TERESAI didn’t know where I was. Nothing in this place seemed familiar to me and I was just guided by the smell because I was in total darkness.Panic had no place or purpose. I had to find a way out of here. It felt like the rancid smell and humidity made me think I was somewhere in a cellar.And suddenly a bright light showed up in the cellar until I realized that only the hallway was lit by a torch that had just been set on fire by someone.Next to me was another girl, thin, motionless, almost dead. I didn’t even know what color her hair was. I had my hands chained, so were my legs, so I realized I was in a dungeon and that my situation, and that of this young woman next to me, did not look very good.“Hey, you!” I said, trying to wake her up, but she seemed out of this world.She had her head lowered, and her wrists were already bleeding. “Hey, can you hear me?” I shouted again, hoping she would hear me this time.Suddenly she raised her head and in her eyes besides terror I saw
LETTICEI had been waiting for this specimen for a long time. Her coming here could mean the beginning of a new era for my babies. Her blood was so valuable that I didn’t care if I dried her completely.All my previous attempts with Sonia’s blood failed, but now she was too weak and her blood did not regenerate as fast as it once did. And I needed large quantities. After I locked Teresa in the dungeon, my intention was to go up to the office to check the latest data that could help me discover even further what I was doing wrong. Now that I had what I needed, nothing should go wrong anymore.My children were waiting for the miraculous serum, and I would not disappoint them. My revenge would be sublime and final. But right after I lit the torches in the hallway, a horrible sight unfolded before my eyes. I could feel my blood boiling and raising, ready to explode and the fire burning inside me.All the cells had their bars on the wall and no trace of the girls I had locked in here. Som
TERESAThis smell made me terribly dizzy. I couldn’t get up from the floor, not to mention that the flames in my hands went out instantly and my eyes burned from whatever she pulverized me with.I recognized the same smell in the lab, and it was hard for me to concentrate on staying awake. Although I could hardly focus, her confession still resounded in my head as being the great grandmother of the Gallagher brothers.Why would I believe her if she had been lying to us so far? Is it another one of her weapons? It flooded my mind with pain and the question of how Bash allowed such a woman to come into the company? Maybe he didn’t know…To her delight, I struggled under her foot, which she pressed so hard against my chest that I stopped breathing. I could also hear Sonia next to me, but because of the dizziness, I could barely make out what she was saying.“Lettice, leave her alone. You’re going to kill her!” Sonia yelled.But the so-called Lettice laughed even harder, pressing even har
SEBASTIANIt had been several hours since I had this painful and strange feeling that Teresa was in danger. I had left with Liam from the company and was on my way home when a sharp pain pierced my entire body as if a strong venom was passing through my veins.“Alpha, are you okay?” Liam asked worriedly, looking at me. “Do you want me to drive?”“No, it’s okay. I can handle it. I just feel different things, like changes in my body. And it hurts on the inside. Something is happening to Teresa!”Now that I knew who our enemy was, it was time to confront my mother, and what was most important, to tell me why she had my grandmother’s diary in her drawer. I wonder how much she knew and didn’t tell us. “Liam, we need to find Luana ... or Lettice ... her name is Lettice. God, we had her under our eyes for so long and we didn’t realize it. She hurt us deliberately, and I had no eyes to see and no ears to hear!”Regrets were late now. At this point, we knew who our enemy was, and we also knew
SEBASTIANIt had been a painful day since talking to my mother and no sign of Teresa, although I could still feel her pain. The revelation of my mother's venerable age gave me a glimpse of her inner fortitude and the hardships she may have faced.I kept asking my soul and this powerful link we had to find out the smallest detail about Teresa’s abduction. I had called Erik, as I was definitely more and more sure that they were father and daughter.He also had some premonitions, and even felt that something was wrong. I just would not lie to him.“Hey Bash, any news?” he asked me, overly worried.It was obvious that he had spent the day of yesterday looking for clues or any other evidence that might have told us where Teresa had been taken. “I stayed up all night trying to locate her, but I couldn’t. It was as if something or someone was blocking my senses and putting a barrier between me and her. ““I understand you. It’s the same with me. I feel like my blood got poisoned! There are t
LETTICEThis damn child lasted longer than I expected, and by doing so, she would delay my plans. Couldn’t afford to linger that long as I needed subjects, people who would obey me, especially now that a large part of my army got butchered. I would hold Victoria Gallagher accountable for this! She will not get away so easily!Teresa was, for most of the procession, unconscious, but it was incredible how quickly her blood regenerated. Much faster than Sonia’s. At this rate, I will soon have the invincible army I long for.Just when I left the room, I came face to face with Noah. The grimace on his face was the equivalent of horror. He heard Teresa’s muffled voice from the torture table, like a whisper, but she still had the audacity to shout it at how much her condition allowed it.“Noah ... please...help me…!” she tried to grab his attention, but in my son’s eyes, the flame of revenge was already burning.It probably shocked him what he saw around him. All those demons were slaughtere
SEBASTIANI couldn’t tell how far my anger mixed with helplessness had gone. I even felt guilty that I wasn’t there next to her to protect her. This damn serum that took us so far.William and Jacob, Liam, and Erik were already in my office. We intended to attack with all three contingents. Teresa had to be taken out of there.“Guys, we don’t have a plan for the fortress or the dungeons from under the castle. All I know from my sister is that the castle is on the highest hill and there’s a lot of forest around it. On this map, if we look, I marked that exact place!” I explained, looking at these men who were following me.“We will have to sneak somewhere under the fortress to get to the dungeons. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go through the castle. Lettice is definitely there and we’re ruining the element of surprise,” Erik added, pointing to a spot somewhere under the fortress on the map.“That is correct. My contingent and I can stand on guard somewhere a few feet behind you.” W
SEBASTIANAs soon as Noah left us and showed us the way to the dungeons, he went to the castle, where he said he would keep Lettice occupied. The images in the dungeons will not leave me so easily.The smell of death was everywhere, and we could see the terror in every corner. Most of the cells were empty and opened, a sign that the transformation of the beasts was over. I wondered where they were?Vicky was right, this place was a damn maze. I followed Teresa's scent, but soon enough demons showed up in my path.We had turned into werewolves again at the entrance of the dungeons and now we stood face to face with the demons of hell. The same enormous beasts, inflamed with the smell of sulfur.I didn’t know if they were from the recent ones or from the ones left alive from Vicky’s attack. It didn’t matter when the first beast launched at us with threatening claws and fangs.Directly to one of my men’s throats. He screamed in pain throughout the corridors of the castle. And although I
LETTICE “Where am I?” I asked, confused, as if after a fall into the void. But no one answered. I didn’t even know how to describe this place. Lots of fog and a feeling of peace. Could this be heaven? Certainly not. Not after what I did to Sebastian, Teresa, and his family. Or rather, my family. Everything was so quiet here. Nothing hurt anymore. I looked at myself and noticed I had no more wounds. Had Teresa’s magic hurt me, or was it just a dream? Has my great-great-grandson serum worked? Of course it worked! I was once again that beautiful, slender woman with flowing hair like the burning sun and full of life. Only I wasn’t alive anymore. I took a few steps forward. To my amazement, though I knew my physical life on earth was over, I was not afraid to step into the unknown. The further I walked, the more the fog lifted. At one point, everything became so clear that I rolled my eyes in amazement. A realm as if out of my mother’s books when she read me those immortal stories. Th
SEBASTIANAFTER A YEAR…The air was cool and fresh as the rain fell slightly from the sky. Now there was another place where I found tranquility, my mother’s grave. I was looking at her resting place as an end to her story here with us and a beginning of a new one in the afterlife.A cold gravestone could never mark her glorious life. She was my support throughout everything. “Your mother is very proud of you, Bash,” Teresa said in a warm voice, placing fresh peonies on her grave. “Right, Dorothea? Grandma is very proud of us all,” and she took the little girl in her arms. She giggled, caressing Teresa’s cheek. My little girl!“Let’s go! I want to visit another grave…”I braced myself for the avalanche of mixed feelings. We didn’t place her in the family’s tomb, but she deserved a proper burial. I walked lightly through the graves to the end of the line.Teresa and our baby girl were quietly following me. And then I saw he was there too. He had no choice but still he was suffering.“
SEBASTIAN“Gallagher, if you are brave enough, come embrace your death! Granny is here. Come, give her a hug.”Lettice’s voice sounded threatening throughout the land. Her anger might be justified, but so was our response to fighting back. All of my men were outside, so I entered their minds. Gather quickly and keep her out of the mansion as much as possible! And then I turned to Mother and Teresa. “Hide down in the lab…” I shouted, but that was all I said. Teresa’s gaze hardened and her staring became full of reproaches.“Did I hear it well? Do you want me to run away? Oh, no, this is my fight, too. So stop protecting me. I don’t need it!” She roared, fireballs already appearing in her palms. “Teresa is right, my dear. We are strong, maybe stronger than many of the werewolves in the Kielder Pack. You need us to defeat Lettice!” Mother intervened, and I had to admit that although I feared for their lives, they were right. “Ok, so be it!” “Come on Gallagher, you are keeping grandma
SEBASTIANThe tensions between me and Teresa were more intense every hour. I decided not to approach her, at least until she calmed down. Today, Liam and I got down to business and prepared the syringes and organized the recipients.At the time, only we knew about the antigen and I was going to tell Erik, too. When I entered the office, he was already there, looking out the tall window at Teresa and Caroline.“Hey, Erik,” I said softly enough not to disconnect him from his reverie.He also suffered for his daughter, who did not want to hear anything about him and who constantly denied him. Even more recently, Caroline seemed to be not so indifferent when it came to him. I was happy for them.“Hey, Bash. I’m sorry I took over your office ...!” He replied in a sad, defeated tone.“My friend, I know you are going through desperate moments, but try to see the good side of things. At least she didn’t drive you away!” I tried to be as delicate as I could.As I knew Teresa, it was very diffi
SEBASTIANTime stood still, and I could hardly find my balance. Surely that’s not what she meant, is it? Our love on hold? Although her words caused me immense pain, I knew that the source of these events was Lettice. If I stopped Lettice, it was over. Our love would have gained its sweetness again. So I left Teresa alone in the garden and told Liam to keep a close eye on her. She was wounded, but at the moment I could not heal her wounds, no matter how many kisses I gave her. Lettice had to disappear from our lives and urgently.I had to make a plan because it absolutely convinced me that Lettice would not stay and let the time pass. It was very possible that at this moment she would count the army she had remained with and those of the transformed people into demons. I had no doubt that her serum was ready.And while I was working in my office, from all the men in the world, Noah appeared at the door. He was the last person I wanted to see. But after his heroic rescue, I had no cho
LETTICEI had a hard time recovering from this blow, but from the moment I got to my feet, I realized who did this to me. His smell gave him away. Big mistake, Noah!I was sure now that my own son also helped these damn beasts to get out of here. Teresa was gone, and so was Sonia. Anger gripped me and crushed me inside, like the flames of hell where I came from.But I had her blood, which was ten times stronger than Sonia’s. Now I needed time and concentration to mix the right amount in the serum already made in GenetiX labs.I still found it hard to believe how naive Gallagher was when he hired me, but I had to admit he did a good job when he discovered me. This was my blood, my idea of immortality!But my revenge would be cruel, and all who have betrayed me would pay dearly. Agh, Noah, you just signed your sentence! For your own good, I hope you don’t show up here!Now I had other important things to do than to think about my traitor son. Leaving everything to chance was not an opti
TERESAI couldn’t believe what my ears were hearing. This discussion was about me and I wasn’t present. How can I believe such a thing? How can I believe that Erik Von Hagen had the soul to abandon me on a beach, saying that he was going to bring my mother?Time erased the faces of the two from my mind, but it had never erased the pain and loneliness I experienced in my soul. My adoptive parents, although they loved me enormously, could never fill that void left by a father who abandoned me and a mother who died before I could enjoy her.Everyone looked at me in amazement. Erik was the most marked. He could not move, although I could see that he wanted to take a few steps towards me.“Teresa, my dear, why did you get out of bed?” Thea cried, coming towards me.I could really see the worry on her face, especially since I was holding on to my hip so I could stay on my feet. She really was the only one worried. “Oh God, at least let me help you sit down. The wounds that haven’t healed ye
SEBASTIANTwo days had passed since Teresa’s release, days of delirium, high fever, and hallucinations. She didn’t seem to recover.I stayed with her all this time, taking care of her, changing her clothes when needed. Her perfect body was probably shaking because of the nightmares that she lived there.I was still blaming myself for how much suffering she had to go through. Sonia, the girl she had met there, was also here. She was a little better and had explained to us that in time she learned about pain and did not take it into account.“How is she feeling?” my mother asked in a whisper, entering the door so easily I could barely hear her.She must have felt a pang of tremendous guilt too for Teresa’s abduction.“She has not woken up yet. I hope she will be better soon. Where are Erik and Liam?” I asked curiously, not seeing them around here in the last few days.“Erik is taking care of this girl, Sonia, and Liam is guarding outside with everyone else. They didn’t want to bother yo
SEBASTIANAs soon as Noah left us and showed us the way to the dungeons, he went to the castle, where he said he would keep Lettice occupied. The images in the dungeons will not leave me so easily.The smell of death was everywhere, and we could see the terror in every corner. Most of the cells were empty and opened, a sign that the transformation of the beasts was over. I wondered where they were?Vicky was right, this place was a damn maze. I followed Teresa's scent, but soon enough demons showed up in my path.We had turned into werewolves again at the entrance of the dungeons and now we stood face to face with the demons of hell. The same enormous beasts, inflamed with the smell of sulfur.I didn’t know if they were from the recent ones or from the ones left alive from Vicky’s attack. It didn’t matter when the first beast launched at us with threatening claws and fangs.Directly to one of my men’s throats. He screamed in pain throughout the corridors of the castle. And although I