Chapter 117

Lucas's POV

Aurelio's scent hit me before his voice pierced through the mindlink. "Alpha!" His cry sent pain shooting through my head. Something was wrong. That cry held too much distress.

"What happened? Is Elara okay?"

I'd sent my beta out the same day I sent Elara away. I needed someone I trusted watching her at all times. While I handled the threats in my pack, my mate still needed to stay safe.

"Please, come. Elara, she's... at the gates." The mindlink broke before he could finish. I sprinted out of the war room, leaving my commanders confused as I ran toward the gates of my pack.

There, at the gate, lay the most precious thing in my life. My mate. But she wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving.

FLASHBACK - BATTLE IN THE WITCH VILLAGE

I was about to kill Matthew when a gush of pure burning magic hit him. The magic seared his skin but didn't burn him like it burned the Lycan caught in the crossfire. At the entrance stood Elara's mom.

"Where's my daughter?" Elara's mom asked.

"She's well protected back home," I said menacingly.

My father, holding an unconscious Sabrina in his arms, turned to me. "What is she talking about?"

Elara's mom faced the other Lycans, who were surrounded by witches and wouldn't dare fight back. "You didn't tell your father? Didn't tell the other Lycans that your mate is part wolf, part witch."

I saw the way the other Lycan's turned. They hated me.

"How does it feel, Lycan King?'' Elara's mom taunts. "How will all your Lycans feel to one day be ruled by a wolf who is also a witch?''

She turns to my father, a cruel smirk on her face. "Turns out Karma comes back to fuck you hard, eh Darian?'' She raised a brow, insulting him.

"Lucas, what are you waiting for, kill her. We'll finish the other witches off. One by one till we find out who Amaris is.''

Elara's mom laughs, a cruel evil laugh that reverberates through the entire forest.

"Oh Darian, how stupid.'' She lets out. "Did you really think we'd keep our deadliest weapon here? Unprotected?''

"Where is she?'' I ask, approaching her, ready to attack.

"She is in the most protected and feared pack in this region.''

I look at her, really look at her. I hate the fact that my mate's mother and I can't get along. But I can't blame her. My father;s sins have left Sabrina and I paying for things we never did.

"There's no other pack feared and protected like mine.'' I respond, and she doesn't argue. "She's in my pack, isn't she?''

She smiles.

"That's impossible,'' my father argues. "I vetted every older female wolf in that pack. None of them is Amaris.''

Elara's mom is looking at me, like she's waiting for me to figure something out. Finally, it clicks.

"She's not older, is she?''I let out. "You found a way to preserve her. Make her young again.'' I look at her, she doesn't say a thing. "No. That's not it. You.. you reincarnated her.''

"Bingo!'' She smirks, looking excited. "And it's too late, she's unleashed.''

"You did a good job bringing all the other Lycans here. We can take care of business easily." She ordered Matthew's men and the other witches to escort the Lycans back to the village, but turned to me. "I have different plans for you."

Her eyes hardened. "I want my daughter Elara to be with her rightful mate, Matthew, not a monster like you."

"That'll never happen," I growled. "If you truly cared for Elara, you wouldn't want her with a man who's hurt her like Matthew has. He's a pathetic alpha."

Elara's mom began her incantations, weaving magic in the air. Matthew smirked. "Now you're truly going to get what's coming for you."

But her magic barely touched me. I laughed. "Perhaps you haven't studied up on what it takes to bewitch a Lycan king. We're not as weak-minded as puny creatures like Matthew."

"Matthew isn't bewitched," she snapped. "We simply gave him something he lost years ago. He's here because he believes in the cause. Dirty monstrous creatures like you, Lucas, don't deserve to live."

I was keeping them talking, entertaining their threats while my father sneaked Sabrina out. She needed to get back to Elara for healing. But my plan crumbled when another witch rushed in.

"Hedda," they called to Elara's mom – the ancient word for leader of the witch coven. "We caught him trying to sneak the dead one out."

"She's not dead," I ground out. "I'll make you an offer. I'll turn myself over to you, no fight, just let my father and my sister go."

Elara's mother's smile widened. "I'll make you an even better offer. I can heal Sabrina – the same magic you think you'll get at home from Elara, there's plenty of it at my fingertips."

"Don't listen to her, son!" my father shouted.

"Are you really willing to risk the life of your sister?" she taunted. "Are you sure she has enough time to get back to the pack? Are you sure touching my daughter's belly will work like it did last time?"

The forest fell silent around us. "What do you want?" I asked, fists clenched.

"It's obvious you're immune from my magic. Put your guards down, let me compel you. In return, my witches and I will heal your sister."

I looked back at Sabrina. She was slipping away.

"Tick tock, Lycan King. Your life, or your sister's?"