C25 ALEXANDRU POV

Alexandru Point of View

"No!" I scream, jolting awake, heaving, sweating like I've been doused with water.

I get up, groaning and growling, anger, frustration, and pain radiating through every inch of me.

"Fuck!" I roar, my fangs and claws springing out, my eyes no doubt glowing neon.

The dream. This particular dream has been haunting me for days now. Every time I close my eyes, I see the woman, chained, crying, begging for my help. And there's something painfully familiar about her, something I can’t place.

But right now, all I can think about is Adaline. I can feel her. She's in pain. She's not okay. Lately, I’ve felt her, her conflicted emotions, the waves of pain and angst, but this is different.

She needs help. And I will help. The Seers be damned.

I get up from the bed, snatch my phone, and dial Camille’s number.

"Luc," she says, her voice cracking.

"Gather the witches. I'll be at your place soon. Addie is in trouble." I leave no room for argument.

"Something’s happened. I spoke to her twenty minutes ago. Just get here soon, and we’ll talk," she replies. I grit my teeth and hang up.

I get dressed, the emptiness of my house pressing down on me. It’s a mansion, yet it feels like a hollow shell. I glance at the time, past ten. I went to bed early to avoid losing my mind. Now, I wish I hadn’t.

__

I drive into Camille’s compound, relieved to see cars already parked. The Alpha is here.

I push open the door and find the living room full.

"What is this, Alex?" Rick says as I walk over to him.

"Adaline," I reply simply, and he rolls his eyes.

"Adaline is from a powerful family. She’ll be fine. We can’t help," he says, but I shake my head.

"This is different. She's in pain," I say, clenching my fists.

"He’s right. I spoke to Aurora thirty minutes ago and, Luc -" Camille breaks off, and I brace myself.

I turn to face the witches, the wolves, my parents, the Omega—everyone. I gesture for them to sit, and I do the same, restraining myself from tearing out the door and going to her in New York.

"She said she’s been having dreams. Bad ones. Of a woman. And from her description, the woman is being channeled," Camille says, and I freeze.

"She said it doesn’t feel like a dream. More like... going somewhere. She’s had it twice now, saw the same woman, chained, powerless on the floor. This last time, the woman was surrounded by people, Witches, maybe Mages, and they were drawing from her."

"She’s a witch, but for her to connect across that kind of distance, effortlessly, that's serious power," my mom says, but her voice feels far away. There’s a ringing in my ears.

"She said, this second time... they saw her -"

I shoot up, heading for the door. I’ll get them before they get her. I swear it. They’ve seen her face. They know her. I won’t let them touch her. I’ll die before I let that happen.

"Sit down, Alexandru." The voice feels distant, but I freeze, eyes still on the door.

"Adaline will be the death of you. Sit. Let’s talk. We’ll help her, I promise," Rick says, stepping in front of me. I nod silently, unable to speak.

"Now that I remember," Camille says, looking toward Blu, and I frown. "You called my daughter weak. Said a lot of degrading shit to her..."

My hand is around Blu’s neck before she finishes, and she gasps, struggling. I tilt my head, watching her panic, rage clouding everything.

"You forget who you are," I say, voice low, tightening my grip -then letting go. She drops to the floor, gasping for air.

I look at everyone in the room, my voice like ice. "Adaline may be miles away. She may deny our existence, may reject being one of us, may be as stubborn and annoying as ever, but she is mine. My mate. My woman. And I will kill anyone, anyone, who dares speak ill of her."

Silence falls, thick and heavy. I relish it. The news will spread through the Pack. Touch her, and you deal with me.

__

"The woman told her she is the key," Camille says, and silence deepens.

"What is this?" I snap. "What is all this?"

Rick glances at the witch on his right and nods. I recognize her, Selena, Elena’s sister.

"Aurora is a witch, yes. But her power is different because it’s fused with her wolf. By now, she should be seeing signs—heightened senses and more. Whoever this woman is, she’s trying to warn Aurora about whatever her captors are planning, who might also be our enemies."

"Meaning this woman might know who she is, who Aurora was, who we all are," Blu adds, and I glare at her.

"Did she describe the woman? If one of us is in danger, we need to help," Zach says.

"I’ve seen her too," I admit, and everyone turns to me.

"You didn’t think to tell us?" my mom snaps. I look at her, then Camille.

"Funny story, the witch I killed for hurting Addie said a lot. Some of it was fantasy, but she said Addie’s power had only been seen once before, in my mother. Naturally, I called her a liar. Because my mother is a wolf."

I stare at them.

"But now... here I am. Dreaming about a woman who looks painfully familiar. And Addie is having the same dreams. That’s not coincidence. So, anything you want to say?" I ask, tilting my head at my mother.

She scoffs, clearly ready to say something when Alina cuts in.

"We could cast a spell. Well, you guys can, a protection spell. Camouflaged. It won’t be obvious, but it'll help us see her. Empower her."

I glance between her and the witches. They nod. Lola, their leader, says, "We’ll need your blood, Luc. And yours too, Peter. We need something she left behind, a personal item, and the blood of the one she loved most. These will be binding agents. Through them, we’ll connect to her, see her, see the threat around her, now, and help."

We move quickly. The witches form a circle. Her parents stand for the thing she loved most. I give my blood and her Harry Potter book. Elena brings something Addie left behind. Peter gives his blood.

The witches chant. Fifteen of them, together. The sound rises like a pulse.

But then Lola stops. The noise dies.

I frown. Nothing’s happened.

"This isn’t working. The items are wrong," Selena says. Then she whispers in Latin, drawing on ancestral magic. The ground trembles beneath us.

She looks at me. "You are the person she loved the most."

I stiffen. I say nothing as I cut my palm, letting my blood drip into the bowl.

The witches resume. This time, the air crackles. The force in the room is undeniable. I try not to focus on the fact that I was the one she loved most. I want to savor it, but it’s in the past tense.

The chanting intensifies. Then, light.

Blinding, bursting light.

And I see her.

Adaline.

She’s in a restaurant. She looks beautiful. But she’s not alone. A man sits beside her.

I grit my teeth, thinking he’s her boyfriend. But I catch the unease on her face, the way she leans away from him.

I want to believe he’s just a frat boy. I try.

Then I see it, and a chill cuts through me. He bares fangs. Claws.

The rest of the restaurant? Oblivious.

I lunge forward.

"You’re powerless here, Lycan," I hear Blu say, and I growl, furious at my helplessness.

"Calm down, Luc. Now, go behind her. Only you can do this," Selena says.

I do as she says, moving behind Adaline. She can’t see me.

"Now, stay still. For ten minutes, we’ll pray to the ancestors. You will be allowed to touch her, speak to her. Only you, because you are the one she loved the most. Tell her she’s not alone. Tell her to let down her mind. To fight." Lola’s voice is steady.

I nod.

It happens just as she said.

I glance at the man again, enjoying her fear. Arrogant. Oblivious.

"Addie," I whisper.

She stiffens.

"Alexandru?" she whispers, looking around. Her eyes shine with tears.

"Easy, Luc," Blu warns, but I want to kill him.

"Fight, my love. Let down your mind. Go inward. Let down your guard. We’ll do the rest. You’re not alone, Addie."