Chapter 24: Shadows of Fear

Words : 1539 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 24: Shadows of Fear Natalie~ Breakfast with Zane and a scary vampire who had almost drained me of blood minutes ago felt like stepping into a play I hadn’t been given the script for. Sebastian lingered in the room, his presence as unsettling as a shadow that refused to disappear, no matter how brightly the light shone. His sharp smirk and relentless teasing made my skin crawl with fear, though Zane seemed completely unfazed. It looked like they were close friends. Sebastian was clearly entertained by my startled reactions—especially when he moved with inhuman speed or sniffed at me like I was some kind of treat laid out for him but thanks to the goddess, he eventually grew bored of teasing me. With one last smirk, he finally left, leaving me to catch my breath for the first time since I entered the room. Sebastian’s departure left the room quieter than I expected, yet the tension between Zane and me only grew. He sat across the table, his blue eyes watching me with an intensity that made my chest tighten; and it made me wonder what kind of thoughts were going on in his head. Every now and then, he’d tilt his head, a small smirk playing at his lips as if he knew something I didn’t. I hated that look. I wanted to run again but somehow, I knew it would be futile. Beside me, Alexander’s cheerful chatter provided a much-needed distraction. "Mommy, I love you, and I want to spend every minute of every day with you. Can we play outside after breakfast? I want to show you the flowers I found yesterday!" I wanted to correct him, telling him I wasn’t his mother but the way his beautiful golden brown eyes stared up at me made the words die in my throat. I laughed softly, ruffling his messy hair. "Sweetheart, I love you too; and I love spending time with you, but I can’t be with you every minute of every day." He frowned, his little nose scrunching up in protest. "Why not? I want to be with you all the time!" I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "What about when you need to go number one or two, hmm?" Alexander burst into laughter, his small body shaking as he giggled. "Mommy, you’re silly!" I grinned, leaning closer. "And what about when you’re in school?" Suddenly, the room fell silent. The joy on Alexander’s face vanished, and he looked down at his plate, poking at his food with a fork. Zane, who had been quietly observing our exchange, let out a soft sigh. "He hasn’t been to school in almost two years," Zane said, his voice low but firm. "He refused to shift back into his human form for so long that we had no choice but to pull him out." My heart clenched as I turned to Alexander. His small frame seemed even smaller now, his shoulders hunched as if carrying a weight far too heavy for a child. Gently, I pulled him into my arms, cradling him against my chest. "Why, baby? Why would you do that?" Alexander opened his mouth to speak, but before a single word escaped, the door creaked open. Nora and Charlie walked in, their presence shattering whatever fragile courage Alexander had mustered. He shrank into himself, his little hands gripping my sweater before he shifted back into his wolf form and barked sharply at the couple. "Jack!" I gasped, startled. Before I could say anything else, he leaped from my lap and bolted from the room, his small form disappearing through the doorway. "What just happened?" I asked, my voice trembling. Zane sighed again, leaning back in his chair. "He’s scared of people. He’s only himself when he’s around you." Nora’s face softened, her maternal worry etched into every line. "I don’t know what to do anymore. He used to be so cheerful, so carefree. Now..." Her voice broke slightly, and Charlie placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Their words swirled around me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something deeper was at play. I knew fear—intimately. It had gripped me for years, clawing at my every waking moment since the night my parents were taken from me. Alexander’s fear felt eerily familiar, and I couldn’t dismiss it so easily. I excused myself from the table, my appetite long gone. Zane’s voice followed me as I left. "Be ready by nine. We’re visiting Garrick." I nodded, murmuring a quiet "thank you" before slipping out of the room. The house was a maze, every corridor seemingly identical to the last. I wandered aimlessly until I finally found the room I’d been assigned. Pushing the door open, I stopped in my tracks. Alexander was there, curled up under the blanket on my bed. I approached him slowly, kneeling beside the bed. "Jack," I said softly, pulling the blanket back to reveal his wolf form. "Can you shift back for me?" His golden eyes met mine, hesitant but trusting. A moment later, his small human frame appeared. "Why did you run?" I asked, brushing a strand of hair from his face. He didn’t answer, his gaze dropping to the floor. "You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to," I said gently. "But I’m here if you do." He crawled into my lap, wrapping his tiny arms around me. "I’m not scared when you’re with me," he whispered. "My friend said you’d protect me and Daddy forever." I froze, confusion mingling with a strange sense of unease. "Your friend? Who’s your friend?" Before he could answer, a knock at the door startled us both. "Natalie," came a muffled voice. "When you’re ready, come downstairs. Mr. Lucky is waiting for you." Confused, I looked at Alexander. "Who’s Mr. Lucky?" He giggled. "That’s what they call Daddy." I couldn’t help but laugh. "I’d better get ready, then." I rushed into the bathroom, Alexander’s giggles trailing behind me. By the time I emerged, freshly washed and feeling slightly more composed, he was sitting cross-legged on a blanket on the floor. "Your turn," I said, smiling. "Go get cleaned up so we can go." He pouted, his big eyes pleading. "Come with me, Mommy. Help me pick clothes?" I sighed but couldn’t say no. "Alright, let’s go." Together, we went to his room, a space filled with toys and clothes that looked untouched. I helped him pick out an outfit—a cute, button-up shirt and tiny jeans that made him look like a miniature gentleman. He wrinkled his nose but didn’t protest, allowing me to guide him through the process. When we finally made it downstairs, Zane raised an eyebrow. "You took long enough," he began, but his words stopped abruptly when he saw Alexander. "How did you get him to wear clothes?" he asked, genuine surprise in his voice. "He hates wearing anything." I shrugged, smiling. "Jack and I understand each other." "His name is Alexander, not Jack," Zane corrected, though there was no edge to his tone. "I like both names," Alexander chimed in, grinning up at me. The drive to the hospital was uneventful, save for Alexander’s cheerful singing from his car seat in the back. I sat in the passenger seat, trying to ignore the way Zane’s presence seemed to fill the car. "We’ll need to stop and get you more clothes after this," Zane said suddenly. I turned to him, shaking my head. "That’s not necessary." I couldn’t incur more debts, not with someone like Zane. "It’s not up for discussion," he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. He was quiet for a moment before asking, "What’s your educational background?" I hesitated, embarrassment creeping in. Why was he asking? "I didn’t finish eighth grade," I answered, my voice smaller than I intended. "Why not?" "My parents died," I said simply, my hands shaking in my lap as the memories threatened to spill over, but I forced them back, focusing instead on Alexander’s singing. Surprisingly, Zane didn’t push further, and the rest of the drive passed in relative silence. When we arrived at the hospital, my heart was pounding. The thought of seeing Garrick again filled me with both relief and anxiety. I prayed to the goddess that he was ok. But when we reached his room, it was empty. Zane’s jaw clenched, his sharp features hardening as he barked out commands to a passing nurse to get him the doctor. My pulse quickened as I watched him pace the length of the room like a storm barely held in check. At first, I couldn’t understand why he was agitated, maybe Garrick had been taken for some tests? But Zane’s growing anger made me begin to fear the worst. When the doctor arrived, he looked like he’d seen a ghost, his face pale and his hands trembling. Zane’s asked, his voice cold and demanding. "Where is he?" The doctor flinched as if the words themselves could wound him. "The patient... he vanished early this morning. We’ve been searching for him, but there’s no trace." My stomach dropped. My heart raced, each beat louder than the last as I tried to process what I’d just heard.

Chapter 24: Shadows of Fear

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