Castiel’s P.O.V
I don’t remember how I found my way to the gardens; one minute I was roaming the endless deserted hallways, and the next, I was here. The Panther Syndicate’s estate might have been a gilded cage, but the gardens were illuminated by a golden glow, making it look almost ethereal.
The only sounds came from the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind and the soft trickle of water from the fountain at the center. I walked slowly along the stone path, hands buried in my pockets, as I tried to steady the storm inside me. Here, surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and vibrant flowers, I could finally breathe.
My chest ached, a tight, burning sensation that wouldn’t go away no matter how much air I dragged in. Damien’s words from earlier echoed in my head, cruel and cutting as usual. He didn’t even have to raise his voice to hurt me; his cold tone did all the work. And yet, the pain wasn’t just from t
Castiel’s P.O.V “What the hell are you talking about?”“I’m talking about you, developing something for Damien,” Stephan rolled his eyes. “Let’s not beat around the bush, kid. We both know what’s happening, and if you take my advice, it’s better to stop that right here and now.”My mind was tangled in knots, trying to piece together fragments of a puzzle that felt like it would never fit together.I tried to think about what Stephan was telling me, really listen to his words and try to keep my feelings aside.Damien. The enigma. The man who had imprisoned me, and yet managed to saved me at the same time, kept himself locked behind a wall of silence and steel.Stephan stood beside me, his gaze fixed on the horizon, with a posture that mirrored my own. He had been Damien's confidant long before I entered their world—a link to the past that seemed to h
Castiel’s P.O.V The morning light poured through the thin curtains, nudging me awake. I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling, taking a moment to remember where I was. It didn’t take long for last night’s events to rush back into my mind.Groaning, I sat up, ruffling my hair as if that would wipe away the memory. Negotiations. Reed and Damien. As long as that wasn’t done, we’d be stuck here for god knows how long.I swung my legs off the bed and stretched, my muscles stiff from tossing and turning all night.A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.“Come in,” I called out, already knowing it would be Stephan. He had a knack for timing.He stepped in, his face bright and eager. “Good news. The deal’s done. We’re heading out this afternoon.”I blinked at him. “Wait, what? When did that happen? I thought we were supposed to stay another day.”
Castiel’s P.O.V The car’s engine hummed steadily as we cruised down the road, the scent of leather and faint cologne hanging thick in the air. I leaned back in my seat, turning my head to Damien, who sat beside me. He hadn’t said much since we’d left the estate, but that wasn’t unusual for him. Damien only spoke when he had something worth saying.“Did you manage to do it?” His voice broke the silence, smooth but firm, cutting through the dull sound of tires against asphalt. He didn’t look at me when he asked, but I could feel the tension in the car.I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I did.”“And?” His brow twitched, his tone shifting to something more curious. “What did you sense?”I hesitated. How could I even begin to explain what I felt back there? It wasn’t something you could j
Castiel’s P.O.V The car swerved violently, throwing me against the door as it careened down the winding road. My heart leaped to my throat when we narrowly missed a speeding SUV coming from the opposite direction, the headlights blinding for a split second before we were past. The screech of tires echoed in my ears, my pulse hammering so loudly I could barely hear my ragged breathing.“Dammit!” Stephan cursed from the front seat as he gripped the steering to steady himself, but the car was no longer under manual control. “This thing’s out of control!”The vehicle didn’t slow, weaving dangerously between lanes as if it had a mind of its own. My hands clawed at the door handle, uselessly trying to pry it open, but it was locked tight. Trapped. We were completely trapped in this mechanical death trap, and there wasn’t a damn thing we could do about it.
Damien’s P.O.V The oppressive heat inside the car pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket, but I forced myself to focus. I couldn’t afford to lose control now. My palm pressed flat against the cold metal of the car door, and I concentrated on summoning my power. The familiar sensation of heat started to build in my chest, a flicker of red flames curling behind my closed eyes. It wasn’t enough yet. I needed more, and I needed it fast.Reed’s power was all over the car, threading through every electrical circuit like a silent predator. I could feel it, sharp and invasive, a cold blue light that clashed violently with the warmth of my energy. Every time I pushed, he pushed back harder, the sparks of his power zapping across my connection like static shocks. My jaw tightened, my teeth grinding together as I summoned everything I had."Damien, what are you doing?" Castiel’
Castiel’s P.O.V The Synclair mansion felt quieter than usual as I walked down the long corridors toward the infirmary. The soft hum of distant voices and the faint echo of footsteps were the only sounds accompanying me.As per Damien’s strict instructions, Stephan had gone ahead for his blood test, and now it was my turn. Dr. Andrea had insisted on testing everyone who’d attended the meeting in Chicago—just in case something sinister had been slipped into the food or drinks. I didn’t think it was necessary, because if there was indeed something in the food then we’d have felt it by now, but Damien’s orders were non-negotiable.But the earlier incident had left a scar that wasn’t visible to the eye, and I was still reeling from the aftermath. The sight of watching the car blowing to splinters before my eyes, the crash of the other car, the loss of four lives…it all felt almost surreal.
Castiel’s P.O.V I stormed down the corridor, my mind a swirling storm of anger and fear, and by the time I reached Damien’s room, my blood was boiling. I didn’t bother knocking—I shoved the door open with enough force to make it slam against the wall.Damien was standing near the large glass window; phone pressed to his ear, his tone calm as he spoke to whoever was on the other end of the line. That infuriating composure of his only fueled my rage.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded my voice a shout that filled the room.He held up a finger, silently signaling me to be quiet as if I were a child throwing a tantrum. “Yes, I’ll handle this,” he said into the phone, his tone clipped. “We’ll discuss the details later.”I didn’t care who he was talking to or how important the call was. My vision tunneled on him, and
Castiel’s P.O.V I stood outside Celia's door, my hand hovering over the doorknob, unsure if I was ready for what was about to happen. The conversation with Damian replayed in my mind, but it felt so distant, like a sound from another life.Sending Celia away was supposed to be the right thing to do. But no part of me felt that way. My stomach churned with guilt, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was about to break something precious, something that could never be fixed.I took a deep breath and turned the knob, pushing the door open.Celia was sitting on her bed, her shoulders slumped, her eyes fixed on the floor. She looked so small, so fragile in that moment, like a lost child in a world she didn’t understand. Her silence hit me harder than any words could. I wanted to walk over to her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, but I didn’t know if it would be.The moment she sa
Damien’s P.O.V The fluorescent lights illuminated every corner of the lab, and the scent of antiseptic was sharp in the air, a smell I’d come to associate with Dr. Andrea’s domain. She was hunched over a glowing screen, her short blonde hair catching the light as her fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard. Despite the late hour, her energy was unwavering, a testament to her dedication—or maybe obsession—with her work.I cleared my throat to announce my presence. "Andrea. I hope the results are back?"She jumped slightly but didn’t bother looking up. "Damien. Right on time," she said, her voice clipped. "I was just about to call you.""Figured I’d save you the trouble." I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms. "You said you discovered something important?"She finally turned to face me, her eyes sharp behind her thin-rimmed glasses. "I have. And it’s... complicated.""Complicated how?" I asked, my patience already thinning.Andrea took a deep breath and motioned for me to co
Castiel’s P.O.V The soft hum of Celia’s breathing filled the small room as I sat beside her bed, watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful, her tiny hands clutching the edge of her blanket. For a moment, I felt a pang of guilt—was I doing the right thing by sending her away? She deserved safety, stability, and a chance to grow without the constant shadow of danger looming over her.The clock on the wall ticked softly, the only other sound in the room. I glanced at the time. It was well past midnight, but I couldn’t bring myself to lie down. Instead, I ran my hand over her packed bags, neatly arranged by the door. Everything was ready for her departure tomorrow. Everything except me.A deep sigh escaped my lips as I stood, my gaze lingering on Celia for a moment longer. “Sleep tight, kiddo,” I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She murmured something incoherent but didn’t wa
Castiel’s P.O.V I stood outside Celia's door, my hand hovering over the doorknob, unsure if I was ready for what was about to happen. The conversation with Damian replayed in my mind, but it felt so distant, like a sound from another life.Sending Celia away was supposed to be the right thing to do. But no part of me felt that way. My stomach churned with guilt, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was about to break something precious, something that could never be fixed.I took a deep breath and turned the knob, pushing the door open.Celia was sitting on her bed, her shoulders slumped, her eyes fixed on the floor. She looked so small, so fragile in that moment, like a lost child in a world she didn’t understand. Her silence hit me harder than any words could. I wanted to walk over to her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, but I didn’t know if it would be.The moment she sa
Castiel’s P.O.V I stormed down the corridor, my mind a swirling storm of anger and fear, and by the time I reached Damien’s room, my blood was boiling. I didn’t bother knocking—I shoved the door open with enough force to make it slam against the wall.Damien was standing near the large glass window; phone pressed to his ear, his tone calm as he spoke to whoever was on the other end of the line. That infuriating composure of his only fueled my rage.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded my voice a shout that filled the room.He held up a finger, silently signaling me to be quiet as if I were a child throwing a tantrum. “Yes, I’ll handle this,” he said into the phone, his tone clipped. “We’ll discuss the details later.”I didn’t care who he was talking to or how important the call was. My vision tunneled on him, and
Castiel’s P.O.V The Synclair mansion felt quieter than usual as I walked down the long corridors toward the infirmary. The soft hum of distant voices and the faint echo of footsteps were the only sounds accompanying me.As per Damien’s strict instructions, Stephan had gone ahead for his blood test, and now it was my turn. Dr. Andrea had insisted on testing everyone who’d attended the meeting in Chicago—just in case something sinister had been slipped into the food or drinks. I didn’t think it was necessary, because if there was indeed something in the food then we’d have felt it by now, but Damien’s orders were non-negotiable.But the earlier incident had left a scar that wasn’t visible to the eye, and I was still reeling from the aftermath. The sight of watching the car blowing to splinters before my eyes, the crash of the other car, the loss of four lives…it all felt almost surreal.
Damien’s P.O.V The oppressive heat inside the car pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket, but I forced myself to focus. I couldn’t afford to lose control now. My palm pressed flat against the cold metal of the car door, and I concentrated on summoning my power. The familiar sensation of heat started to build in my chest, a flicker of red flames curling behind my closed eyes. It wasn’t enough yet. I needed more, and I needed it fast.Reed’s power was all over the car, threading through every electrical circuit like a silent predator. I could feel it, sharp and invasive, a cold blue light that clashed violently with the warmth of my energy. Every time I pushed, he pushed back harder, the sparks of his power zapping across my connection like static shocks. My jaw tightened, my teeth grinding together as I summoned everything I had."Damien, what are you doing?" Castiel’
Castiel’s P.O.V The car swerved violently, throwing me against the door as it careened down the winding road. My heart leaped to my throat when we narrowly missed a speeding SUV coming from the opposite direction, the headlights blinding for a split second before we were past. The screech of tires echoed in my ears, my pulse hammering so loudly I could barely hear my ragged breathing.“Dammit!” Stephan cursed from the front seat as he gripped the steering to steady himself, but the car was no longer under manual control. “This thing’s out of control!”The vehicle didn’t slow, weaving dangerously between lanes as if it had a mind of its own. My hands clawed at the door handle, uselessly trying to pry it open, but it was locked tight. Trapped. We were completely trapped in this mechanical death trap, and there wasn’t a damn thing we could do about it.
Castiel’s P.O.V The car’s engine hummed steadily as we cruised down the road, the scent of leather and faint cologne hanging thick in the air. I leaned back in my seat, turning my head to Damien, who sat beside me. He hadn’t said much since we’d left the estate, but that wasn’t unusual for him. Damien only spoke when he had something worth saying.“Did you manage to do it?” His voice broke the silence, smooth but firm, cutting through the dull sound of tires against asphalt. He didn’t look at me when he asked, but I could feel the tension in the car.I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I did.”“And?” His brow twitched, his tone shifting to something more curious. “What did you sense?”I hesitated. How could I even begin to explain what I felt back there? It wasn’t something you could j
Castiel’s P.O.V The morning light poured through the thin curtains, nudging me awake. I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling, taking a moment to remember where I was. It didn’t take long for last night’s events to rush back into my mind.Groaning, I sat up, ruffling my hair as if that would wipe away the memory. Negotiations. Reed and Damien. As long as that wasn’t done, we’d be stuck here for god knows how long.I swung my legs off the bed and stretched, my muscles stiff from tossing and turning all night.A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.“Come in,” I called out, already knowing it would be Stephan. He had a knack for timing.He stepped in, his face bright and eager. “Good news. The deal’s done. We’re heading out this afternoon.”I blinked at him. “Wait, what? When did that happen? I thought we were supposed to stay another day.”