50
Everyone immediately went back to her nation, preparing for war. No one knew when Ophelia was going to strike and we all needed to be home to our families— our pack.
I paced back and forth in my room as I waited for Solana.
"Sister! Where's Lauren?" That was the first thing she asked as she entered the room with a shit eating grin on her face.
Her smile fell when she saw my face. Solana frowned.
"Where is Lauren?"
"Hospitalized." I mumbled. "I need your assistance to visit her grandmother." She must know something about this.
"Why? What happened to her?" I almost smile at her worry for Lauren.
"I'll explain on the way. Get dressed."
Solana nodded and she used her speed and went to her room.
I was downstairs within 2 seconds and so was Solana, now dressed in a sweatsuit with her phone in her hand.
We went to the garage and got in the Audi R8.
Of course, security detail came with us.
In times like these, they wouldn't dare to leave my side.
~
With humans being the curious beings that they are, they came out and looked at the cars driving through the neighborhood. I didn't know exactly where I was going but I was going with my gut.
Stop.
I stopped the car and looked at the house that I stopped in front of. It was painted red with yellow around the windows. I got out of the car and so did Solana.
I caught humans looking at us and I snarled.
Right now, the only human who I want looking at me is Lauren.
I knocked on the door harshly and I used my hearing to listen to my surroundings keenly.
"It's a vampire!"
"Why are they here?!"
"What could Judith have done?"
"Isn't that the old lady whose granddaughter got chosen?"
"Judith is going to die today."
"What could she have done?"
I knocked on the door once more, harsher and louder. I heard shuffling inside and I stepped back as the door opened. The boy looked at us with a scowl.
"Who the fuck are you guys? Lady, you're pretty but that doesn't excuse your nasty behavior!"
I pushed past him and into the house. He stumbled back and I could care less. I want answers and I was going to get them.
"MA! COME QUICK! THEY'RE INTRUDING."
I snapped my head to look at him, flashing my eyes at him. His heart picked up it's pace as he realized what I was.
He's too loud.
Kill him.
No.
"Marcus, what's the purpose for all th—" the spatula fell from Judith's fingers as she stared at Solana and I. "Your highness." She bowed. "To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"Cut the fucking crap and tell me everything about Ophelia and how to save Lauren."
Her face fell.
"O-of course. Please sit."
She ushered us to sit but my feet stayed rooted in their place. Judith sat down.
"Lauren? What's wrong with Lauren, nana?" The boy asked.
"Marcus, not now. Go play ball with your friends." Judith ushered him out of the house and Marcus nodded eagerly and left.
"Where do I start?" She mumbled to herself.
"From the beginning." Solana growled. I had filled her in on everything on the drive here.
Judith rubbed her palms over her thigh and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.
"When everything went down with Ophelia, someone had to take the child, protect the child. She was too innocent to be apart of all of this. Of course, she would see her mother in the act but she doesn't remember anything. For precautions, I wiped her memory—"
"How?" I asked.
"I'm a witch."
I tried sensing any magic present in the air but failed.
"Well, was. I gave my powers up to blend in with the humans. That was the only way I could protect Ezra—"
"Who the fuck is Ezra?"
"Lauren. Her rightful name is Ezra Stephenson. Ophelia had let her take Malique's last name." Judith stopped in thought.
"Who's mother are you?" Clearly not Ophelia's.
"Malique."
It makes sense how she's a witch.
"Throughout the period of her being twenty-one, that's when Ophelia would appear.
At age twenty-one, the grim magic is at its peak in her body.
The magic would be attracted the core, where grim magic is mostly.
I didn't think that it would've happen there.
I expected it to happen in the human world, that's why I was so willingly to send her, that's why I had her name on the list."
Don't kill her, Athena. Lauren wouldn't like that.
Don't kill her.
"Ophelia is working with a witch. I don't know the name but the witch is still alive. They could be anyone. The witch is how all of this happened. Lauren is destined to... die. There's nothing that can possibly stop her dyi—"
Within a second, I had my fingers wrapped around her throat, squeezing it.
"You knew." I hissed at her. Judith clawed at my fingers and I felt a surge of anger go through my body.
Drain her.
She deserves it.
"Athena." Solana placed her hand on my back. "Let her go and let's go."
Judith was slowly losing all the oxygen from her body as she tried to gasp for air. I released my fingers from her neck and she coughed and placed her hand around her throat.
I left, not sparing Solana a glance. I got in the car and slammed the door. Solana came in right after and I swallowed harshly.
"Lauren is destined to die."
"There's nothing that can possibly stop her from dying."
"Destined to die."
"Die."
"Nothing that can possibly stop her from dying."
"Athena," Solana called out to me softly.
"I'm fine." I said and wiped my tears harshly. "I-I can turn her and sh-she'll live. She's become immortal and we'll live forever toge-together."
I broke down.
I placed my head on the steering wheel as I sobbed.
I can't lose her.
I couldn't lose her.
"It's okay." Solana cooed as she rubbed a soothing hand on my back.
"It's not fucking okay! Didn't you hear what she fucking said? She's going to die, Solana. Die!" I yelled at her and rubbed my hands over my face.
I wiped my tears and took deep breaths.
"She won't die." I mumbled. "I'm going to save her."
"That's more like it. Do you want me to drive us back?"
I shook my head.
"No. I can manage it."
From my peripheral vision, I saw her nodded. I started the car and our security details did the same. They drove off, back in the direction of the nation. The entire journey I tried to think of ways to stop her death.
What if Judith is lying and she's not going to die?
What if I can turn her?
What if I can't turn her and she dies?
What if she isn't the same if I do turn her?
What if she dies?
I can't live without her. I can't picture my life without her in it. I see my future with Lauren, maybe a child or two, and I'm just supposed to keep on living without her?
Deep breaths, Athena.
You'll figure something out.
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