Chapter 142 The Secret in the Trunk

Chapter 142 The Secret in the Trunk
[Cedric]

The pain from the silver poisoning had subsided thanks to Freya's remedy, but I was still weak. As I rested on the sofa in the family's living room, I heard soft footsteps approaching. Emerson and Gabriel exchanged glances before discreetly leaving the room, giving us privacy.

"How are you feeling?" Freya asked gently before following her partners out.

Once we were alone, I turned to see Raven watching me with unusual seriousness.

"She'll be here soon," he said simply, then disappeared down the hallway.

The silence that followed was heavy with anticipation. I didn't have to wait long. My heart quickened when I felt her presence even before she entered the room—our mate bond humming with a mix of anger and relief.

Lana stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable. Her usually confident posture seemed uncertain as she approached, stopping a few feet away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "For what I did to you. The chains, the Heat, all of it."

I reached for her hand, ignoring the protest of my healing muscles. "You weren't yourself."

"I was," she countered, her eyes meeting mine with painful honesty. "That's the problem. That darkness is part of me, Cedric."

I pulled her closer until she sat beside me. "I know who you are, Lana. All of you—the darkness and the light. I'm still here."

Her fingers intertwined with mine, and through our bond, I felt a wave of emotion she would never verbalize—gratitude, wonder, and something that felt remarkably like love.

"You shouldn't forgive me so easily," she murmured.

"Nothing about loving you has ever been easy," I replied with a small smile. "But it's worth it."

The peaceful moment shattered as the front door blasted open with such force that the hinges nearly broke. The sound reverberated through the house like a thunderclap. Lana had vanished from beside me, and now stood in the doorway, her body radiating dark energy that seemed to pull all light from the room. Her clothes were splattered with blood, and her eyes had turned completely black, a sign of her Heat.

The temperature in the room plummeted instantly. I watched in fascination as frost patterns formed on the nearby windows, beautiful yet terrifying evidence of her emotional state.

She didn't acknowledge anyone in the room—not her parents, not her brother, not even me. Her gaze locked onto something, and she strode forward with predatory grace. I realized with a start that she was coming straight for me.

Her hands reached for my wrists, examining where the silver chains had bound me. Her touch was unexpectedly gentle, her fingers lightly tracing the healing wounds. Through our bond, I felt her fury battling with concern—a hurricane of emotions she was trying desperately to control.

"I'm okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I was reassuring her or myself. My heart ached watching her struggle with her emotions. Despite everything she'd put me through, I couldn't help but worry about her.

Freya approached slowly from across the room, a soft smile on her face. "I knew you would come," she said simply.

Lana's body tensed slightly at her mother's voice, but when Gabriel opened his arms wide, something in her posture softened imperceptibly.

"My little princess is home," Gabriel said, his voice thick with emotion as he embraced his daughter. Despite the blood on her clothes and the darkness still swirling around her, the reunion felt genuine.

Emerson stepped forward next. He wasn't as demonstrative as Gabriel, but the love in his eyes was unmistakable as he placed a hand on Lana's back. "We were worried about you."

"I'm fine," Lana said flatly, but I sensed the dark energy around her diminishing slightly. I felt a strange pride watching her reconnect with her family, knowing how difficult emotional connections were for her.

Raven jumped onto the back of the sofa, his usual mischievous grin in place. "So my plan worked! Turns out stealing your mate was the best way to get you home after all."

Lana rolled her eyes, but I noticed the slight upturn of her lips. The bond between us pulsed with irritation tinged with reluctant amusement. I couldn't help but smile at their sibling dynamic, which somehow made the terrifying Dark Queen seem more human.

"You two have been like this since you were children," Gabriel chuckled. "Raven always knew exactly how to push your buttons."

Lana turned to Emerson, her expression softening marginally. "Dad, I hope you weren't part of this idiotic scheme."

Emerson attempted to look serious, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "Me? I merely provided medical support." The joke didn't quite land, but it was clear he was trying to ease the tension.

After the brief family banter subsided, Lana finally looked directly at Freya. Their eyes met, and through our bond, I felt a surge of guilt that Lana quickly suppressed. I longed to comfort her, knowing how complicated her relationship with her mother was.

Freya stepped forward and embraced her daughter. "Welcome home, regardless of the reason."

Lana stiffened momentarily before relaxing into her mother's arms, briefly returning the hug. The moment was short but meaningful. Through our bond, I felt her conflicted emotions—warmth fighting against centuries of built-up resentment.

Gabriel wiped at non-existent tears with theatrical flair. "It's so good to see my girls making up."

Emerson cleared his throat, ever the pragmatist of the family. "Now that we're reunited, perhaps we could discuss why Lana looks like she just left a slaughterhouse?"

Suddenly, Gabriel's nose wrinkled. "Wait, I smell something... familiar."

Emerson lifted his head, inhaling deeply, his expression growing serious. "Lana, did you kill someone and leave them in your trunk? For God's sake!"

Raven hopped down from the sofa, curious as he approached Lana. "Really? I thought you were just gathering intelligence."

A smug smile spread across Lana's face, pride radiating through our bond. There wasn't a hint of remorse or concern as she shrugged. "I was planning to deal with her after handling Cedric's abduction, but since I'm here anyway..."

She seemed almost cheerful as she asked, "Want to see what present I brought you?"

Through our bond, I felt nothing but pure satisfaction and pride from her, no anxiety whatsoever. Despite my general aversion to violence, I felt a strange warmth at her joy. It was wrong, I knew that, but I couldn't help being moved by anything that made her happy. I was falling deeper into her darkness, and part of me didn't even want to resist.

Gabriel and Emerson exchanged a look that clearly said, "This is our daughter," with equal parts exasperation and resignation.

Freya sighed deeply. "Please tell me it's not another hunter leader. The last one you brought back made a mess of my entire basement."

We followed Lana outside to the car parked in the front yard. She deliberately took her time, clearly enjoying the anticipation on everyone's faces. "Ready?" she asked with theatrical flair. I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. The fierce, predatory smile she gave me in return sent shivers down my spine—equal parts terror and attraction.

When she finally opened the trunk, everyone gasped.

Inside lay a woman, her hands and feet bound by what appeared to be magical restraints. A gag covered her mouth, and it was clear she'd been extensively interrogated—or tortured, to be more precise. But she was alive, her hateful eyes darting between all of us.

Freya saw the woman and pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. "Lana..." Her tone conveyed years of accepting her daughter's extreme methods.

Gabriel looked back and forth between Lana and the woman in shock. "You caught her? She's actually still alive?"

Lana lifted her chin proudly. "Finding her took less than an hour. She thought she was well hidden, but she was painfully obvious to me."

Raven leaned in for a closer look, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "So this is the woman who killed Grandmother. I expected her to be more... scary?"

"A few hours of 'conversation' will make anyone look this pathetic," Lana said with a smirk. "She was actually quite resilient, but everyone talks eventually."

I studied Lana's face as she spoke, mesmerized by the dark satisfaction in her expression. It should have repulsed me, this casual discussion of torture, but instead I found myself understanding her. This woman had killed her grandmother, had caused centuries of pain. I couldn't condemn Lana's desire for vengeance, not when I'd seen firsthand how deeply she could feel beneath her cold exterior.

Emerson took immediate control of the situation. "We should get her into the holding cell in the basement."

Gabriel and Emerson dragged the woman from the trunk. She made a weak moan as they moved her, and Lana reinforced the restraints with ropes of dark energy, showcasing her control over her powers with a flourish that seemed designed to impress. I watched in awe as the darkness bent to her will, admiring her power even as I worried about its cost to her soul.