YOU ARE WHAT I NEED [COMPLETED]

31

Devin paced back and forth in his office, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. His fists clenched and unclenched as he waited for his men to report. Every second felt like an eternity, and the fury boiling within him was barely contained.

Finally, the door swung open, and two of his top men walked in. Their faces were grim, and Devin knew from their expressions that the news wasn't good.

"Do you have her?" he asked, his voice low but filled with barely suppressed rage.

One of the men, Mason, shook his head. "We've located Cathy, but there's a problem."

"A problem?" Devin's voice rose, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "What kind of problem?"

Mason swallowed hard before continuing. "She's heavily protected. More than we anticipated. There's magic surrounding her, wards, and her alliances have grown. It's not just her family anymore—there are other supernaturals involved. Vampires, witches, even a few shifters. It would be suicide to go after her directly."

Devin's face flushed with anger, his hands slamming down on the desk in front of him. "I don't care about the protection! I want her dead for what she did to my son!"

His voice thundered through the room, causing both men to flinch. For a moment, the only sound was Devin's heavy breathing as he tried to control his temper. His best friend, Conner, who had been standing quietly in the corner, finally spoke up.

"Devin," Conner said softly, his tone cautious. "I understand what you're feeling, but maybe we should reconsider. Cathy's protection is more extensive than we thought, and her alliances... we can't compete with that right now. We need to think strategically."

Devin turned to Conner, his eyes wild with grief and fury. "Strategically? My son is dead, Conner. Dead. And you want me to sit here and do nothing while the woman who killed him walks free? Protected by all her magical friends?"

Conner held Devin's gaze, empathy clear in his eyes. "I'm not saying do nothing. I'm saying that right now, going after Cathy directly is suicide. She's got layers of protection, and it's not just about her power anymore. She's got alliances with humans and supernaturals alike. It's too risky."

Devin's hands trembled, and he clenched them into fists once more. For a moment, he seemed like he might explode, but then, with great effort, he calmed himself. His breathing slowed, and the rage in his eyes dimmed, replaced by cold calculation.

"Fine," he said quietly, too quietly. "If I can't get to Cathy, I'll make her suffer in another way. I'll bring the pain she gave me straight back to her."

Conner frowned, unsure where this was going. "What do you mean?"

Devin's lips twisted into a cruel smile. "I can't touch Cathy right now, but I can get to her daughter. Claire."

The room fell silent as Devin's plan began to form in his mind. His men exchanged uneasy glances, but no one dared speak.

"Find her," Devin ordered, his voice hard and unyielding. "Bring Claire to me. If Cathy wants to hide behind her magic and her alliances, then she'll have to watch as I tear apart the one person she loves most. She'll know the pain of losing a child."

Conner didn't say a word, but the unease in his eyes deepened. He knew there was no talking Devin out of this. The man was consumed by grief and revenge, and nothing would stop him now.

Claire's POV

Claire stood in the center of the old stone circle on her family's land, surrounded by the whispers of ancient magic. She could feel it pulsing in the air, a tangible energy that made her skin tingle. Since arriving here, she had been learning more about her heritage, about the power that ran through her blood. The magic of the witches.

She had been uneasy at first, uncomfortable in a world she barely knew, but as the days passed, she began to settle in. The more she learned, the more she understood that this was a part of her, something she could no longer deny. The spells, the rituals, the connection to the earth—it all felt like coming home, even though she was still so new to it.

Her aunt had been a patient teacher, guiding her through the basics of witchcraft. But not everyone in the family was as welcoming. Alicia, her cousin, had been a constant thorn in her side since she arrived.

Alicia seemed to despise her, though Claire still didn't understand why. Every time Claire made progress, Alicia had something nasty to say. The tension had finally boiled over a few days ago, when their aunt praised Claire for excelling at a particularly difficult spell.

"Of course she's good at it," Alicia had spat. "She's a half-breed. Everything comes easier to her because she doesn't have to work for it."

Claire had tried to ignore the comment, but it stung. She wasn't sure what Alicia's problem was, but she wasn't going to let her get in the way of learning.

That night, Alicia had challenged her to a duel. Claire didn't want to fight, but Alicia's taunts had pushed her over the edge.

The duel had been intense. Alicia had pulled out every dirty trick she could, using spells that were illegal and dangerous. But Claire had stood her ground, blocking every attack. By the end of it, Alicia had stormed off, furious that Claire had humiliated her in front of the others.

"You'll regret this," Alicia had hissed as she walked away.

The memory still lingered in Claire's mind, but she shook it off. She had more important things to focus on. She stood in the circle now, practicing her spells, trying to push Alicia's words out of her head.

As she flipped through an old spellbook, one spell in particular caught her eye. It was a spell for lovers, one that would allow partners to see and hear what the other was experiencing, no matter the distance between them.

Curiosity piqued, Claire decided to give it a try. Her thoughts immediately went to Selene. Since Selene had left to go back to her family, Claire had missed her terribly. They spoke often, but it wasn't the same as being together. Maybe this spell would help them feel connected, even across the distance.

Claire closed her eyes and focused on the spell, reciting the incantation softly. At first, nothing happened. She frowned, concentrating harder, her voice more firm this time. Then, suddenly, her vision blurred, and she found herself seeing through Selene's eyes.

Selene was standing in a familiar room, her family's home. She was talking to someone—her father, Claire realized. But as soon as Selene noticed something strange, she froze. Her eyes widened in shock, and for a brief moment, Claire saw her own face reflected in Selene's mind.

"What the—?" Selene gasped, her voice echoing in Claire's head.

The spell had worked, but Claire hadn't expected to freak Selene out. She quickly tried to reverse it, her heart pounding in her chest. As her vision returned to normal, she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"Oops," she muttered to herself, hoping Selene wasn't too upset by the unexpected connection.

Author's Note

Hi guys, I hope you all enjoyed the three updates. Just heads up though, I didn't proofread so sorry for any grammatical errors.