Chapter 134: Death

On the way home, I leaned against Lewis’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat beneath my ear. His warmth wrapped around me, grounding me when my thoughts threatened to spiral out of control.Too much had happened.

My death.

Lena collapsing.

And now Nolan.

One by one, people around me were falling apart or disappearing entirely. The only one left was barely holding onto life.

I gripped Lewis’s shirt tightly, my fingers curling into the fabric like it was the only thing keeping me from breaking. I couldn’t understand it. Who could be so cruel? What had the Morrigans done to deserve this kind of destruction?

"Lewis," I murmured, my voice tight with frustration. "Have you found anything about the Deans?"

His hand moved slowly over my hair, calming, steady. "I had someone check again," he said softly. "Same result. There’s no deep grudge between the Deans and the Morrigans."

"What about Faby Dean?" I asked quickly. "The garage owner. Anything on him?"

Nolan’s death had lit a fire in my chest. I needed answers. I needed something that made sense.

"He’s not connected to the Deans by blood," Lewis said. "But the garage itself... that place has a past."

I lifted my head and looked at him. "What kind of past?"

"Years ago, that land was a mass burial site," he said quietly. "When the city expanded, old buildings were torn down. Even rural land was swallowed up. But that area never developed properly. No malls. No major projects. So it stayed cheap."

A chill ran through me.

"About thirty years ago, someone bought the land and built the garage. It made sense financially."

"Thirty years?" I frowned. "Fabian is only in his thirties."

"Exactly," Lewis said. "The one who bought the land was named Chester Reed."

The name meant nothing to me, yet it made my instincts stir.

"Do they have any connection?" I asked.

"None that we’ve found. It looks like a normal transaction."

"Do you know anything about Chester?" I pressed. "If something dark started there, it would’ve been with him."

Lewis shook his head. "Records from that time are mostly gone. Fabian took over ten years ago. The transfer was handled through an attorney Chester hired. So far, there’s nothing solid."

I leaned back again, thoughts racing.

If Chester bought the land thirty years ago, he had to be older. Old enough to carry resentment. Old enough to remember things the Morrigans elders might want forgotten.

I clung to one fragile hope.

Grandma.

If only she would talk. If only she would tell me what she knew.

Lewis held me closer. "Elena," he said gently, "these things were buried a long time ago. Digging them up won’t be easy."

He paused, his voice turning firm. "And Camilla isn’t your real enemy. She’s just a piece on the board. The ones behind her... they may have been planning this for decades."

His words made my chest tighten.

"There’s something else," he continued. "Nolan’s death is a warning. You can’t let anyone find out about your second life. If they do, you’ll be hunted again."

I frowned. "But Julain "

"He won’t say anything," Lewis cut in calmly. "But you can’t trust anyone outside our bond. Do you understand?"

He saw the fear in my eyes.

Lewis cupped my face in his hands, forcing me to meet his gaze. His touch was firm, protective, unyielding.

"Elena," he said quietly, "the only person in this world who will never hurt you is me."

The words settled deep inside me.

Slowly, the tension in my chest eased. For the first time that night, I felt safe.

When we arrived home, our conversation stopped.

As we stepped inside, I saw Grant sitting in the living room, smoking. There were scratches across his face, deep and angry, like someone had finally fought back.

Seeing him like that lifted something heavy from my heart.

It seemed Mom had finally listened to me.

She wasn’t hiding anymore. She was resisting.

A piece of paper lay on the floor. Grant bent to pick it up, but I grabbed it first.

A divorce agreement.

I smiled despite myself. "Finally. Mom has come to her senses."

Grant snatched the paper from my hands and tore it apart.

"What’s so great about that?" he snapped. "I’m not signing anything!"

Then he glared at me. "You’re already mated. Why do you keep running back here?"

"Because I want to," I shot back, rolling my eyes. "It’s none of your business."

I turned and walked toward my room.

Behind me, Grant’s frustration exploded. He looked at Lewis and sneered, "Control your woman."

Lewis’s voice was calm. Cold.

"I mated with her to cherish her," he said. "Not to cage her."

Then he turned away without another word.

And for the first time in a long while, I knew exactly where I belonged.

If this had happened before, Lewis would have slammed the door and left without a word.

But tonight, he stayed.

He didn’t leave the house. He didn’t disappear into the night. He even slept in the guest room, close enough that I could feel his presence through the walls.

I had seen Nolan die with my own eyes. The cold from that moment clung to my bones, no matter how tightly I wrapped myself up. I soaked in a hot bath for a long time, letting the steam loosen my muscles, letting the heat chase away the chill buried deep inside me.

When I finally stepped out, my body felt warmer, steadier.

I took a deep breath and returned to the bedroom.

Lewis was already there, lying on the bed. He lifted his hand and patted the empty space beside him.

"Elena," he said quietly. "Come here."

I froze.

Ever since my identity had been revealed, something inside me felt off. In the past, I had been Riley young, distant, someone he had never truly known. In this life, I was Elena. I had loved Julain for years. I had lived another story.

And Lewis... Lewis had been someone I once saw as an elder figure. Someone untouchable.

Now, he was my bonded partner.

It had only been one drunken night, but it left a mark on my heart. A deep one. I didn’t know how to face what came after.

I had never planned to fall for him.

From the beginning, I treated our bond like a deal. Clear rules. Clear purpose. No emotions. But somewhere along the way, his feelings had changed and now, so had mine.

I stood there, awkward and unsure, my thoughts tangled.

Lewis looked at me like he could see straight through all of it. His eyes were gentle. Patient.

"That looks nice on you," he said softly.

I glanced down at my pajamas. I had chosen something simple and conservative, avoiding anything that might make this harder than it already was.

"Th... thank you."

He smiled faintly. "How long are you planning to stand there?"

Then, more quietly, "I’m tired, Elena. I haven’t slept well these past few nights when you weren’t around. Would you turn off the light and come to bed?"

The exhaustion in his voice made guilt twist in my chest.

I turned off the light quickly and climbed onto the bed, pulling the covers around me and curling slightly to one side.

In the darkness, I felt him move.

His arm slid under the blanket, firm and warm, drawing me closer until my back rested against his chest. His presence surrounded me completely steady, solid, impossible to ignore.

"L-Lewis..." I whispered.

He let out a quiet breath, almost a soft laugh. "Is it because you can’t see my face that you’re not afraid anymore?"

My throat tightened.

"I’m not afraid of you," I said quickly. "I just... need time. Everything happened so fast. I’ll get used to it."

His hand moved slowly along my back, calming, grounding.

"I know," he said. "This past month hasn’t been kind to you. You lost so much. And then Nolan..."

He paused. "You’re trying to carry everything alone."

He sighed then a deep, low sound that sent a strange warmth through me.

I hummed softly, waiting.

He took my hand, his fingers rough but careful as they laced with mine. His breath brushed against my ear, warm and close.

"Elena," he said, voice low and steady.

"I love you."