Isabel’s POV“No, Emerson. Don’t be impulsive. Control yourself,” I screamed inwardly, watching through the glass. I gripped the arms of my chair tightly. Tension radiated through my body as I anticipated what might come next.Sebastian remained calm, unfazed by Emerson’s looming anger. It was as if the heat rolling off Emerson’s glare was invisible to him. But I could feel it, even from this distance, as if it were directed at me.Sebastian, with a faint smirk, continued his bold provocation. "I’m sorry. Did I misspeak? Is Lilith not your fiancée? Strange, because I can’t recall anyone of such significance in your life—at least, not based on what I’ve found." His tone was polite, almost apologetic, but dripping with intent.Michael, Emerson’s loyal assistant, shifted uncomfortably beside him. "Mr. Sebastian, I’d suggest watching your words," he cautioned, though his voice lacked authority. It was clear who held the reins in this confrontation, and it wasn’t him.For a heartbeat, I fea
Isabel’s POVI was frozen. Emerson knew. Somehow, he had pieced it together, connecting dots I didn’t even know existed. Sebastian’s secret, Margot’s safety, my very presence—it was all in jeopardy. My first instinct was to burst through the door, offer myself up in exchange for their freedom. But then, through the one-way glass, I caught a subtle gesture from Sebastian. His fingers shifted. It was a barely noticeable movement, but one I recognized immediately.Don't move.I clenched my fists and forced myself to stay still. Despite every nerve in my body screaming to act. The tension between Sebastian and Emerson was palpable, like the air had thickened with an invisible force. Neither man was backing down. The room seemed to hum with danger.Sebastian’s expression remained calm, his poker face impeccable. "I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about," he said, his voice laced with false innocence. "Woods is a common name. The General's family name, not mine. You must be mista
Isabel’s POVAfter Emerson left, the tension in the room hung heavy in the air. His presence still lingered like a storm cloud threatening to break. I waited a while to make sure he was truly gone. I watched quietly as Sebastian paced the room with clenched fists, muttering curse words under his breath. After a few minutes, I left the small room behind the mirror and joined Sebastian. His normally calm demeanor was shattered. His chest was still heaving with frustration and anger."Are you okay?" I asked softly, unsure of how to ease the storm brewing inside him.He just shook his head, his jaw tight, and said nothing. His silence spoke volumes, though. I could feel the weight of everything we had just endured pressing down on him. I couldn’t blame him—Emerson had come armed with far more knowledge than we had anticipated, and the danger was now more real than ever.I found myself studying Sebastian more closely, suddenly aware of the man behind the disguise. His square jawline was
Isabel’s POVI stood frozen, ready to scream for help. Michael raised his hands, trying to signal peace. His expression softened, and he spoke gently. As if I were a frightened animal about to flee.“Miss Isabel,” he began, his voice calm but insistent, “I’m not here to hurt you. Emerson sent me. He’s been worried sick about you, more than you know.”My eyes narrowed. I didn’t trust him. Michael stepped forward cautiously. “Emerson had me keep watch on the barracks, hoping we’d find you,” he admitted.I suddenly remembered the look I’d seen pass between him and Emerson in the room earlier. Michael wasn’t here by chance—this was planned. I should have known better than to wander off like this. I clenched my fists, internally cursing my recklessness.“I never expected to see you this soon, but now that I have… Please, come back with me,” Michael said softly.I took another step back, feeling the cold bite of the wind as my heart raced. “No. I won’t go anywhere with you,” I replied, my vo
Isabel’s POVSebastian and I walked side by side, heading back toward the military camp. The air between us was thick with unspoken tension. He hadn’t said a word since the fight with Michael and the bodyguards. His face was hard as stone, eyes distant. I figured he was preoccupied, calculating his next steps. Emerson wasn’t someone to give up easily, and I knew Sebastian was already thinking about how to stay ahead of him.I kept my distance for most of the walk, staying just a step behind him, unsure of what to say. But as we neared the camp, something felt… off. His usually brisk pace had slowed considerably, so much so that without realizing it, I’d caught up to him. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, and that’s when I noticed it: the slight tremble in his steps, the shallow rise and fall of his chest, and the sheen of cold sweat forming on his forehead.My stomach twisted as I looked closer. His normally composed face was pale, his lips tight and colorless. Then I saw
Isabel’s POVAs I wandered through the camp, desperately trying to figure out where Sebastian might be, my mind was spinning with possibilities. Margot’s room? No, he wouldn’t go there. He wouldn’t want his sisters to worry about him. His office? I didn’t know exactly where it was, but it seemed like the most logical place.Frustration bubbled inside me. Why did he have to be so stubborn, refusing to admit he was hurt? I couldn’t just leave him like that. I needed to find him.I caught sight of a familiar face—Sebastian’s deputy, the soldier who had saved me along with him. He was talking to another soldier, but I figured it was worth a try.“Excuse me, sir,” I said tentatively, approaching them.He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a quick smile. “Oh, hi. Wait just a minute,” he said, turning back to the soldier. “Just do what I told you.”“Yes, sir,” the soldier replied before walking away.Sebastian’s deputy turned back to me with an easy grin. “What a coincidence. We meet agai
Isabel’s POV“I—I can’t believe you’re joking at a time like this,” I muttered, shaking my head but feeling a small smile tug at my lips despite myself.I hesitated for a moment longer, but then I stepped closer, taking the bandage from his hand. As I started wrapping it around his chest, I could feel his sharp intake of breath. I knew it hurt more than he was letting on.“Why didn’t you get help?” I asked quietly, focusing on my task to avoid looking directly at him.“I’m used to taking care of myself,” he replied, his voice steady but tinged with exhaustion. “And like I said, there are more important things to worry about.”“That doesn’t mean you should ignore your own injuries,” I said.He chuckled softly, but it sounded strained. “You sound like my sister.”“Well, she’s right,” I shot back, glancing up at him.The look in his eyes made me nervous, so I quickly averted my gaze. My fingers trembled slightly when they brushed against his skin. His muscles were solid, warm beneath my t
Emerson’s POVThe faint hum of the surveillance video filled the room, the images flickering in and out of clarity. I had watched this footage more times than I could count. My eyes, tired but sharp, were fixated on the moment Isabel vanished from the screen. Every detail was burned into my memory—the way she was hoisted off the ground by Sebastian and his soldiers. I paused on the image where he held her, helping her to her feet. Something about it gnawed at me, twisting in my gut like a vice.Why didn’t Isabel reach out to me? Why hadn’t she come home yet? Why did she trust that Sebastian guy over Michael?A dark, nameless anger stirred inside me. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it was the betrayal of her choosing strangers over me. Either way, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was happening. Something I was just out of reach of grasping. Isabel’s face, her blue eyes filled with that familiar determination, haunted my thoughts.I paused the video, freezing on that image
Isabel’s POVDays passed, stretching into an unspoken eternity, and Emerson’s condition could no longer be kept from Liam and Elena.One afternoon, I was sitting by Emerson’s bed, my hand gently brushing his, when the door to the hospital room creaked open. My heart skipped a beat."Liam, Elena, what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice thick with emotion. I hadn’t expected them today, and the sight of their small faces brought a surge of overwhelming love and guilt.Eric stood behind them, his expression apologetic, his eyes soft with understanding. “They begged me, Isabel. They wouldn’t stop asking to see him... I couldn’t say no anymore.”Liam’s face was drawn, his usual bright energy dimmed with concern. Elena clung to her brother, her eyes wide with fear as they both hesitated in the doorway.Before I could say anything else, another figure appeared behind them, stepping into the room. My heart stopped for a moment as I looked up to see Emerson’s mother, Estelle, walking towards
Isabel’s POVA month had passed. One whole month, and still, no sign of life from Emerson. The machines beside his bed beeped steadily. A monotonous rhythm that I had come to know too well. A rhythm that seemed to mock the stillness of his body. I sat by his side every day, watching him, praying for some miracle—some sign that he was still there, still fighting. But each time I whispered his name, there was nothing. Nothing but the soft hum of hospital machinery.“Emerson,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my attempts to sound steady. “Don’t you want to be with me? If you wake up, I promise we can live happily as a family of four.”I meant it, every word of it. The thought of a future with him, of raising our children together, was the only thing that kept me going. I needed him to hear me. I needed him to wake up.But Emerson remained unresponsive.He looked like a prince charming, trapped in an eternal dream—strangely peaceful. I combed his dark hair back neatly after gently
Isabel’s POVThe world blurred—shouts, chaos, the metallic scent of blood thick in my nostrils. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I clung to Emerson, his labored breaths hot against my skin.I didn’t dare move. The slick warmth of his blood drenching me was unnerving. His chest rose and fell in erratic, shallow breaths. But then, amid the cacophony of battle, a stunned silence emerged. Orders were shouted. Weapons clicked into position. Something had changed. I forced myself to glance up from Emerson’s chest, my pulse hammering.Alistair stood frozen, his face contorted in pain. Blood dripped from his hand—the very hand that had been pointing a gun at me just seconds before. His grip slackened, and the weapon tumbled to the ground.A sniper.Alistair’s men immediately scattered, taking defensive positions, frantically searching the area. But before they could react, several of them suddenly dropped to the ground.They were convulsing violently, frothing at the mouth. One by one, the
Isabel’s POVMy wrists ached from the tight ropes binding my hands behind my back as I was shoved forward. The rough ground beneath my boots felt unsteady, my knees weak with exhaustion. The air smelled of blood, gunpowder, and sweat. The night was still alive with distant gunfire, but here, in the heart of the enemy’s grasp, there was only the sound of my ragged breathing and Alistair’s mocking laughter.“Stop resisting, Emerson,” he drawled, his voice filled with smug amusement. “You’re in over your head. Oh—look who finally decided to join us.”Emerson was holding back several opponents, bruised and bloodied from the fight. His head snapped up at Alistair’s words.He turned, and when his eyes landed on me, something in his face shifted. Shock, then rage, then a devastating kind of fear. He lunged forward, but a guard was faster. A rifle butt slammed into Emerson’s ribs. The sickening crack echoed in the night, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for air."Emerson!" I screamed,
Isabel’s POVAt first, Emerson and I managed to escape the building, slipping into the shadows like ghosts. The night was thick around us, swallowing our hurried footsteps as we navigated through the wreckage of Alistair’s camp. The distant gunfire and shouts of battle echoed behind us. But just as we reached the edge of the compound, the world seemed to shift.From the darkness, figures emerged—silent and predatory, their weapons gleaming under the pale moonlight. They moved like shadows given form, their presence an unspoken promise of violence. My breath caught in my throat as a dozen, no, more than two dozen enemies surrounded us, blocking every escape route. The sheer hatred in their eyes sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. These weren’t just guards; they were fanatics, men who thrived in the chaos of bloodshed and terror.Emerson moved instinctively, stepping in front of me, gun raised. “Stay close,” he murmured, barely audible over the wind. I nodded, steadying my grip
Sebastian/Elias’ POVScarlet’s scream echoed through the dimly lit room, raw with disbelief and fury. “You’re lying!” she spat, her eyes blazing with denial. The restraints binding her wrists rattled as she struggled, but I didn’t move to stop her. There was no point—her fight wasn’t with me. It was with the truth.I let out a slow breath, pulling a small, timeworn pocket watch from my coat. The silver casing had dulled over the years, but the engraved initials remained clear. I clicked it open and held it out to her, revealing a faded family photograph inside.“My father gave this to me before he died,” I said evenly, my voice softer than before. “He cared about you, Scarlet. No matter what you believe, you were never forgotten.”Her breath hitched. For a moment, the fire in her eyes flickered, replaced by something rawer—uncertainty. “How could it be?” she murmured, barely more than a whisper.All the pieces had finally clicked into place as Scarlet unraveled her story. The tangled
Scarlet’s POVTelling my story, I was flung back into the past. Lost in the grip of memories that had never truly left me. The present moment faded, and I found myself reliving those painful years. As vivid and raw as the day they had happened.I had been young, hopeful, foolish. Despite the years of neglect, I had still wanted my parents' love. But when I overheard them denying my very existence, something inside me snapped.Disheartened, I had returned to the countryside, burying myself in my studies. Medicine became my refuge, my salvation. I dedicated myself to understanding the human body—not just how to heal it, but how to manipulate it, how to break it. My hands, once weak and trembling from years of frustration, became steady, precise instruments of control.The first time I killed a lab mouse, something dark and exhilarating bloomed inside me. Power. The ability to decide whether something lived or died. The ability to take control of what had always been out of my grasp.
Elias’ POVI watched from the shadows as Isabel and Emerson disappeared into the night, their figures swallowed by the chaos of battle outside. I clenched my fists and tried to push down the sharp, aching weight that settled in my gut.Maybe it had been foolish to think I ever stood a chance with Isabel. Emerson had always been the one she turned to in the end. The one she trusted in the heat of battle. The one she looked at with that fierce determination in her eyes. And me? I was just a shadow lingering on the edges of her world, never quite stepping into the light.A slow clap echoed through the dimly lit room."Are you just going to let them go?" Scarlet’s voice slithered through the shadows like a snake.I turned away from the exit, my expression unreadable as I faced the woman bound to the chair before me. Her wrists were tied behind her back, her face partially obscured by strands of disheveled hair. Even restrained, she exuded a sickening confidence, her smirk unwavering.I m
Isabel’s POVI had to stop Margot.There was no time to think, no time to call for backup—just raw instinct and the desperate need to prevent her from making a terrible mistake. My boots pounded against the forest floor as I sprinted after her, weaving through the pine trees in pursuit. I knew why she was doing this. I understood the desperate, reckless pull of wanting to save someone you love. But charging straight into enemy territory? Alone? It was suicide.“No!” I hissed under my breath, pushing my legs harder.Margot moved swiftly, her figure barely a shadow in the dim light. She reached the edge of the enemy’s perimeter and, without hesitation, hoisted herself up onto a low window ledge. She pulled her body through with practiced agility. She was inside before I could even call her name.Damn it.I skidded to a halt near the building, pressing myself against the rough exterior. The compound was crawling with patrols. My heart pounded as I scanned the area, calculating the be