Chapter 162
LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
The moment I answered the phone, I knew something was wrong. The woman’s voice, soft and shaky, was a far cry from the booming confidence I was used to from Luke.
“Hello?” she said, barely above a whisper.
“Who is this?” I demanded, my tone sharper than intended. Patience wasn’t my strong suit, especially now.
“This is Grace,” she replied, and I froze for a moment. Luke’s wife. That couldn’t be good. “Lucian, is everything alright? You don’t usually call p>
I ignored the small talk and got straight to the point. “Where’s Luke? I need to speak with him—it’s important p>
There was a pause, a shaky inhale, and then the sound of muffled sobs. “Luke’s…he’s in the hospital,” Grace managed, her voice breaking.
My heart stopped. “What p>
“He fainted this morning,” she continued, her words tumbling out like a confession. “He complained of a terrible headache, and then he just…collapsed p>
I turned to Elizabeth, my face a mask of disbelief. She was mid-chant over Teresa, but her sharp gaze snapped to mine, concern flickering in her ember eyes. I swallowed hard and refocused on Grace. “Grace, listen to me. Stay calm. I’m sending people to get Luke. My medical team will take over his care p>
Her sobs grew louder, but she managed a tearful, “Thank you, Lucian. Thank you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you p>
“Don’t thank me,” I said, my voice softer now. “Luke is family. Just stay where you are and give me the hospital details p>
She rattled off the information, her voice trembling, and I reassured her one last time before hanging up.
Without hesitation, I reached out through the mind link. “Adam,” I called, my voice reverberating through the mental connection.
“Alpha,” came his immediate response.
“I need you and a team to retrieve Luke from a St Louis hospital in town. Grace is with him, and she’ll direct you. Bring them both to the estate’s medical wing immediately p>
“Understood,” Adam replied, and the link severed.
When I opened my eyes, Elizabeth was staring at me with an intensity that made me uncomfortable. “What?” I asked, annoyed by her silence.
She folded her arms, her crimson hair cascading like molten fire down her shoulders. “The same spell on Teresa was cast on Luke,” she declared, her voice as steady as stone.
I blinked, her words not quite registering. “You’re saying Luke’s under a spell too p>
“Not just any spell,” she clarified, her tone heavy with foreboding. “It’s a true self-binding spell. Whoever cast it didn’t want either of them to know who they really are p>
“Who they really are?” I echoed, glancing at Adrian and Juliette for confirmation that I wasn’t losing my mind.
Elizabeth nodded solemnly. “Their true selves are hidden. What that means exactly, I don’t know yet. We’ll have to wait and see p>
The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the steady beep of Teresa’s heart monitor. I felt the familiar churn of frustration rising in my chest. Waiting wasn’t my style.
Two agonizing hours later, the sound of footsteps echoed through the estate as Adam and the enforcers arrived. I met them in the medical wing, where a tear-streaked Grace clung to Adam’s arm like a lifeline.
“Lucian!” she cried, rushing to me. “Is Luke going to be alright? Please, tell me he’ll be okay p>
I placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, guiding her to a seat in the waiting room. “Grace, he’s in the best hands now. I promise, my doctors will do everything they can p>
She nodded, sniffling, and let me lead her away as Elizabeth disappeared into Luke’s room.
The waiting was excruciating, but finally, Elizabeth emerged, her expression grim. She didn’t waste time, motioning for Adrian, Juliette, and me to follow her into Teresa’s room.
“There’s strong magic at play here,” she began, her voice carrying the weight of the revelation. “And I suspect this will change Luke and Teresa’s lives forever p>
“Change their lives how?” Juliette asked, her brows furrowing.
Elizabeth held up a hand. “Before I explain, I need to know something. Have any of Luke’s or Teresa’s old belongings been destroyed recently? Anything at all—clothes, trinkets, photographs p>
I frowned, racking my brain. “No, not that I know of. Why does that matter p>
“Think carefully,” Elizabeth pressed, her tone insistent.
I opened my mouth to argue but froze as a memory surfaced. My eyes widened. “Wait. Gregory Williams—Teresa and Luke’s father—called yesterday. He threatened to burn all of Teresa’s mother’s belongings if she didn’t help him sign a contract with my company p>
The room went dead silent.
“Are you kidding me?” Juliette hissed, her hands balling into fists. “That man is a walking garbage fire p>
Adrian, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward, his face a mask of calm fury. “Do you know anything about Teresa’s mother p>
I shook my head. “Not much. Teresa said she died when she was young. But recently, Gregory claimed she was some strange woman he found in the woods and that Teresa and Luke aren’t his biological children p>
“That man,” Juliette growled, pacing the room like a caged animal, “needs to be put in his place p>
“At first, I thought he was just spinning lies to hurt them,” I admitted, my voice low. “But now…I’m not so sure p>
Elizabeth’s eyes burned with determination. “I need to get my hands on those burned belongings. If Gregory followed through with his threat, they might hold the key to unraveling this spell p>
Before I could respond, Adrian stood, his movement graceful but deliberate. He handed his sleeping baby to Juliette, who took the child with a worried glance.
“I’ll retrieve the items,” he said, his voice smooth as silk.
Juliette grabbed his arm. “Adrian, promise me you won’t do anything drastic p>
He smiled, a flash of charm that made even me want to trust him. “I’ll try, but you know I make no promises p>
“Adrian!” she scolded, but he was already heading for the door, his calm confidence unshaken.
“Don’t wait up,” he called over his shoulder, leaving the rest of us to exchange wary glances.
“Do you think he’s going to kill Gregory Williams?” I asked, feeling a small chill run down my body.
Juliette sighed, cradling the baby closer. “Unfortunately, yes p>
And just like that, the waiting game began again.