Chapter 37 037

Chapter 37 037

Lucien's POV

That was all I knew for what felt like forever. A thick, suffocating darkness that wrapped around me like chains. I could not move, could not speak, could not even open my eyes.

But I could hear Claire's voice.

Voices drifted through the void, it was Shark's worried tone, Austin's frustration and Cal's mocking laughter which made anger stir in my chest even though I was trapped in this space between life and death.

But Claire's voice pierced through everything else it was Desperate and Determined. Begging them to listen to her.

I tried to reach for her but my body would not respond. The poison had its deep in me, pulling me down into nothing.

This was it. After centuries of surviving everything the world threw at me, I was going to die from a Macphone like some weak Hybrid.

But suddenly, something warm touched my lips.

It was Liquid, Bitter and thick. It slid down my throat and I could not even swallow properly, could not help it go down. But it went anyway.

And just then, my entire body was hot, as I was consumed by heat.

It didn't feel the same like the poison that had been inside of me, This was different.

It felt so Pure Like lightning running through my veins, chasing out the darkness. The chains around me shattered and suddenly I could feel my heart beating again and this time it was Strong and Steady.

My eyes snapped open.

The ceiling of my chamber came into focus. Then voices, clearer now.

"Lock her up. This whole thing was fake and now we have proof."

Cal's voice came through as it seemed Smug and satisfied.

I heard Claire protest but her voice was fading, moving away from the bed and Away from me.

My muscles responded this time when I commanded them to move. Energy surged through me, stronger than before, like I had been sleeping for years instead of dying. I sat up so fast the room spun for half a second.

"Stop!"

The word came out as a roar that echoed off the walls.

Everything went silent.

I swung my legs off the bed and stood. Four pairs of eyes stared at me like I was a ghost. Shark's mouth was hanging open. Austin looked pale. Cal had gone completely still near the doorway.

And Claire. She stood between Austin and Shark, their hands on her arms like they were about to drag her away. Her face was dirty, her dress torn, and there was blood on her hands. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me.

She saved me, I had not a single clue how she did it because No one survives macphone. No one Not in centuries.

The poison was created specifically to kill my kind and it always worked But somehow she had done it.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. While I was dying, while everyone else was standing around arguing about what to do, she went out and found the cure. Made it herself. Fed it to me with her own hands even when my brother tried to stop her.

My gaze shifted to Cal.

He was still standing there with that expression on his face, that mix of shock and fear. Something that made my vision go red around the edges.

I moved closer.

One second I was next to the bed. The next I had my hand wrapped around Cal's throat, slamming him back against the wall hard enough to crack the stone.

His hands came up, clawing at my wrist. His eyes went wide as he struggled to breathe.

"How many times?" My voice was cold and dangerous. "How many times have I warned you not to mess with what belongs to me?"

Cal's mouth opened but only a choking sound came out.

"She is mine." I pressed harder and felt his pulse jumping under my palm. "No one touches her. No one accuses her. No one puts their hands on her to drag her anywhere, Do you understand?"

"She—" Cal managed to gasp out. "She tried to kill you—"

"It was not your place to retaliate."

I could kill him right now. It would be easy. One twist and his neck would snap like a twig. Part of me wanted to. The part that had heard him mocking Claire, accusing her, making her drink the cure first like she was some kind of test subject.

But he was still my brother.

I loosened my grip just enough for him to breathe.

"Get out of my castle." The words came out quiet but every syllable carried so much rage"If you ever set foot here again, if you ever come near her again, I will kill you. Brother or not."

Cal's eyes showed something I had not seen in them for a long time. Fear.

I released him and he stumbled, catching himself against the doorframe. He looked at me for another moment, that shock still written all over his face, then turned and walked out without another word.

The door closed behind him.

I spun toward Austin.

He was still holding Claire's arm. Still had his hands on her like he had any right.

The rage that swept through me was different from what I felt toward Cal, it was more personal.

Austin was supposed to be loyal, Supposed to protect what was mine. Instead he had grabbed her, probably hurt her based on the way she was holding herself.

I crossed the distance between us and slammed my fist into his face.

The impact sent him flying backward. He hit the floor hard and slid a few feet before stopping. Blood poured from his mouth, spilling over his chin and onto the stone.

"Who gave you the right?" I stood over him, my hands clenched into fists. "Who gave you the right to treat her like trash?"

Austin pushed himself up onto his knees, his hand pressed to his bleeding mouth. "I am sorry." The words came out garbled. "My lord, I am sorry—"

"Sorry?" I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and hauled him up. My fist drew back again, ready to make him really understand what he had done.

"Lucien!"

Claire called out to me and her voice stopped me cold, for a second there I had forgotten she was in the room.

I turned my head and looked at her.

Claire stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped around herself. She was shaking. Tiny tremors running through her whole body.

Blood still dripped from the cut on her palm and her dress was covered in dirt and god knows what else.

And as I locked my eyes with hers, The rage started to drain away, replaced by something else. Something I could not quite name.

She had saved me.

While everyone else had given up, while Cal was ready to throw her in a cell, while Austin and Shark were about to drag her away, she had believed in herself enough to try.

She had risked everything on some vision or instinct or whatever had led her to that cure and it worked.

I was standing here, alive, when I should be dead and it will be all because of her.

I let go of Austin. He dropped back to his knees, still apologizing, but I was not listening anymore.

All I could see was Claire.

Her eyes met mine and the world narrowed down to just the two of us. Everything else faded away. The blood on the floor Austin's whimpering, Shark standing frozen by the door.

Just he
r and me and this moment stretched between us like a thread pulled tight.

I opened my mouth but no words came out.

What could I possibly say.