian wouldn’t harm Seraphina-not intentionally-but whether he’d harm her physically… that, I couldn’t guarantee.
Lucian’s obsession with her was sick and unrelenting. Even after their breakup, he hadn’t stopped pursuing her.
And when he transformed into the wolf, losing all sense of reason, Seraphina was still his first and only target.
It was terrifying.
Fortunately, I was familiar enough with Seraphina’s scent to track her down.
I found them at a hotel.
When I burst into the room, I saw Lucian pinning Seraphina to the bed. Her clothes were torn, her face a mask of agony, tears streaming down her cheeks.
In that instant, Shadow roared with fury inside me. “Damn it, I’m going to kill him!”
It lost control, and so did I.
I summoned Shadow, flipping the bed with a single motion and yanking Seraphina out of Lucian’s grasp.
I handed her to Marek, who had just arrived. “Take care of her!”
Marek wrapped Seraphina in a bedsheet, holding her protectively.
Good. I could now focus on Lucian.
“You can’t take her from me!” Lucian growled, summoning his wolf form.
We clashed.
The room was destroyed in an instant.
Lucian attacked me like a madman, biting and lunging with raw ferocity. I dodged and slammed into him, but it was clear-he had grown much stronger since our last encounter.
He was unhinged, and I was certain that if we continued fighting, the entire hotel would be reduced to rubble.
“Let’s take this somewhere else.” I called out to Marek, who had already taken Seraphina and left.
That left just me and Lucian.
We fought in the forest, tearing through the trees like they were paper.
Lucian slammed me to the ground, pinning me with his weight.
“How did you become so strong?” I demanded, staring up at him.
The transformation was staggering. Lucian had gone from a wolf unable to control himself to a force of sheer power. It made me question whether the potion he’d been given contained more than we knew.
“Kael, I’ve always known you weren’t just an ordinary human,” Lucian sneered, his voice dripping with malice. “A werewolf thriving in human society, with all your advantages and resources. I thought you’d be stronger.”
He struck me hard, his blows relentless.
“Kael, we need to end this quickly. I’m worried about Seraphina,” Shadow urged.
“I know. Let’s finish this!” I shouted back at Shadow.
With all my strength, I unleashed Shadow’s power, breaking free of Lucian’s hold. Shadow lunged, sinking its teeth into Lucian’s neck.
Lucian stumbled back, blood dripping as he gasped, “You’re… this strong?”
Shadow flung him against a tree with such force that Lucian’s body was hurled ten meters away.
I wasn’t interested in dragging this out. “Frederick, now!” I called.
Frederick appeared at my side instantly, bringing reinforcements.
“This is your fight now, Frederick. Don’t disappoint me,” I said, before turning to leave.
I needed to find Seraphina. She was all I could think about-her tears, her pain as she lay on that bed.
Marek had taken her to the apartment.
When I arrived, she was lying in bed, her eyes shut, seemingly unconscious.
Marek explained, “I cast a spell to put her into a deep sleep. She wasn’t in a good state.”
“Thank you,” I said softly.
Marek left, and I knelt by Seraphina’s bedside, brushing away the tears still clinging to her cheeks.
Seeing her like this tore me apart. It felt as though someone had reached into my chest and crushed my heart with their bare hands.
Her pain was my pain.
I had failed her.
The guilt overwhelmed me. I wanted to kill Lucian-not hand him over to the witches, but end him myself and send him straight to hell.
I clenched my teeth, suppressing the murderous rage building inside me.
But I knew Seraphina wouldn’t want me to do something so cruel.
Leaning down, I kissed her forehead, my fingers gently smoothing the furrow in her brow.
I wanted to calm her, but even in sleep, she was restless.
Her lips trembled as she murmured, “No… don’t touch me…”
She was trapped in a nightmare, one even Marek’s spell couldn’t banish.
Realizing this, I decided to wake her. Reality, however painful, was better than the torment of her dreams.
The moment I broke the spell, Seraphina’s eyes flew open.
She saw me and immediately threw herself into my arms.
“Kael, I’m so scared. Why… why did Lucian become like that? I’m terrified,” she cried, her voice breaking.
Her anguish made my chest ache, and I felt my own eyes sting.
“It’s over, Seraphina,” I whispered, holding her tightly. “Lucian’s been captured. I swear, he’ll never come near you again. I’m so sorry. I failed to protect you.”
Her body trembled against mine, her skin icy to the touch. I held her closer, vowing silently to never let her go through this again.
I had failed her once, but I wouldn’t fail her again.