Chapter 139 Trap sleep

Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Trap sleep

Noah shook Marcus harder, panic rising with every second that passed. "Marcus! Wake up!"

Nothing. His body remained completely still in Noah’s arms.

Lamia finally pushed through the others. "Bring him over to the bed. Let me examine him."

Damian immediately moved. "Right." He carefully lifted Marcus from Noah’s arms and carried him toward the nearest bedroom.

Oliver followed behind them, his brows furrowed. "Are you a doctor now or something?"

Lamia immediately frowned. "Can you just stop with the jokes?" His voice was sharper than usual. "As you can see, this isn’t funny."

Oliver’s mouth closed. He looked at Marcus, then at Lamia, before shifting aside. "Okay." For once, he didn’t argue. He knew Lamia was serious.

Damian carefully lowered Marcus onto the bed before stepping back. He looked completely terrified. His eyes kept moving between Marcus and Lamia, and his hands were trembling. Noah stood beside him, just as anxious. "What is happening to him?"

Damian didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was too afraid of what the answer might be.

Lysander remained near the doorway. He hadn’t moved much since they entered. His expression was unreadable, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Lamia examine Marcus. He didn’t interfere. He didn’t make a comment. He simply watched.

Lamia leaned over Marcus and placed two fingers against his neck. He waited. Nothing. His brows knitted together. He moved his hand toward Marcus’s chest, listening carefully for the faintest sign of a heartbeat. Then his palm began moving slowly across Marcus’s body. Lamia muttered something beneath his breath. The words sounded like an ancient spell. His fingers glowed faintly as he continued. He whispered another string of words that sounded almost like a prayer.

Noah watched him anxiously. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find him."

"Find him?"

Lamia didn’t answer. His eyes remained closed. His hand moved from Marcus’s chest to his forehead, then down toward his stomach. The faint glow around his palm intensified.

Then suddenly, Lamia’s expression changed. First, he looked confused. Then baffled. And finally—stunned.

Noah noticed immediately. "Lamia?" The witch didn’t respond. "Lamia!" Noah moved closer. "What is wrong with him?"

Rose followed, worry written all over her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but Lamia didn’t even acknowledge her. His entire focus remained on Marcus.

Noah’s heart sank.

Killian came closer. Eugene followed. Damian was already standing beside the bed, keeping his eyes fixed on Marcus.

"Talk to me, Lamia." Noah’s voice trembled. "Please." Lamia finally opened his eyes. "What’s wrong?" "Please tell me it’s not as bad as we think." Noah swallowed. "Tell me he just collapsed from exhaustion. Tell me he’ll wake up."

Lamia stared at him for a long moment. He looked almost melancholy. Then he spoke. "He’s asleep."

Noah blinked. "What?"

"He’s asleep." Lamia’s expression darkened. "But I don’t know how to explain it." His fingers hovered above Marcus’s chest. "His soul isn’t completely here."

Noah’s face went pale. "What does that mean?"

"It’s almost as if his soul has been locked away somewhere." Lamia shook his head. "I can’t sense the magic properly. I can’t even identify the source. Whatever was done to him, it isn’t ordinary magic."

Noah stared at Marcus. His lips trembled. "What do you mean?"

"He isn’t dead." Lamia’s voice was firm. "His soul is still connected to his body."

Noah’s eyes filled with tears. "Then why isn’t he breathing?" He pointed toward Marcus. "His body is cold. He’s not moving. He’s not breathing!" His voice cracked. "How can you tell me he’s sleeping when he looks like he’s dead?"

Damian immediately moved closer and placed his hand against Marcus’s chest. He froze. His expression changed. "He’s right." Everyone looked at him. "I can’t feel anything." Damian moved his hand toward Marcus’s nose. Nothing. He touched his forehead. Cold. "What the fuck is happening?"

Lamia’s patience finally snapped. "What do you want from me?" He glared at Damian. "Can’t you see I’m trying?" His voice echoed through the room. "I’m trying to trace the spell, but you’re making it difficult!" He rubbed his forehead. "And stop screaming into my ears. I detest it."

Damian clenched his fists. "I’m just asking you to save him."

"And I’m trying to!"

Lamia’s eyes flashed. The room went silent.

Killian finally stepped forward. "Wait." His eyes moved between Lamia and Marcus. "Aren’t you a Phoenix witch?" He pointed toward Oliver. "Same as our former teacher here."

Oliver lifted a brow. "Former teacher?"

Killian ignored him. "If you’re as powerful as everyone says, why can’t you do something?" He gestured toward Marcus. "This shouldn’t be impossible for you, right?"

Lamia groaned. "Do you think I don’t know that?" His frustration was obvious. "Normally, if a spell is cast on someone, we can trace it through its magical source. There is always something to follow." He looked at Marcus. "But there is nothing."

Oliver finally stepped forward. "As he said." Everyone looked at him. "The magic can’t be found." Oliver’s expression was unusually serious. "Normally, when someone casts a spell, we can trace the residue back to its source. Even if the caster tries to hide it, there is usually some kind of magical trail." He pointed toward Marcus. "But this isn’t normal." Oliver’s voice lowered. "His soul shouldn’t simply disappear from his body."

Noah’s stomach twisted. "Then what do we do?"

"We find another solution." Oliver looked around at the agitated Alphas. "And we stop arguing like animals." His eyes settled on Damian. "Especially you."

Damian glared.

Oliver sighed. "You’re making him anxious. If Lamia is this distracted, he won’t be able to help Marcus."

The Alphas fell silent.

Noah wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Then do something."

Lamia looked at him. "I will." He turned back toward Marcus. "Just let me try again." He raised both hands. "And this time, nobody interrupts me." His voice became serious. "I need complete silence."

Everyone stepped back.

Lamia closed his eyes. His breathing slowed. The room became completely silent. A strange energy began gathering around him. The temperature dropped. His hair moved despite there being no wind. The glow surrounding his palms grew brighter. Then Lamia began chanting. The language was ancient. None of them understood a single word.

Noah watched nervously. Lamia’s body suddenly trembled. His brows tightened. His hands shook violently.

"No..." he whispered.

Then the magic around him exploded.

Noah instinctively reached for him. "Lamia!"

But before anyone could touch him, his eyes snapped open. A strange golden light flashed through them. Then—everything disappeared.

Noah felt something grab him. He didn’t even have time to scream. The world spun. His stomach lurched. And suddenly—he was standing somewhere completely different.

Noah stumbled forward. "What in the world?"

He looked around. There was nothing. No cottage. No garden. No moonlight. No Marcus. Only an enormous stretch of dry wilderness. The ground beneath his feet was cracked and dusty. Dead grass stretched endlessly into the distance. There were no trees. No buildings. No signs of life. Just an open, untamed wasteland beneath a strangely pale sky.

Noah turned around. "Lamia?"

The Phoenix witch was standing several feet away. He looked just as confused. "Where are we?"

"I don’t know." Lamia looked around. Then his expression changed. "I think this is where the answer is."

"What answer?"

"What happened to Marcus." Lamia started walking. "If his soul has been trapped somewhere, this might be the place where we can find the connection."

Noah didn’t move. "Lamia, wait."

But Lamia kept walking. After several minutes, he finally looked behind him. "Noah?"

Noah wasn’t there.

Lamia’s heart jumped. He turned around. "What are you doing?"

Noah was standing completely still. He wasn’t looking at Lamia. He was staring at something ahead of him.

Lamia followed his gaze. His blood ran cold. "What the..."

In the middle of the wilderness stood several enormous golden coffins. They were lined up in a strange formation. Ancient symbols covered their surfaces. The golden material gleamed beneath the pale light.

But one coffin stood out. Marcus. His body was sealed inside. His eyes were closed, completely motionless. A dark, blood-red rune had been carved around the coffin.

Noah’s heart stopped. "Marcus!" He rushed toward it.

"Don’t!" Lamia grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

Noah struggled against him. "He’s inside!"

"I know!" Lamia stared at the rune. He could feel the magic radiating from it. It was enormous. Dangerous. Ancient. "If you break that seal, you’re going to alert whoever created it."

Noah froze. "What?"

Lamia’s voice dropped. "This isn’t just a prison." He stared at the rune. "It’s a trap."

Noah looked back at Marcus. "I don’t care." He pulled against Lamia. "I’m getting him out."

"Noah!" Lamia tightened his grip. "We don’t know what we’re dealing with."

"I said I’m getting him out!"

Noah reached toward the coffin. The instant his fingers touched the golden surface—a violent surge of energy exploded from it.

Lamia’s eyes widened. "No!" He grabbed Noah and tried to pull him back. "We need to leave!"

But before they could move—a hand suddenly appeared from behind the coffin. It caught Noah’s wrist.

Noah screamed. "Let me go!"

The grip tightened. A dark mark began spreading across his skin. A voice echoed through the wilderness.

"I have found you."

Noah froze. The voice was neither male nor female. It sounded ancient. Cold. Hungry.

"This is my mark." The fingers tightened around Noah’s wrist. "I will send my minions after you."

Lamia’s face changed. "Noah!"

"Your hiding place will be discovered." The voice continued. "And so will your mates."

Noah’s breathing became frantic. "What do you want?"

The figure remained hidden behind the coffin. But its presence alone was terrifying.

"These coffins..." The voice gave a low, chilling laugh. "They are for the four Moonlight Alphas."

Noah’s eyes widened. "No."

"All four of them will enter my coffins."

"No!"

Noah struggled violently.

Lamia didn’t wait any longer. He grabbed Noah and summoned every ounce of his power. "We’re leaving!"

The wilderness began shaking. The golden coffins flickered. The hand gripping Noah’s wrist suddenly tightened one final time. A burning sensation tore through his skin. Noah cried out. Then Lamia’s magic exploded around them.

The two vanished.

Neither of them noticed the strange mark that had already formed around Noah’s wrist. A dark symbol. A mark that shimmered once, and twice. And then disappeared beneath his skin.