ZaneMy eyes flutter open, and I find myself surrounded by mirrors, an endless maze of reflections that stretch in every direction. I blink, disoriented, confusion settling in as I try to make sense of where I am. The last thing I remember is Orion’s hand tightening around my neck, the darkness closing in as everything faded away. So why am I here? Why am I … still here?A soft voice, melodic and soothing, echoes behind me. “Welcome, Zane.”I turn slowly, my eyes widening as I see her. She’s walking toward me, an ethereal glow surrounding her, golden light radiating from every step. Her long, flowing blonde hair cascades over her shoulders, and a beautiful gown drapes around her in waves, moving as if it’s part of the light itself. Her eyes are a shade of gold that feels ancient, otherworldly, yet warm. A black teardrop pendant hangs from her neck, glinting softly in the glow that envelops her.My heart skips a beat as realization dawns, and my knees buckle, pulling me to the floor.
OrionI hold him, my arms wrapped so tightly around him I’m half-worried I’ll break him. But I can’t let go. My mind’s struggling to process this, and I keep expecting to blink and find the empty forest around me, cold and alone again. But he’s here, solid and warm in my arms, and his scent fills the air—apples, fresh and grounding, just like it always was. Just like home.“Ri,” he murmurs, his hand moving to rest against my chest, fingers splayed over my heart like he’s memorizing the feel of me. “You look like you’re seeing a ghost.”“Maybe I am,” I admit, my voice low, rough. “I don’t know if I’m going to wake up any second and realize this is all just… wishful thinking.”I pull back slightly, my eyes searching his face, taking in every detail, every line and scar I’d memorized so long ago. My fingers tremble as they brush over his jaw, his cheek, his lips, as if I’m trying to convince myself this isn’t some twisted trick. “You’re… you’re really here,” I murmur, my voice catching
OrionThe cool earth beneath us grounds me as I lay there, my arm draped over Zane, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. His scent—apples and something inherently him—fills the air around us, mingling with the sharp, raw scent of our freshly marked bond. The ache of his mark on my nape throbs in time with my heartbeat, a constant reminder that he’s real, that he’s here.I trail my fingers down his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin, the familiar shape of him that I thought I’d lost forever. Everything about this feels surreal, like I’ve stepped into a dream I can’t bear to wake from.“We should probably… head back,” I murmur, though the thought of leaving this spot, leaving him even for a second, feels impossible. But there’s a part of me that knows we can’t hide here forever, that we owe it to my family, to everyone who believed Zane was gone, to know the truth. “They’ll want to know what happened.”Zane chuckles, a low, familiar sound that makes something tighten in my c
OrionNero’s office has the kind of quiet tension you can feel in your bones, the kind that comes after months of chasing shadows and uprooting every twisted part of that ring. Osiris and I are settled across from him, listening intently as he wraps up the conference call with Arkyn and Creed. My brother’s voice is steady as he discusses the last few details. It’s taken months to dismantle, but here we are, finally piecing everything back together.“Look,” Creed’s voice crackles over the line, blunt as ever, “everyone’s been dealt with. But Legacy’s name hasn’t come up in any interrogation or confession, not even once. He’s protected. Everyone’s too fucking scared to name him.”Nero sighs, fingers rubbing at his temples. “He’s the one wild card. Every single person higher up has been captured, but Legacy? Silence. And we all know silence from someone that powerful isn’t accidental.”“Leave Legacy to me,” Arkyn’s voice cuts in, dark and simmering with barely contained fury. “He’s still
Camellia/“Run. Run. RUN!”//“Don’t let them catch you, don’t let them see you. You have to keep them safe; you have to get away from here! Go!”/I’m running, but I don’t know why. It’s raining and the dense undergrowth of the forest obscures the jagged stones underneath; my feet are sore and bloodied, the stitch in my side has nearly winded me.Everything is slippery but I’m running like my life depended on it… Which it probably does, seeing as I’m running with a swollen belly./“You need to run!”/The warning echoes in my head every time I try to slow down and catch my breath, but my instincts seem to guide me safely across the darkened forest. I turn my head to look behind me and don’t see anything at all, but the fear of being caught still propels me forward.Who am I running from? Who am I supposed to protect besides the baby in my belly? “…lia! Stop!” someone calls out. The voice is distant, almost drowned out by the pounding rain and my own ragged breaths. The sound makes
Lia / Camellia5 years laterI rush into the kitchen to grab my ringing cell phone, only to nearly trip over a train set I asked my son to put away after breakfast. Gritting my teeth, I take a deep breath to reign in my annoyance and bed down to pick up the damn toy myself.“Nereo!” I call out, turning when I hear his tiny footsteps approaching me. “What did I tell you about this, baby? You cannot leave your toys out like this.”My little boy saunters up to me, his curly hair falling over his forehead as he looks at his feet. “I’m sorry, Mamma. I forgot,” he sniffs and I sigh as I get down on my haunches to talk to him.He peers up at me with those slate gray eyes that I love so much, with his bottom lip pulled out in a pout. I try not to smile because this is his ‘feel sorry for me’ face. “You have to remember, okay, Amoruccio? Someone could get hurt,” I say gently, brushing a curl away from his face. His eyes well up with tears, and I pull him into a hug. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Ju
NeroI get out of the fucked-up rental car and wait for the contact I’m supposed to be meeting with my brothers, Osiris and Orion. This small Italian town is a far cry from the sprawling urban jungle I’m used to. “The Boot’s shitstain,” I mutter under my breath, glancing around the little town that seems too perfect to be real. Quaint, picturesque, and utterly grating on my nerves.This place is nothing like home. I glance over at my brothers, both looking like they’re spoiling for a fight. “Lighten up, Nero,” Osiris says, his hands shoved in his pockets. He’s the optimist of the three of us, always looking for a silver lining. “We’ll be in and out before you know it.”“Yeah, right. Knowing Matteo, he’ll drag this,” Orion grumbles, adjusting his leather jacket. He’s the one who sees the world more like I do—through a lens of distrust and scepticism.They flank me as we walk down the narrow cobblestone street towards the meeting spot. Orion and Osiris might be twins, but you’d never
NeroOsiris walks back, shaking his head in disbelief. “Nero, she didn’t even recognize me. I walked up to her, and it was like she had no idea who I was. And the child... he’s definitely yours… He has the eyes of a Leonetti.”Slate gray. Of course he does.The weight of his words hits me hard, making it difficult to breathe. “She works here?” I manage to ask, my voice strained.“From what I could tell, yeah. She was talking to the customers like she’s been here a while,” Osiris confirms, his expression troubled.I’m at a loss. My mind races with questions and doubts. How is this possible? Why doesn’t she remember us? “What the fuck do I do now?” I mutter, more to myself than anyone else.“We need to regroup and figure this out,” Orion suggests, his voice calm and steady. “Let’s go back to the townhouse and do some digging.”Every instinct screams at me to stay, to go to her and demand answers. But I know Orion is right. We need a plan. It pains me to leave, knowing she’s so close. A
OrionNero’s office has the kind of quiet tension you can feel in your bones, the kind that comes after months of chasing shadows and uprooting every twisted part of that ring. Osiris and I are settled across from him, listening intently as he wraps up the conference call with Arkyn and Creed. My brother’s voice is steady as he discusses the last few details. It’s taken months to dismantle, but here we are, finally piecing everything back together.“Look,” Creed’s voice crackles over the line, blunt as ever, “everyone’s been dealt with. But Legacy’s name hasn’t come up in any interrogation or confession, not even once. He’s protected. Everyone’s too fucking scared to name him.”Nero sighs, fingers rubbing at his temples. “He’s the one wild card. Every single person higher up has been captured, but Legacy? Silence. And we all know silence from someone that powerful isn’t accidental.”“Leave Legacy to me,” Arkyn’s voice cuts in, dark and simmering with barely contained fury. “He’s still
OrionThe cool earth beneath us grounds me as I lay there, my arm draped over Zane, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. His scent—apples and something inherently him—fills the air around us, mingling with the sharp, raw scent of our freshly marked bond. The ache of his mark on my nape throbs in time with my heartbeat, a constant reminder that he’s real, that he’s here.I trail my fingers down his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin, the familiar shape of him that I thought I’d lost forever. Everything about this feels surreal, like I’ve stepped into a dream I can’t bear to wake from.“We should probably… head back,” I murmur, though the thought of leaving this spot, leaving him even for a second, feels impossible. But there’s a part of me that knows we can’t hide here forever, that we owe it to my family, to everyone who believed Zane was gone, to know the truth. “They’ll want to know what happened.”Zane chuckles, a low, familiar sound that makes something tighten in my c
OrionI hold him, my arms wrapped so tightly around him I’m half-worried I’ll break him. But I can’t let go. My mind’s struggling to process this, and I keep expecting to blink and find the empty forest around me, cold and alone again. But he’s here, solid and warm in my arms, and his scent fills the air—apples, fresh and grounding, just like it always was. Just like home.“Ri,” he murmurs, his hand moving to rest against my chest, fingers splayed over my heart like he’s memorizing the feel of me. “You look like you’re seeing a ghost.”“Maybe I am,” I admit, my voice low, rough. “I don’t know if I’m going to wake up any second and realize this is all just… wishful thinking.”I pull back slightly, my eyes searching his face, taking in every detail, every line and scar I’d memorized so long ago. My fingers tremble as they brush over his jaw, his cheek, his lips, as if I’m trying to convince myself this isn’t some twisted trick. “You’re… you’re really here,” I murmur, my voice catching
ZaneMy eyes flutter open, and I find myself surrounded by mirrors, an endless maze of reflections that stretch in every direction. I blink, disoriented, confusion settling in as I try to make sense of where I am. The last thing I remember is Orion’s hand tightening around my neck, the darkness closing in as everything faded away. So why am I here? Why am I … still here?A soft voice, melodic and soothing, echoes behind me. “Welcome, Zane.”I turn slowly, my eyes widening as I see her. She’s walking toward me, an ethereal glow surrounding her, golden light radiating from every step. Her long, flowing blonde hair cascades over her shoulders, and a beautiful gown drapes around her in waves, moving as if it’s part of the light itself. Her eyes are a shade of gold that feels ancient, otherworldly, yet warm. A black teardrop pendant hangs from her neck, glinting softly in the glow that envelops her.My heart skips a beat as realization dawns, and my knees buckle, pulling me to the floor.
OrionThe path to Natasha’s hideout is a blur, every step a pulse of barely controlled rage. The air hums with the charge of dark magic, a twisted energy that beckons me, taunting me. My hands tremble with the beast’s fury, simmering just beneath my skin, but I haven’t let it loose yet. Not fully. There’s a strange clarity to my anger—a focus that makes every sense sharper, every movement precise.The moment I reach the edge of the hideout, I don’t stop to think. I kick down the door, wood splintering under the force of my boot, and I step inside, feeling every ounce of anger, every piece of heartbreak, flood through me like a dam breaking. The witches turn, eyes wide with shock, but I don’t give them a chance to scream.The first one goes down without a sound, my hand gripping her neck as I lift her off the ground. She thrashes, her mouth opening in a silent plea, but I don’t hesitate. I twist, the snap echoing through the room, and drop her to the floor like the insignificant piece
OrionI’m trapped, locked inside my own body as I watch my fists swing, my legs move, every calculated hit landing with ruthless precision. But it’s not me—not really. I can’t stop it. Can’t control it. All I can do is watch from somewhere deep inside, helpless as I fight against the people I swore to protect.Nero’s face twists in pain as my fist connects with his ribs. Osiris tries to grab me from the side, but I counter, landing a brutal blow to his shoulder, hearing the sickening crunch. They’re all holding back—I can feel it in their strikes, in the way they hesitate just before their fists meet flesh. They’re trying to save me, trying to fight me without hurting me. But I don’t feel that same mercy. Whoever is controlling my body… they’re enjoying this.Two Alphas should have me on my knees by now, but Natasha planned this perfectly. She knew they wouldn’t give it everything; she counted on it. And the part of me that’s still here, watching, feels every bit of the twisted ple
ZaneThe past three days have been a hell I can barely stomach. I’ve been confined to Nero’s territory, shackled by suspicion, and only allowed out of the locked room to help strategize. And I am trying—I’m trying everything I can think of. But it’s never enough. No matter what I say or how much I beg them to let me help, they’re always watching me, waiting for some slip that proves them right.Today, it’s worse. Nero had used his Alpha Sight on me, sifting through memories and thoughts, and I didn’t fight him. I let him dig, let him see everything, hoping he’d find something that could give us an edge. But there was nothing—nothing useful, anyway. Just more dead ends.Nova’s been working nonstop, her face growing more exhausted with each passing hour, trying spell after spell, looking for anything that could point us to Orion’s location. The tension is mounting, everyone on edge, barely able to look at each other without a fight breaking out.I’m pacing the war room, barely hearing
ZaneThe sound of heavy footsteps echoes in the hallway outside my locked room, and I know it’s Nero before he even steps inside. There’s a weight to his presence, a dark edge that fills the space long before he even opens the door. When the lock clicks and the door swings open, he’s standing there, arms crossed, his expression a storm of anger and something I can’t quite read.He doesn’t say anything at first, just stares at me, and I feel the hostility radiating off him like heat. He’s still angry—hell, probably furious—and I know exactly why. This isn’t just about what’s happening now. It’s about everything I did to Orion, every lie, every betrayal.“Start talking,” he finally says, his voice low and controlled, but I can tell it’s taking every ounce of his restraint not to rip into me right here and now.I take a breath, trying to steady myself, and meet his gaze. There’s no use in holding anything back now. It’s time for him to know the truth—the whole, brutal truth.“She’s goin
ZaneThe jet touches down with a low rumble, and I can already feel the tension in the air as we approach Nero’s territory. This is Leonetti land, and stepping onto it feels like walking into the lion’s den. I know the reception I’m about to get isn’t going to be friendly.As soon as the door opens and I step out, the familiar scent of pine and earth fills my senses. But that sense of home is quickly overshadowed by the heavy tension that hangs in the air like a storm waiting to break. Nero is already waiting for us at the landing site, and the second he lays eyes on me, his expression darkens.Before I can react, he’s moving toward me, his eyes blazing with fury. Every muscle in his body is tensed, ready to tear me apart, and for a second, I wonder if I’ll even survive the next few minutes.“Zane!” he snarls, his voice echoing across the open space. “You’ve got some fucking nerve showing your face here.”I don’t move. I can’t. I’ve expected this, and part of me knows I deserve it. Bu