The Hybrid’s Second Chance
Chapter 41

Cornelia's

POV

I couldn't believe what this vial low-life excuse for an Alpha was asking me to do. He wanted me to betray my daughter to save her. How was I supposed to say no? He had become so unhinged since she ran away that I really did believe he would kill her if I refused. I thought she was finally safe with Alexander. How could I have been so stupid? I should have been watching everything more closely. I had gotten complacent. My first thought was to try and teleport to Julia and get her out, screw the elders if they found out, but then when he said she was with two people who had orders to kill her, I reluctantly agreed. I couldn't risk her life, so I had to replace another way to help her.

After I agreed, I teleported back to my room, which is where I had been when I got the feeling Julia was in danger. I had hoped Marvin would agree to come with me and I could get all three of them out at once, even if it was against the rules. Tearing from my room, I desperately searched everywhere for Dianna. She would have to help me make this potion so quickly. She was the only one I trusted with this information, and the only other skilled potions master. Finally, I found her out in the gardens clipping herbs to restock the classrooms. "Dianna, thank God."

"Lia, what's wrong?" she asked, seeing the desperation on my face as she straightened up.

"It's Julia, come with me right now." Without hesitation, she followed hot on my heels. I didn't want to tell her out in public, so I took her to my private potion room. Closing the door, I turned to tell her what was happening. "Lia, what's happening?"

"He has her, Logan has her. He's threatening to kill her if I don't make a potion for him."

"What? How did he get her? I thought she was safe in the Lycan pack?"

"I don't know, he didn't say, but he showed me a picture of her. He has her in some house."

"What kind of potion does he want?"

"He wants something that's going to make her forget about her new mate bond and make her think Logan is still her mate."

"That's insane, are you even able to do something like that?"

"There is one potion I can think of that will work for what he wants. I'll have to tweak it slightly, but I think I can make it work."

"I still don't understand how he even managed to get her."

"I have no idea, but I need to make this potion in an hour or he's going to kill her."

"He wouldn't actually kill her, would he?"

"I'm not going to sit around and replace out."

"Why don't you just teleport to her and get her out?"

"I can't, she's with two people under orders to kill her if I show up. I can't take that risk with her."

"What the he**....Okay, tell me everything you need." The resolve on her face told me I had her full attention and cooperation. She was going to do everything she could to help me. My sister might have wanted me not to save Marvin and Sandra, but there wasn't a rule in the book she wouldn't break to save her niece.

"Get me my potion book off the shelf, I need to look up the ingredients. I haven't made this potion in years and having to change things is going to be a challenge." Dianna ran and grabbed my large leather-bound spell book and placed it on the stand, while I ignited a fire under my cauldron. I went over to flip through the book, while Dianna got out the basic base ingredients for any potion and began pouring them into the cauldron. "I found it, we need sage, rosemary, pig's feet, eye of newt, mandrake root, burdock root, and holy thistle. If I need to change this bit right here, we're also going to need lavender, nightshade, and snakeskin." Dianna was running around pulling each ingredient off the shelf and throwing it down on the table next to the cauldron. "Oh, grab some wormwood too."

"Okay, I think I have everything. How exactly are you changing this potion?"

"I figure if I tweak this part right here," I said, pointing to the potion in the book. "That should give us what we need to help Julia."

"This is a very risky move, Lia."

"I know, but this is the only thing I can do. Turn the temperature up, we don't have time to let it simmer for an hour like we should." We began taking turns adding all the ingredients to the cauldron and watching it change color with each addition. I hoped this was going to work. I had never done anything like this before, so I was taking a big chance. After forty-five minutes, the potion finally turned the dark red color we were waiting for.

"I'll go get a vial."

"Get two, we need one for Julia and one for Alexander." She brought me the vials and I spooned some potion into each one of them until they were full. Replacing the cork, I turned to Dianna. "Stay here, I'll be right back." Logan would be waiting for me in his office, so that's where I teleported too. When I looked around, I saw him sitting behind his desk, looking smugly at me.

"Cutting it close, don't you think?"

"I did what you asked. Here's your da*n potion," I said, placing the vials on the desk.

"And will this make her forget about her bond?"

"I've never done anything like this before, but it will get the job done just fine."

"It better, or your daughter is going to be the one paying the price."

"If it doesn't, I'll try again."

"I like your willingness to work with me." The smile on his face made me want to slap him. How proud he seemed that he was able to control such powerful people. If he had asked me to do this for anyone else, I would have refused. "I want Marvin and Sandra, like you promised." He looked at me for a second, and I thought he was going to tell me no.

"Fine, go take them. It saves me the trouble of getting my hands dirty by killing them." The urge to say something back to him was almost too strong to fight, but I knew better. Instead, I teleported back to the dungeons to Marvin and Sandra. "Cornelia, did you do it?"

"Shh, you both have to come with me now. This is your only chance to survive." I reached out my hand to Marvin, who took it without question. Sandra reached her hand out from her cell so I could reach it through the bars on Marvin's door. "You need to get my mate Beth," Marvin said to me. "Logan will come after her. I'm surprised he hasn't already."

"I'll come right back for her." Focusing on my room, I took all three of us there.

"Holy sh*t," Dianna said when she saw them holding onto each of my hands. "Lia, you didn't."

"I had to; Logan was going to kill them."

"What if the elders replace out? You can't do things like this without thinking of the consequences. We've risked enough as it is."

"They won't, we'll take them somewhere safe. I'll take them to Alpha Alexander."

"And say what? Oh, I'm your mate's mom, here are two wolves I need you to protect?"

"I actually have one more person to go get."

"No, Lia don't!" But I was already gone. Beth was sitting at her kitchen table reading a book. She looked up when she noticed I was in the room.

"Holy fu*k," she yelled, jumping to her feet.

"It's okay, Marvin sent me. I'm Cornelia, Julia's birth mother."

"What? What are you talking about? How did Marvin send you?"

"I just got them out of the dungeons, he sent me back for you."

"I... I don't understand."

"I know, but just take my hand and everything will make sense. I'll take you to him." I held out my hand, hoping she would believe me. She looked at me confused, but walked forward and took my hand. Next second, we were back in my room with a very angry looking Dianna.

"Marvin!" Beth yelled, throwing herself into his arms. "You're okay! I don't understand what's happening."

"Don't worry love, I'll explain everything."

"Cornelia, can I talk to you, alone." I followed her out of my room, across the hall and into hers. "Lia, what is wrong with you? You can't just teleport three werewolves here!"

"What was I supposed to do? Let Logan kill them? They didn't do anything wrong; they don't deserve to die."

"Fu*k," she yelled. "They're here now, what are we going to do with them?"

"I don't know."

"Well, we have to figure it out, because they can't stay here long. Someone is bound to replace them."

"I think I have an idea about where we can take them. We just need to keep them hidden for a little while longer."