CHAPTER 409: THE RESCUE

Natalie~

The vision hit me like a thunderbolt, ripping through my soul with the force of a thousand storms. One moment, I was standing in Tiger’s woven vine home, surrounded by my family and the ethereal glow of my mother, the Moon Goddess. The next, a horrific image flashed before my inner eye: my precious Katrina, my fierce, independent daughter with her beautiful hair fanned out like a halo in a bathtub, her vibrant blue eyes dulling, fading into nothingness. Blood. So much blood. Danger wrapped around her like a shroud, mortal and immediate. My celestial magic surged uncontrollably, light bursting from my skin in a frantic alarm.

"No!" I gasped, my voice breaking as the vision clawed at my heart. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. All I knew was I had to get to her. Now.

Without a second’s hesitation, I lunged for Zane’s hand, my fingers intertwining with his strong, calloused ones. His Lycan eyes widened in confusion, but he didn’t pull away—he never did. "Natalie, what—"

"We’re going!" I cried, my voice raw with terror. The air around us shimmered as I summoned my teleportation magic, the celestial energy coiling like a spring ready to unleash. But just as the world began to blur, a whoosh of unnatural speed cut through the room. Sebastian moved like a shadow incarnate. In a blur faster than a heartbeat, he snatched Cassandra’s hand—his fierce werewolf warrior wife, her dagger still gripped tightly in her other fist—and then latched onto Zane’s free arm.

"Wait for us!" Sebastian barked, his dark eyes flashing with urgency. "If it’s Katrina, we’re coming too!"

Cassandra nodded fiercely, her muscles tensing. "Damn right. Family sticks together."

The teleportation yanked us all through the void in the nick of time, a dizzying whirl of light and shadow that spat us out into Katrina’s bedroom. The familiar scent of her lavender candles and the faint musk of her Lycan heritage hit me first, but it was overshadowed by the pounding chaos at the door.

We materialized in a heap—Zane steadying me with his Alpha strength, Sebastian releasing his grip with a graceful step back, and Cassandra already scanning the room like a predator on high alert. The bedroom was dimly lit, moonlight filtering through the curtains, shining it’s light on the four-poster bed and the scattered books Katrina loved so much. But the real storm was at the door.

Banging. Desperate, thunderous banging.

"Katrina! Open this door right now!" Nicholas’s voice roared from the other side, laced with panic and that cocky edge he could never fully shake. "Kat, please! Talk to me! Are you okay? If you don’t answer in five seconds, I’m breaking this thing down! I swear to the gods, don’t make me do it!"

His fists hammered again, the wood groaning under the assault. I could picture him out there, muscles coiled, vampire speed itching to kick in, werewolf strength ready to splinter the frame.

"Nick!" Sebastian called out, his voice booming with paternal authority as he strode toward the door. "It’s us! Stand down!"

A brief pause, then Nick’s muffled reply: "Dad? What the—open up!"

Cassandra unlocked the door with a swift twist, and Nick burst in like a whirlwind, his black hair disheveled, dark eyes wild with fear. He scanned the room, spotting us all, but his gaze locked on the closed bathroom door across the way. "Where is she? I heard... I felt something wrong. She’s not answering her phone, and the door’s locked. Kat!"

My heart pounded in my ears as I followed the pull of Katrina’s essence—a faint, flickering thread of celestial light that only I could sense, inherited from my own divine blood. It led straight to that bathroom door, and hysteria clawed up my throat. "The bathroom," I whispered, my voice trembling. "She’s in there."

Zane’s growl rumbled low and dangerous, his Alpha instincts flaring. "Move!"

But I was already moving, hysteria turning to frantic action. I shoved past them all, my hands glowing with healing light as I blasted the door open with a surge of celestial magic. The wood splintered softly, revealing the horror within.

The bathroom was a scene from my worst nightmares. Steam lingered in the air from what must have been hot water, now cooled to a macabre chill. The bathtub overflowed slightly, water sloshing onto the tiled floor—water that wasn’t clear, but a deep, crimson red, swirling with the metallic tang of blood. And there, submerged up to her chest, was my baby girl. Katrina. Her reddish-blonde hair floated like drowned flames, her skin pale as moonlight, almost translucent. Her wrists—oh gods, her wrists—slashed open, the wounds raw and weeping, though the flow had slowed to a trickle. Her blue eyes were closed, lashes dark against her ashen cheeks, her body limp and unresponsive.

"No! Katrina!" I screamed, the sound tearing from my soul like a banshee’s wail. Horror gripped me, freezing my blood, but maternal instinct propelled me forward. I splashed into the tub, heedless of the bloodied water soaking my clothes, and hauled her out with shaking hands. She was so light, so fragile in that moment—my fierce, impulsive daughter who had always been too powerful for her own good, now reduced to this pale shell.

Zane was right behind me, his massive frame filling the doorway. "Natalie! What happened? Kat—oh gods, no!"

Sebastian and Cassandra crowded in, Nick shoving past them with a guttural cry. "Kat! What did you do? Wake up!"

"Back off, all of you!" I snapped, my voice cracking as I laid her on the cool tile floor. My hands trembled violently as I placed them over her slashed wrists, channeling every ounce of my celestial healing power. The light poured from me like a river of stars, warm and insistent, knitting flesh and mending veins. I could feel the wounds closing under my touch—the ragged edges pulling together, the blood flow staunching. Scars formed, thin and silvery, a permanent reminder of this nightmare, but the physical damage was undone.

"Come on, baby," I whispered through tears streaming down my face, my voice a broken plea. "Wake up. Mommy’s here. You’re safe now."

I checked her pulse—steady, strong. Her color returned slowly, the pallor fading to a healthy flush. Her breathing evened out, chest rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern. On the outside, she looked perfect—my beautiful Katrina, whole and healed. But her eyes remained closed. No flutter of lashes, no stir of movement.

Zane dropped to his knees beside me, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "Natalie... why isn’t she waking up? My baby girl—come on, Kat. Open those eyes. Daddy’s here. Fight, like you always do."

I tried again, pouring more magic into her, scanning her body with my prophetic senses. No internal injuries, no lingering poison, no curse I could detect. She was completely healed, physically flawless. Yet, she lay there, unresponsive, as if her spirit had wandered off into some distant realm.

"She’s healed," I choked out, my voice laced with desperation. "The wounds are gone, her body’s fine. But... but she won’t wake. Zane, why won’t she wake?"

Sebastian knelt on her other side, his vampire senses probing. "Her heart’s strong. Blood’s circulating normally. No sign of vampiric interference or anything supernatural I recognize."

Cassandra gripped her dagger, her warrior instincts on edge, but her eyes were soft with maternal concern—Katrina is like a daughter to her too. "Could it be a spell? Something psychological? Nick, what happened? You were here first—what did you sense?"

Nick paced like a caged wolf, his hands fisting in his black hair. "I don’t know! She has been couped up in her room for hours. She refused to come. But then, a few minutes ago, I felt a strange pain in my chest, like our best friend bond was screaming at me. I rushed here, and started banging on the door, and... this." His voice broke, cocky facade crumbling. "Kat, you idiot. Why didn’t you talk to me? I’d break down worlds for you."

Jacob and the others appeared then, materializing in a swirl of elemental energy a few seconds after us. Jacob, my big brother, with his deep, resonant voice, immediately assessed the scene. "Mother! What in the realms—Katrina?"

Tiger, ever the steadfast bodyguard, positioned himself at the door, his golden-brown hair catching the light as he scanned for threats. Eagle’s wind spirit stirred a gentle breeze, rustling the curtains, while Bubble’s watery form rippled with concern. Fox leaned against the wall, flames flickering faintly in his palms, his spark of courage dimmed by worry.

"She’s stable," I told them, my hands still hovering over her, unwilling to let go. "But unconscious. I can’t wake her."

Jacob knelt, his powers literally swirling around him as he placed a hand on her forehead. "Let me try." He closed his eyes, channeling his own power, but after a moment, he shook his head. "Nothing. It’s like her mind is locked away."

Zane’s eyes met mine, horror etching deep lines on his noble face. "Natalie, do something. You’re the Celestial Princess—you bring people back from the dead. Why isn’t our daughter waking up?"

I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "I don’t know, Zane. I’ve healed everything I can see, everything I can feel. Her body is perfect, but her spirit... it’s as if she’s chosen not to return."

The room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by Nick’s ragged breathing and Bubble’s soft, watery sobs. "This isn’t funny, Kat," Bubble murmured, his form bubbling with emotion. "Wake up and splash me or something."

Fox tried to lighten the mood, his fire crackling weakly. "Yeah, come on. Who’s gonna tease me about my flames if you’re out cold?"

But the jokes fell flat, the thrill of the unknown twisting into raw, dramatic fear. My heart ached with the weight of it all—my daughter, torn between duty and her love for Vincent, now teetering on the edge of something I couldn’t comprehend. What had driven her to this? And why, despite all my divine power, couldn’t I bring her back?

As Zane pulled me into his arms, his growl a mix of grief and determination, I stared at Katrina’s peaceful face. The Chapter of revelations had shattered into one of unbearable suspense, leaving us all hanging by a thread.