8

Lucas.

I sat in my car as my driver drove at a constant acceleration. Being back here and staring at everything brought back memories I had tried so hard to forget. I left two years ago when my mom die to further my studies in the UK.

I suddenly snapped back into reality when the car came to a sudden halt and I looked at my driver to see him murmuring silent curses at a lady he had almost run into. We were almost at the Alpha Mansion already so I decided to walk there.

I stepped out of the car and I looked forward to get a clearer view of the lady when immediately, I heard Loren, my wolf whisper inside of me. He whispered the one word I had waited for all my life to hear.

"Mate."

I saw my mate's face pale and she slowly fell to the ground, but I immediately dashed forward and caught her midair. I looked at her in my arms and stared into her bright grey eyes. Her lips quivered as she tried to speak, but I placed my fingers on her lips and just let her stare at me. She was beautiful.

I kept staring at her even as I carried her towards my house and I opened the door slowly.

As soon as I stepped in, Madelyn walked towards me with a smile on her face, but it soon faded away when she noticed the lady in my hand.

Madelyn wanted to talk, but my father's voice suddenly interrupted.

"What happened to Elena?!" He seemed shocked as he walked down the stairs.

Her name is Elena? Wrong question. How do they know her? And why does my dad seem so worried about her?

My dad ran down the stairs and immediately came to check on Elena. He placed his hands on her forehead and muttered a silent curse.

"She is ill," Griffin said and I suddenly became worried. He gritted his teeth and suddenly faced Madelyn, "you shouldn't have locked her in that dungeon. You shouldn't!" He yelled at Maddie and she flinched.

I saw guilt etch onto her eyes, but wait, Dungeon?! Who locked her in a Dungeon and why? Why was Dad being so caring about Elena?

"Take her to her room now. I'll contact the healer!" Griffin instructed loudly and walked out.

I had no idea where her room was or that she even had one so I was in the same spot with Elena in my hand before Madelyn showed me the way with teary eyes.

I hurriedly climbed up the stairs and I watched painfully as Elena struggled against the sleep that threatened to close her eyes. Her lips moved and she muttered something I couldn't hear before succumbing into unconsciousness.

I finally noticed Jonah who seemed to have been standing at the peak of the stairs all this while with an apathetic expression. I glanced at him and we both stared at each other blankly before I walked past him.

After placing Elena on her bed and making her sleep comfortably, I sat by her bedside and just watched her. Since I was also still very tired from the long journey, I began to fall asleep until the sound of the door being opened woke me up.

Griffin walked in with Gaffer, the healer who was immediately directed to Elena. He walked up to her bedside and observed her closely for some time, before heaving a sigh of relief. Somehow, that felt relieving and I also saw it in how Griffin's tensed breath eased.

"She is ill with severe malaria." Gaffer said and I immediately felt relieved, though I was still worried sick for her. I meet my mate for the first time and this happens. I looked at Griffin and I was confused by his expression. He was looking as though it wasn't natural for her to be sick.

"Okay." That was all Griffin said before walking out of the room with his palms on his waist and a disturbed expression.

"I'll administer some injections to her now and then give you some drugs." I returned my attention on the healer and nodded in response.

"You have to make sure she uses one dose a day for the next three days," Gaffer added and opened up his briefcase to bring out the necessary drugs and syringes.

Five minutes later, Gaffer was done and he reminded me once again on the things I had to do before leaving with his briefcase in hand. I glanced at Elena and sat by her bed without taking my eyes off her. I placed my palm on her forehead and I tried to get in contact with her wolf and figure out why it hadn't protected her from the sickness, but all Loren, my wolf could find was complete emptiness and void.

I immediately felt disturbed my this and Loren also complained with a silent howl. Why was there no wolf in her? She's supposed to be a Werewolf, right? Cause that's the only way she could be my mate.

My attention was drawn when my enhanced hearing caught a discussion a few metres away from the room and I walked out of the room to see what was happening.

I slowly crept forward a little bit to spot Jonah and my dad having a serious discussion. I quickly cloaked my presence to avoid being detected or sensed and I let my enhanced hearing do the rest of the work.

"When will you accept the truth and face it," I heard Jonah say frantically, but Griffin didn't seem to agree with whatever he was talking about and he shoved his hand through his hair.

"She is just an ordinary person and your search has not ended. Not on her," Jonah added and I figured they were talking about Elena, but I didn't know what it was about.

"I'm sure of this. She is," Griffin retorted, although he looked like he was beginning to have doubts on the issue.

"If she was, there's no way she could have falling sick. No she couldn't!" Jonah hollered before walking away.

I quickly hid myself as my dad also walked to his room and then, I spotted Madelyn approaching. She gasped as I immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her into a corner.

She wanted to attack, but she calmed when she saw it was me.

"You scared me," she said and I signalled her to keep her voice low.

"I arrived here with Elena and everyone has been behaving so weirdly. I seem to be in the dark," I explained and she seemed to understand me.

"You need to tell me what is happening. I need to know," I added curiously and Madelyn sighed before responding.

"In brief, dad believes Elena is the Salvatore."