V asu's POV:
It had been a long time since Magnus left.
Too long.
The room felt unnaturally quiet—like the house itself was holding its breath. My arms tightened around Madhu without even realizing it, as if the moment I loosened my hold, she would slip away from me… into that chaos again.
She was still cold.
Not dead cold anymore—but cold enough to keep fear chewing through my chest.
I looked down at her sleeping face.
So peaceful.
So innocent.
So unaware that the world outside had already declared her a target.
Why the hell is this happening to her?
The curse burned in my skull.
My phone vibrated.
Karan.
His name flashed on the screen like a warning.
I didn't answer.
Because what would I even say?
Your sister is sleeping in my arms, freezing, her eyes were glowing gold, and I watched magic explode out of her like a storm.
My throat tightened.
I couldn't explain this madness to the man who trusted me with everything.
Then my bedroom door creaked open.
My body tensed instantly.
Magnus and Hope stepped inside.
Hope didn't even glance at me first—her eyes went straight to Madhu.
"How is she?" she whispered, voice trembling. "Is she awake?"
She rushed closer, like she was terrified Madhu would vanish if she blinked.
Hope placed her palm on Madhu's forehead.
Her shoulders sagged slightly as she exhaled.
"She's better than before," Hope said softly. "She'll be fine soon."
Relief hit me so hard it almost made me dizzy.
I nodded—because words didn't exist inside me right now.
Gently, as if she were made of glass, I slid Madhu from my arms and tucked her beneath the blanket, making sure not even an inch of her was exposed to the cold.
Then—without thinking—I bent down and kissed her forehead.
A promise.
A prayer.
A desperate kind of love.
When I straightened, my voice came out rough.
"We need to talk."
Magnus and Hope nodded.
They left the room quietly.
And before I followed, I looked back at Madhu one last time—
Because a part of me feared that if I didn't look… I'd lose her.
Downstairs, the living room felt like a battlefield.
Everyone was there—Magnus, Hope… and the air was thick with unspoken truths.
I leaned both palms on the table, forcing myself to breathe.
I lifted my head and met Magnus's gaze.
"So," I said, voice tight. "What the hell do we do now?"
A pause.
That pause made my anger flare.
They exchanged glances—silent communication, like I was the outsider in my own house.
I scoffed bitterly.
"I'm not letting anyone take her away," I said, voice low and deadly.
"Not from me. Not from her family. Not even from herself. Don't even try to say it."
Magnus smiled—too calm for my liking—and stepped forward.
"Okay," he said, "then there's another option."
I raised an eyebrow, warning sharp in my eyes.
"Think very carefully before you suggest it."
Hope stepped forward instead.
Her voice was calmer than her eyes.
"Listen," she said, "I understand how you feel. But you saw what she did. She used magic without knowing. She needs to learn control—before it controls her."
Her gaze hardened.
"And right now… the only place safe enough for her is the Institute."
The words hit like a punch.
I shook my head immediately.
"No."
I could feel something breaking in me.
"I can't lose her," I whispered. "I won't be able to stay away from her."
My voice cracked.
"We… we finally found happiness," I said.
"After everything. After the pain. After all that damn suffering…"
I stepped away from them, walking blindly toward the other end of the room—because if I stayed there, I might explode.
Or collapse.
Hope moved fast.
She stepped in front of me, arms stretched out, blocking my path.
Her face was red—anger, pain, desperation.
"You won't lose her," she snapped.
Her voice trembled.
"But neither will I," she said. "She's all I have."
The words made me freeze.
I narrowed my eyes.
"What do you mean?" I asked sharply.
"You don't even know her. So you better stay away from her."
I walked past Hope.
But she didn't back down.
"I can't do that!" Hope shouted. "You are such a stone-hearted man!"
I stopped.
"Who the hell are you to tell me to stay away from my sister?"
I turned like I'd been struck.
"What…?"
My voice dropped into disbelief.
"Sister?"
Hope's lips trembled.
She blinked rapidly like tears were fighting to escape.
"Yes," she said fiercely. "Madhu is my elder sister."
My heart slammed violently.
And before I could even process it—
She pointed straight at me.
"And because of you, she turned into chaos!" Hope shouted.
"You're responsible for what happened to her!"
The accusation ripped through me.
I staggered back like she'd hit me physically.
I opened my mouth—
Nothing came.
Hope stepped closer, eyes blazing with grief.
"So don't you dare tell me to stay away from her," she hissed.
"If you do…"
She leaned in.
"I will kick your ass. Do you understand me, Mr. Detective?"
Then she shoved past me, storming away.
I stood there frozen.
Sister…?
Responsible…?
My head spun.
My stomach twisted violently.
I lifted a hand and pinched the bridge of my nose like pressure could stop the world from collapsing.
What the hell is happening?
I couldn't think.
Couldn't breathe properly.
My thoughts were shattered glass.
Then I felt Magnus approaching.
I turned to him, rage and panic erupting together.
"What the hell was that?" I snapped, gripping my hair.
"What the hell is going on?"
Magnus stopped right in front of me.
"Vasu…" he said carefully. "Calm down. Please. Don't mistake her."
I glared at him, eyes burning.
"Then why did she say Madhu's life is in danger because of me?" I demanded.
Magnus didn't answer immediately.
That silence snapped something inside me.
"Answer me!" I roared.
"I don't even know you—yet I trusted you because you helped her!"
Magnus moved closer, voice still steady.
"Will you cool your head for one moment?"
I tried to speak, but he cut me off.
"Listen," he said, firm now.
"If you calm down, I can explain everything."
His eyes held mine—serious, commanding.
"I know this is impossible for you. Until tonight, you didn't even know supernatural beings exist—witches, werewolves, covens, hunters—none of it."
My heart pounded.
"Now you do," he said softly.
"And when you're ready… I'll tell you everything."
Magnus stopped right in front of me.
His calmness made my blood boil even more.
"Listen," he said firmly, eyes steady.
"Calm down… please. Don't mistake her."
I shot him a dagger-like look.
"Then why the hell did she say Madhu's life is in danger because of me?" I demanded, my voice low but vibrating with fury.
Magnus didn't answer immediately.
He stayed silent—too long.
That silence snapped something inside me.
"Answer me!" I shouted, stepping closer.
"I don't even know you, but I trusted you because you helped her! And now you walk into my house like you own the damn place, throwing words like danger and chaos—"
"Vasu." His voice cut through mine like a blade.
"Cool your head. For one moment."
I was about to explode again—
But he spoke first, voice sharp, controlled.
"Listen. If you calm down, I will explain. I know that until tonight, you didn't even believe supernatural beings existed. Witches. Werewolves. Covens. All of it."
I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles burned.
For a second, the room tilted—because some part of me wanted to deny it, wanted to scream that it wasn't possible—
But I'd seen it.
I'd seen Madhu's eyes glow like molten gold.
I'd felt the train shake beneath her rage.
I'd watched reality split open like paper.
So I forced myself to breathe.
I furrowed my brows, shut my eyes, and inhaled deeply—again and again—dragging control back into my lungs.
Because right now, losing my mind wouldn't help her.
Understanding would.
When I opened my eyes, my vision was clearer—still angry, still terrified, but no longer blind.
I walked toward Magnus.
"I'm ready," I said, my voice dangerously calm.
"Explain. Now."
Magnus nodded once.
"Good," he said. "And listen carefully."
He took one step closer, lowering his voice like what he was about to say could change the foundation of my reality—
Because it would.
"First," he said firmly, "Madhu is not in danger because of you."
My chest loosened by the smallest fraction.
But my confusion only deepened.
"Then I don't understand," I said hoarsely.
"Explain it to me properly."
Magnus slid his hands into his coat pockets, his expression unreadable—like he'd told this truth before, and it never ended well.
"A gifted witch's power," he began slowly,
"can turn chaotic when her mate is in danger."
Mate.
The word landed in my chest like a gunshot.
Magnus didn't stop.
"When a gifted witch is emotionally bonded to someone—especially someone she subconsciously recognizes as her anchor—her magic begins to respond to that bond."
My throat went dry.
"So you're telling me…" I whispered, memories flashing violently through my mind…
Madhu screaming in the train.
Madhu stepping in front of me.
Madhu's voice turning into something ancient.
The gun.
The fear.
"My blood on the floor…"
Magnus nodded as if he could read every thought in my head.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"When she saw you on the ground with a gun pointed at you… her magic didn't see a threat."
"It saw a death sentence."
I swallowed hard.
That moment replayed in my mind like torture.
Madhu didn't awaken because she wanted power.
She awakened because she thought she was losing me.
Magnus exhaled slowly.
"We located her by tapping into her magic energy. That's how we found you both. We didn't come to interfere—we came to stop her from burning herself alive."
My breath hitched.
I stared at him, unable to speak for a second.
And then the truth hit me even harder than the magic itself:
Madhu had almost destroyed herself… to save me.
Magnus's voice softened.
"I'm not saying she needs to stay away from you," he said.
"Or her family. We're not here to steal her."
He leaned slightly closer.
"We're here because she needs guidance."
My brows furrowed again.
"Guidance for what?"
Magnus's eyes sharpened.
"To survive."
The word turned my stomach.
"She must learn how to control her magic," he continued.
"Because without training—without control—this will happen again. Worse."
I felt a cold dread crawl up my spine.
"If she loses control again," Magnus said grimly,
"the chaos won't just shake a train."
"It will destroy her."
My heart stopped.
I stared at him, horrified.
Magnus's voice dropped into something cruelly honest.
"If she can't control it, her own power will become the cause of her death."
And in that moment—
I wasn't angry anymore.
I was terrified.
Not of witches.
Not of covens.
Not of hunters.
Only of one thing—
Losing her.