Chapter 178

LUCA

"That's bullshit," Damon said after a long silence. "Don't believe a word that comes out of that witch's mouth. They just want to use you." I frowned.

"You may believe what you want, but I speak only the truth. This is your destiny, Luca," she said. I glared at her.

"It's not my destiny, and I don't care if my mother or ancestors were vessels for the witches. That has nothing to do with me"

"It has everything to do with you, Luca. And with your offspring. Even if you insist you don't want to be a vessel, your ancestors have already chosen you," she said, her eyes falling to my neck.

"Bloody hell, what's that?" Damon asked, staring at my neck. I furrowed my eyebrows, went to a mirror, and saw a large black witch's star on my neck.

"What the fuck is this?" I asked, trying to rub it off.

"It's a mark from our ancestors. Your mother passed it on to you"

"I don't want it! Can't you understand?! I'm an Alpha, a father, a husband; I have duties! Get it off me before I snap your neck," I growled, stalking toward her. She frowned.

"I can't remove the ancestor's mark, Luca. It's a gift. Once you conquer the voices, you'll be the best version of yourself. You'll fulfill your duties and so much more," she said, looking into my eyes.

"I don't want it. You just said my mother died before conquering the voices. What makes you think I can do it?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Because you're stronger than your mother ever was. You will succeed if you let us help you. With your power, you should conquer the voices in one to two years. During that time, you can stay here and" I laughed, interrupting her.

"Now I see you're losing your mind. I should leave my family, my pack, and stay with the witches? You're pissing me off," I muttered. She frowned.

"It's the only way, and it's why your mother left you. Unfortunately, she couldn't succeed, but you will. I believe you will"

"I am not leaving my family," I growled.

"It's safer for your family if you're not near them, Luca. Trust me. Soon, the voices will control you, and without our help, you may kill someone," she said. I scoffed.

"That's bullshit!"

"It's not bullshit, Luca. Your mother killed your father and would have killed you if we hadn't intervened. She was as stubborn as you, but she knew it was for their good. When you've conquered the voices, you can return to them," she said. I stared at her, then scoffed.

"Damon, let's go. If I stay any longer, I might murder some witches," I muttered, staring at the Queen of Witches.

"I wouldn't mind. I'm itching to snap their necks too," Damon replied, leaning against a wall. The Queen watched them like a predator. I knew he was barely restraining himself.

"You need to listen to me"

"No, you need to listen to me, witch. I'm not playing games. You may not know me well, but when angered, I'm very mean. This is my last warning: get these fucking voices out of my head," I said, staring intently at her before walking away.

"You're making a big mistake, Luca," she called after us as we left the cave. Only in the car could I breathe properly.

"Don't listen to a word they say; they're trying to make you their puppet. If the voices bother you, we'll burn the witches' coven to the ground," Damon said, starting the car.

I said nothing. He sensed my tension and tried to make conversation, but all I wanted was Delilah and Mia.

Chapter 178 (continued)

It was afternoon the next day when we reached the pack. My head pounded from lack of sleep, but at least I couldn't hear the voices anymore.

As soon as I saw Delilah waiting at our doorstep with Mia in her arms, my worries vanished, and I smiled.

"If anything happens, call me. Now go be with your family," Damon said, smiling slightly. I climbed out of the car and, without thinking, sprinted across the field to Delilah.

She smiled, but I saw worry in her eyes—as if she sensed something was wrong, even though I hadn't told her anything.

"Are you okay" Before she finished, I kissed her, a moan escaping my lips. I pressed against Mia, pouring all my longing into the kiss.

"Luca" she murmured breathlessly as I pulled away slightly, my lips still near hers.

"I need you, I fucking need you right now, Delilah."