Chapter 32 032

Chapter 32 032

Claire's POV

The world seemed to have come to a halt as soon the door slammed open and I could see Lucien in that manner.

My heart stopped for what felt like an eternity as I watched Austin and Shark stumble through the entrance, Lucien sagging between them and not to mention, There was blood on his lips, dark and wet, trailing down his chin.

No!!

The word screamed through my head but nothing came out of my mouth. My feet were glued to the floor, my hands frozen at my sides. This could not be happening. Not after everything. Not after I had warned him.

Tracy shoved past me, her earlier anger forgotten as she rushed toward them. "What happened? Is he……."

They ignored her completely. Austin's face was in distress and despite how much he was trying to control the panic, it was clearly on his face.

Shark looked worse, his usual cocky demeanor completely shattered as they half-carried, half-dragged Lucien toward the stairs.

I found my legs then and they moved on their own, carrying me forward as Tracy and I both rushed to follow. We reached the bottom of the stairs just as they disappeared around the corner.

"Please, what happened?" I called out, my voice strutted on the last word.

But there was still no response from either of them, they did not look at us as much.

Tracy grabbed my arm, and as she stared directly into my eyes, it was consumed with fear . "They are not telling us anything, Lucien had never been in such a condition, I think something is truly wrong."

Her voice sounded shaky, almost like she was fighting back the tears.

We hovered there, useless and terrified as they took him to his room, Austin giving out some sort of orders to the guards.

Minutes crawled by like hours. Then the front doors burst open again and the pack doctor rushed in, his medical bag clutched in one hand. He took the stairs three at a time without sparing us a glance.

The door to Lucien's room slammed shut with such force that the sound echoed through the entire castle.

My chest was hurting and each breath that I tried to take, felt like a needle was stung to my lungs.

But why do I feel like this was my fault? I had told him about the attack but what if I had been too late? What if whatever they did to him could not be undone?

I pressed my fist against my sternum, trying to ease the ache building there. It did not help.

"Claire."

Marcy's voice suddenly came through from behind. I turned to find her standing in the hallway, her expression sad but yet she looked calm.

"Come," she said gently. "We need to finish preparing the meal. The Alpha will be hungry when he wakes."

When he wakes, how can she act like this was a usual day at work and would be over soon.

I wanted to believe her certainty, and wanted to cling to it like a lifeline. But my feet would not move toward the kitchen. They wanted to go upstairs, to that closed door, to see for myself that Lucien was still breathing.

"Claire." Marcy's voice called out again "lurking around here won't make the Alpha's condition improve, The best thing you can do for him right now is make sure there is food ready when he wakes up The doctor is very skilled. He has pulled the Alpha through worse than this."

Has he really seen worse than whatever left Lucien unconscious and bleeding?

But I followed her anyway because standing here doing nothing was killing me faster than any uncertainty could.

I followed her to the kitchen, still trying to control my trembling arms.

Marcy handed me a knife and a cutting board. "The vegetables still need finishing."

My hands shook as I picked up a carrot. The knife slipped twice before I managed a proper grip.

"He is strong," Marcy said quietly, not looking up from the pot she was stirring. "Stronger than anyone I have ever known. Whatever happened out there, he will fight through it."

I wanted to believe her. Gods, I wanted to believe her so badly that it hurt but I knew those words were her way of consoling herself even in the midst of such a storm.

Before I knew it, the meal was finished. Marcy covered the dishes and set them aside, ready to be warmed when needed.

"Go," she said, reading something in my face. "I can handle cleaning up."

I did not wait for her to change her mind. My feet carried me out of the kitchen and into the main hall. Tracy was nowhere to be seen. Thank the gods for small mercies because I could not handle her questions or her knowing looks right now.

I took the stairs and headed to the third floor, Lucien's door was still closed and silent.

I stopped just outside, pressing my back against the wall. I should not be here. I had no right to be here. But I could not make myself leave either.

Minutes passed, maybe hours I lost track of time while consumed in my thoughts.

Then I could finally hear someone speak.

"How is the Alpha?" Austin's voice came through with strain.

The doctor let out a breath so heavy I could hear it through the door. "He was injected with a macphone."

The word meant nothing to me but clearly meant everything to them based on the sharp intake of breath that followed.

"For a hybrid," the doctor continued slowly, carefully, "there is no cure."

My legs suddenly became weak as I pressed harder against the wall to keep from sliding down it.

"That is a lie!" Shark's voice broke on the last word. "Do you have any idea how many battles he has fought? How many times has he stared death in the face and laughed? He is not some weakling who will just roll over and die!"

"I know." The doctor's voice was gentle. "Believe me, I know exactly who the Alpha is. And he knows too. He knows how dangerous a Macphone is, which is why he never lets anyone with knowledge of it survive. He thought he had destroyed all of it. But somehow, it found its way back to him."

"What do we do?" Austin asked, and I had never heard him sound so lost.

"We wait. That is all we can do. Wait and hope his hybrid nature is strong enough to burn through it."

My vision became blurred asThe hallway tilted.

The door suddenly swung open and as Austin stepped out along with the doctor, I froze at a spot.

He pretended like he had not seen me and once the doctor was as out of there, his dark gaze returned to me.