Lucian's Attack

**Angel**

The mansion, which once seemed like a safe haven, now felt like a prison of uncertainty and fear. With Dimitri and most of the pack's warriors at the western border, I felt vulnerable despite the security Dimitri had arranged. The tension in the air was palpable, and the sense that something was terribly wrong grew with each passing minute.

I was in my room, trying to focus on anything that could distract me from thoughts of Dimitri in battle. But the restlessness inside me wouldn’t let me find peace. Something was wrong, and I knew it.

Suddenly, the sound of a crash echoed through the corridors of the mansion, making my heart skip a beat. I stood up quickly, my senses on high alert. The sound wasn’t normal—something had happened. Instinct took over, and I knew I had to find out what was going on.

I left the room cautiously, the silence that followed the crash was almost deafening. As I descended the stairs, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by muffled shouts. Fear began to turn into panic as I realized something terrible was about to happen.

When I reached the ground floor, the scene before me was chaotic. One of the mansion's guards lay on the floor, unconscious or worse, while the other desperately tried to restrain someone... or something. My blood ran cold when I saw Lucian, free from the chains that were supposed to hold him, advancing with an expression of pure hatred.

"Lucian!" I shouted, unable to hide the terror in my voice.

He turned toward me, his eyes gleaming with a malice I had never seen before. "Angel... finally, we meet," he said, his voice low and venomous.

My heart pounded wildly, but I knew I couldn’t let fear paralyze me. "How did you get loose?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady but feeling the rising dread with each word.

Lucian took a step toward me, his presence menacing, every movement calculated. "Did you really think those chains could hold me forever? That I wouldn’t have a plan? You all underestimated me."

I instinctively backed away, trying to think of a way to escape. The hallway behind me was blocked, and Lucian was closing in quickly. I needed time, needed a way to alert the others.

"It’s no use running, Angel," he continued, his voice hissing. "You’re alone here, and no one is coming to save you. Dimitri is busy fighting a battle he can’t win."

His words pierced my heart, but I couldn’t give up. "Dimitri will find you," I said, my voice gaining strength. "And when he does, you’ll pay for everything you’ve done."

Lucian laughed, a cold sound that made me shiver. "Let’s see if he gets here in time."

Without warning, he lunged at me with a speed I couldn’t anticipate. I tried to dodge, but he was too fast. In an instant, I felt the impact of his body against mine, knocking me to the ground with a force that took the air out of my lungs.

"You’ve always been an important piece, Angel," he murmured, his voice cold in my ear as he pinned me down. "But now, you’ll be the key to destroying Dimitri."

I fought against him with all the strength I could muster, but he was relentless. His hands squeezed my wrists with crushing force as he held me to the ground. Panic surged inside me, but I knew I needed to stay calm, needed to find a way to escape.

"This is for everything Dimitri took from me," he whispered, his voice full of hatred. "And I’m going to start by taking everything from him."

I closed my eyes, bracing for the worst, but then a thunderous sound of footsteps running echoed through the corridors. Lucian turned, momentarily distracted, and I took that small opportunity to try to free myself.

I twisted my body with all the strength I had, managing to push one of Lucian’s arms away enough to break free of his grip. He roared in frustration and turned his attention back to me, but before he could grab me again, a figure appeared beside us.

It was one of the wolves left to protect the mansion. He threw himself at Lucian, trying to restrain him, but Lucian was too strong. The fight between them was fierce and desperate, and I knew I had to use this distraction to escape.

With my heart racing, I quickly got to my feet and ran toward the back door, knowing it was my only chance. Behind me, the sounds of the struggle continued, but I didn’t look back. My only hope was to get help before Lucian caught up with me again.

As I exited the mansion, the cold morning air hit me like a gust of hope. But there was no time to stop. I ran through the forest, feeling the fear drive me with each step. I had to find Dimitri, had to warn him about what was happening.

As I ran, I knew Lucian wouldn’t give up easily. He had broken free and was more dangerous than ever. But above all, I knew this battle was far from over. I just hoped that Dimitri and the others would get there in time to stop the worst from happening.

The war was no longer just at the border. Now, it had invaded our home.