A chill crawled down Jacob's spine at the old woman's words. The unease was so strong that he turned away from her at once and hurried toward his car, his heart pounding violently in his chest.
When he got inside the vehicle, he couldn't stop himself from glancing back.
The old woman was still there.
Standing exactly where he had left her.
Smiling.
Her eyes were fixed on him as if she could see straight through his soul.
That was enough.
Jacob quickly started the engine and sped away from the place, desperate to put as much distance as possible between himself and the unsettling encounter. Yet no matter how fast he drove, the woman's words followed him, echoing endlessly in his mind.
As he made his way back to the Lunar Fury Pack, Jacob found himself trapped in his thoughts. He replayed the conversation again and again, unable to shake the strange weight her words carried. There was something about her voice, her certainty, that made his chest tighten.
One word, in particular, refused to leave his mind.
Hoàng tử của tôi".
Jacob grabbed his phone and typed the words into a translator. When the meaning appeared on the screen, his brows knit together deeply.
Prince.
Why would she call him that?
The question lingered, unanswered, until his phone suddenly rang on the dashboard, startling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the caller ID and felt his stomach drop.
It was Damon's Beta.
Jacob answered immediately. "Hello—"
"Where are you?!" the Beta shouted, panic clear in his voice.
Jacob frowned as loud crashing sounds echoed from the other end of the call. "I'm on my way back," he replied. "What's going on? What are those noises?"
"The Alpha is furious after finding out you weren't here!" the Beta yelled. "Come back quickly, or he'll destroy the restraining room!"
"The fucking what?!" Jacob shouted, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"We couldn't hold him!" the Beta continued frantically. "He's destroying everything in the pack! Everyone's terrified—even the pups! We locked him inside the restraining room—"
"And do you seriously think locking him in there will calm him down?!" Jacob roared, slamming his foot down on the gas. "You're just making him angrier!"
The car surged forward, its speed bordering on reckless.
"Unlock the damn door, you idiots!" Jacob shouted. "You're awakening his beast—and his trauma!"
He glanced at the side mirror and saw a police car chasing him for speeding, but he didn't care. None of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was getting back to the pack before Damon completely lost control.
If only he hadn't stayed so long at the cemetery.
If only he hadn't spoken to the old woman.
"We can't!" the Beta cried. "You know what will happen to us if we release him! Just come back quickly, or everyone here will die by his hands!"
"Fuck you!" Jacob snapped and ended the call.
He pushed the car even harder, leaving the police far behind.
What felt like a journey straight to the afterlife ended abruptly as he reached the pack grounds. The guards opened the gates at once, and Jacob drove straight toward the main house, stopping sharply in front of the entrance.
The moment he stepped out of the car, the Beta and Gamma rushed toward him.
"Where did you go?!" the Gamma demanded angrily. "Didn't you say you'd be quick?!"
"Shut up," Jacob snapped back, yanking off his coat and handing it to the Gamma. "Is he still inside the restraining room?"
Without waiting for an answer, Jacob headed up the stairs. The Beta, Gamma, and several warriors followed close behind.
"What do you think?" the Beta muttered.
Jacob shot him a glare.
Beta Kulas had grown close to Jacob over time—closer than anyone else in the pack, aside from Damon himself. Damon trusted him enough to allow him near Jacob, even ordering him to keep an eye on him. That trust was the only reason Kulas dared speak to Jacob the way he did.
"Could you stop getting on my nerves, Beta?" Jacob said sharply. "You're annoying."
"You already know the answer," Kulas replied. "We can't unlock the door. His wolf is in control. We can't fight him."
"Then how did you manage to lock him in there?" Jacob asked as they turned into the corridor leading to the restraining room.
"We worked together to force him inside," Kulas answered. "He destroyed everything in his bedroom."
Jacob fell silent.
"Where did you really go?" Kulas asked more gently. "You know how the Alpha reacts when he doesn't see you here."
"I visited Alpha George's grave," Jacob replied quietly. "And my parents'."
Kulas didn't ask anything more.
When they reached the restraining room, Jacob stepped closer and pressed his ear against the heavy door. There was no sound.
No roaring.
No destruction.
"How long has he been in there?" Jacob asked.
"More than an hour," Kulas replied.
Jacob turned to him sharply. "Then why didn't you call me sooner? I would've come back immediately."
"The moment he stepped into the pack, he knew you weren't here," Kulas explained. "You know how short his temper is. He lost control before I could even call you. He injured two warriors who opened the gates for you."
Jacob's face filled with worry. "How are they?"
"They're fine. They're at the pack clinic now."
Guilt weighed heavily on Jacob's chest. He had told those warriors that Damon knew he was leaving.
After a moment, Jacob exhaled deeply and faced them all. "I'll handle this. You can go."
The Gamma hesitated. "Are you sure, Sir Jacob? The Alpha might—"
"He won't," Jacob said firmly. "I can handle it."
Reluctantly, they left him alone.
Jacob stood in front of the door, taking slow breaths to calm himself. His knees trembled despite his efforts.
This was the second time he had stood outside the restraining room.
The room existed for one reason—to contain Damon when he lost control. When his beast surfaced, he could destroy the entire pack… or kill anyone who stood in his way.
The first time Jacob had come here was years ago, when Damon nearly killed a man for speaking too closely to him.
Now, history was repeating itself.
Jacob swallowed hard and unlocked the door.
The room was dark and suffocating.
"Damon?" he called softly.
No answer.
He stepped inside, and the heavy door slammed shut behind him.
"Damon, where are you?" he asked, his voice trembling.
A second later, a body crashed into him from behind, sending him sprawling onto the bed.
"Did I tell you not to leave without my permission?!" a furious voice roared.
Jacob froze.
That wasn't Damon.
That was his beast.
Lucifer.
Jacob was pinned down, his wrists trapped in one massive hand. Pain shot through his scalp as his hair was yanked back, forcing his head up.
Tears welled in Jacob's eyes from the pain.
"You didn't learn," Lucifer snarled.
Jacob was struck across the face, stars exploding in his vision. Red eyes burned above him, rage consuming every trace of reason.
Jacob tried to push him away, but his body betrayed him—weak, shaking, dizzy.
A hand closed around his throat, cutting off his air.
"I… I can't breathe," Jacob gasped, clutching Damon's shirt.
Lucifer released him abruptly.
Jacob collapsed, coughing violently, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"You are disobedient," Lucifer said coldly. "And disobedience has consequences."