The Damned and Deranged ⇝ Luke Hemmings ✔️

chapter thirty-four

Ben took Luke's book and turned it to a page, "you never said I was adopted."

The sheriff sighed and looked to Luke, "your parents finally told you?" Luke nodded, "and did Reece talk to you." Luke nodded again. "Crap."

"It's okay dad," Ben said, "it just explains a lot actually."

"Are you gonna ask me a bunch of questions now? Because I knew your birth parents well." The sheriff asked.

"No, I'm not because they're dead, all I wanted to know Luke explained. That they were witches, but I'd like to ask if I'm a witch?"

"No, you're not." The sheriff answered, "according to your parents it skipped you and Jack, powers went straight to Luke and so did that book because of its spells and history."

Luke hummed, "that's why I got chosen for the trials huh?"

"Yeah." He sighed, "I'm sorry Ben, I wish we could've told you, that your mother was here to talk to you."

Ben walked around the desk and hugged his dad, "thank you dad." He said quietly, "thank you for taking care of me, of even thinking of adopting some kid."

"You weren't some kid, I was best friends with the Hemmings family, we would've done anything for them, we had Luke for a while too until he was properly adopted."

Luke smiled softly, "that's nice of you."

"I'm happy I could have helped, wish we knew who murdered your family but we never could."

Luke shrugged, "my guess is the werewolves, they hate witches."

"There was never proof." The sheriff said, he rubbed Ben's shoulder, "you two should head home with the search party going on, it's a full moon in a few days."

Luke nodded, "thank you Sheriff."

Luke and Ben left the station together, Ben walked Luke to his dorm, they lingered at the doorway, "so uh, you're my little brother." Ben said, making Luke smile, "I flirted with you and almost asked you out when we met so now I feel weird."

Luke laughed, "it's okay," Luke gave Ben a quick hug, "thank you for seeing me today, it means a lot to know this."

"Me too, I'd like to hang out more, like proper brothers."

Luke nodded, "I'd like that, thank you. We could have a movie night later once Calum is found if you like, Ash won't be good company until Cal is back and safe."

"Yeah sure."

Luke nodded again, "okay, I'll text you soon." Luke unlocked his door and went inside, no one was in the room except a note from Ashton that he would be back that night after the search.

Luke kicked off his shoes, going to his bed and grabbing his art sketchbook, he opened it before hearing a tapping from the window. He stared at the window, the last time there had been something at the window it had been Calum in his wolf form. Luke stood up from the bed, but a wave of nausea and dizziness hit him, he gasped and clutched at the bed for support. He slid down against the bed frame and to the floor where he pulled his knees to his chest. He took in deep ragged breaths, his hand went for his phone in his pocket, pulling it out and calling Reece's number.

Before Reece could answered Luke's eyes slipped closed, his body slumping against the floor.

"Luke?" Reece's voice came through the phone, "baby what's wrong—"

The call hung up.

***

Luke woke up in the weird underground caves that belonged to the witches, there wasn't any sunlight so he couldn't decipher the time of day, he sat up and whined at a pain in his neck. There was candles in the room at the corners, there was the door in the room, which suddenly opened, letting Whitney the head witch enter the room. She gave Luke a sweet smile, "come with me." She said, "quickly."