Chapter 46: My Mother
Ariel’s POV
My whole body still shook as Damien helped me sit up. The room felt colder than before, like the shadows themselves were watching us.
Damien brushed my hair back. “Ariel… tell me everything you saw.”
I swallowed hard, still feeling the heat of the golden forest under my skin.
“I saw her,” I whispered. “My mother. She said I’m awakening. She said the coven knows. And… Damien…”
He held my hand. “Talk to me.”
“They want me dead,” I said, my voice cracking. “And they want you gone too.”
His jaw tightened. “They won’t get either.”
I looked at him, feeling that strange pressure rising inside me again — a pressure like flames trying to escape my skin. “Damien… what if I hurt you?”
“You won’t,” he said instantly.
“You don’t know that.”
He leaned closer, his hand on my cheek, his voice low. “I trust you. Even when you don’t trust yourself.”
My lips trembled. “But the witches—”
“They won’t get close enough,” he cut in. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Before I could answer, a faint spark flickered around my fingers — the last bit of golden magic from the dream.
Damien saw it and cursed under his breath. “Your power is still unstable. If the coven attacks again while you’re like this…”
I looked up, fear tightening my chest. “What do we do?”
He stood up, decision already forming in his eyes.
“We leave,” he said.
“Tonight.”
My breath caught. “Leave? Where?”
“To a safe house outside the city.” He grabbed his phone. “Only two people know about it.”
“Who?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he muttered, “Marcus, get the car ready. Now.”
\---
Damien’s POV
I watched Ariel try to stand, her legs weak. I caught her immediately.
“Slow,” I murmured. “I’ve got you.”
She nodded, but her hands trembled in mine. She was frightened — not of me, but of herself. And that scared me more than any witch.
“We should hurry,” she whispered.
“We will.”
As we walked through the hallway, I felt it again — that strange presence.
A weight pressing against the house.
Watching us.
I tightened my grip on Ariel.
“They’re close,” she said softly, her eyes darting around.
“I know.”
The air felt too still.
Too heavy.
Like the house was holding its breath.
Ariel stopped suddenly. “Damien… do you feel that?”
I turned my head slightly.
A cold wind passed through the corridor even though every door was shut.
Then—
BANG.
Something hit the roof. Hard.
Ariel gasped. “They’re here—”
“No,” I growled, pulling her behind me. “Not tonight.”
The lights flickered, shadows crawling across the ceiling like living creatures.
A low whisper echoed through the hall:
“Child of Flame… return.”
Ariel squeezed my arm. “That’s them.”
“Not for long.”
I lifted her chin so her eyes met mine. “Listen to me, Ariel. If anything happens, you run. Don’t look back.”
She shook her head instantly. “I’m not leaving you.”
“This isn’t a choice.”
“I said no,” she snapped, her voice trembling. “I’m not losing you.”
Her eyes glowed faintly gold again. Power swelling.
Too fast.
Too uncontrolled.
Shit.
“Ariel,” I said quietly, “you need to calm down.”
“I can’t,” she whispered. “It keeps pushing out— I feel like I’m burning inside.”
I wrapped my arms around her tightly. “Breathe. Look at me. Not the magic.”
Her pulse raced against my chest.
The whispering outside grew louder.
Closer.
The witches were at the door.
But Ariel clung to me like I was the only thing keeping her grounded.
“Damien… don’t let me lose myself again.”
“You won’t,” I promised. “I’m right here.”
Her breathing slowed. The light around her faded.
Thank God.
Then the front door creaked.
Footsteps echoed on the porch.
Ariel stiffened. “They’re coming in…”
“No.” I stepped in front of her. “They won’t step inside my house.”
I placed my hand on the wall, and every protection rune hidden in the wood lit up — bright blue, pulsing with power.
The witches hissed outside.
Then—
Silence.
Ariel’s fingers brushed my back. “They left?”
“No,” I said slowly. “They’re waiting.”
“For what?”
“For dawn. Or weakness. Or you.”
She swallowed hard. “Damien… we need to leave. Now.”
I nodded once.
“Marcus!” I shouted.
He appeared at the end of the hall, breathless. “The car is ready, sir.”
“Good,” I said. “We’re leaving immediately—”
Before I finished, Ariel flinched suddenly, grabbing her head.
“Ariel?” I rushed to her.
She gasped. “Something— someone— is calling me.”
Her eyes rolled back slightly.
“No, no— Ariel, stay with me.”
“I… I hear him.”
I froze. “Him?”
She nodded weakly. “A man… calling my name…”
My blood ran cold.
The witches didn’t have a man among them.
Which meant—
This wasn’t the coven.
This was someone else.
Someone connected to her bloodline.
“Ariel,” I whispered, gripping her arms, “tell me exactly what you feel.”
She breathed shakily. “The voice is deep… warm… like it belongs to someone powerful…”
I gritted my teeth.
I already knew.
Her father.
The one even her coven feared.
“Ariel,” I said quietly, “don’t answer that call.”
She looked at me, confused. “Why?”
I took her face in my hands.
“Because whoever he is… he’s not here to protect you.”
Her lips parted. “How do you know?”
“Because I feel his power, too.”
I leaned closer, voice low.
“And it’s darker than anything you’ve ever seen.”
Damien’s POV
Ariel’s breathing was uneven as she clutched my shirt, her eyes still glowing faintly.
“Damien… the voice… it’s calling again.”
“I know.”
I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Ignore it.”
“I’m trying.”
Her fingers dug into my shoulder. “But it feels like… like he’s inside my head.”
That confirmed my worst fear.
This wasn’t the coven.
This wasn’t a spell.
This was blood speaking.
A direct pull from someone connected to her by magic — and power.
“Stay with me,” I whispered. “Don’t drift. Don’t follow that voice.”
Her lips trembled. “But what if it’s my father?”
I stiffened.
A pause.
A dangerous, heavy pause.
“Ariel,” I said slowly, “if he wanted to see you, he would come in person. Not send whispers into your mind.”
She flinched. “So he’s dangerous?”
“Yes.”
“More dangerous than the coven?”
“Much more.”
\---
Marcus cleared his throat softly.
“Sir, the car is ready. The path is clear.”
Good.
I picked Ariel up without asking. She gasped slightly and clung to my neck.
“Damien—I can walk.”
“I’m not risking you collapsing again.”
Her cheeks flushed, but she didn’t argue.
She never argued when she was scared.
We moved quickly through the hall.
The windows flickered with shadows outside.
The witches were still hiding in the dark, waiting.
But they weren’t the only ones.
I could feel him.
The presence.
The man tied to her bloodline.
Watching.
I held her tighter.
No one was taking her from me.
Not covens.
Not fate.
Not blood.
No one.
\---
Ariel’s POV
Damien carried me out the door, his grip firm and warm, but my mind was far from calm.
The voice kept brushing against my thoughts, like a soft whisper under my skin.
Come to me.
“Stop,” I muttered under my breath. “Just stop.”
Damien looked down at me. “He’s speaking again?”
“Yes…”
I dug my nails into his shirt. “Damien, what if he’s not trying to hurt me? What if he just wants me to know him?”
Damien’s jaw flexed.
“Ariel, listen carefully.”
His voice dropped—dark, protective.
“Anything that tries to control your mind is not here to love you.”
I opened my mouth, but before I could reply—
A loud crack echoed across the yard.
I gasped and grabbed Damien.
“What was that?”
He turned instantly, eyes glowing with wolf rage.
Marcus whispered, “Sir… the protection barrier… something hit it.”
Something?
Or someone?
Damien placed me behind him.
“Stay close.”
We reached the car, but before he could put me inside—
BOOM.
A violent force slammed against the barrier again, shaking the ground.
Marcus cursed. “Sir, that pressure… it’s not the witches.”
Damien nodded slowly. His muscles tensed.
“I know who it is.”
My breath caught.
“Damien… is it him?”
Damien didn’t answer.
He opened the car door quickly and pushed me inside.
“Damien—!”
He cupped my face with both hands, forcing me to look at him.
“Whatever happens, do not listen to the voice. Don’t let it pull you in. You stay with me.”
Tears burned my eyes. “Damien, I’m scared.”
He kissed my forehead roughly.
“I know. And that’s why you stay behind me.”
I clutched his wrist.
“Damien… be careful.”
He gave me a faint smile.
“For you? Always.”
Then he shut the door.
My heart fell.
\---
Damien’s POV
The unseen power outside hit the barrier again, harder.
The ground cracked.
The trees shook violently.
Even Marcus stumbled.
“What kind of force is that? Sir, should we retreat?”
“No.”
I stepped forward.
The air grew thick.
Heavy.
Electric.
And then…
A voice rolled through the wind, deep and thunderous:
“Give her to me.”
Ariel screamed inside the car, covering her ears.
I growled, my wolf surging forward.
“You’ll touch her over my dead body.”
The voice chuckled.
Dark.
Ancient.
“That can be arranged… wolf.”
My claws formed instantly.
“Marcus,” I said lowly, “if anything breaks this barrier—get her out the back. Don’t wait for me.”
Marcus nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes, sir.”
The force outside shifted.
It wasn’t attacking now.
It was testing.
The voice whispered again:
“Ariel… my child… open your mind to me.”
Inside the car, Ariel cried out, “No! Stop—!”
That was it.
I let my wolf loose.
My eyes glowed bright gold.
My aura exploded outward, slamming into the barrier from inside.
The entire yard shook.
“Touch her mind again,” I growled, “and I will rip your existence from this earth.”
Silence.
A long, dangerous silence.
Then the voice answered:
“We shall see, son of the moon.”
And suddenly—
The presence vanished.
Just like that.
The pressure lifted.
The air calmed.
The wind went still.
Marcus exhaled shakily. “Sir… he left.”
“No.”
I glared at the forest.
“He’ll be back.”
\---
Ariel’s POV
The door opened.
Damien climbed into the car quickly, grabbing my shaking hands.
“Hey, look at me.”
“I couldn’t stop hearing him,” I whispered. “It was like…”
My voice broke.
“It was like he was inside my soul.”
Damien cupped my face.
“Ariel. Listen to me. You did not answer him. You fought it.”
“But I—”
“You fought it,” he repeated firmly. “And you won.”
My chest tightened.
My hands trembled.
“I don’t want him,” I whispered. “I don’t want anything from him. I just want you.”
Damien’s eyes softened — but darkened at the same time.
“You have me,” he said. “All of me.”
His forehead touched mine.
Warm.
Steady.
Familiar.
“We’re leaving now,”
he murmured. “And no one will lay a hand on you.”
I nodded weakly.
Damien banged the seat. “Marcus, drive.”
The car sped into the night.
But even as we left the house behind…
I couldn’t shake the feeling that the voice would return.
And next time…
It would come stronger.