Chapter 0354

Lucas Adler

"Why did you really want to come?" I ask her.

Athena keeps her gaze fixed on the road. "Hannah is my responsibility."

"No, she isn't. She's just a woman who came to you hoping to escape a terrible situation. That doesn't mean you owe her anything."

"You might believe that, but I don't." She pauses briefly. "I don't want loyalty based solely on my title. That isn't real loyalty."

"You never cease to surprise me, Athena Harrison."

"Alexander would do anything for his Wolves. I want to do the same for the Lycans. I lived a lie for so long before meeting him. I grew up watching Dominic and Victoria run a pack, and I'll never be like them. Alexander has taught me a great deal."

"Seems like you're finally finding your footing." I catch her smile from the corner of my eye. She just needed validation that she was making the right choices.

I pull the car over for another check. Athena suddenly grabs my arm. "I recognize this place."

A dim light glows from a nearby house. A dirty Porsche sits in the driveway, and the garden grass reaches my knees. Without that faint light, I would have assumed the house was abandoned.

"This is Seraphina's house," she whispers.

"You've been here before?"

"No. When they held Brianna hostage, this was the house number she gave me. Why would Seraphina return here after what Evelyn told us?" Her knuckles turn white as she grips the door handle. "It's too risky, isn't it?"

"Stay here. I'll go check it out."

"No." She pushes the car door open and rushes toward the house. I quickly follow. Her hand hesitates just before knocking. I watch her sniff the air, confirming we're alone, then she pounds her fist against the door. Screams erupt from inside.

I suppress a laugh. Wolves or Lycans don't usually scream when startled. It's actually hilarious. Though they aren't really Lycans anymore. This should be entertaining.

I hear Evelyn trying to whisper on the other side. "Who could know we're here?"

Seraphina's voice answers, one I haven't heard in years. "No one! No one saw us come in. Do you think he found us?"

"I don't think he's the type to knock!"

Athena glances at me. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but don't kill her. I need answers."

"She murdered my family," I reply coldly. That's the only reason I wanted to find them. Get answers, then end Seraphina for good.

"So this is why you wanted to come? For revenge?"

"You saw what happened to Charlotte. She also killed my mate, my parents, and my unborn child."

"If you kill them, you might never see Hannah again!" Athena knocks again. "It's Athena. I know you're in there."

Seraphina yanks the door open. Her brown eyes land on Athena before shifting to me. She steps back, shaking her head as she pulls her jacket tighter. "You brought the Hunter to my door?"

"You seem frightened," I mutter with a wink.

Evelyn appears, pulling Seraphina back and taking her place in the doorway. "It's in the past. She can't change what she did."

"Her time will come," I reply. Athena elbows me sharply.

"She's lost everything," Evelyn defends.

"How?" Athena demands.

"I told you, I don't know. He drugs us with something, or maybe it happens after he drugs us. You lose track of time."

"Right," Athena mutters. "We have reason to believe he was already in the pack."

"So why are you here?" Evelyn asks, still blocking the entrance. She has no intention of letting us inside.

"One of the female Lycans is missing," Athena informs her.

"If he already has her, you're too late. She won't be a Lycan anymore. That's what he does. He punishes us by stripping our abilities. We don't heal. We can't even smell you. And shifting? Forget it. It's gone. All of it." She grimaces. "We're Human now."

"Prove it," I challenge.

She turns around. "Hand me that knife."

My hand moves to my gun as Seraphina passes her a knife. Evelyn slices it across her palm with a whimper. She clenches her fist until blood drips from the bottom. When she opens her hand to show us, the wound continues bleeding with no signs of healing.

"You can stare all day," Evelyn shrugs. "When it stops bleeding, it'll scab over. Then it'll take weeks to heal properly, and I'll be left with a scar."