Chapter 41: Alpha Lucien and Beta Ash Burnt into Ashes
At last, Ash gave up trying to break through the barrier. His body drained, a faint trickle of blood still on his lip. With no choice, he pulled back and teleported away.
The next moment, he was back in his room, sinking onto the bed. His heart raced, and his thoughts spun restlessly. Why was Adrian in that place? Why was it sealed so heavily...and what could be happening inside?
...
Lucien’s lay on his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, while Aster rested on the floor beside him, half-awake. Since coming home from school that evening, Lucien had been caught in shifting moods, speaking little.
Even when Aster prepared dinner with quiet care, Lucien had pushed it away, muttering that he wasn’t hungry. He tried to act as if everything was fine, but inside, the weight lingered.
Ash’s words from that night echoed in his mind: "I didn’t mean it," when he had said if he wanted to sleep with him.
Lucien’s chest tightened. But I want to sleep with you.
...
Morning came. Ash sat at the dining table, absently pushing his food around the plate, still lost in thoughts, Adrian hadn’t come home last night.
Across from him, Adrian’s father looked restless, frustration written across his face. Ash’s mother placed bacon onto his plate, coaxing softly, "Honey, at least try to eat a little."
"How can he come back to the country and leave his fiancee overseas?" Adrian’s father muttered angrily. "What was so urgent that it made him rush back? Luckily he didn’t show up last night; he would have heard from me."
Ash’s mother touched his shoulder gently. "Calm down. Let’s wait for him. Maybe he had a good reason."
Ash lowered his gaze, questions pressing in. Did he really leave Celeste overseas? Did he rush back just to take me from Lucien? If so, why? Am I that important; enough for him to risk ruining his reputation?
He shook his head quickly. No...I must be overthinking. He must have his reasons. Maybe even hiding them in that hut.
...
That day, Ash and Aster had an appointment with Dr. Eric in the afternoon for their routine checkup. At school, Ash had already requested permission, giving the excuse that he had to attend a family matter.
At the hospital, the examinations went quickly. Dr. Eric smiled at Aster. "Your health is fine, no problems at all."
But when he turned to Ash, his expression hardened. "Your health is withering from the extreme mana drain of the gifts I warned you not to use. If you continue, you may end up fracturing your core."
Aster frowned, looking at Ash. "What have you been doing that risks your core?
Ash stayed silent, avoiding his gaze.
Dr. Eric sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Ash, I don’t say these things lightly. If you keep this up, it won’t be long before the damage becomes irreversible."
The room grew heavy, Ash’s silent weighing more than any reply.
...
Later, Ash and Aster sat together at a small cafe, their drinks placed neatly beside plates of cake.
Ash leaned forward, his voice low. "You told me you’d explain why I saw you driving Lucien’s car, taking him to school...and why you’re in the city."
Aster gave a small smile. "Alright...it started like this." He began to recount the story, his words steady, while Ash’s eyes widened with every detail.
By the time Aster finished, Ash was left staring in disbelief. "Y-you...you have a crush on Lucien?" he stammered.
Aster gave a simple nod.
Ash picked up his glass of juice, sipping it slowly as he tried to process everything he ha just heard. Martin likes Aster, Aster likes Lucien, Lucien likes me, and I
Before his thoughts could settle, Aster leaned closer. "But I’ve realized...those three days I stayed at his place, it seemed like someone else had already stolen his heart. You’ve been closer to him than I ever was. Do you know who it is?"
Ash chocked on his juice, coughing lightly, caught off guard.
Aster’s brows furrowed as he reached across the table, concern flickering in his eyes. "Hey you okay?" he asked, sliding a napkin toward him.
Ash waved a hand, still trying to catch his breath. "I’m fine...just went down the wrong way," he muttered.
Aster leaned back slightly, his voice quieter now. "Promise me you won’t tell your mother I’m in the city working. I don’t want her to be worried or feel like she has to send me money. You know how she is. I want to survive on my own sweat."
Ash nodded firmly. "I understand."
They finished the last bites of their cake in comfortable silence. When Ash set down his fork, he glanced at Aster. "Can you drive me back to school? I’ve got late afternoon lessons to attend."
Aster smiled faintly and pushed back his chair. "Of course. Let’s go."
...
At dimly lit room, a shadow lingered window, motionless. Near the door, two men stood stiffly, their rough clothes and hardened faces making it clear they weren’t the type to inspire trust.
From behind them, a woman’s sharp, angry voice cut through the silence. "He lied to me...said it would work." Her tone dropped, bitter with resentment. "Only to drag himself closer to him. Make sure this time you finish him."
The men lowered their heads at once. "Yes ma’am," they replied in unison, their voices low.
...
Ash sat in class, his head bent over an open book, though his eyes barely moved across the page. His thoughts kept circling back to Adrian, refusing to let him focus.
Beside him, Naomi burst into laughter, her tablet screen glowing. "Can you believe this? Alpha Adrian rushing back to the country, leaving his fiancee behind-it’s all over trending news!"
On the other side, Martin glanced at his watch, his brows drawing tight. "Mathematics is almost over...Alpha Lucien still isn’t here?"
Naomi lowered her tablet, her expression shifting. "That’s strange. It’s not like him. Something must be wrong."
Ash finally snapped out of his haze, lifting his head, Concern flickered in his eyes. "If he wasn’t coming, he would have at least left us an assignment. He’s never absent without a reason."
A chill ran through him. His instincts whispered that something was off.
Suddenly, the sharp cry of alarm tore through the classroom.
"Fire! Fire!"
Ash’s head jerked up, the words echoing in his chest like a blow. Desks rattled as students scrambled out, their footsteps thundering down the hall.
"Alpha Lucien’s office; it’s burning!"
The crowd spilled outside, panic swelling. Smoke coiled into the air, black and suffocating, as flames clawed hungrily at the office windows. Teachers shouted for order, but no one was listening.
Ash pushed forward with Naomi and Martin, his pulse hammering as the blaze roared louder. A junior student stumbled near him, sobbing. "Alpha Lucien...he’s still inside!"
Ash froze, breath lodged in his throat. Around him, murmurs rippled through the students.
"We can’t save him, the fire’s everywhere."
"It’s too late, no one can get in there now."
Ash’s chest tightened. His voice broke through the despair, low but fierce. "You can’t die yet..."
And then, without thought, he rushed forward toward the flames.
"Ash! No!" Naomi screamed, her hand outstretched. Martin lunged, but Ash slipped free. "Don’t go in there!"
Ash didn’t turn back.
The fire devoured everything, smoke billowing into the sky as firefighters battled the flames.
Naomi broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, while Martin held her close, whispering, "Ash...at least you could’ve waited until I found a boyfriend before throwing yourself in there."
Reporters swarmed the gates, cameras flashing, voices rising over the chaos.
Breaking headlines: Alpha Lucien and Beta Ash burnt into Ashes.
Cars rolled up one after another. Adrian’s father stepped out first, his jaw tight with anger and fear. Ash’s mother followed, her face pale, eyes locked on the smoke as though she might still catch sight of her son.
Lucien’s parents arrived soon after. His mother covered her mouth to hold back a sob, while his father steadied her with a firm arm around her shoulders.
The air was heavy, silence pressing down on the crowd.
Then, the firefighters emerged from the blackened ruins, carrying something small but strange; a dental metallic container, its surface scorched yet unbroken. Murmurs rippled instantly through the onlookers.
"Nightglass oil..." one firefighter muttered grimly, setting it down.
A hush spread over the crowd. If Nightglass oil has been used, then the fire was no accident.
...
Inside the hut, Prophetess Annette sat cross-legged, her eyes closed in deep stillness. Slowly, she lifted her hands, and an unseen force stirred, raising the talismans from Adrian’s body, their faint glow quivering in the dim air.
Her voice slipped into a murmur, low and hidden like a chant.
"His veins...still bound to what was given. A thread that cannot be severed. What was broken waits for its other half. Only when each half finds the other...will rise, and the other fade."