CHOSEN

Chapter 8. Going home

“Essie, pack some clothes. Come home with me,” he said, clearly expecting I would follow him without any complaints.

“Are you serious?” I asked, watching him nod.

I trusted him and did as he asked, returning to the kitchen with a backpack just two minutes later. I didn’t even care about my appearance—still wearing only shorts and a tank top, I simply threw on a hoodie after hastily braiding my wavy hair.

Lucien chuckled when he saw me. “You’re really something else, Ester. This is what keeps Silas interested in you.”

I only glanced at him briefly before closing the rolling door and locking it.

The trip was short because it was still early. We spent it in silence, though I was still curious about Lucien’s bare feet. I didn’t ask, but my thoughts lingered on it. As we passed through the portal into the city's upper-class area, memories of my first time here came flooding back.

I was grocery shopping when I met Lucas. Who would have thought the largest supermarket in town was part of his family’s business? He happened to be there overseeing the monthly warehouse inspection. I tried to ignore him as he trailed me through the store, even though every woman who saw him was practically drooling. Sure, it was annoying, but I wasn’t in the mood to entertain him with my jealousy.

He instructed the cashier to pack my groceries for free, then ordered an employee to load them into his car. Taking my hand, he insisted on driving me home, though I wasn’t surprised when he took me somewhere else instead. Jerk.

In all the years I’ve lived here, I’d never visited this part of the city. It felt different, almost like a barrier between the rich and the poor. Everything was perfectly maintained, clean, and classy. There were three apartment buildings with many facilities for the residents, even a beautiful artificial forest. The Alexander family mansion sat in one corner, surrounded by trees.

Looking back, wasn’t that a bit forceful? Could Lucas be jailed if I reported him? But with his power and wealth, I’d probably just embarrass myself. Besides... I enjoyed his touch. Stupid me.

When I snapped back to reality, I saw the twenty-story apartment buildings outside the car window as we drove toward the mansion. My curiosity finally got the better of me.

“What happened, Lucien? Why are you here instead of Lucas?” I asked.

He didn’t even glance at me. I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he gulped.

“Can I answer that when we arrive? It’ll be better if you see for yourself,” he replied.

His vague answer sent my mind spinning with assumptions. I was sure he had a good reason for it, but if this turned out to be a prank, I’d seriously kill everyone involved.

A few minutes later, the car pulled into the spacious garage next to the mansion. Lucien had already opened my door while I was still fumbling with the seatbelt. I followed him, noticing Silas pacing on the porch, focused on his phone—shirtless.

The blonde turned when he heard our footsteps and immediately started scolding, “Damn it, Lucy. Father will kill you! How could you leave without saying goodbye, especially with your brother—”

He stopped mid-sentence when he saw me.

“You have 67 missed calls from me,” he said, putting his phone down before shifting into a large, blonde wolf in mid-air.

His pants, of course, ripped apart and scattered on the paved yard. The blonde wolf landed on all fours and shook his fur, which gleamed in the morning sunlight. He looked majestic.

Instead of being terrified by witnessing a man shift into a wolf right before my eyes, I was amazed. The wolf, larger than a goat, walked toward me. He stopped right in front of me and bowed his head. Confused, I glanced at Lucien, who nodded in response.

Silas’ wolf stood and came closer, brushing his head against my arm before sniffing my stomach. His eyes returned to mine, and for some reason, he looked disappointed.

“Show respect to your luna,” Lucien said, reminding Silas of his place.

The blonde wolf glared at him, a low growl escaping his lips as he revealed his sharp teeth, before dashing off into the woods. Honestly, I didn’t feel disrespected and still considered Silas one of my brothers, though the dynamics were probably different in the werewolf hierarchy.

We entered the luxurious mansion, and I asked, “Why did you scold Silas?”

“He had inappropriate thoughts. That’s not acceptable since you’re the alpha’s mate—”

“How do you know what he was thinking?” I interrupted.

We passed through a living room with leather sofas and monochromatic decor, moved into a cozy family room, and ascended the stairs. As before, the house felt eerily empty.

He smiled wryly. “Mind-link.”

Oh my god, I’m never going to get used to this supernatural lifestyle.

“You mean telepathy?” I asked, unable to hide my amazement.

He chuckled and nodded. It was strange for Silas to share his thoughts with Lucien, knowing how serious he was.

“Who is ‘Father,’ anyway?”

It felt odd to hear them refer to their father with such formality, especially since Silas used the same term. Were they brothers? But as I thought about it, they didn’t look alike.

“He’s the man who raised us. My parents died when I was 10,” he replied.

We reached the second floor, which featured a cozy seating area with sofas, bookshelves, and a large LED TV mounted on the wall.

I was just about to apologize when a tall, middle-aged man appeared from a door at the far end of the room. He was the first person I’d seen that day in normal clothes—a shirt and sweatpants.

“Lucien, how could you leave in this situation?!” he growled, clearly trying to contain his anger.

Lucien sighed before replying, “I had to pick up his mate.”

The man looked stunned. His anger faded as he spotted me peeking out from behind Lucien.

“Mate?” he repeated, still looking at me. “Lucas’? He didn’t tell me. Dear, are you related to Juliana Sapphire from the Raven's Rex Pack?”

I was surprised that someone recognized me in the werewolf world, and I nodded.

“July Sapphire is my mom, sir,” I said.

“For Selene’s sake, this is a small world,” he said. “And you’re our luna? This is incredible. I’m Frederic. The boys call me ‘Father.’”

“I’m Ester Grace. I’d love to call you ‘Father’ too.”

Lucien, already standing at the door where Frederic had emerged, said, “Come on, Es.”

I followed him into Lucas’ room. The layout was just as I remembered, minus the shredded clothes we had torn apart before... well, you know.

But now there was a heart monitor beside the bed. I couldn’t understand who would need it, since werewolves rarely got sick. However, the closer I got to the bed, the faster my heart raced, and the wolf inside me seemed to claw at the walls of my sanity, desperate to break free but unable to.

When I was close enough, I saw Lucas lying there, connected to an IV drip and wearing an oxygen mask. The blanket covered him up to his chest, which was bandaged on the left side. Blood had seeped through the bandage.

“No,” I whispered.