Chapter 4

BEAVERTON, OREGON

(Black Blood Pack)

Cameron's Point Of View

Grief and sadness were two feelings that were not so foreign to me. It felt as if their very existence were carved out from my soul, like a ditch of dark holes deep within my heart. A hole that cannot be filled by anything that the world could offer.

I thought of it at that time as a sad moment in life where you have to push through to the other side, but there was no pushing through, and there was most definitely not another side to this sadness, other than pain and more pain that I would have to get through every day. It was the only emotion that absorbed me. The more the years rushed by, and the world kept growing, it only got harder and impossible to deal with.

I was aware of what the world thought of me, what everyone thought of me. They say I was nothing more than a saddened soul that has sold what little of his humanity to the devil.

Well, I couldn't blame them. That wasn't exactly a lie. I had changed. Fuck! Who wouldn't after going through my entire life for the last seventeen years? It had been abominable and heart-wrenching. There were some dark days when I almost caved into the darkness that absorbed me and accompanied me everywhere I went. No matter how deep I fell, how bad everything got, I only hung on to the last straw of my old self because of her, my beautiful mate, Davina.

I couldn't abandon her in this fight against the awful unruly hands of fate. She needed me, as much as I did her. Sometimes it got so hard for me that for the first time in my existence, I wished I could just curl up and die. But there was still some hope left in this sufferable madness. The hope of finding our miracle, our lost daughter. Our stolen princess.

That kept me going. It was like the very blood that pumped in my veins. My drive and redemption. And I would never give up on the chance of making my family complete and making everything right. Bringing her back home to where she rightfully belonged, with her brother, her mother, and I. And until I do. I could not return to the person I once was until I found my daughter, I would remain this way. Cold, heartless, and ruthless.

The last seventeen years have been brutal and soul-crushing for me. I had spent the last years turning the world upside down in search of the cursed witch, Emily, and the she-wolf, Jasmin who took her away from us, before she was even born. I consoled myself with the helluva satisfaction of detaching their heads from their body, while I ripped off their worthless excuse of a heart.

The thrill was something I looked forward to. After only a few years of trying to find out any information about Emily and Jasmine's whereabouts from people they once knew or had been acquainted with, my patience had slowly worn out. The dark witches and wolves kept repeating they knew nothing about those two.

But that was impossible. Someone had to know something, so I had to improvise and change my tactics. My hobby of late was torturing and inflicting pain on every one of them. But today wasn't one of those days and I had to step out a second from my world and make a visit to an old friend.

I shook out of my thoughts, used one of my vampire gifts, and teleported to a familiar place, the Black Blood Pack.

"Who goes there?!" I heard a sharp, threatening voice from the lashing darkness. I halted in my tracks and was instantly circled by a group of wolves. Cautious steps further approached me, and a torch was forced at my face.

"King!" The voice exclaimed in surprise and fear. I recognized him as Hendrick, the Alpha's beta. He bowed his head in respect, and the group of wolves circling me shifted to their human form, dropping their heads in submission to their King.

"It's been a long time Hendrick" I calmly said to him.

"Yes, Alpha. It's been ten long years since we last met" He brewed one of his smiles across his rugged face acquired from many wars.

I looked him up and down carefully. He had aged quite a little, but his strength and agility were something that was ever still present.

"How's Luca?" I swerved. We began strolling down the meadow to the Packhouse. My hands were inserted into the leather black jacket.

Hendrick's sigh was worrisome and deep. It was just as I imagined. I didn't need his words to confirm it. Lucas's condition was not improving. This would be why he requested my presence.

"I can only say, he gets worse each day" His eyes held a distinct pain and fear. Those words meant one thing, and regretfully, his life was coming to an end.

I released a consoling sigh, tapping on Hendrick's shoulder. We reached the first floor when I zoomed in on the figure that hopped its way closer to us in elation.

My full cherry lips curled up a smile. "Is that who I think it is?" I asked in surprise, noting the genuine elation that had risen somewhere within me.

Hendrick nodded frankly and her shrieks invaded my ears.

"Uncle Cameron!" She sprang into my arms. I engulfed her tiny frame with my large arms.

"Lyra?" It sounded completely like a question. I was still amazed at how these kids grew up so fast nowadays. "You are all grown up"

She giggled, pulling from my embrace. This was a sheer wonder. The last time I had seen her, she was no more than eight, and now she was becoming a grown-ass woman.

My smile shrinked a little at the thought of my angel. My little girl. My daughter. She would be all grown up as well. A pang of my usual sickness stung my chest, sadness and pain. I felt my wolf, Vittorio howl in my head in pain.

Brushing it all aside, I focused my focus on her. She kept telling me about her life, and school and queried about Asher. I was amazed by how much she said in short minutes. We approached the Alpha Luca room. Hendrick and Lyra left me when we pulled up at the door.

I knocked once, before twisting the doorknob open. The room was dark. Not even the moonlight rays were allowed in. I sniffed the awful, yet familiar smell of despondency and sadness. My eyes caught his bulky frame that leaned against the curtains. It was either he hadn't felt my presence yet, or felt too tired to make any movements.

I stepped closer. "Luca?" He jolted in shock, his eyes meeting mine in the darkness.

"Alpha. I didn't hear you come in" He said quietly. His voice sounded strained and too tired to speak.

I strutted to the curtains, tugging at it. The room brightened a little from the moon's light that filtered in. I could see him properly. His deep eyes met mine, and he forced a smile that betrayed his true emotions. He was still as huge and bulky as always, but I couldn't recognize the soul harbored down in those saddened eyes. Hendrick was right. He had worsened severely.

I leaned against the wall, opposite him. "You look terrible Luca" I was honest. He had aged a lot within the last few years, almost at the fast pace humans did.

He forced a smile again. The soft skin around his eyes was weary and worn out. His once sharpened and broad shoulders fell on him like they had been soaked in the rainfall.

"I could say the same about you" Touché. He was right. I wasn't any better myself.

"Take care of yourself, Luca. You still have children who need you" At my words, his eyes lazily roamed out the window into the blank space.

"How's he doing?" He asked. His words dry, and his voice plain. But the emotions seeped through his gaze.

"He's holding up well. He's no longer a kid you know, he has grown into a fine young man" I conjured the image of the little boy who came to us at a young age. At the tender time when he desperately needed a parent.

He was only just five and my heart felt for him. He reminded me of the time I lost my parents at that age. I knew what I went through, and how much I had craved the love and warmth of a parent. But I didn't blame Luca in any way. They both were another one of fate's victims. Anyone who had recently lost the love of his life, his destined other half, and one true mate would be left as broken and incomplete as he was. It happened to me when Davina died in my arms.

Fuck! I had lost it. I felt my whole world had ended, and it would have if she hadn't escaped death and returned to me. I knew exactly how this man felt, so I couldn't prejudice him.

"I guess he got his old man's genes after all" Luca attempted stifling a chuckle, but it ended up in an uncontrollable violent cough.

"He also inherited Lucia's beauty" I poked. Lucia was an untouchable subject with him. But I had to even though it hurt him. For Asher, Lyra, and himself. I had to. "You should see him," I added, expressionlessly. Luca remained quiet. "He blames himself every day for her death"

"It wasn't his fault. If anything, it was mine. If only I was there to protect my sweet Lucia from that demon. She would still be here," Luca was quick to defend. I saw a spark of his old, lost, and forgotten self.

"Then you should tell him yourself. Explain what happened to him. He needs you. I can only be there for him as a guardian, uncle, and friend. But you are his father, Luca."

Luca's expression softened. His eyes held my cold, expressionless amber eyes.

"I can't look him in the eye. It's my fault he grew up without a mother" Luca's broken, tear-stricken voice sounded. All I saw in him was profound guilt. He knew better than anyone that neither Asher nor he was to blame for Lucia's death. Lucia was someone special. A demon princess that was mated to an Alpha. She knew she wouldn't make it that unfortunate night. She had the choice to choose between her life and her child's, and she chose to have the child. It was fate's wrongdoing.

"Hell, Luca! You know fucking well it's not your fault nor Asher's. He's been waiting for you for thirteen years already. He has this notion that you despise him for killing your mate…."

"I would never. I love my son. He's the proof of what Lucia and I shared. Of our love"

"Then tell him that. He needs to hear it, not me." I knew I sounded harsh. But that was brutal honesty. Deep down I wished I had such privilege to tell that to my daughter.

Every day for the last seventeen years, I always wondered what she thought of me and Davina. Her real parents.

I died each time just having to think what lies Jasmine and Emily must have probably told her. She must have thought we abandoned her, or even worse, we didn't want her or we gave her up. But we didn't. She was stolen from us even before she was born by Emily, the witch who performed the ritual that transferred the child Davina was expecting to another host, Jasmine.

Davina didn't get the chance to give birth to her as she did with Theo. I didn't get the chance to carry her as an infant. Those were moments stolen from us by Emily and that psychotic ex-girlfriend of mine. Losing her was not a choice.

"That was why I called for you." His eyes were as hard as a rock. His face adopted a grim, deathly demeanor. I mentally held my breath awaiting his words. "I don't think I'll make it that long."

Something in my chest lurched. "Explain what you mean?"

"I'm dying." He said, pulling his gaze back to the darkness hovering outside the window.

"That can't be Luca. You can't be sick not when your wolf is…." A thin realization cut sharply through my words. I looked at him in horror. "Fuck damned No. Luca. I can't believe this"

He nodded. Not glancing my way. "My wolf died. He couldn't bear the pain any longer." He tried detaching the sorrow from his words. But he barely had any luck on that.

"When?" Was all I could form. Involuntary, I thought of Asher and Lyra. How devastating the news will be.

“A few months ago." He counted the words like he was reciting them from the blank darkness.

I shut my eyes. This was bad. No one could live for too long without their wolf who died from the pain of losing one's mate. "I can easily make you a vampire."

He snickered lightly. The moon rays nested on his dulled face. "I won't be able to make it through my transition. My body and soul are weak, and I have no will to live. Even if by some miracle I survive, living will be far worse than dying. With the pain in me, I might become a soulless ripper." He took a careful pause. His eyes locked with mine. "I do not want that for myself. I have lost my will to live a long time ago. It's time I take some rest, I've made her wait for far too long"

He had made up his mind. There was no persuading him. "Does anyone know about this?"

"Hendrick." Luca summoned the name with ease. "He's the only one that knows in the Pack"

I dug my face into both of my palms, rubbing tersely against my face. "What do you want me to do now? How can I help?"

He slowly pulled his distant lost gaze to mine. A warm smile found his dry, lifeless lips. "I knew I could count on you"

He paused. "Asher----"

"You should send for him. Tell him yourself" His gaze drifted from mine.

"I will. Lyra is so young. And so is he" I could feel Luca's concern. Even I would feel that way leaving Theo all alone.

"Asher is one hell of a tough man. Believe me, he grew up into a fine young man. He'll make a good Alpha" I assured him. I took Asher as a son of mine. I believed in him.

"Yeah." He chuckled roughly. "Lucia and I will be forever grateful to you and Davina. I knew I would never be able to be a good father to him. Even when I took in Lyra. I knew it. I didn't want to disappoint Lucia. I don't know how I'd be able to survive if she hadn't sent Davina to me."

I exhaled deeply. Thinking of my mate and Lucia's encounter. If it wasn't destiny, I don't know what else to call two strangers knowing each other through a mere dream a few months after Lucia's death.

The door jerked open, interrupting us. Hendrick hastened to us. Face crippling with fear. His heart beat absconding through the roof. Absent-mindedly, I used another of my vampire gifts and read his mind before he could speak. My heart dropped quickly and my hands fell from my pockets, knowing it was news from Wiscon. Davina, my mate, was there with the witch Cyrene.

"Sorry for interrupting. It's urgent" Hendrick apologized. Carter and Blake followed behind him.

The look on my face grew with uneasiness and fear.

"Did something happen?"

Carter met my gaze.

"It happened again. It's the Elder witch Elona. She's dead." Carter said.

I clenched my jaw at his words. Not again. I pinched my forehead. "When?"

"Today. She was found like the others" At Blake's words, my hand folded into a ball in a fit to subdue my rage. It's been recurring for the last seven years.

Mysterious deaths all around the continent. At first, it started with random deaths from different supernatural kinds. But in the last three years, it has grown worse. High-ranking officials from different supernatural kinds began to die mysteriously, leaving behind no trail at all, and now an Elder witch was murdered.

"It keeps getting worse by the day. Everyone is in a panic. No magical being is safe anymore" Luca sounded quietly into the night's darkness. His intense gaze was directed outside the window.

"The Council called for a meeting. They are requesting your presence this time" Carter said.

It had been a long time since I attended a meeting called by the Council. I had more important matters to attend to. But I had to go this time. These mysterious deaths were concerning to everyone. And I had to see my mate, Davina, and more importantly the witch Cyrene. She has been having strange visions, some of which Davina thinks may have to do with our missing daughter. Our little princess.