Chapter 125

Sebastian

“I was captured by a dark force and held for decades,” Gemma began. “It wasn’t something I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. I was a prisoner of the underworld; a slave to Xander. He used me as his personal witch. Made me do unspeakable things. I never thought I would see the light of day again.”

“How did I not know this?” Sebastian asked, eyeing her carefully. She was quiet for a moment, staring down at her hands.

“You did at one point. I don’t know how the portal got opened, but it did and the next thing I knew, you were in the underworld. You battled the many vampires and nearly lost your own life in the process. Xander was so powerful and did something to you that made you pass out. He had a hold of your wolf, and if your wolf is no longer a part of you…”

“I become nothing more than a weak human,” Sebastian finished for her.

She nodded her head slowly.

“He had your wolf, and you had no power against him. Your human body was so weak, it wouldn’t allow you to wake. I was in charge of making sure your human body stayed alive because he wanted to use it as a vessel.”

“A vessel?” Sebastian asked. “To do his bidding?”

“Yes,” she answered. “He can create vessels by taking control of your wolf, keeping it locked away in the underworld. He can control both your wolf and your human form easily when your wolf is trapped and powerless against him in his region.”

“But my wolf isn’t trapped,” Sebastian stated.

That much he knew was true; Erik was very much still inside of him, and not being influenced by any forms of darkness. Except for maybe the madness he faces every full moon. Could that be the reason for the madness? Wouldn’t his wolf have known this and warned him? His wolf was oddly quiet as Gemma spoke this story and Sebastian had to admit that he was growing worried.

“It’s not trapped,” Gemma confirmed. “At least not all of it.”

“What do you mean by that?” Sebastian asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

“The moon goddess isn’t able to come to our world in her normal form, but she managed to come to me in a dream and told me of the moonstone scepter, and that it was hidden in the underworld. The scepter was used to seal the portal, but it needs a key to unseal it. She didn’t tell me where the key was, but she said I didn’t need it to seal the portal again.”

“So, you were the one who found the scepter?” Sebastian asked. “You sealed the portal?”

“Technically, you sealed the portal,” she said to Sebastian’s dismay. “Using the little bit of magic, I had left, I found the scepter and I found your wolf. I was able to reunite you with your wolf and you woke up. Using the scepter, I was able to find a way out, but he had your wolf sealed. Your wolf couldn’t leave; meaning you weren’t able to leave either.”

“But I did leave…” Sebastian said warily. “Right?”

She was quiet for a moment longer and met his eyes.

“Most of you, yes,” she answered. “I was able to do a spell that separated a part of your wolf. I separated enough of your wolf where it made it seem like you were still there while the rest of you and the rest of your wolf escaped.”

“What?” Sebastian gasped, standing to his feet quickly. “A part of my wolf is still in the underworld?”

She nodded her head once; now things were starting to make sense for him.

“How is that possible? Wouldn’t I have known if I was missing a part of my wolf? I’m the most powerful alpha there is. That would mean I’m not as strong as I thought… that would mean…”

“You are the strongest wolf I know, Sebastian,” Gemma said, keeping her eyes locked on his. “But he still has a hold of a part of you. It’s not enough to take full control, but it’s enough to affect your everyday life.”

“It’s enough to cause madness. And memory loss…”

“You remember what he wants you to remember and clearly, he didn’t want you to remember any of this,” she explained.

“So, I couldn’t have left the underworld without leaving a piece of my wolf behind?”

“Neither of us could have. In order to leave the underworld and seal the portal, the moon goddess made it a point that both you and the scepter had to remain together before leaving. However, Xander’s powers made it impossible for you to leave without leaving your wolf behind. My magic made it so I could split your wolf, so a piece of it remained, making the underworld think you were still there. It allowed us to leave through the portal and once we were back on the other side, the portal sealed.”

“That’s how I ended up with the scepter?” Sebastian asked.

“The moon goddess said you needed it in order to keep the portal safe. She wanted you to have it.”

Sebastian stared down at his hands as he took his seat in the chair once again. He couldn’t understand the concept of his wolf being trapped in the underworld. At least a part of his wolf was trapped in the underworld. Was he being tortured there? Was that why he was feeling everything Liam was feeling? Because he was being tortured alongside him? He suddenly felt very empty, and Erik was at a loss for words.

“I had no idea piece of me was missing,” Erik whispered. “I knew something happened back then, but I couldn’t imagine what it could be. But I guess now it’s making sense.”

“I’m sorry it took so long for me to tell you this,” Gemma said sadly. “But I was trapped there for so long and you…”

“I’m still technically trapped there,” Sebastian finished for her.

“You have some type of connection with the vampire king still. I have been keeping a low profile, in fear that he would capture me again. I feared he was using you as a vessel to capture me.”

“I don’t feel like a vessel,” Sebastian told her. “But I guess I wouldn’t know what a vessel feels like.”

“You aren’t a vessel,” she told him. “I realize that now. You aren’t a vessel. But that doesn’t mean a part of your wolf still isn’t in his control.”

“I have a daughter,” Sebastian said, meeting her eyes. “I can’t be in any kind of connection with Xander. I can’t be a danger to her like that. There must be something we can do to get my full control back. I must be able to trust myself around my family.”

“I wish I knew if there was a way. But I’m afraid there isn’t. He has a piece of your wolf, just like he has Liam…”

“Then we will just have to open the portal and get them both back.” He stilled as he heard a voice coming from the doorway.

It came from Hannah.