The room was heavy with tension, an air of worry settling over the trio as Leviathan lay unconscious on the couch. His breathing was shallow but steady, his normally vibrant energy dulled. Alice knelt by his side, her hands trembling as she dabbed at his bloodied face with a damp cloth. Sophia paced back and forth, her frustration and fear was barely contained at the moment, while Lotan leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and brows furrowed in deep thought.
Sophia opened her mouth to talk but after a while nothing came out of her mouth and the tension in the room didn't reduce until Alice's soft voice broke the tension. She looked up at both Lotan and Sophia her usually warm eyes cold and tired. "Leviathan's in trouble. He… he needs help."
The weight of her words silenced them both. Sophia glanced at Leviathan's still form, guilt creeping into her chest. "We need a healer," she said, her voice quieter now. "Someone who can deal with… whatever this is and my ability to heal supernatural creatures only harms him more."
Lotan shook his head. "A healer can only patch up wounds. This isn't just physical. It's something deeper, something beyond what we can see. Leviathan can't just collapse because of physical damage. I need to find answers."
"And how do you plan on finding them?, by staying here all day" Sophia said with sarcasm
Lotan's gaze was firm. "By talking to someone who actually understands the supernatural side of him. There's a witch I know. Her name is Helena. She specializes in ancient ailments. She might know what's going on."
Sophia frowned but nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Go. But if you come back empty-handed—"
"I won't," Lotan interrupted, grabbing his coat. "Stay here with Alice. Don't let anything happen to him."
As Lotan left, the room fell into a tense silence. Sophia sat beside Alice, her earlier anger giving way to worry as she looked at Leviathan's face before poking it. "You better wake up soon, you idiot," she muttered.
Alice whispered, "He's strong. He'll pull through. He has to."
Neither of them noticed the faint flicker of Leviathan's fingers as they both kept vigil over him.
Lotan moved quickly, his footsteps echoing in the quiet streets as he made his way toward the outskirts of the city. The night air was crisp, and the faint glow of the moonlight illuminated his path. He had heard of Helena before, a witch known for her vast knowledge of ancient curses and supernatural ailments. If anyone could understand Leviathan's condition, it would be her.
As he travelled through the darkened woods on the edge of the city, Lotan's mind raced. He couldn't shake the image of Leviathan the embodiment of power been reduced to a weakened state. The sight of him lying unconscious, vulnerable, still shocks him and reminded him of how dangerous the world can be. No one was really invincible
It wasn't just Leviathan's physical injuries that concerned Lotan. There was something else, something deeper. The way Leviathan had fought, the ferocity in his eyes, the uncontrolled bursts of power—this wasn't like him. He had always been a controlled force, a master of his own strength. But during the battle, it was as if something had snapped.
Lotan's thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of rustling leaves. He stopped in his tracks, his senses on high alert. "Who's there?" he called out, his voice steady but commanding.
A figure emerged from the shadows. It was a man with wild, untamed hair and piercing golden eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. He wore a long coat, and his movements were fluid, almost predatory and animal like
"You look lost," the man said, his voice low and rough, like gravel.
"I'm not in the mood for games," Lotan replied, his tone sharp. "Who are you?"
The man smirked, revealing sharp canines. "Just someone who knows what you're looking for."
Lotan narrowed his eyes. "Helena. You know where she is?"
The man's smirk widened. "I might. But first, tell me why you're looking for her. What's so urgent that an ice Lord like you is wandering these woods in the dead of night?"
Lotan hesitated for a moment before deciding to be honest. "Leviathan. He's… unresponsive. Something's wrong, something beyond physical injury. I need Helena's help to figure out what it is."
The man's expression shifted, his playful demeanor giving way to something more serious. "Leviathan, huh? The Prideful Beast. I always knew you wearing the real deal"
"What do you mean?" Lotan asked, his voice edged with suspicion.
The man sighed, leaning against a tree. "I have been monitoring you from afar for the past two weeks now and I think I know what's wrong with him"
Lotan blinked, taken aback by the question. "What's wrong with him "
"Everything," the man said. "You see, when a wolf resists the bond with their mate, it creates a conflict between instinct and will. That battle tears them apart from the inside. It weakens them, leaves them vulnerable."
Lotan's mind raced as he processed the man's words. "Are you saying Leviathan's condition is because of Sophia?"
The man chuckled darkly. "Not just her. It's the bond, or rather, his refusal to fully embrace it. Leviathan's a creature of pride, isn't he? He doesn't like the idea of being tied to anyone, even if it's his mate. But the bond doesn't care about his pride. It demands acknowledgment, and until he gives it, he'll continue to suffer."
Lotan stared at the man, disbelief and frustration mingling in his expression. "So, what? He's dying because he's too stubborn to accept his feelings? Don't be ridiculous. Leviathan isn't a wolf"
The man shrugged. "It is what it is ice king Lotan. Love's a funny thing, isn't it?"
Lotan clenched his fists. "There has to be a way to fix this. A way to wake him up without..."
"There's no shortcut," the man interrupted. "If you want him to survive, he has to face the bond. He has to accept what he is and what she means to him."
Lotan exhaled sharply, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. "And if he doesn't?"
The man's golden eyes locked onto Lotan's. "Then he'll lose himself completely. The beast will take over, and the Leviathan you know will be pretty much gone and the creator might have to end him this time around"
Silence hung between them, the gravity of the words sinking in. Lotan finally broke the silence. "Where's Helena? I still need to see her."
The man tilted his head, studying Lotan for a moment before nodding. "Follow the river. Her cabin's at the end of the trail. But remember what I said ice king. Leviathan's fate isn't in her hands. It's in his."
Without another word, the man turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Lotan alone once more.
Lotan took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. He would find Helena, but he knew now that her help could only go so far. The real battle would be Leviathan's—against himself, his pride, and the bond he had spent so long denying.
Lotan followed the river as instructed, his sharp senses scanning the area for any sign of danger. The man's cryptic words lingered in his mind, weighing heavily on his thoughts. He didn't want to believe that Leviathan's pride was the root of the problem. The Leviathan he knew was unshakable, a leader who bent the world to his will. But if what the stranger said was true, then Leviathan's own refusal to acknowledge his mate could be the very thing tearing him apart.
The woods grew denser, the canopy overhead blocking out much of the moonlight. Lotan's sharp eyes adjusted to the darkness, and soon, he saw a faint light flickering in the distance. A cabin. It sat nestled between ancient trees, its windows glowing softly with the light of candles within.
Lotan approached cautiously, his footsteps silent on the moss-covered ground. He could feel the pulse of magic in the air a hum that resonated in his bones. Helena's reputation as a powerful witch wasn't exaggerated, it seemed. He reached the door and raised his hand to knock, but before his knuckles could connect, the door creaked open on its own.
"Come in, Lotan," a voice called from inside. It was soft yet commanding, carrying an edge that sent a shiver down his spine.
He stepped inside, his eyes immediately landing on the woman seated at a table in the center of the room. Helena was older than he had imagined, her silver hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, seemed to pierce through him. She wore a dark robe adorned with symbols Lotan didn't recognize, and her long, delicate fingers rested on a wooden staff carved with intricate runes.
"You knew I was coming," Lotan said, closing the door behind him.
Helena smiled faintly. "I know a lot of things Lotan. Sit."
Lotan obeyed, lowering himself into the chair across from her. "I need your help," he began, but Helena held up a hand to silence him.
"I know why you're here," she said. "It's about Leviathan."
Lotan's jaw tightened. "He's unconscious, unresponsive. I've seen him recover injured before , but this… this is something very different. Something's wrong, and I need to know what it is."
Helena leaned back, her gaze steady. "Leviathan is not suffering from any curse or poison, Lotan. His condition is the result of a battle within and it's a battle he is losing."
Lotan's fists clenched. "Because of the bond? Because he refuses to accept Sophia as his mate?"
Helena nodded slowly. "The bond between mates is sacred, powerful beyond measure. For supernatural beings like Leviathan, rejecting that bond is like tearing apart a piece of their soul. His pride, his fear of vulnerability, has led him to resist what is meant to make him whole. And now, that resistance is consuming him."
"There has to be a way to fix this," Lotan insisted. "Something you can do to wake him up, to help him before it's too late."
Helena's expression softened, though her eyes remained firm. "I can stabilize him, give him time. But the true cure lies within him. He must face his fears, his pride, and embrace the bond. Only then will he heal."
Lotan's shoulders sagged slightly. "And if he doesn't?"
Helena's gaze darkened. "Then the beast within him will rise unchecked. Leviathan will become a nothing like himself, consumed by his own power and instincts. He will lose not only himself but everything he holds dear."
Lotan swallowed hard, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "What do I need to do?"
Helena stood, retrieving a vial filled with a shimmering, silver liquid from a shelf. "Take this. It will give him the strength to wake, but only for a short period of time. Use that time wisely, Lotan. Convince him to face what he's running from. If you fail, there may not be another chance."
Lotan took the vial, his grip firm despite the turmoil in his heart. "I won't fail," he said, his voice filled with determination.
Helena smiled faintly. "For all our sakes, I hope you don't. The beast isn't something we can challenge"
Lotan returned to the penthouse, his expression serious as he stepped out of the elevator. The weight of Helena's warning still lingered. Every second counted. Sophia and Alice were waiting in the living room, their eyes snapping to him as he entered.
"Did you find a way?" Sophia asked, her voice sharp with worry.
Lotan held up the shimmering vial. "This will wake him, but it's temporary. Helena said the only real solution lies with him."
Alice frowned, her hands clenching the edge of the couch. "What does that mean?"
Lotan hesitated before responding. "It means Leviathan has to confront the bond he's been rejecting. Until he does, this won't end."
Sophia's face hardened, but her worry for Leviathan outweighed her frustration. "Then we'll deal with that later. Right now, we need him awake."
Lotan nodded and moved to Leviathan, who lay still on the couch, his chest rising and falling shallowly. His wings had retracted, and the usual aura of power that surrounded him had dimmed to almost nothing.
"Hold him steady," Lotan instructed. Sophia knelt by Leviathan's side, her hands trembling slightly as she rested them on his shoulders. Lotan uncorked the vial, the liquid inside glowing faintly in the dim light.
As he poured the contents into Leviathan's mouth, the room seemed to hold its breath. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Leviathan's body jerked violently, his back arching as a low, guttural growl escaped his lips.
Sophia flinched but didn't let go. "Leviathan! It's us! Wake up!"
His eyes shot open, glowing with a fierce red light that sent a chill through the room. He sat up abruptly, his breathing ragged, as if he'd just been pulled from the depths of an abyss.
"Levi?" Alice whispered cautiously, taking a hesitant step forward.
Leviathan's gaze darted between them, wild and unrestrained, before settling on Sophia. His expression twisted with something primal confusion, anger, and a flicker of recognition.
"Why… did you wake me?" he growled, his voice deeper, rougher, as though the beast within him had surfaced.
"You were dying," Lotan said, stepping closer. "Helena said"
"She shouldn't have interfered!" Leviathan roared, cutting him off. He stood, his towering form radiating raw energy, but his movements were unsteady.
Sophia reached out, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Leviathan, listen to me. You're not yourself. We're trying to help you."
But he stepped back, shaking his head. "You don't understand. None of you do." His gaze burned into Sophia's, filled with something she couldn't place pain, longing, and a deep, unrelenting struggle.
Before anyone could respond, a dark portal materialized behind him, swirling with shadow and red light. Leviathan turned toward it, his expression hardening.
"Stay here," he commanded, his voice echoing with finality.
"Leviathan, no!" Sophia shouted, reaching for him.
But it was too late. With a single step, Leviathan disappeared into the portal, leaving them behind in stunned silence.
The portal vanished as quickly as it had appeared, plunging the room into a tense, oppressive quiet.
"Where did he go?" Alice whispered, her voice trembling.
Lotan clenched his fists, his expression dark. "I don't know"