Gemini of the Shifter Realm

Chapter 7 Hocus Pokus

Valentine Winters P.O.V

"You know, I've always wanted to ask this question," Lucifer said, cradling Vanity gently in his arms while I held Logan close to me.

I glanced at him, curious. "What's on your mind?"

"How do you guys afford everything?" he asked, his brow furrowing in genuine curiosity.

I blinked, a bit taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"The packhouse, the food, the electricity—where does the money come from?" he clarified.

"I think you might have asked this before, but I don't quite remember," I began, trying to piece together the conversation.

"Well," I continued, "while everyone is educated, some do part-time jobs, whilst the omegas and zetas contribute financially once they're employed. They're not suited for combat, so it's a way they support the pack."

Lucifer's interest was piqued. "And how else do you sustain yourselves?"

"We help in pharmaceuticals," I explained, watching his confusion deepen.

"How so?" he pressed.

"We donate our blood periodically," I said. "Some of our skilled pack doctors process it into serums and vaccines for humans."

"And they just accept this?" he asked, still skeptical.

"We have connections everywhere," I replied with a smile. "We even own a number of pharmacies."

"So, you're actually rich-rich," Lucifer said, a mix of admiration and surprise in his voice.

I laughed softly. "I suppose you could say that."

He then raised an eyebrow. "So why the packhouse if you're so well-off?"

"Tradition," I said, shrugging lightly. "It's part of our heritage and a way to honor our past."

"Also," he began, his tone shifting to something more serious, "is everything okay? You seem like you're holding something back."

I took a deep breath, looking at Vanity and Logan with a heavy heart. "I spoke with Alucard."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed with concern. "And?"

"There might be a solution," I said, my voice tinged with hope and uncertainty. "To save them."

Adrian Tepes P.O.V

"Absolutely not!" Sypha's voice cut through the air with an edge of frustration.

"Why not? Look, if you handle your magic, I won't have to eliminate my nephew and niece, and everyone will be happy," I reasoned, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

"It's dangerous. You can't just erase a part of them," she argued, her eyes flashing with concern.

"They don't need to know about their true nature," I persisted, trying to push my point.

"They will become aware of it eventually. They will become whole, whether they like it or not," she warned, her tone firm.

"How?" I pressed, my impatience evident.

"I don't know. Anything could trigger their other form—fear, anger, something else," she explained, her voice steady but laden with unease.

"The two emotions most likely to trigger it are anger and fear. I can teach them to control those," I suggested, hoping to find a middle ground.

"You?" she scoffed, clearly skeptical.

"Well, I taught you," I reminded her with a hint of challenge in my voice.