Chapter 0459

Luc

"You have to remove it." I pass Hannah the surgical blade, but her trembling fingers can't hold it steady. I wrap my hand firmly around hers. "It's draining my strength. I don't know how much longer I can last. It needs to come out now."

"You must do this, Hannah. I can't reach it properly myself. Not without making a mess." I gently lift her chin until her frightened chestnut eyes meet mine. "The scanner shows the exact location. It will be quick. Clean."

"I can't... We should return. Let Theodore handle it." She begs, her voice shaking.

"There's no time for that. I need it gone before it takes everything from me. I have you to protect. My little girl is back in Obsidian Howl, probably asking where I've disappeared to again."

I watch her shut her eyes tightly. She takes several deep, steadying breaths. Her hand finally stops trembling. She gives a slow nod. "Alright."

I lie face down on the cold table. I feel the chill of the metal scalpel as she positions it between my shoulder blades.

She presses down. Warm blood instantly trickles down my spine. The cutting pain is minimal, but she keeps whispering apologies over and over.

Hannah uses another tool to probe deeper into the wound. She freezes when I grunt in discomfort. Finally, she extracts a tiny sphere from my flesh. It clinks metallically against the bowl she drops it into, though it looks nothing like metal. I'll bring it back to Obsidian Howl. Perhaps Theodore can identify it.

"Got it." She murmurs, searching for something to clean the blood from her hands.

Immediate relief washes over me. I look at Hannah and smile, realizing I can see her entire soul clearly again. How could something so small cause such immense problems?

"Now your turn." I state quietly.

"Me?"

"I need to check first. In the scanner."

"He stripped my abilities."

"You mentioned an injection. If it's the same substance that was in me, I can remove it. You could get your Lycan abilities back."

I scan her repeatedly. Nothing appears. Not a single anomaly. Why was something different used on me?

For a fleeting moment, Hannah looks frustrated we found nothing. It gives me a sliver of hope that deep down, she truly wants her powers back.

"I despise him." She mutters under her breath while gently cleaning the blood from my back.

"Understandable."

She moves around the table to face me, standing between my parted legs. "How can someone be so cruel? Why would he feel the need to do this to people he doesn't even know?"

"He believes he's a God."

"Pfft. It makes no sense."

"Often, it doesn't." I wipe a tiny drop of blood from her cheek. "Everyone has darkness within them. For some, it never surfaces. For others, it consumes them completely."

"You're referring to Rogues?"

"Exactly. The problem is, we're dealing with a man who is half Witch. If that part dominates, he can channel the darkness that would have otherwise turned him Rogue."

She lowers her head, frowning. A crease forms between her brows. "So how do we defeat him?"

"Athena and Theodore."

"Just Athena and Theodore?"

"I believe so. I told you Theodore is a Witch Hunter."

"Athena can't link him, can she?"

"She can when he's vulnerable. That will be the key."

"You have a plan, don't you?"

"I'm working on it. I'll speak with Athena tomorrow. Tonight, we stay here. We get a proper night's sleep." "Do you think he'll return?"

"If he does, it will only be a projection. He won't actually be here."

Hannah sleeps curled tightly against me. All evening, her eyes kept darting around the house, searching for him. She even slept in one of my t-shirts because she didn't want him seeing her naked.

Any time I hinted at pleasuring her, she refused. The idea of Levi projecting himself here made her feel nervous and exposed.

I don't sleep. Not even a wink. I know there are more Rogues out there than just the two that tried to kill me. I can smell them near my house. But is it worth leaving my already terrified mate alone?

I lie awake, listening to their movements. There are at least eight. Eight of them prowling beneath my bedroom window. Yet not a single one attempts to enter the house. They can smell we're inside. I expect one to try a door handle. Or climb the building and attempt a window. But they don't.