Chapter 266 266
Damien POV
My thoughts splinter, unraveling into chaos until the battle fades into background noise. I can’t focus anymore. I can’t stay.
I need to get to her now.
“Beta Lucas is in charge!” I roar to my warriors, already breaking into a sprint toward the Lake House without waiting for acknowledgment. Fuck.
“Darkvale warriors, with me,” I command sharply, my voice carrying authority meant for their Alpha—my Luna.
Fabrice doesn’t hesitate. He’s on my heels instantly, his Alpha King speed pushing me even harder, forcing my legs faster than I thought possible. Theo leads the Darkvale warriors just behind us, their footsteps thunderous.
I shouldn’t have left them. I should never have left them.
No wonder she wasn’t at the Darkvale lands. She must have known known Aurélie would stay behind. Stay with the twins.
My wolf howls inside my skull, raw and feral, fear clawing through him as sharply as it does me. Our children. His terror fuels my stride, drives me forward with ruthless urgency.
“She’s fucking tricked us,” I snarl as smoke rises into view, thick and black against the sky.
I reach the Lake House first.
My heart drops straight into my gut.
The entire place is engulfed in flames.
No.
My mind refuses to accept it at first the roaring fire, the heat blistering my vision, the crackle of destruction swallowing everything. Where are my family?
I surge forward, ready to run straight into the inferno, but strong arms lock around my chest and yank me back. I fight them instinctively, desperation overriding reason.
“No, Damien look. On the decking.”
Fabrice’s voice cuts through the chaos. He points, and only then do I realize how blindly determined I’d been. I would’ve died in that house. The flames are vicious, unforgiving.
We bolt around back, toward the decking and my breath catches.
Florence lies unconscious on the ground. Delphine is beside her, sobbing, shaking her desperately, trying to wake her.
“Princess?” Fabrice drops to his knees, gently pulling Delphine away so he can examine his mate.
“Oh Daddy she was shot!” Delphine cries.
I scoop her up instantly, crushing her small body to my chest as Fabrice finds the wound a green bullet lodged deep in Florence’s stomach.
Fuck.
“Where’s Dominique, Delphine?” I ask, my voice hoarse with panic and smoke. “Where’s Mummy?”
“The lake,” she sobs before breaking into a coughing fit.
I hand her to Theo without hesitation, entrusting him with one of the most precious things in my life.
“Keep her away from the fire,” I order.
He nods once, already moving, holding her tight as he retreats.
The lake.
She must’ve tried to get them to the water to put distance between them and the flames.
I run past the decking toward the shoreline and freeze.
A body lies sprawled on the ground.
“Stéphane…”
A growl tears from my chest, low and furious. He’s been shot multiple times head, chest one bullet blown clean through his eye.
What the hell happened here?
My panic spikes as I scan the lake, searching frantically for movement. A boat. A log. Anything. Anything that could be keeping Dominique and Aurélie afloat.
A roar rips from my lungs, raw and animalistic.
This was planned. The battle was a distraction bait to draw me away and leave Aurélie and the children exposed.
“Dad?”
Dominique’s voice carries from somewhere along the shoreline.
“Dominique!” I shout, vaulting over the decking and breaking into a run. “Dominique, where are you?”
I find him crouched low over someone his body curled protectively.
Aurélie.
“Dominique what happened, son?” I grip the back of his neck gently, pressing my forehead to his. Goddess, thank you—thank you that he and Delphine are alive.
“We were attacked,” he says shakily. “She saved Mum…”
His fingers are ice cold, trembling as they press rhythmically into Aurélie’s chest. His clothes are soaked he must have dragged her from the water himself.
“Who did this?” I ask, moving his hands aside as I take over, positioning myself for CPR.
Her lips are blue. Her skin is freezing.
I seal my mouth over hers, forcing air into her lungs, praying begging for her to breathe.
“Auntie Sab.”
The name hits me like a blade.