Chapter 177

LUCA

My head was pounding as Damon drove toward the witches' coven. I tapped my feet, hoping to distract myself from the pain, but it didn't work.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, glancing at me before returning his attention to the road.

"No, I'm not fucking okay. I'm losing my mind," I muttered through clenched teeth, groaning.

"What exactly are they doing to you?" he asked. I sighed.

"I don't know. This morning, I had a terrible nightmare. I was chained and could barely speak. I don't know what it means, but…"

"It has something to do with the witches and you being their vessel. Those damn pests, I never liked them," he muttered. I chuckled.

"They helped save Clara and your kids, though," I pointed out. He grunted.

"That's the only reason I'm not killing them right now. But if they don't offer a reasonable explanation, I'm going to risk it," he said. I smiled.

"Deep down, you love me, don't you?" I teased. He rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."

It took almost five hours to reach the witches' coven. It was cloaked, but Damon had been there so many times he knew exactly where it was.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, turning off the car and looking at me. The sun had already set.

"Not really. That's why we should get this over with quickly," I muttered. He smirked.

"I hope you're ready to kick some witch ass," he said. We both smirked before getting out of the car. Soon, several witches appeared, and I recognized one—she was with the witches who had helped Clara at the hospital.

"Alpha King, Alpha Luca. We've been expecting you," the witch greeted as the others bowed.

I glanced at Damon, who shrugged, and we turned back to the witches.

"Before entering, please leave your weapons behind," the witch said. Damon scoffed.

"We don't need weapons, little witch. Take us to your Queen, now," he ordered. She trembled slightly before bowing and turning.

"Come with us," she said, taking a few steps before disappearing. Damon followed immediately, vanishing with her. I followed soon after, mesmerized by what I saw. Was this the witches' coven? It felt like a different world. I'd been here before, but I didn't remember it like this.

"Come with me. My Queen is waiting," the witch said, walking away. We followed.

She led us into a cave, and Damon and I were instantly on high alert. This could be a trap. We walked further into the cave and entered a throne room filled with candles and other witchy paraphernalia.

Seated on the throne were the witch I'd spoken to earlier and a second witch. They both smiled at me, but their expressions turned cold when their eyes fell on Damon.

"I never wanted to see you again, Damon Donovan," the Queen of Witches said, rising from her throne and approaching us.

"The feeling is mutual. Get your stupid spell off Luca, and we'll be on our way," Damon retorted. She raised an eyebrow before turning to me.

"We made a deal," she said. I scoffed.

"Well, you didn't tell me you were going to drive me fucking mad. I have a daughter, and I can't be a good father to her because of whatever spell you put on me. Get it off," I demanded. She stared at me for a moment before sighing.

"We made a deal, Luca. To save Queen Luna and her pups, you agreed to do anything, so I made you a vessel for the witches. If you cease being our vessel, I will kill Queen Luna and her pups." As she finished, Damon's fingers were around her throat, slamming her against the wall.

The other witches began chanting a spell, and even though Damon was screaming in pain, he didn't release his grip.

"Mention my wife again, and I'll break your fucking neck," he roared. The witches stopped when the Queen raised her hand.

"Kill me, and your wife and kids will die with me," she said. He froze.

"You're bluffing," he muttered. She smirked.

"Go ahead and try your luck," she replied. He stared at her for a moment before releasing her.

She collapsed, coughing, as the other witches rushed to her aid.

"You will not harm my wife," Damon said. She glared at him.

"Nothing will happen to your wife as long as Luca remains our vessel," she said. I frowned.

"I can't live like this. Can't someone else be the vessel?" I asked. She turned to me.

"It has to be you. For generations, your family has been a vessel for the witches. Your mother was one before she died," she revealed. My eyes widened.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. I knew little about my family, and nothing could have prepared me for this.

The other witches helped the Queen to her feet. She walked toward me.

"If you don't want to be the vessel, then your daughter will be," she said. I frowned.

"Over my dead body," I muttered. She smiled.

"This is your destiny, Luca. Even if you hadn't made a deal, you would still be a vessel; it's in your blood," she revealed. I frowned.

"Why now? After all these years, why choose me now?" I asked. She sighed.

"Because I wanted peace. When I became Queen, I wanted our witches to be safe, but in this supernatural world, we must be prepared. When your mother and your ancestors were our vessels, the witches were unstoppable. We could defeat any being with a chant, especially during your mother's time. But after she died, our powers weakened, and after Damon's attack…" She glared briefly at Damon, who rolled his eyes.

"…we went into hiding and only recently emerged because of the war. We lost many during the war, a result of our weakness. We need you to rise again, to become stronger, Luca," she said. I shook my head.

"Don't you understand? I'm slowly going mad. The voices…"

"They are the voices of our ancestors. They are drawing power for us, using you as a vessel. Don't worry; when you learn to shut out those voices and control the power within you, you'll become unstoppable, just like your mother," she murmured, smiling.

"And if I can't control it? What then?" I asked. She frowned.

"Then you'll die, just like your mother did."