Miguel POV.I stormed into the house through the front door, the sole of my shoes clicking noisily against the tiles. " Where is my father?" I asked a maid that I saw in the lobby. " He's in his room sir." I climbed up the stairs straight to the room he shares with my mother. I barged in without knowing just to see my parents seated. My mum was seated on the bed while my father was seated on the couch close to the window engrossed in a newspaper. It's like they were waiting for me arrive." What is the meaning of this?" I asked in a calm voice while waving the piece of paper in the air." That's your wedding invitation son." My father replied his eyes still engrossed in the newspaper." What do you mean by this? I believe I clearly stated that I wasn't getting married to that manipulative bitch." " That no way to address your future wife and moreover this is all for you own good." I looked at my mum expecting her to back me up but she just sat still in a place." Mum can you back m
Isabel POV I swirled and twerked while listening to one of Cardi B's song as I cooked. It was Saturday so it was one of those days were I stay at home and give myself a very special treat. I heard the shrill sound of the doorbell and I paused the music before going to see who it was. " Hi, I'm here for Miss Cruz." The chubby mail man said with a smile. " I'm Miss Cruz." " Ok then, sign here." He said stretching a clipboard and pen to me. I signed before taking the small envelope from him. " Thank you." I mumured before shutting the door.I scanned the body of the envelope trying to find who it was from. There was no name neither was there any address. I broke the seal of the envelope letting the content of the envelope out. I opened it and what I saw made my heart beat rapidly. I could feel the tightness in my throat and I could feel the restriction of air flow as I gasped for breath. I tried taking deep breaths but it was a massive fail. I looked around frantically as I searche
Miguel POV I had imagined my wedding to be divine, something true and not a means to cover up a sin.i wanted a wedding that I could look back to and smile at every moment because the person I was marrying was someone I was madly in love with. I had imagined all that for myself but here I was staring into a space and not feeling the least enthusiastic about my wedding that would be starting in the next few minutes. " Why aren't you done yet?" My dad shouted as he barged into my room, my mother following closely behind. I sat still remaining calm and not flinching. " It's few minutes to the church service and you are sitted here sulking like it would solve this situation." I ignored him still staring into a space. He stormed out of the room. He probably got frustrated with the nonchalant attitude I was displaying. My mum picked up my tie from the dresser before walking to me. " I know this isn't what you want but I need you to know there's a reason why." My mum said in a calm voice.
Isabel POV The air in the small room was was filled with a lot more tension than I could have imagined. Elena stood there with her arms crossed and eyes filled with a cold expression that twisted my stomach into knots making me feel so uncomfortable. I stared at her as the pent up hatred I had for her showed on my face. The first instinct when my I first saw her was to call the security to arrest her. Because each time I see her the memory of Talia's dead flashes in my memory. " Long time no see bestie." She said with an evil grin. I could hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice." You have some courage showing up here." I spat out bitterly." I only came here to deliver a message, stop poking the bear." " And you believed here was the perfect time and place to deliver your message. Fuck you Elena." " I know you might not believe me but I didn't kill Talia." She said and I could actually see sincerity in her eyes." I don't believe you, you've tried to kill me once. So you defin
Isabel POV The world seemed to get hot as I stared at the man that was leaning on my car. I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me that way saving me from engaging in this conversation. I visible gulped as I saw his smirk even in the night darkness. It was the same cocky and arrogant smirk that I thought I had left behind in the darkest part of my memory. " Hello Mi Amor." He said again, this time he took few steps towards me while I took few steps backwards. " You know that guy?" Jamin asked beside me still obviously operating on the alcohol he had in his system.I ignored him. My eyes wete focusex and trained solely on Alex, whose piercing blue eyes had not left mine. The same gaze that once made me feel butterflies and feel loved. Right now that same gaze makes me feel small, unworthy, and terrified. My heart pounded against my chest rapidly as memories I had buried long ago clawed their way to the surface of my mind. He was a vivid representation of my past, the path
Miguel POVMy eyes fluttered open and the sun ray that filtered through the window made me shut my eyes immediately. Gradually I tried opening it again and this time my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. I pulled myself to sit up on the couch, as I stretched my limbs, trying to shake off the heavy feeling that had all but settled in my chest. My eyes roamed around the room before landing on a sleeping figure on the bed. The mixture of frustration and guilt filled my mind as my gaze remained on her. I was frustrated that I was made to enter this loveless marriage and guilty that I betrayed the love of my life, Isabel. Just the thought of her stirred up something in me, it came with many memories that made me smile. I had married to save myself from the shame of my past. I picked up my phone and checked the time. It was almost nine o'clock AM. I had to be at work before eleven, I had a meeting with some foreign investors. I strolled to the bathroom to get prepared. After ta
Miguel POVMy eyes fluttered open and the sun ray that filtered through the window made me shut my eyes immediately. Gradually I tried opening it again and this time my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. I pulled myself to sit up on the couch, as I stretched my limbs, trying to shake off the heavy feeling that had all but settled in my chest. My eyes roamed around the room before landing on a sleeping figure on the bed. The mixture of frustration and guilt filled my mind as my gaze remained on her. I was frustrated that I was made to enter this loveless marriage and guilty that I betrayed the love of my life, Isabel. Just the thought of her stirred up something in me, it came with many memories that made me smile. I had married to save myself from the shame of my past. I picked up my phone and checked the time. It was almost nine o'clock AM. I had to be at work before eleven, I had a meeting with some foreign investors. I strolled to the bathroom to get prepared. After ta
Miguel POVI glanced at my wristwatch, it was midnight already. I unlocked the door of the room in the most quiet way I could. I wasn't ready to deal with Vanessa this night. I flipped the light switch on and my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw a figure seated on the couch." Vanessa! You scared the shit out of me. What are you doing sitting in the darkness?" " I was waiting for you, you work so late these days." She said as she stretched, a yawn escaping from her mouth. " I've been busy, Vanessa. Stop being needy." "How could you do this to me, Miguel?" Vanessa said in a low tone. I couldn't blame her, Rosa, her sister brought her into whatever twisted plan she had. One thing I knew for sure was that Rosa was up to no good. My mind had been occupied with Elena's proposal and Isabel kicking me out of her life permanently. I haven't even been able to process all that before I was ambushed by my wife, whom I'd been keeping at arm's length since our wedding."Vanessa, I
"Feeding off what?" Caleb asked, his rifle sweeping the area.Before Finn could answer, a low growl echoed through the village. The team froze, their weapons trained on the source of the sound. From the shadows emerged creatures unlike any they had faced before. Their forms were barely humanoid, their bodies composed of writhing tendrils and jagged shards of obsidian. Their glowing eyes burned with malice."Contact!" Ruby shouted, firing the first shot.The creatures attacked with terrifying speed, their movements unnatural and erratic. Caleb fired at the nearest one, his bullets shattering its obsidian exterior but failing to slow it down. Selene charged forward, her blade glowing as it sliced through a tendril that lashed out at her."Aim for the cores!" Finn yelled, his device beeping wildly. "The glowing spots in their chests!"Ruby adjusted her aim, firing at a creature's core. The shot landed true, and the creature let out a guttural scream before collapsing into a pile of ash a
breath felt empty like the air was too thick to breathe. ''I'll feel better if I sleep, I told myself.Ghb yuu yuu y7u rrd tre oil uiuBut immediately as I was about drifting into sleep, I heard a sound that made me jump right up from bed.Asher's ears sparked in defense, his growl filling the whole room. The sound alone sent a chill running through my spine, but I couldn't look away from the window. There was a shadow outside that seemed to shift, stretching and bending unnaturally than they should have.I stood in fear, not being able to feel my legs which felt heavy. All I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat which kept on thundering in my chest. A loud bang at the door made me jump from my bed. I gasped out of shock, crawling on my knees in order to peep through the door. before I could even make it, the door burst open with enough force to slam against the wall. Two figures stood in the doorway, covered in dark shadows.GyyTheir eyes were glowing with yellow, a sight that
"Another kilometer," Finn replied, adjusting the scanner. "But the energy is… erratic. It's like the cluster is unstable, but it's pulling resources from somewhere."Ruby nodded, her grip tightening on her rifle. "Stay alert. The Shadow never makes things easy." The whole team were on high alert as they lifted their weapons higher ready to attack at the slightest movement The cluster appeared suddenly, nestled within a narrow gorge. Tendrils of dark energy snaked along the ground, pulsating faintly. At its center was a twisted structure, a crude spire of shadow and stone that seemed to breathe with unnatural life."Looks like a smaller version of the core," Finn murmured. "But it's… fractured. If we can destabilize it, the whole thing should collapse."Ruby surveyed the area. "Let's make it happen. You handle the spire. I'll cover you."As Finn approached the structure, the ground trembled. Creatures emerged from the shadows, their forms misshapen but vicious. Ruby fired a quick burs
Finn's scanner beeped intermittently, struggling to maintain accuracy. "The interference is worse than I expected," he admitted, frowning at the flickering display. "We're flying blind out here."Selene's eyes scanned the horizon. "Then we rely on instincts. This isn't the first time we've worked without a map."Zoe smirked faintly. "She's right. Besides, if anything jumps out, I'll just cut it down."Ruby kept her rifle at the ready, her voice cutting through the tension. "Stay sharp. Whatever's waiting for us, it knows we're coming."The signal led them to an ancient ruin, partially buried beneath layers of shadow-infused earth. The structure was unlike anything they'd encountered before—crumbling stone walls laced with veins of pulsing dark energy. Tendrils of shadow coiled and twisted through the air, moving as if alive.Finn's eyes widened as he studied the ruin. "This place… it's amplifying the signal. The core's energy is dormant but concentrated here. If we can disable it, we'
Ruby led the way, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Stay together! Keep moving!"A massive tendril slammed into the path ahead, cutting them off. Selene darted forward, her blade slicing through the tendril in a single, decisive strike. "Go! I've got this!"The team pushed forward, the exit coming into view just as the chamber let out a deafening roar. They burst into the open air, the ground beneath them trembling as the chamber collapsed entirely.Finn stumbled to his knees, his scanner clutched tightly in his hands. He stared at the screen, his face pale. "The energy… it's… it's heading somewhere else."Ruby turned to him, her expression grim. "Where?"Finn looked up, his voice shaking. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's not good."The team's breaths came in heavy gasps as they stared out over the Wastes. The Shadow's remnants weren't just lingering. They were regrouping, gathering strength for something far worse.Ruby's grip tightened on her rifle. "We'll stop it. Whatev
Isabel POVExplosions and gunfire ricocheted off concrete walls, punctuated by shouts and screams. Isabel POVExplosions and gunfire ricocheted off concrete walls, punctuated by shouts and screams. The mechanical voice over the intercom had been haunting in its finality: "Containment protocol initiated. No one leaves."I bolted from the server room with my laptop clutched to my chest, my mind racing. Somewhere in these files was a way out, a weakness in the system I'd unwittingly helped build."Miguel!" I called, spotting him barricading the main corridor. His eyes snapped to me."What did you find?" he demanded, not pausing in his task of positioning wreckages for cover."More data on the project—but it's a mess. They've buried the important files under layers of encryption.""Then unbury them," he snapped. "We're running out of time!"I didn't argue. My hands shook as I knelt beside him, setting up my laptop on a nearby crate. The battle outside raged, but my focus was on the scre
"Feeding off what?" Caleb asked, his rifle sweeping the area.Before Finn could answer, a low growl echoed through the village. The team froze, their weapons trained on the source of the sound. From the shadows emerged creatures unlike any they had faced before. Their forms were barely humanoid, their bodies composed of writhing tendrils and jagged shards of obsidian. Their glowing eyes burned with malice."Contact!" Ruby shouted, firing the first shot.The creatures attacked with terrifying speed, their movements unnatural and erratic. Caleb fired at the nearest one, his bullets shattering its obsidian exterior but failing to slow it down. Selene charged forward, her blade glowing as it sliced through a tendril that lashed out at her."Aim for the cores!" Finn yelled, his device beeping wildly. "The glowing spots in their chests!"Ruby adjusted her aim, firing at a creature's core. The shot landed true, and the creature let out a guttural scream before collapsing into a pile of ash a
Miguel's POVThe headlights caught her face fully now, and there was no mistaking it.Our mother.Her face was pale, lined with the kind of exhaustion that only comes from years of pain, yet her eyes held that same piercing intensity I remembered as a child.Fifteen years. Fifteen years without a word. Without an explanation.I pushed open the car door. Cold air hit me, but my chest burned hotter than ever."Stay in the car," Dad ordered, his voice taut with authority."Like hell I will." I stepped out, heart pounding. "Fifteen years. And you think showing up now—like this—is enough?"She took a step forward."Miguel, please. There's so much you don't—"I cut her off, my voice trembling. "Then explain it. No more riddles. No more secrets. Why now?"Behind me, Isabel's voice cut through the tension."Miguel! Diego's pulse is dropping again! We don't have time for this!"Our mother's face twisted with urgency."Let me help him. Please."I stepped back, blocking her approach."No. You do
The air in the resistance base buzzed with an energy that was equal parts anticipation and dread. Though Ruby and her team had delivered a crippling blow to the Shadow, the cracks in the landscape, the faint echoes of corruption still lingering in the Wastes, spoke to a danger far from eradicated. The Shadow's remnants were more than just scars; they were seeds, threatening to sprout into new horrors if left unchecked.Ruby stood in the command center, leaning over a table strewn with maps and tactical reports. The dim light overhead cast sharp shadows across her face. Evelyn's voice was sharp as ever as she discussed deployments with the council."We've dispatched scouts to all regions marked by Finn's residual energy readings," Evelyn said, her fingers tracing the map. "But reports from the south are troubling. A village near the Wastes border… it's gone dark. No communication. No survivors seen leaving."Finn adjusted his device, the holographic map flickering to life above the tab