Vasu's POV
Excuses?
From her?
No. That would never work.
Madhu is many things—brave, stubborn, terrifyingly selfless—but lying has never been one of her strengths. One wrong word, one flicker in her eyes, and the truth spills out. So this time, the lie had to come from me.
Magnus was clear—telling her the whole truth would only make things worse.
So I twisted it.
Not completely.
What I told her was fifty percent truth and fifty percent lie—and that balance nearly crushed me.
If I told her her life was in danger because of magic, she would question it, challenge it, demand answers.
But if I told her her life was in danger because of me—
She would obey without hesitation.
Because that's who she is.
And that's how well I know my girl.
I watched the fear bloom in her eyes when I said it—not fear for herself, but for me. Her first instinct was sacrifice, always. If walking into danger meant keeping me safe, she would do it without blinking.
That truth hurt more than any lie I told.
And the worst part?
Her magic really did awaken because of me.
Because she thought she was losing me.
When she finally agreed to go to the Institute, relief and guilt tangled in my chest so tightly I could barely breathe. As I went to get her a blanket—because she had started trembling, her body losing warmth—I called Magnus.
"We'll be there tomorrow night," I said quietly.
He didn't waste time.
"Don't leave her alone," he warned. "Once an awakening starts, without guidance, she needs containment."
Containment.
The word made my blood run cold.
"She's shaking," I told him. "Cold. Weak."
"Then stay with her," Magnus said firmly. "Her emotions are feeding the magic. Until she understands her witch side, you are her anchor."
He hesitated for a second before adding,
"The true mate bond is already active."
I scoffed. "I don't believe in that."
"You don't have to," Magnus replied calmly. "It believes in you."
The call ended—but the weight of his words didn't.
True mate or not, one thing was undeniable.
She was my soulmate.
And I would burn the world down before letting anything take her from me.
Still… reality loomed.
Her job.
Our families.
The lies we now had to live with.
My chest tightened at the thought of her explaining her sudden disappearance—her voice, her eyes, the way she'd hesitate.
I was still standing near the front door when Karan's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Plenty of thoughts?" he asked.
I let out a heavy sigh. "Thinking about what she's going to say."
He smiled knowingly. "Let's see then."
He walked past me, already bracing himself.
I followed, every step heavier than the last.
"Vasu! Come on—" Madhu's father called out cheerfully from the living room.
The excitement lasted barely a second.
His smile faded the moment his eyes landed on me.
"What happened to you?" he asked, dropping the paper in his hand and rushing toward me.
Before panic could take root, I stepped forward.
"Papa, I'm fine," I said quickly, forcing steadiness into my voice. "Just a scratch. Field duty."
He studied my face, the bandage, the tension I couldn't completely hide.
Then he sighed in relief.
And I smiled back.
We walked into the living room together.
I sat on a single sofa, my back stiff, my pulse louder than the ticking clock on the wall. My eyes scanned the room instinctively—searching.
Madhu.
Then I saw her.
She emerged from the kitchen with Priya, both of them carrying coffee cups. She moved calmly, but I knew her well enough to notice the tension in her shoulders. They served everyone, and Madhu handed me a cup of black coffee—just the way I liked it—before settling on the armrest beside me.
Close.
Too close for comfort.
She cleared her throat.
"I need to say something."
My spine straightened instantly.
Every conversation in the room died. All eyes turned to her. I adjusted myself on the sofa, my fingers tightening around the cup.
She didn't flinch.
"Ahem… you all know that I'll be joining the NYPD soon," she began, her voice steady—too steady. "As part of their protocol, they're sending me to a mandatory training program."
I jerked my head toward her instinctively.
She didn't look at me.
"What?" her mother exclaimed, shock rippling through her voice.
Madhu slowly stood up and placed her coffee cup on the side table, as if grounding herself.
"Yes, Mama," she said gently. "Please don't panic."
My gaze shifted to her father.
He was listening quietly, intently.
He removed his glasses and asked calmly, "How long, beta?"
I felt it then—the hesitation. She could lie to anyone in this room, but not to him.
She inhaled.
"Ten… maybe fifteen days," she replied.
He nodded, slipping his glasses back on. "When are you leaving, Madhu?"
The silence thickened.
"Tomorrow… Papa."
I almost smiled.
Her cover story was better than anything Karan and I had cooked up.
Before anyone could react, I cleared my throat.
"Ahem… I'm also leaving tomorrow," I said evenly. "I have a briefing at headquarters. After that, I'll be flying to Washington for official work."
The room went dead quiet.
I felt it—the weight of unspoken thoughts, suspicion, concern.
"I know what you're thinking," I added quickly. "We're not traveling together. We'll be in our respective locations for official reasons."
My eyes drifted to my mother.
She was staring at me—sharp, assessing, worried.
She cleared her throat.
"You both can go wherever you want," she said slowly, "but under one condition."
I narrowed my eyes. "What is it, Ma?"
She rolled her wheelchair forward, stopping directly in front of Madhu. She reached out and took Madhu's hand.
"Can I ask you something?" she asked softly.
Madhu didn't hesitate.
She knelt in front of her instantly.
"Of course, Ma."
My mother smiled.
And then—
"We've fixed your engagement."
The words dropped like thunder.
Madhu froze.
Her eyes widened, breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she stood up, emotions crashing over her face—shock, confusion, fear, disbelief.
Her gaze moved around the room.
Then—
It locked with mine.
I closed my eyes and let out a slow, controlled breath.
"Ma… can I talk to you alone for a moment?" I asked, frustration bleeding into my voice as I stood up from the sofa and moved toward her.
Before she could respond—
"Sharadha ji is right," Madhu's father's voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Get engaged and go wherever you want. We will not stop you."
I froze mid-step.
Slowly, I turned around.
"Papa, we are just—" I began.
He raised a brow, stopping me instantly.
"This is your family's decision," he said firmly. "Do you have any objections?"
The question hit harder than I expected.
I had none.
Because she was my world.
But my mind screamed with a thousand unfinished thoughts—her magic, the Institute, the danger circling her like a shadow I couldn't name aloud.
Before I could answer, Madhu's voice broke through the tension.
"I need some air."
I turned just in time to see her rush toward the backyard, her shoulders stiff, her breath uneven.
My instincts flared.
I caught Karan's eye and nodded sharply.
He understood immediately and followed her.
Leaving her alone right now wasn't an option.
Madhu's father's gaze returned to me.
"Vasu," he said calmly. "I'm waiting for your answer."
I swallowed and forced myself to breathe.
"Papa… of course, it's a yes," I said finally. "But you should have asked her first."
His face softened into a knowing smile as he walked toward me.
"I already know her answer," he said gently. "I wanted to hear yours."
Then—too casually—
"So the engagement will be held tomorrow."
Tomorrow.
My eyes widened.
"Papa—" I started.
He placed a hand on my arm and guided me to the corner of the living room, lowering his voice.
"I made a decision on her behalf once before," he said quietly, his eyes glistening. "It pushed her into a dark phase… and it took years for her to find herself again."
My chest tightened.
"I won't make that mistake twice."
I nodded slowly. "What about her?" I asked.
He placed his hand on my head and caressed it like he used to when I was younger.
"Go talk to her."
And just like that, he walked away.
The living room buzzed with excitement—plans, laughter, tomorrow's celebration.
But all I could think about was the girl standing alone in the backyard.
I turned toward the door—
Only to be stopped by a hand gripping my arm.
"Vasu."
I turned to see my mother, her expression tight with emotion.
"Ma… you should've talked to me first," I said, unable to keep the frustration out of my voice. "Why are you making this harder for her?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"I did this to make things easier for both of you," she snapped. "You've already lost enough because of the stupid decision you made a year ago—with Deva!"
The name hit like a slap.
I stood there, speechless.
"Ma—" I tried.
"She's back, Vasu," my mother interrupted, her voice dropping into a tremble. "And I know what she's capable of. I feel it in my bones—something bad is going to happen to Madhu."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm scared, beta."
That broke me.
I knelt in front of her and took her trembling hands into mine.
"Nothing is going to happen to her," I said firmly. "I won't let it. Deva will never come back into our lives."
I held her gaze.
"I promise."
She nodded slowly, trusting me—like she always had.
"I need to talk to her," I said.
She released my hands.
And I walked toward the backyard.