The car ride back home was quiet, tense even. Valerie kept throwing glances at Selena, who stared out the window, lost in thought. Matteo drummed his fingers against the steering wheel while Nathan sat with his arms crossed, his face unreadable. Selena still couldn’t shake off the feeling from earlier—the warning from that man. The way he spoke, the way he seemed to know her, know Adrian. What did he mean by trust is dangerous? She barely noticed when the car pulled into the driveway. “We’re home,” Matteo announced, breaking the silence. As they stepped out of the car, the front door swung open, and Adrian stood there, his sharp gaze locking onto them immediately. “Inside,” he ordered. No one questioned him. They walked in, and that’s when Selena noticed Isabelle sitting on the couch, a pleased smile on her lips. Valerie frowned. “What’s she still doing here?” Adrian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he walked to the center of the room, his presence commanding attent
Selena stormed up the stairs, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. She wasn’t going to sit there and let Isabelle play her games. Not when Adrian refused to see what was right in front of him. She reached her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Taking a deep breath, she leaned against it, trying to calm down. But the anger wouldn’t go away. A knock sounded on her door just as she ran a hand through her hair. “Go away,” she called out. “It’s me,” Valerie’s voice came through. Selena sighed before opening the door. Valerie stepped inside, closing it behind her. “Can you believe that?” Valerie fumed, pacing the room. “She’s acting like some innocent victim while you’re the villain. And Adrian just lets her!” Selena sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her temples. “It’s exhausting.” Valerie stopped pacing and faced her. “You know what’s really annoying? Adrian knows you. He knows when someone’s lying. So why is he letting her get away with this?” Selena scoffe
Selena paced the length of her room, her mind spinning. She was done waiting. Done being kept in the dark. Adrian thought he could just bring Isabelle here and expect her to sit quietly? No. If he wanted to protect secrets, he should have kept them far away from her. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. “Selena?” Valerie’s voice came through. Selena sighed and pulled the door open. Valerie stepped inside, closing it behind her. “I figured you’d be in here, plotting someone’s downfall,” Valerie teased. Selena smirked. “Not someone. Just Isabelle.” Valerie plopped onto the bed. “Good. Because I have news.” Selena raised a brow. “I’m listening.” Valerie grinned. “Nathan and Matteo were talking earlier. They don’t trust Isabelle either.” Selena’s heart skipped. “Did they say why?” Valerie nodded. “Something about Lucian. Apparently, he’s involved, and Isabelle’s hiding something.” Selena’s eyes darkened. “I knew it.” Valerie leaned forward. “What’s the p
Selena kept her head high, her movements fluid as she danced with yet another partner, but she could feel Adrian watching her. It was a weight, a presence she couldn’t ignore no matter how hard she tried. Every glance she stole in his direction only added fuel to the slow-burning fire inside her. He wasn’t just watching her. He was touching her. Not Selena. The woman in his arms. Her name didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was the way Adrian’s fingers skimmed over her bare back, how he leaned in slightly, murmuring something into her ear that made her laugh. Selena’s nails dug into Ethan’s shoulder, making him wince. “You okay?” he asked, shifting his grip. She forced a smile. “Perfect.” But she wasn’t. Because Adrian’s gaze was locked on her even as his hands roamed over someone else. He was daring her to react. Testing her. Fine. Selena let her body press closer to Ethan, tilting her head in a way that exposed her neck. She didn’t have to see Adrian to
The night air was crisp, but Selena’s skin burned. Not from the cold, not from fear—but from something deeper, something more dangerous. She paced the garden, her heels clicking against the stone pathway, trying to shake off the weight of Nathan’s words. "Adrian doesn’t share."As if she was his to claim. As if she hadn’t spent years keeping him at a distance, pretending his touch didn’t linger long after he was gone. Nathan stood a few feet away, arms crossed, watching her. “Are you going to say something?” Selena stopped pacing. “What do you want me to say?” Nathan exhaled. “That you understand. That you know why he did that.” She scoffed. “Why he nearly killed a man in front of everyone?” Nathan didn’t flinch. “For you.” Selena’s breath hitched. She spun on her heel, crossing her arms. “I didn’t ask for that.” Nathan tilted his head. “Didn’t you?” Her heart pounded. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Nathan stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You knew wh
Selena walked through the dimly lit hallways, her footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floors. The chandeliers above cast long shadows across the walls, making the grand estate feel emptier than ever. Her heart still raced from her argument with Adrian, but she forced herself to push those emotions aside. She needed to talk to him. She needed answers. Her pace quickened as she neared his study. The heavy wooden doors were slightly ajar, and just as she reached for the handle, she heard voices from inside. A woman’s voice. Soft. Sultry. Familiar. Selena hesitated, her fingers hovering above the door. Then she heard a low chuckle—Adrian’s chuckle. A strange, sinking feeling settled in her chest as she leaned closer. “Adrian,” Isabelle’s voice purred, “you always make things so… interesting.” Selena’s grip tightened on the doorframe. “Do I?” Adrian’s voice sounded like he was intrigued, but there was no warmth in his tone. She swallowed hard and, b
The warm water cascaded over Valerie’s shoulders as she leaned against the tiled wall of the shower, letting the steam wrap around her. She should have been relaxing, letting the tension ease from her body. But no matter how much she tried, her mind wouldn’t stop racing. Her brother Adrian had been acting strangely lately. Distant. Guarded. And she knew exactly why. It was her fault. Or maybe not exactly her fault, but she hadn’t done enough to stop it. Ever since that woman came into their lives, things had started to change. Isabelle the conniving, manipulative bitch Adrian had so foolishly brought into their home—had dug her claws into him so deeply that Valerie barely recognized the brother she had grown up with. Adrian used to trust her used to tell her everything. Now, he kept secrets. And Isabelle? She was always there, always watching, twisting everything, making herself seem like some perfect angel when Valerie she was anything but. She could see right through h
The morning sunlight filtered through the kitchen windows as Selena hummed softly, rolling up the sleeves of her oversized sweater. She had woken up feeling restless and decided to do something useful—like making breakfast. She wasn’t exactly a great cook, but how hard could it be? As she stepped into the kitchen, she found a maid standing by the stove, stirring a pot. The woman turned, startled. “M-Mistress?” The maid blinked rapidly, clearly not expecting to see her there. Selena offered a small smile. “You can call me Selena.” The maid hesitated, shifting awkwardly. “I’m Maria.” “Nice to meet you, Maria,” Selena said cheerfully, walking toward the counter. “I thought I’d make breakfast today.” Maria’s eyes widened. “You… you want to cook?” “Yes.” Selena nodded, grabbing an apron and tying it around her waist. “I mean, how hard can it be?” Maria opened her mouth, then closed it, looking conflicted. “Mist—I mean, Selena… you don’t have to do that. That’s our job.”
The hospital smelled of antiseptic and fear.Selena sat in the hallway, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, Adrian beside her, silent. The last hour had felt like a lifetime. Paramedics had managed to stabilize Nathan, but the bullet had done damage, too close to his lungs. Now, he was in surgery, fighting for his life.“He saved me,” Selena whispered, her voice barely audible. “He could have let me die... after everything...”Adrian turned his head slowly, eyes shadowed with guilt and pain. “He wasn’t always a traitor.”“He’s still your cousin.”Adrian’s jaw clenched. “And he was still working with the woman who tried to destroy us.”Selena didn’t argue. Because he wasn’t wrong but neither was she.“I want to see her,” she said suddenly, her tone sharp.“Who?” Adrian asked.“Isabella.”---The police had taken Isabella into custody, but Adrian still had strings to pull. Within the hour, Selena stood behind a pane of glass, watching the woman who had nearly taken everything from
Isabella's phone buzzed sharply that evening. She answered without checking. The voice on the other end made her sit up straighter.“It’s done,” Your father said. “He was one of them. Adrian’s sister, she was caught in our crossfire that year.”Isabella gasped, hand flying to her mouth. “Are you serious?”“She trusted one of us. And it got her killed.”Isabella’s shock quickly twisted into excitement. “Adrian doesn’t know, does he?”“He doesn’t. But you can change that. Leave a trail. Let him find it himself. If he connects the dots, he’ll never look at Selene the same again.”A slow, dangerous smile spread across Isabella’s face. “Consider it done.”She ended the call and practically flew out the door, her mind racing. She reached Nathan’s place breathless and laughing.“I’ve got it,” she said, barging in.Nathan raised an eyebrow. “What?”“The information that will destroy them more. Since they have reconcile too quickly, I have found something to break them back. Adrian’s sister’s
Adrian stood by the window of his study, hands clasped behind his back. He hadn’t slept.Not out of fear or restlessness, but because his mind was already three steps ahead—plotting, calculating, ensuring no detail escaped him. The blueprint sat in a locked briefcase on his desk, untouched since he'd retrieved it from the safe.Every line on that paper held power. Power people had killed for. Power that could dismantle empires or birth new ones.A soft knock disrupted his thoughts.He turned, voice low. “Come in.”Matteo entered, freshly changed, though his knuckles were still stained red. “The chamber is secured. Both men are restrained. Specter’s injuries are worse, but they’ll live.”Adrian nodded once. “No one gets near them unless I authorize it.”“Understood.”Matteo hesitated. “And the court tomorrow—are you sure it’s wise to go yourself?”“I won’t trust this to anyone else,” Adrian said, his voice like steel. “Too much has been sacrificed for it. I need to see it through.”Ma
Silence.Not the peaceful kind that comes after a storm, but the haunting type, the one that settles over a place that has seen too much blood, too much loss. The kind of silence that screams.Adrian stood in the middle of the aftermath.His estate, his home was now a battlefield littered with corpses. Blood pooled around bodies, soaking into the soil, painting a gruesome picture of what had transpired only moments ago. He didn’t flinch. His eyes were steady, scanning the carnage with a sharpness that betrayed no emotion. He had seen worse. But he had never tolerated betrayal.His boots crunched over gravel and glass as he moved, his gaze settling on one of the only bodies that still drew breath. The figure was barely conscious, chest rising and falling in shallow, labored intervals. A black veil obscured the face.Adrian narrowed his eyes.There was something about this one.He crouched slowly, his movements controlled, almost calculated. He reached forward, fingers tightening aroun
Matteo blinked hard, blood draining from his face the moment Rosco stepped out from behind Alvarez. His breath hitched, and for the first time in a long while, the hardened warrior faltered.“No…” he whispered.Rosco smirked, eyes gleaming with venomous satisfaction. “Hello, Matteo. Still wagging your tail behind him, I see.”Matteo took a step forward instinctively, but Adrian raised a hand, his arm sweeping across Matteo’s chest to stop him. The motion was subtle but firm.Matteo’s chest heaved with betrayal, his eyes fixed on Rosco. “You were with us… you trained with us.”Rosco chuckled, slow and condescending, before turning to Adrian, the amusement on his face deepening.“But him?” Rosco nodded toward Adrian. “He trusted me. Gave me everything. Took me into his inner circle. Showed me where the real power lies.”Adrian arched a brow, his expression unreadable.“Power?” he echoed, voice cool and distant. “What power?”Rosco sneered, reaching behind him.With a flourish, he reveal
Nathan stood by the window, his arms crossed as he watched another group of Adrian’s men load ammunition into vehicles. He didn’t like the feeling in his gut.“What the hell is he planning?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.Isabella sat on the edge of the couch, scrolling through her phone in frustration. “Victoria still isn’t answering. I’ve called her five times.”Nathan’s brows furrowed. “She’s not the type to ignore calls but since it is yours she can definitely ignore you. Isabella tossed the phone beside her and stood. “Something is going on, Nathan. This silence… this secrecy, it’s not just about protecting the pack. Adrian is hiding something.”Nathan’s gaze flickered to her, unreadable. “Then maybe it’s better we stay out of it.”Isabella looked at him, stunned. “You’re just going to sit back and do nothing?”He shrugged slightly. “It’s not my fight. Adrian made that clear a long time ago. And honestly? I’m not about to throw myself into a war that has nothin
A large map was spread out before them, covered in markings and notes detailing every inch of the Ghosted’s operations.“The celebration will end soon,” Alvarez muttered, his fingers tracing a key location. “Their leader thinks he’s untouchable, but his arrogance will be his downfall.”The masked leader tilted his head slightly. “You want him dead, or do you have something else in mind?”Alvarez smirked. “Dead, but not yet. I want him to watch as everything he built crumbles first.”The leader nodded in understanding. “Then we’ll strike fast and without mercy. We have our entry points secured. The Ghosted will never see it coming.”Meanwhile, deep within Adrian’s pack territory, the Ghosted were moving ahead with their own plans, Their informants had pinpointed a potential weakness in the pack’s security—an underground passage leading to a hidden vault where the blueprint was rumored to be stored.Three elite members of the Ghosted, clad in dark tactical gear, crouched near the pass
The Cartel had been shattered, And yet, amid the wreckage, Alvarez still drew breath.His body ached, every nerve screaming in agony as he forced himself to move. He pressed a hand to his bleeding side, the warm, sticky sensation of his own blood soaking through his fingers. The pain was nothing compared to the fury burning in his chest. He had been played. The Ghosted, his supposed allies, had turned against him at the last moment, throwing the battlefield into complete chaos. But why? Who had ordered this betrayal?His fingers curled into fists as he staggered forward, his boots crunching against shattered glass and spent shell casings. He needed to find answers. He needed to find the one who had orchestrated this disaster.A low groan echoed from the rubble. Alvarez turned sharply, gun raised, but his aim wavered when he saw who it was—one of the masked assassins, barely alive, clutching a deep wound in his stomach. Blood seeped through his gloves as he struggled to breathe, his ma
The air vibrated with gunfire, screams, and the rhythmic thunder of boots pounding against the cracked asphalt. The war had begun.Mikhail, the ruthless leader of the Monadikos, stood atop the ruins of an old industrial complex, his sharp gaze cutting through the chaos unfolding below. His fingers clenched into a fist as he watched his men swarm the abandoned shipyard where the Cartel had foolishly stationed their latest shipment of illicit arms. The plan was simple, wipe them out, seize the weapons, and cripple their operations."Push forward! No mercy!" he bellowed, his voice slicing through the night.His men responded with a battle cry, surging ahead like a tidal wave of vengeance. Gunfire erupted from every angle. Sparks flew as bullets ricocheted off rusted shipping containers, and the metallic scent of gunpowder thickened in the air. The Cartel, caught off guard by the ferocity of the attack, scrambled to mount a defense.****Alvarez, the cold and calculating leader of the Car