Sorry for the delay in the chapter. It's been stressful these past few weeks and the storm knocked off our internet, so I wasn't able to get into the OneDrive and upload the chapter. Things should be getting back to normal, so I hope you enjoy this chapter!
*Victor’s POV*
I looked at Celina from the corner of my eye, watching her expression change into surprise. She remained quite after Lilith mentioned Eris. That was William’s mate no? So why does it look like Lina saw a ghost? I turned my attention to the road, speeding as fast as I could towards our pack borders. The growling had stopped as we managed to lose the lycans, but this is bad. There were way too many lycans already.
Was William hunting down all those with lycan genes? Lilith mentioned he was forcing the turn. At this rate, the hunters will definitely get involved, if they haven’t already. We were approaching the pack borders when I heard Celina ask who Eris was. Lilith looked at her and I quickly looked at Celina’s expression before turning back to the road. Why did she looked so surprised? Lilith didn’t say anything yet.
“I’m sure you’ve figured it out” Lilith finally spoke. Celina turned on her seat, her face looking a little pale. ‘Meet us at the hospital with clothes for four people’ I ordered one of the staff as we zoomed our way towards the hospital. As the car screeched to a stop, a nurse ran down the steps, handing us the clothes. I put on a pair of basketball shorts, handing the shirts to Amelia and Celina. Celina quickly pulled her shirt on as I opened the back door.
Lilith stepped out, the nurses and doctors rushing towards the car as I helped them place Tommy on the gurney. “Mel go with them” I told my sister, who nodded, tears and blood staining her face as she followed them back inside. Celina looked at the two, her body shaking. I quickly made my way towards her, pulling her close to my chest as I enveloped her in a tight hug.
“He’ll be okay” I whispered, kissing the top of her head as she clung to me, sobs being muffled by my chest. “It’s all my fault” she whispered in between sobs. I shook my head, holding her tighter as my gaze went to Lilith, who looked at Celina apologetically. “It’s not your fault child. He must’ve had them scouring the city, maybe even the state for us. Since Tommy was changed, and he was able to conceal his identity, William was unable to link him and force him to submit” Lilith tried to explain.
“Victor!” I heard the shout of my father as he ran towards us, my mother and Celina’s parents in tow. “What the hell happened?” he growled angrily. His gaze then turned to Lilith, narrowing his eyes. “And who is she?” he questioned alert. Lilith rolled her eyes at my father, which didn’t set too well with him.
“Lilith” She responded, her eyes glinting in amusement. My father turned his attention back to me and Celina, waiting for us to explain further. “Lilith is a witch father. She’s Lilith from the Black Rose Coven” My father stared back at her before scoffing. “Impossible…they were eradicated centuries ago” he said skeptically. Lilith shrugged her shoulders, seeming to not care whether he believed her or not.
“Father…trust me…it’s her” I told him. Celina remained quiet, eyeing Lilith and her parents. My arm tightened around her shoulders protectively. “We shouldn’t be wasting anymore time children.” Lilith spoke up. “He’s coming by the next full moon, which is when lycans will be the strongest, as well as the most feral” Lilith continued. “Who is coming?” questioned my father. “William”
Celina’s parents gasped, their faces paling in horror. “But…how? He was destroyed!” her mother spoke up alarmed. “We should go into the office father. We can explain everything there.” I suggested. My father nodded at me as he turned and left, the rest of us following close behind him. “He’ll make it” I whispered to Celina, who snapped out of her trance to look at me. My chest constricted as I saw how broken she after that battle. Still, I had to admit her wolf was beautiful, and I wondered how she was able to shift into her full wolf form and not her lycan self.
There’s too many mysteries surrounding her unique case, and I hope Lilith can give us further answers as to what happened to Celina, and how we can help her control both sides.
*Celina's POV*
I couldn’t believe my luck at this point. First the rejection backfires royally, then I’m apparently getting harassed by a lycan that was supposed to be dead, only to find out he’s not. On top of that, I have his mate’s lycan wolf within me in addition to my own wolf, which I still can’t explain how the hell that’s possible.
Once we entered the Alpha’s office, Victor and I took a seat on the corner sofa, my parents sat on the opposing side, and Lilith sat in front of the Alpha’s desk, while Victor’s father sat behind his desk. “So…how do we know you’re the last of the Black Rose coven?” questioned the Alpha. Lilith smiled amused, raising her arm to show a weird symbol on her arm. “All those born into the coven are born with this insignia.” She lowered her sleeve from her arm as she leaned into the chair.
“But we’re wasting time here” she continued. The Alpha kept his gaze on her, his hands intertwined underneath his chin. “So what exactly is the threat?” he questioned. “William never died during the great war. His mate sacrificed herself to destroy him, but apparently he was either too strong, or she was too weak to kill him. She used silver laced with wolfsbane to end him, and the Coven reinforced her blade to make sure once it reached his bloodstream his lycan genes wouldn’t reject the silver, so it could kill him. Lycans can resist silver, so it was a one shot deal.” Lilith turned her attention towards me for a moment, smiling slightly before turning back to the Alpha.
“The lycan has been reborn into the body of Celina. While it is a good thing, it also acts as a homing beacon to William, and if he hasn’t discovered it yet, he will discover her whereabouts, along with the whereabouts of all humans with the lycan genes.” She sighed, shaking her head slightly.
“Our coven had managed to create an enchanted tattoo, which allows the lycans to suppress their lycan side, as well as their scents. It also prevents William from forcibly linking directly to the lycans in order to force their submission”
“That’s what Tommy had didn’t he?” I asked curiously. She nodded, crossing her legs at that instant. “William must’ve figured it out when I helped Tommy’s parents break him out of Williams’ grasps. However, his parents were taken in his stead, and forced to become lycans. William is also using rogues to forcibly mark humans with lycan genes, attempting to activate the genes faster so he can create his lycan army once again” The Alpha frowned at this.
“This is bad…if humans are getting targeted, it’ll only be a matter of time before the hunters intervene” he spoked. Lilith’s gaze saddened suddenly as she slowly nodded. “It has already begun. The hunters decided on mass g******e of all those with lycan genes to prevent William from creating his army. This will only escalate further and we will be on a brink of another great War at this rate”
Oh no…if what she said is true, then they will be looking for my parents…and kill them! “How can we stop the hunters and William?” I asked, standing up in the process. “William has found you, and will be coming here on the next full Moon, which happens to be Halloween.” She said amused. “Next week” Victor interjected. She nodded.
“We have one week to prepare for his attack. He chose the next full moon because the lycan’s innate powers will be amplified. This is also why many end up with the lycan mania…becoming feral beasts who destroy everything and anything in their path” Victor and I looked at each other worried.
“Would I be succumbing to the lycan mania?” I asked her. Lilith smiled widely, standing up as she grabbed my hands. “Not while I’m here. I will make sure you don’t succumb to is, and that you will be more united with both your wolf and lycan. Be prepared to train extensively this week” I nodded in determination at her. I will train to work with both counterparts, and I’ll be damned if I let William come here and destroy this pack or my family.