Chapter 130: Chapter 130; you are mine now
Lucian’s POV
A sharp gasp ripped from my throat as my eyes snapped open. I tore the rubber oxygen mask off my face, drawing in a ragged breath of stale air.
My gaze swept the perimeter. Hardwood floors, heavy drapes, and an overly elegant vanity. This wasn’t a hospital, and it certainly wasn’t my territory. Where the fuck was I?
I swung my legs over the edge of the mattress, but the moment my feet hit the floor, the heavy bedroom door flew open.
Emily strode in, a silver tray balanced in her hands. A pleasant smile rested on her lips. "I see you’re awake," she said, her voice entirely casual as she set the tray on the nightstand. "I made you breakfast."
"Where the hell am I?" I demanded, my voice dropping to a low growl. "Why did you bring me here?"
Emily let out a soft sigh, tilting her head. "Is that really how you show your gratitude, Lucian? I saved your life."
"I didn’t ask you to save me," I snapped, the annoyance tightening my jaw.
"Typical Lucian," she murmured, stepping closer. "You know, I actually like it when you get this arrogant with me. It’s exciting."
"You are a sick woman," I muttered, pushing myself up to stand. My muscles felt heavy, like lead. "How did you bring me here? How did you even know where I was? You set that trap, didn’t you?"
"Relax, you’re asking far too many questions at once," Emily said, raising a hand to soothe the air. "But I’ll answer. I was there because I knew Aiden was planning on killing you. And let’s be honest—he would have succeeded if I hadn’t shown up to pull you out of that hole. So treat me with a little kindness."
I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Aiden wouldn’t have succeeded."
"Are you kidding me?" Emily countered, her smile fading into a sharp look. "Do you even know what that substance was that you inhaled? You don’t, do you? You would be dead right now if I wasn’t there."
A sudden realization hit me, a knot forming in my stomach. "My friends ... Ragnar.Boca. Where the hell are they?"
Emily scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Your friends? Come on, Lucian. Since when did you start seeing those people as your friends?"
"None of your fucking business," I growled, stepping past her toward the exit. "I’m leaving."
"I’m sorry, but I can’t let you out just now," Emily said, shifting her weight to block my path.
"Why?"
"Because we are together now," she stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why would I just let you go, Lucian? You know I can’t do that."
"You’re bluffing."
"I’m really not."
I stepped into her personal space, my shadow towering over her. "I don’t want to hurt you, Emily."
"No worries," she replied, her eyes bright and unbothered. "You couldn’t even if you tried."
The arrogance in her tone pushed my patience over the edge. "I am warning you."
Instead of backing down, Emily took a deliberate step toward me, mocking the distance between us. "What are you going to do, actually?"
I frowned, channeling the heat in my chest to draw out my claws. I flexed my fingers, waiting for the familiar, agonizing tear of the silver bone breaking through my skin.
Nothing happened.
I stared down at my bare palms, confusion freezing the blood in my veins. I forced my mind deeper, calling on my wolf to break through the surface, demanding the shift. But my inner beast remained completely silent, buried under a heavy, suffocating weight.
"Don’t bother," Emily said, a dark smirk finally playing on her lips. "You won’t be able to shift until the substance completely wears off your system."
"What the hell do you mean?" I snarled.
Emily didn’t answer. Instead, her hand dipped into her dress pocket. She pulled out a small, ornate glass vial and, with a flick of her wrist, blew a fine, shimmering powder directly into my face.
The moment the dust hit my eyes and nose, a white-hot agony exploded through my nervous system. It felt like liquid silver pouring straight into my veins.
A choked yell tore from my throat as my legs buckled, sending me crashing down to my knees on the hardwood floor. I clutched my chest, my vision swimming in pain.
Emily knelt down in front of me, her fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from my forehead.
"Don’t worry," she whispered, her voice smooth and sweet against the ringing in my ears. "I won’t ever hurt you, Lucian. I’m just going to take care of you."
"What did you do to me?" I choked out, my voice raw as the liquid fire burned through my veins.
Emily leaned down, a tranquil smile gracing her lips. "I’m just making sure you stay with me a little longer, Lucian."
"You are desperate," I spat, the word dripping with all the venom I could muster while pinned to the floor.
"Call me whatever you want," she murmured, her eyes dark with a fixation that made my skin crawl. "I have been hoping for this day to come for a very long time."
She leaned in, closing the distance between us until her lips pressed firmly against mine. A surge of disgust hit me, but my muscles refused to move. I couldn’t pull back, couldn’t push her away, couldn’t even turn my head. It was as if I had completely lost custody of my own body.
When she finally pulled away, a triumphant smile played on her lips. "Lucian, why can’t you just love me? Life would be so much easier for both of us if you could just accept me."
"Emily," I growled, my jaw tight as I fought the paralysis locking my limbs. "You better undo whatever the hell you did to me. Now."
"I will," she said softly, her fingers tracing a slow line down my jawline. "But only after I have gotten the satisfaction I deserve."
She caressed my cheek, her touch entirely unwelcome as she leaned down to whisper against my ear. "You are mine now."
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