NANA POV:
The banging had stopped.
I pressed my ear against the heavy oak door, my heart in my throat as I strained to hear even the faintest sound. But all I got was silence—a terrifying, suffocating silence that made my skin crawl.
“Lucien!” I shouted again, pounding my fists against the door. “Please, open up! I can help you, I swear!”
But I knew better.
This wasn’t the first time. I had witnessed his curse consume him like this before. Yet each time, it felt like a blade piercing deeper into my chest. He never let anyone in, even when it meant he’d tear himself apart trying to fight it.
I stood there for a moment longer, my forehead pressed against the cold wood, my breaths shaky. “Please…” I whispered, my voice cracking.
Nothing.
I clenched my fists and stepped back, panic c
