Chapter 0389

"Zachary discovered you right by the gates." I verify.

Tears escape the corners of her eyes. "You should rest. Alexander and Luc will likely have more questions later."

She lies back, closing her eyes. I exit the room.

I take a seat behind the small nursing station, waiting for Alexander. I had already notified him. When he arrives, Luc is trailing right behind him.

"She spoke to you?" Alexander asks.

"Yes. Though it wasn't much different from her earlier statements. She mentioned having a message, that she is the message. But I suspect her memory is fragmented."

"She is the message?" He questions.

"A warning," Luc mutters darkly. "So he's boasting about how easily he corrupted one Lycan? Showing us he can do it again whenever he wants?" His hazel eyes fix on me. "Is she still awake?"

"No. I should also inform you she left her bed while I was taking inventory. I found her in the bathroom. She had torn her stitches. I've already treated her. She's stable."

"No harm done?" He glares at me. We had a decent rapport until he learned about my past. Now, everything I say or do seems to irritate him.

"She is fine. Theodore has confirmed this," Alexander states, shooting Luc a look. He turns back to me. "How long until we can have a coherent conversation with her?"

"Under normal circumstances, I could estimate. But I've never treated anyone in this condition. It could take days. Or even weeks."

Luc begins pacing, rubbing his temples. "We need more intel on this Levi Bennett character!"

"Do you believe you're the only one considering that?" Alexander retorts sharply.

"Athena can't establish a link to him?" I frown.

"No. Somehow, he has no discernible connection to her," Alexander explains.

"Are we certain he is even a Lycan?" It was a speculative question, but I voice it anyway. I'm piecing things together, and this is one possibility I can formulate.

Both men halt, staring at me.

"Of course he is. I scented him when he was here. Seraphina said she recognized his scent the night he took her," Luc insists.

"But didn't you state that Evelyn completely masked her scent? To the point you believed she was Human?" I counter. He scowls. He dislikes being outmaneuvered; he admitted that himself during our search for answers regarding Athena. I ignore his reaction and continue addressing Alexander. "What if he has perfected a method to deceive the mind entirely? A complete mental trick?"

Alexander nods slowly. "We initially believed Athena was merely a bound Wolf. But she confirmed a pre-existing link to him before these events unfolded. That link is now severed."

"Consider the facts. What do we truly know? We know Levi somehow stripped Hannah's Lycan abilities. And Seraphina's. We know he manipulated Seraphina into believing he was her mate. We know Evelyn concealed her scent so effectively we mistook her for Human. Is she a Lycan or a Wolf?"

"A Lycan."

"Correct. She accomplished something previously thought impossible. Levi likely aided her. So, what prevents him from altering his own scent? Or fabricating a false link for Athena to perceive? I briefly considered Witchcraft. But what if he possesses Witch blood? Or is a potent Witch himself? His fixation on punishing Wolves and Lycans… it aligns disturbingly well."

A grin spreads across Alexander's face. Luc looks like he just swallowed something bitter. Alexander enjoys solving puzzles, seeing beyond the obvious. Perhaps that's the core issue—Luc relies too heavily on his senses instead of his intellect.

Alexander grips my shoulder. "Come with me. I'll summon another nurse to cover here."

"Are you certain? Hannah is still vulnerable."

"I'll remain," Luc grinds out through clenched teeth.

I inform him I recently replaced her IV bag. Only routine monitoring is required now.

He gives a terse nod and vanishes into her room. I have little doubt I've just become his newest object of resentment.