Chapter 146 Death sleep

Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Death sleep

"No! No! No!"

A scream suddenly rattled through the room.

Noah gasped awake, shooting upright as his heart pounded violently against his chest. For a few seconds, he didn’t even understand where he was.

It was almost daybreak. The room was still dim, though faint traces of morning light were beginning to creep through the curtains. The ancient-looking room still carried that magnificent aura that seemed to belong to another era, with its carved wooden furniture, heavy curtains, and warm magical lamps.

Noah was still wearing the bathrobe from the previous night. And his Alphas were all around him.

Except Lysander. The demon wasn’t in the room.

Something made Noah’s nose twitch. A scent. His eyes slowly moved toward the right corner of the room, where an incense stick was burning beside a small lamp on top of a wooden table. The smoke curled gently into the air.

Noah frowned. He didn’t remember noticing it before.

Slowly, he pushed himself off the bed—or at least, he tried to. An arm was wrapped tightly around his waist. Noah looked down.

Killian.

The green-haired Alpha had both arms wrapped around Noah’s torso as though he was terrified that Noah would disappear if he let go. His emerald eyes were closed, his breathing uneven.

Noah blinked. "Killian?"

There was no response.

He looked around the bed. Damian and Eugene were facing each other so closely that, from the angle Noah was sitting, they almost looked like they were about to kiss. Despite everything, a tiny giggle escaped him. "What the hell..."

But the amusement disappeared almost immediately. The scream. He had heard a scream. That was what had awakened him.

Noah looked back at Killian. Something was wrong.

The man’s body suddenly jerked. His arms tightened around Noah’s waist. Hard. Too hard. Noah winced as Killian’s fingers twisted into the fabric of his robe.

"Killian?"

The Alpha was trembling. Not slightly. His entire body was shaking. His face was twisted in pain, his brows tightly drawn together as though he was trapped inside a terrible nightmare.

Then Killian’s lips moved. "Please..."

Noah’s heart clenched.

"Don’t let go." His voice was weak. Terrified. "Don’t... little kitten, please."

Noah’s eyes widened. Little kitten. That was the nickname Killian always used for him. But the way he said it now wasn’t playful. It sounded desperate. Like he was begging someone not to abandon him.

Noah immediately grabbed his shoulders. "Killian! Wake up!"

Nothing.

"Killian, I’m here with you!"

Still nothing. The Alpha didn’t even seem to hear him.

Noah’s breathing became uneven. "Killian, wake up!"

The noise finally woke Eugene and Damian. Both men immediately sat up.

"What happened?" Eugene asked groggily.

Damian rubbed his eyes before his gaze landed on Killian. "What’s wrong with him?"

Noah shook his head frantically. "I don’t know! He isn’t waking up!"

Damian immediately moved closer. "Ash?" He still wasn’t completely used to calling Noah by his new name. "Ashton, what’s happening?"

Noah’s hands were shaking as badly as Killian’s. "Something is wrong with him. He won’t answer me, and he’s shaking."

Eugene frowned. For a moment, he looked as though he was going to dismiss it as a nightmare. Killian had been through a lot. Perhaps he was simply having a bad dream.

Then Killian suddenly gagged.

Noah froze. "What—?"

Blood poured from Killian’s mouth. It splattered across the sheets and mattress.

Noah screamed. "NO!"

Killian’s body convulsed.

"Killian!" Noah immediately pulled him closer, cradling him against his chest. "Killian, come back to me! Please!"

The blood continued to stain the sheets.

Eugene’s face went pale. "This isn’t a dream." He immediately reached for Killian’s shoulders. "Buddy! Buddy, wake up!" He shook him gently. "Please, wake up!"

Nothing. Killian didn’t react.

Damian shot to his feet. "I’ll get help!" He rushed out of the room.

He barely made it down the hallway before he saw Lamia coming toward them with Rose and Oliver. All three immediately stopped when they saw Damian’s expression.

"What’s going on?" Oliver demanded. "We heard screaming."

Damian could barely catch his breath. "It’s Killian." His voice cracked. "He’s bleeding and he won’t wake up."

The words immediately changed Lamia’s expression. His face drained of color. "Not too..."

He didn’t finish the sentence. He rushed into the room. Rose and Oliver followed.

The moment Lamia saw Killian, his expression became grim. Killian was still jerking violently, blood staining his lips as Noah held him in his lap.

"No," Noah sobbed. His hands trembled as he held Killian’s face. "Someone, please. I don’t want him to die." His voice broke. "This is my fault." He looked completely shattered. "This is because of me."

Lamia didn’t answer. He was already moving. Magic began to gather around his body. His eyes changed. He could feel it. The darkness. The same terrifying energy that had surrounded Marcus.

"This isn’t a normal nightmare," Lamia said, his voice tense. "Everyone move back."

Rose immediately stepped away. Oliver grabbed her arm and pulled her farther from the bed.

Lamia raised both hands. The air suddenly changed. The entire room trembled. The wooden furniture rattled. The lamps flickered violently. The windows shook. Then the doors began slamming against their frames as a powerful magical wind swept through the room.

Noah tightened his arms around Killian. "Please!"

Lamia began chanting. Ancient words filled the room. The magic became stronger. The walls seemed to groan beneath the pressure.

Then the door suddenly opened. Lysander rushed inside. He had felt it. The moment Noah’s distress traveled through their bond, the demon had known something was wrong.

His eyes widened when he saw the scene. Noah crying. Killian bleeding. Lamia casting a spell. The entire room shaking.

"What happened?" His voice was dangerously low.

Lamia didn’t answer. He continued chanting. The magical wind became stronger before suddenly changing direction.

Lysander’s eyes narrowed. He could feel the dark energy. But something didn’t make sense. He turned toward the table. The incense.

He stared at it. "I repelled every hostile energy from this sanctuary." His voice became colder. "There shouldn’t be any attack capable of entering this room." He took several steps toward the wooden table. "So what the fuck happened?"

Lamia’s chanting continued. Killian’s body suddenly jerked harder.

Noah cried out. "He’s getting worse!"

Lamia pushed more power into the spell. The entire building seemed to shake.

Then—silence.

The wind stopped. The rattling stopped. Even the flames of the lamps became still.

At the exact same moment, Killian stopped moving.

Noah stared at him. His heart dropped. "Killian?" He shook him. "Killian?"

Nothing. No response. No movement. No reaction.

"He isn’t responding again." Noah’s voice broke. "He isn’t!"

Lamia slowly lowered his hands. His face had turned dreadful. He looked at Killian for several seconds before speaking.

"This spell..." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I’ve never seen anything like it."

Everyone stared at him.

Lamia swallowed. "It’s dark." His eyes moved toward Noah. "And consuming." He looked back at Killian. "Something has taken control of his soul."

Noah’s face went blank. "What?"

Lamia’s expression tightened. "He’s trapped." The words seemed to suck all the warmth from the room. "Just like Marcus."

Noah’s jaw dropped. "What do you mean?"

Lamia exhaled slowly. "Killian is in the same death sleep Marcus was."

The room became a graveyard. No one spoke.

Noah stared at Killian. His tears returned immediately. The dance they were supposed to have. The date they had promised each other. The romantic gestures they had joked about. All the little moments they hadn’t gotten to experience yet. They had been interrupted.

And now—what if there was no next time?

Noah’s shoulders began shaking. "I caused this."

Eugene immediately looked at him. "No."

"I should’ve fought it." Noah’s voice cracked. "I should have controlled my heat. I should’ve trained harder. I should’ve done something." He looked down at Killian. "I was having fun while this happened." His fingers tightened around Killian’s hand. "And now look where it landed." His tears fell onto Killian’s face. "I dragged my mate into this."

Lysander felt something twist painfully inside his chest. The other Alphas felt it too. Their bond with Noah made his pain almost physical.

Eugene rushed forward and pulled Noah into his arms. "You can’t fight a heat cycle like that." His voice was trembling. "You know that." He held Noah tighter. "It’s not your fault."

Noah didn’t respond.

Eugene’s eyes were wet. "If Lamia says this magic is that terrifying, then that’s what we’re dealing with." He buried his face briefly against Noah’s hair. "We don’t want this controlling you too." His voice cracked. "I won’t survive losing you because you tried to cure this alone."

Noah slowly pulled away.

Lysander was already staring at the table. The incense continued burning. His eyes narrowed.

"This isn’t coming from the incense itself."

Lamia turned toward him.

Lysander’s expression was murderous. "The Book of Shadows."

The words made Oliver and Rose tremble.

Lamia’s face became grim. "Yes." He looked toward Killian. "Someone is using the knowledge inside that book." He clenched his fists. "They’re targeting the Alphas’ souls."

Oliver swallowed. "But if that’s true..."

"We can’t fight it normally," Lamia finished. "Anyone who attempts to break the spell without understanding it risks being corrupted by the same magic."

Noah stared at Killian. Then slowly wiped the tears from his face. His expression changed. The grief was still there. The fear was still there. But beneath it was determination.

"Lamia."

The witch looked at him.

"Teach me."

"What?"

"Teach me everything I need to know." Noah stood. His legs were shaking, but he forced himself upright. "Now."

Eugene’s eyes widened. "Noah—"

"I won’t sleep." He looked directly at Lamia. "Not until I get it right."

"No." Eugene stepped closer. "Don’t overwork yourself. You could destroy your own health doing this."

Noah looked at him. Then at Damian. Then toward Lysander. His eyes were still filled with tears. But his voice didn’t shake.

"Nothing is too much for my mates."

He turned toward the door. "Let’s go."

Lysander watched him walk away. Noah was still crying. Still hurting. Still barely standing. But he was moving forward anyway.

Behind him, Killian remained motionless on the bed. His emerald eyes were closed. His body was warm. His pulse still existed. But his soul was trapped somewhere none of them could reach.

Lysander’s hands slowly curled into fists. His crimson eyes darkened. He looked toward the burning incense. Then toward the direction of the Emperor’s domain.

"Damon Ashborn..." His voice was quiet. Deadly. "You’ve crossed the line."

The demon’s aura exploded through the room.

"Today, you die by my hands."