Gabriel returned home under a veil of anticipation. Fantine, Aria, and Thorne, their collective anxiety palpable, awaited his arrival. Thorne, in particular, could barely contain his eagerness, his curiosity regarding the outcome of Gabriel's secret meeting with Isabella reaching its zenith.
As Gabriel removed his boots and settled into his favorite chair, a charged atmosphere enveloped the room. Suspense lingered, each occupant holding their breath in anticipation of his revelation. With a deliberate pause, Gabriel finally spoke, "Me and Celeste have devised a plan. Tomorrow, we take Ethan away from Blackwood. Celeste promised to aid in rescuing our son before it's too late."
A collective exhale swept through the room, and a relative calm settled. However, Aria, always pragmatic, broke the momentary tranquility, asking, "How do we go about it? It can't be as simple as going there and getting him, easy peasy, last I checked his 'father' is a hunter."
Gabriel nodded in agreement, acknowledging the complexities. "We strike at night when Viktor is most likely asleep. Thorne will use his power to hypnotize Ethan (so that we wouldn't have to waste any time trying to convince him) and also anyone who stands in our way. Additionally, we'll rescue Taran, he is one of the persons I hired to help with Ethan's rescue, who was captured."
Yet, a shadow lingered in Gabriel's eyes, betraying an unspoken concern. Fantine, keenly attuned to Gabriel's nuances, detected the underlying worry. With a gentle touch, she inquired, "My son, what still troubles you?"
Gabriel hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to voice his deepest fear. Finally, he posed a question that stunned everyone in the room. "Is it possible for a werewolf to tame another, to force a fully transformed werewolf back into their human form?"
The question hung heavy in the air, shattering the room's equilibrium. Fantine, after a moment of silence, declared, "Practically impossible. Only a powerful sorcerer can achieve such a feat. No no it's just not possible. "
Gabriel leaned forward, a grave intensity in his gaze. "Well, your grandson seems to have that covered."
He proceeded to recount Isabella's revelation from the previous night, describing Ethan's glowing hands and the inexplicable ability to calm a fully transformed werewolf. The room absorbed this revelation in stunned silence, the implications unfolding before them like a tapestry of the extraordinary.
Thorne, usually having something to say, sat immersed in contemplative silence. The notion gripped his thoughts – if the Alpha King possessed the power to compel werewolves to shift between human and wolf forms at will, then the inverse must also hold true. The ability to force transformations, a revelation of immense consequence, dawned upon Thorne. The vampires, driven by their insatiable thirst for power, would stop at nothing to acquire this profound capability. It will become a lethal tool, a force that could be wielded to transform werewolves at any time and place, full moon or not, a power so coveted that the vampires would unleash chaos and carnage to seize it. Thorne, burdened with the weight of this revelation, understood the magnitude of what hung in the balance – a perilous secret capable of sparking a cataclysmic conflict. Aria, grappling with the weight of this new information, exchanged a glance with Fantine, who, despite her calm exterior, bore the weight of concern for her grandson; she wondered what else the boy was capable of doing.
Gabriel's revelation added a layer of complexity to their plan. The rescue mission now bore not only the weight of familial love and political tension but also the enigma and possibilities of Ethan's newfound abilities. As the room grappled with the implications, a determination settled over them like a shroud, binding their destinies to a course fraught with challenges, yet laced with hope.
In the sun lit confines of Viktor's room, an air of anticipation hung thick. He strained his ears to decipher the distant sounds emanating from the kitchen, concluding that it must be Ethan. Viktor's eyes swept across the room, a room that felt both familiar and strangely foreign. Frustration etched his features as he mumbled to himself about Isabella's penchant for rearranging things. He sighed, realizing he couldn't even locate certain items.
"Isabella and her annoying obsession with redecorating," he grumbled. "I don't even know where certain things are anymore."
With a sudden surge of determination, Viktor propelled himself from the bed, intending to rectify the disarray. However, the world seemed to spin, and dizziness forced him back onto the bed. He frowned at his own frailty, an unwelcome reminder of the injuries he sustained last night and also the passing of years.
Before he could dwell on it, a knock on the door announced Celeste's arrival. "Come in," Viktor called, his gaze piercing as she entered. Barely settling into a chair, Celeste faced her father's inquiry.
"What were you able to find out from that beast? Why is he here in Blackwood?" Viktor questioned, his eyes narrowing.
Celeste hesitated, then admitted, "Taran didn't reveal much. He's hiding something, even from Ethan."
Unsatisfied, Viktor pressed further, "Nothing at all?"
"Well," Celeste hesitated, "he did say something unplanned. He told Ethan, 'You haven't transformed yet. There's no way you can fully assess your abilities.'"
Viktor's brow furrowed. "Talking to Ethan? That's strange, is he implying that Ethan is a werewolf? I doubt that" He pondered the implications. Celeste does share this view at all, she has her suspicions about Ethan, especially since she saw him heal fast right in front of her, but she keeps her thoughts to herself.
"Hopefully soon we will get to the bottom of this when he is interrogated properly by Lord Eric's guards. I have sent word to him regarding our situation," Viktor continued. "but Gerard told me that the guards are occupied in Ipsich the nearest town to us. Vampires attacked the town. You already know that vampires are way more deadlier than werewolves, hence they take top priority."
Viktor nodded, acknowledging the severity of the situation. "I'll still see Lord Eric this evening," he declared.
But Celeste, her unease apparent, asserted, "Father, you have to figure this out yourself. I don't like being in the middle."
Viktor implored, "You're the only one I trust in this house, Celeste. Don't back out now when I need you the most. Your elder brother is useless, probably at Charlene's brothel, drinking and gallivanting with whores, with those his irresponsible friends. And Ethan...don't even get me started" He trailed off with a sigh.
As their conversation deepened, a faint footstep approached. In a swift shift of focus, they hushed their discussion. The door creaked open, revealing Isabella standing on the threshold. The charged atmosphere dampened as they exchanged forced smiles, concealing the weighty matters that had occupied their discourse.