As the coven members dispersed to search for the humans, Lucian and Jake remained locked in a tense standoff. The air crackled with an electric energy, their eyes locked in a battle of wills.
Lucian's voice was filled with resolve as he confronted Jake. "I took you in because I knew Amriel, Jake. I knew what he was capable of, and I believed there was more to you than the darkness that consumed him."
Jake's laughter filled the room, filled with bitter cynicism. "Guilt? Is that what you think this is, Lucian? You're just trying to absolve yourself of your own sins by saving me."
Lucian's gaze remained steady, unaffected by Jake's taunting. "This has never been about guilt. It's about redemption. About giving you a chance to break free from the cycle of destruction and find a different p
