Chapter 137
Auren POV
Lucien just got straight after putting Tamara in her cradle. He looked at her with a tired smile on his face, but suddenly his smile disappeared. His eyes widened and his body stiffened like something hard had hit him. He gasped.
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“Lucien?” I said, confused. Over the last few days he was looking paler than usual. I tried to search for his problem through our bond but there was nothing. “Lucien?” I got up, feeling worried as hell.
He didn’t answer, and his eyes went blank. Then he stumbled, dropping to one knee. His other hand slapped on his chest. Before I could understand, he collapsed fully, flat on the floor, shaking.
“Lucien!” I screamed, my voice breaking. I rushed to him. “Lucien!” But he didn’t respond. His eyes went glossy, and he closed them.
The pups started crying, sensing something was wrong.
“Help!” I shouted toward the hallway. “Someone, help! Please!” I lowered beside him, even as the babies cried. My gaze dropped to his chest where he had slapped his hand, and to my horror I noticed that the thorny vines out there were not just moving, they were trying to reach inside him, dig into his flesh. “No, no, no!” What was happening? Did the curse show again? Was it on its final course? A shudder went down my body. I felt like my whole world was crumbling down in seconds. “You can’t do this to me!” I screamed at Lucien. “You can’t!” I screamed at the shadows. “Don’t you dare to steal my life!” I begged or I shouted. I didn’t know.
The door flew open. Tarian burst in, followed by Vivi, two omegas and a few guards.
“What happened?” Tarian demanded as he rushed to my side. He looked ashen white. His hands were trembling as he looked at Lucien with wide eyes.
“I–I don’t know,” I cried. “He just collapsed.”
“Fuck!” Tarian rasped. He turned to look at Vivi. “Call Elias!” he said in panic, but then he opened his mind link and informed Elias.
Lucien wasn’t moving. His breathing was shallow. I pressed my hand to his cheek. It was cold. A sob broke out of my throat as the bond between us felt like it would break. “No, Lucien, no!” I cried. “I can’t live without you.” Tears streamed down my eyes, seeing him like this. My heart felt like someone had hammered it with an anvil. Like a knife was plunging into it slowly, painfully.
The guards along with Tarian, lifted him and carried him outside where the car was. Elias was already there. There was complete chaos in the manor. I asked Vivi to take care of the pups before I sat in the car with Lucien in the rear seat with Elias. As the driver sped to the hospital, Tarian followed with his team.
“How did this happen?” Elias asked. He was shaking as he looked at Lucien It was evident that the Alpha bond between Lucien and his pack members was weakening.
“I don’t know,” I rasped.
Elías placed his hands over Lucien’s heart and said, “His heartbeat is slow. That’s worrisome. Was he having any trouble earlier?”
“I don’t know,” I cried, unable to stop my tears and panic. “He never said a thing.”
Elías clenched his jaw. “Damn it, Alpha!”
We reached the hospital and just as they were about to take him inside, the Shaman appeared. “Where are you taking him?” he almost growled.
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Chapter 137
I gulped. What was he up to? “He is not well, and he needs medical attention, Shaman. He doesn’t need magical intervention.” I turned to Lucien and asked Elias to continue, frustrated at Shaman’s untimely interruption.
The Shaman shook his head. “No, Luna Auren. I warned him,” he said in a grave voice. “I warned him not to ignore the call of the ruins. I told him that he should go to the Eldermere. The curse is at its peaks. The shadow wolves have already sensed that, and the curse is responding now. They are beckoning him.”
I turned to him, my eyes wild. “What do you mean?”
The Shaman stepped closer to Lucien. His gaze went to the thorny vines that were now moving restlessly. “It’s the curse. The shadow wolves must see the pups. I told him about it, but he didn’t listen. He didn’t want to risk the pups‘ lives at the ruins.”
My gaze dropped to Lucien’s chest. And that’s when I saw. Droplets of blood oozed out. Thin black vine tattoos, curled and twisted under his skin. They pulsed as if trying to tear their way out.
Earth shifted beneath my feet. My head became dizzy and I thought I would pass out. The thorny vines were digging in his flesh and making him bleed. “Oh, dear goddess!” I cried. “This is a catastrophe. What should I do?” Another sob ripped from my throat as I looked at Shaman for help. And it was then I realized what Lucien was doing. He wasn’t telling me about his pain because he was afraid that the shadow wolves would harm his pups or kill them. He was protecting us with his life. A whimper tore from my throat. “No, Lucien, I won’t let you do this to me.” I looked up at the Shaman and said, “I can’t wait anymore. I will go to the Eldermere ruins now!”
“But Luna!” Tarian protested. “He needs medical attention.”
I ignored Tarian’s words. “We don’t have time to waste. Go back to the manor and get the pups to the ruins. I am heading there.” Then I said to Elias. “Come with us with
your best team.”
Lucien was dying. If I had to save him, I had to face the darkness myself. And I had to bring my pups as well.
“But Luna-”
I cut off Tarian. “I’ll face whatever is there–but Lucien is not dying today.” With that, I turned and ordered the nurses and guards to take us back to the car. I couldn’t waste a single minute more. The Shaman followed us.
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