5 : Don't Touch

EVANGELINE

 

The warriors of our pack shifted into their wolves, their powerful forms bristling with fury as they growled and snarled at Lucien. Lucien stood calmly, his hands shoved inside his trouser pockets, and despite him wearing a mask, I could make out the smirk playing on his lips.

 

 

Sean’s wolf, with its ginger-colored fur, charged forward, leading the attack against the Lycan King. But Lucien was not intimidated. His emerald eyes glowed with a sinister light as he lifted his hand lazily, summoning his powers. With a flick of his wrist, a wave of force slammed into Sean’s wolf, sending it flying across the grand foyer of the modern mansion. The other wolves hesitated, momentarily stunned by the display of power.

 

 

However, the Blood Moon Pack was not one to back down easily. They attacked as a pack, launching themselves at Lucien with all their might. But Lucien stood his ground, using his invisible powers to deflect their strikes and send them flying. His powers were a blur, slamming into the wolves like an invisible punch and tossing them around like ragdolls.

 

 

As the battle raged on, I ran towards my Dad who had Mom in his arms. His eyes glowed red, like Lucien’s, and I realized that the powers of Asphalt were at play. But it didn’t seem to make a difference as my mother continued to shiver, her face turning paler with each passing second. Despite my father’s best efforts, I feared that it might already be too late.

 

 

“What do we do now? Aunt Avery is not responding. What if he really kills her?” Mia’s voice trembled with fear as she asked the question and looked at her.

 

 

I held onto my mother’s trembling hand, and the moment our skins touched my vision shifted to a place of destruction and chaos. I saw rogues running rampant in our pack, causing mayhem, and in the center of it, was the shadow of a mysterious man. His black eyes were trained on me, and he stood in front of a fiery landscape that looked like lava. The aura he radiated was one of power and danger, and I felt a chill run down my spine as I gazed at him. Before I could look further into it, I was snapped back to reality.

 

 

I furrowed my brows, trying to understand what I had just seen. I turned to the fight, and my heart sank as I saw Lucien standing victoriously, with the wolves of our pack lying defeated at his feet. Yet they were still breathing, and it seemed like Lucien wasn’t planning on killing them, but rather making a point.

 

 

 

The man I had seen in the vision wasn’t Lucien, but the aura he radiated was far more dangerous, and it made my throat run dry. Dad growled, and I could hear the vulnerability in his voice as Asphalt spoke through him, “It’s not working! He is controlling her body.” Despite his tough exterior, I could sense that my father was scared, and it broke my heart to see him like this.

 

 

Mia stood over Mom, trying to use her powers to heal her, but her hands trembled with fear. Uncle Sky was a powerful hybrid with both wolf and witch abilities, and Mia had inherited those powers, but even she couldn’t bring Mom back.

 

 

As I watched the fight unfold, I knew deep down that we wouldn’t be able to defeat Lucien. His powers were too strong and the waves of energy he emitted made me and Crystal increasingly anxious.

 

 

I was the cause of this chaos. I had to find a way to stop it.

 

 

Before I could even think, my senses took over and the words escaped my lips.

 

 

“Stop it, please. I’ll come with you.” I could hear my own voice ringing through the grand foyer which had turned into a battlefield, and Lucien’s emerald eyes locked onto me. The wolves ceased their struggle, and I could sense that he had stopped whatever he was doing.

 

 

Dad looked at me with deep concern etched on his face. “Eva…” he started.

 

 

I stood tall and determined. “I can’t let Mom and the rest of my pack be killed because of me. If having me is what Lucien wants, then he can have it. Just leave my pack alone and take me with you.”

 

 

“But Eva…” Sean stumbled forward, his voice raw with emotion as he shifted back to his human form, his clothes protected from tearing by Dad’s shifting gear. He looked exhausted, like the other members of the pack who had no choice but to shift back to their human forms after Lucien’s attack had sapped their strength.

 

 

I was stunned by the sheer power of Lucien. The Blood Moon Pack was renowned as the strongest pack in the world, and yet Lucien had defeated them without even getting into a physical fight. They were all exhausted, and yet he hadn’t even injured them.

 

 

I gazed at Lucien, trying to understand what he wanted from me. “I will come with you,” I said. “But not as your slave, but as your…” I hesitated, unsure of what he wanted from me. Was he after me because we were mates? Who would want to acknowledge their mate as a slave in front of her pack?

 

 

“As my what?” he asked, his brows slightly knitted, his eyes trained on me.

 

 

The truth was like a hard punch in my gut. He didn’t want me as a mate.

 

 

Crystal’s voice echoed in my mind. “Mate,” she whispered. She wanted Lucien’s mark on her, to be claimed by him. I didn’t understand how she had the strength to dominate me.

 

 

 

I pushed her back, determined to stand my ground. “You will not treat me like a slave,” I said, my voice steady. “I am the respected daughter of the Alpha, and I demand to be treated as such.”

 

 

Everyone was silent, their gaze fixed on me.

 

 

 

Lucien chuckled, his eyes flashing red. “I’m not negotiating, darling,” he pointed. “Things will happen as I see fit. You seem to be under the impression that I’m here to offer you a ticket to Hell.”

 

 

As I stood before him, I couldn’t help but feel small and vulnerable. But I refused to back down, my self-respect was not something I would give up so easily. I stood my ground, even as my family and pack tried to call me back.

 

 

Our eyes locked, and for a moment, it felt like the world around us faded away. I was aware of my heart beating loudly, my pulse racing with a mixture of fear and defiance. I unconsciously bit my lip.

 

 

Lucien’s eyes traveled to my lip, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

 

 

With a steady voice, I declared, “I am not delusional. You will take me with proper respect, or you can take my dead body with you.”

 

 

His eyes narrowed in amusement as he tilted his head as if studying a creature in a lab. The glint in his eyes told me he was not intimidated by my bold words, but I refused to let him know that I was scared.

 

 

As if on cue, I heard Mom’s whimper from the back as the redness in Lucien’s eyes darkened. My fear heightened and my heart caught in my throat. I looked at Mom who seemed to be getting in worse condition with time. Oh Goddess, what do I do now?

 

 

A warrior from his pack came forward, “You have a big mouth, talking to our Alpha like that. I can make good use of it.” He moved his hand forward and was about to touch me. I took a stance, ready to fight him off when I saw a gloved hand hold the man’s hand.

 

 

I followed the trail of the hand until it settled on Lucien who was glaring at his pack warrior. The look he gave him seemed like he would kill him right this instant.

 

 

“Did my orders include touching her?” he asked, his voice dangerously low, and raised a brow at the man.

 

 

“N-no.” the man seemed terrified, trembling under his hold.

 

 

“Then step away or else I’ll slice your dick into pieces,” he growled.

 

 

“Y-yes Alpha.” the man stepped back and kept his head low.

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