Before the gunshot sounded, Ethan suddenly felt a hard surface slam into himโno, it was a chest. The impact made the ice cream in his hand slip and sprawl onto the floor.It all happened so fast. Before Ethan could even process it, the gunshot rang out, making him jerk violently, his eyes squeezing shut. But strong arms wrapped around him protectively, shielding him from the danger.With his heart racing, Ethan slowly regained his senses. Screams erupted from the onlookers, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps as chaos filled the air.โHey,โ a deep, familiar, soothing voice broke through Ethan's panic. โAre you alright?โEthan looked up slowly, meeting Lucianโs intense, worried gazeโa look he had never seen before.After winning that plush toy, Lucian had received a message from Eric. Twilight had mentioned that Zeno Luther was in townโand after Ethanโs life.Lucian hadnโt wasted a second. He dashed out of the building. Upon spotting Ethan, he noticed a red laser dot on his ches
CELLLucian's breath hitched as his head jerked up, sweat breaking across his temples. His chains rattled slightly with his strained movement.The cell was cold. Too cold. But his body burned.The past came rushing in like a wave.The scent of blood. The scream of the woman. His woman. His mate.Her blonde hair drenched in red, her lifeless body sprawled, throat gaping open. Her eyes wideโฆ staring. Empty.โNoโฆโ Lucian growled lowly, but the images didnโt stop.Then the child. His son.Little fingers stretched out to him. Eyes that mirrored his own, wide in confusion. Crying for him.โPapaโฆโLucianโs eyes burned.Just like every nightmare, their battered bodies stood right before him, calling and crying while he stood helplessly, driven to the brink of insanity.He struggled against the chains, muscles tightening, veins pulsing. He let out a low growl, one that echoed around the cell.โDonโtโdonโt touch them!โ his voice cracked as he shouted, though there was no one in the room.A laug
The sky roared outside in the night, thunder cracking against the clouds, its roar echoing in the large room. On the king-sized bed was Ethan, curled on the soft mattress. His eyes opened, staring into space. He couldn't sleep. Not a single hint of darkness wanted to slip into his senses to do him a favor of pulling him out of his restless mind. Ethan stayed awake, but he was barely aware of his surroundings. The heavy thunder sounded distant, and the rain splattering against the window was quiet. His mind was disoriented. There was a heavy weight pressing against his chest, puncturing his heart. He was breathing, yet it felt as though he was not. Ethan rolled onto the other side, restless with only one name on his mindโLucian. He hadn't been this worried and unsettled about this male before. Hell, he didn't know he was this attached to still be awake for this long, struggling on his bed and worried about him. He couldn't even eat the dinner the hotel service had brought for
As soon as the sun rose, Eric headed to the cell. He spotted Lucian seated on the floor, his back resting against the wall, head lowered. He was quiet, but Eric knew he was awake.The clacking of the gate echoed in the space, and Eric walked in to help Lucian up to his feet. The male's heavy weight pressed on him.Eric caught a glimpse of a toy on the floor, covered in dirt. He reached for it too before helping Lucian out of the cell.After freshening him up, Eric helped Lucian into a comfortable dress and left him in the dining room, where breakfast and herbs were already prepared, just like every time. The herbs helped to restore his strength faster. Morgana had taught Eric how to prepare them.Eric watched as Lucian had the meal and herbs quietly. Judging from his mood, Eric could tell this episode had hit Lucian harder than the previous ones.He had heard the roars, cries, and words. He didn't sleep. He couldn'tโnot while his friend was suffering.But he heard something unexpected
Twilight was drying her hair when Eric stepped in as well. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him, and she immediately dropped the towel and approached.โEric, how did itโโEric grabbed her waist, slamming his lips against hers, shoving her words back into her throat with a hard, passionate kiss. Twilight melted in his arms, letting his warm tongue slide into her mouth.Her sweet moan echoed through the room, her hand sliding onto his neck, threading her fingers through his hair.He grabbed her by the waist, lifting her as though she weighed nothing. Her back met the wall with a soft thud, her breath catching in her throat as her towel slipped down, pooling at her feet like a whisper.โEricโฆโ she breathed, her voice trembling with need, but he didnโt let her speak.His mouth was on hers again, harder this timeโdesperate. As if he needed to remind himself she was real. As if heโd lose his mind if he didnโt taste her right then and there.Her legs wrapped around his waist, locking him in.
Twilight let out a cry as she climbed to her peak, Eric's fingers thrusting in and out of her wet core while his tongue flicked over her sensitive nub.One hand still tangled in his dark silk hair, while the other held the sheet tight as her toes curled. She caught the sight of him, gazing up at her with those dark seducive eyes and she could swore it was the sexiest sight she had ever seen.Eric in between her legs... Oh Gawd.The heat coiled in her stomach, her mouth parting in a silent moan before the sensation exploded within her, making her collapse back onto the bed.Her breathing came in heavy bursts, chest heaving as she struggled to steady herself. Her eyes were shut, a hint of tears pricking the corners.Her heartbeat pounded so loudly she couldโve sworn Eric heard it.She felt a kiss on her jaw, prompting her eyes to flutter open and meet Ericโs dreamy gaze. He brought his fingers to his lips and licked them clean. The sight was so sensual, Twilight had to bite her lip to
Ethan was kneeling, his mouth wrapped around Lucianโs length.A low, guttural growl escaped Lucianโs throat. His hand threaded through Ethanโs wet hair as he locked eyes with the boy between his legs, his warm, wet mouth bobbing onto his cรณck.Ethan had done it onceโthat day, he swore never to do it againโbut here he was, doing it of his own free will.Oh Ethanโฆ youโve finally gone insane.Yeah. Insane for him. And thatโฆ strangely felt okay. Good, even.With that thought, Ethan rolled his tongue over the tip just to get a reaction. From the satisfying groan that followed, Ethan could tell it made Lucian feel incredibly good.Their gaze remained locked. Neither looked away.He did the act over and over again, skillfully playing with Lucian's tip with his tongue.โFรปck!โ Lucian cursed loudly, his grip on Ethanโs wet hair tightening as he began to move, thrusting into Ethanโs mouth while biting his sexy lip.The choking sounds coming from Ethan's throat mingled with the sound of running
Moore clenched his phone tightly, his heart racing nonstop, lips quivering.โMr. Black, letโs talk aboutโโThree beeps echoed in his ear, indicating the call had just been disconnected. Sweat beaded on Mooreโs face, his eyes darted around the room as though searching for somewhere to hideโฆ but there was nowhere.He was alone.And now, sooner or later, his heart was going to be ripped out of his chest. The thought made his knees buckle. He felt stupid for ever playing with Lucianโs words.His son was dead. He couldnโt even grieveโhe was next.His trembling fingers slid across his phone screen, dialing a number. When the person on the other end picked up, he yelled:โFuck! Thank God youโre not dead. Prepare any possible way for me to leave this country right away. I donโt care how you do it, I need to leave now! Iโll pay you anythingโjust find me a way immediately!โThe voice on the other end responded, โSir, you could follow the goods you're about to ship to Korea. If itโs urgent.โRig
While feeding Lucian, Ethan could feel Lucian's gaze the whole time. The male didn't for a moment stop staring and he didn't mind.Though his heart raced at intensity, he still continue to feed him and he obediently took them all to the last bite.Ethan cleared the plate and walked back to his with a glass of water. He offered but Lucian didn't accept, still staring.Ethan sighed, who would have thought Lucian has this kid side of him.Gently, he placed the tip of the cup on Lucian's lips, gently titling I pour the water into his mouth. Lucian drank till the last drop, watching Ethan dropped the glass away."Have you eaten?" Lucian finally spoke.Ethan folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah?""Uhm" Lucian cleared him throat. "Thanks""Are you just going to keep staring or you're going to tell me, what in the world is going on?" Ethan asked. "You promised to tell me. Now I wanna every one of it. Don't dare skip anything because I would be so mad at you if I find out" he warned."Fine
โLucian!โโPlease come back to me!โโIโm sorry.โโCome back!!โLucian gasped awake on the bed, sweat dripping down his forehead, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, eyes darting around.His room?Wait. How did he get here?His brows furrowed as he collected his memories. RightโZeno took Ethan, and he had gone to save him, and...Lucian froze, his brows knitting further. He sat up immediately, eyes wide. He couldn't remember what happened next.โStay away!โEthan's voice echoed. Lucian hissed as his head throbbed. Shit!Ethan had yelled at him. Rejected him. Had been scared of him, and he had...Why the fuck couldnโt he remember?!Lucian swung the sheet from his body, rose from the bed, and burst out of his room. Breath heavy, eyes darting frantically, he settled them on Butler Ben.โEthan,โ he breathed worriedly, approaching Ben. โWhere is he?โฆโโUhโฆโ Before Ben could reply, another voice sounded.โLucian?โLucianโs head snapped around, sighting the person he was desper
"Let me out of here, bastard!" Ethan yelled at the men."Seriously, are you not going to gag him?" one of them spoke, staring at Ethan in disgust."Yeah... I better," the second said, eyes searching for a rope."He's going to kill you all, bastards!" Ethan yelled again.The one who seemed to be the boss of the men in the room chuckled.He stepped forward, dark eyes glittering with amusement as he crouched before Ethan and grabbed his jaw."Kill us?" he drawled mockingly. "That little professor of yours is probably dead by now. All we're waiting for is Zeno's call before we cut your guts open."Ethan jerked his face away, trying to mask his fear. He was terrified, but he didnโt want to give these men what they wanted.The man barked a short laugh. "Look at you, trying to act tough. No one is coming to save you, boy. Just say your last words instead."Could they be right?Is Lucian coming? Will he find him?Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped.A chill crept down their spines.
Martin gasped, hearing the gunshots, his head snapping toward the door.What the hell was that?Are they shooting Mr. Black? And if soโฆ why did they have to shoot so many bullets to bring him down?What did you expect, Martin? Perhaps Mr. Black brought his men.But he had clearly heard Mr. Black came with just the man named Eric.A groan tore through his throat. He was gagged, hands tied behind him. Every part of him ached. He needed to get out of here and find Ethan before they hurt him.Once Zeno was done here, he planned to take Ethan's lifeโand he couldn't let that happen.โShut the hell up!โ the man watching him snapped, but Martin didnโt stop struggling against the rope, letting out muffled sounds.โShut up!โ the man yelled but clutched his ears as the gunshots sounded even louder.โShit! Just how many men did Mr. Black bring?โA scream pierced the air the moment the gunshots stopped, followed by the sickening crack of bones and the tear of fleshโฆThen a guttural growlโone that
โBut I want to help,โ Xander insisted. โThe tracker canโฆโโWe know everything before you came. Even the location of where Ethan is,โ Eric said, and Xander's face went pale. โSeriously? Why did you think it was easy for Martin to take Ethan?โRight. Xander had thought about that too. Mr. Black wouldn't let his security slip around Ethan after Mr. Moore's attack.Xander glanced at Lucian, who still hadn't spoken a word. This man was hella dangerous.โYour method was pretty cool but very old. I'm sure your father already suspected your movements and might have seen through Martin.โ Eric continued. โNice effort, kid.โโAh,โ Lucian let out a deep sigh. โI can't believe I lost the bet.โ His eyes finally fluttered open.Then he rose to his feet, locking gaze with Xander. His piercing gaze made Xander wonder if this was truly the professor in their school.It was as though his menacing aura had just increased tenfold.He approached with light, steady, and deliberate steps. If Xander weren't
"Urgh! Let me out of here!โโMartin!โMartin's jaw clenched as Ethan's voice trailed behind him while he headed to the car with Zeno and a few men.He took a last glance at the restricted building in the middle of the woods before entering the car. Zeno had chosen this location so Ethan would be hard to find.It was several miles away from the city; barely a soul could be seen around here.After almost an hour of driving, Zeno spoke, breaking the silence in the car.โWhere the hell is Xander?โ he asked, while Martin kept his gaze on the passing view outside the car window.โI don't know,โ he replied.โHaโฆ don't give me that kind of crappy answer. You expect me to believe you don't know where your bastard brother is?โ Zeno barked out a soft laugh. โI thought you both were close; I guess thatโs wrong. How could you not have told him you were about to betray your friend?โโBecause you asked me not to tell anyone,โ Martin's fists clenched. โAnd, point of correctionโฆ Ethan is not my friend
He didn't return last night.Ethan bit the inside of his cheek. Lucian wasnโt home.What could have kept him so busy that he didnโt show up? What could be the reason?Another woman?Ethan slammed his palm against his forehead. Donโt think like that, Ethan. You canโt be insecure. Lucian hasnโt been with any other woman ever since he met him.But why did he worry so much about him? It felt like he couldnโt breathe properly when Lucian wasnโt around for too long. It had been almost two days, and he was missing him.Could it be because Lucian was investigating his fatherโs case or it was simply due to his work?Ethan sighed. He asked himself too many questions. He should be more worried about the school that was about to kick him out.Ethanโs phone rang, and with a swift movement, he reached for it.The hospital?โMr. Waveโฆ your mother has gone into a critical stateโฆโThat was all Ethan allowed himself to hear before bolting out of the room, ignoring Butler Benโs voice calling after him.
โHelp who again?โEric drew in a deep breath, fully aware that Lucian had heard him the first time but chose to pretend he hadn't. Classic Lucian.โLutherโs sons.โA laugh broke from Lucianโs throatโlight and soft at first, then growing louder until it echoed through the four corners of the private club room.Eric waited patiently for him to finish. He knew it would be damn near impossible to convince this crazy male to help themโmostly because of Martin. Lycans donโt forget their enemies.They donโt forgive, and they sure as hell donโt forget. Once youโre on their blacklist, you stay there forever.Especially someone as crazy as his friend here.And when they finally strike, Lycans tend to wipe out every trace of their enemiesโincluding their offspring.Mr. Moore wasnโt the only victim. The poor man lost everything in a blink, including his son. Now, itโs as if that fool never existed.Lycans do give warnings, though. Once, twice... and by the third time, the victim finds out what de
A ragged cough tore from his throat, his fist rising to his mouth. Yara gave him a worried look and pointed to the bottled water on the table beside him. Ethan reached for it and drank nearly half the contents. He cleared his throat and gave Yara a quick smile. โWhat kind of work did you do though? All these things are so expensive. How come he got them for me? I donโt think I can accept them. Theyโre all too much.โ Ethanโs eyes darted. He needed to change the topic. โWhat kind of job do you do, Ethan?โ โIโฆโ Ethan paused. What could he say? Should he reveal everything from the start? How he met Lucian, his brutality, his true nature, the bond between them... Ethan realized so much had happened in such a short span of time. He couldnโt say it allโwell, not yet. And he didnโt want to lie to his mother either. โOh my!โ Yara gasped, eyes wide. Ethan looked at her, confused. โHuh? Mom, whatโs wrong?โ โDonโt tell me youโre doing something illegal. Did you join some gangster sh*t?