Elara’s POV “Tell me you’re ready for this.” Leo spoke in a low, harsh voice full of something black and relentless. His eyes searched for hesitation by burning into mine. None existed. I looked at him without faltering. "I could never have been more ready." Though it stayed in the corner of his lips, a slow smile pulled at them and missed his eyes. Good. Surrounded by scattered blueprints, weapons, and encrypted messages, we stood in the middle of an abandoned safe house on the edge of the city. Sitting in the corner, Nikolai watched us with an unclear look. Outside, the city teemed with anarchy. The Vetrova empire was already turning its gears, shifting, individuals choosing sides. By now my mother had moved. It was mine now. Leo let out a sharp exhale. The men of Dmitri will be expecting us to run. “Then we don’t run.” I straightened. “We hunt.” Nikolai lifted an eyebrow. “That’s quite the shift from the woman who used to avoid bloodshed.” I turned to him, my voice cold.
Elara’s POVLeo spoke in low, dead, anxious tones.Before the first explosion rocked the ground under us, I hardly had time to respond.The warehouse moaned, metal beams breaking like bones as flames tore across the glass. Thick and smothering, smoke permeated the air.Leo grabbed my arm and yanked me back while another blast tore across the waterfront, spewing trash." Move, Elara!"I staggered, then pushed my legs forward to avoid falling beams as the structure collapsed all around us. Already ahead, Nikolai cleared a passage among the smoke.Behind us, buried in the ruins of their own betrayal, the bodies of Mara and my mother lay quiet.still another blast.The world blurring included fire, shouts, anarchy.Still, I was not terrified.I could live.I wasn't fleeing either, for the first time.I had something running toward me.No More Secretive BehaviorWe hardly made it out before the whole construction gave way. Turning, I saw the warehouse fall in on itself, flames still flashi
Elara’s POV"Stay with Leo,." You Hear me? Join me!"My voice shaked and was rough. His blood permeated everything—on my hands, on my clothes, soaking between my fingers as I pressed against his cut.Leo coughed and red lips showed. You're yelling.I nearly let out a yell. Of course, I'm yelling. You're bleeding out, moron!His lashes flew.Not exactly Not exactly, not exactly, not exactly.I rocked him. LEo! Glance at me!He made a feeble smile under pressure. "Bossy...";Tears burned through my eyes. "Shut down." Just shut up and grab a grip.Nikolai's voice broke forth from the anarchy. "Elara, we have to get going!"I barely registered with him. The sound of shooting had stopped. Either dead or running away were Dmitri's troops. Still, none of it really counted.Not if Leo—I choked hard, not sure whether I should complete that idea.Nikolai bent next to me and started to curse at the damage. "Shits." Should we fail to get him out of here right now, he will not make it.I gripped m
Elara’s POVIn his jaw, a muscle jerked. You are not entitled to make that choice.I moved nearer and spoke softly. “Neither do you.”We neither spoke for a long moment.Leo then let off a breath. You're not backing down.“Never.”His lips quivered. That's my sweetheart.My heart stuttered.But Nikolai cleared his throat before I could say anything. "Okay, sweetheart. Is it possible to concentrate? We have to deal with this before Dmitri moves farther.Leo answered, nodding. “Call Ivan. Get him to follow that line of thinking.Nikolai grabbed his phone. "On it,"I turned to Leo once more. and you?He smiled. "You will hate what I am about to say."My belly dropped. “Leo—”“We’re going to war.”Within an hour, our squad had assembled.On the table Nikolai laid out a map. "Dmitri's men are posted here, here, and here."Leo studied the map. and Valentina?I stopped at the name of my mother.The face of Nikolai grew black. "She has disappeared beneath the ground." Since the attack, none h
Elara’s POVThe warehouse went anarchy.Leo grumbled as I drew him under cover. "Elara, you have to—”I stop him. "Close up and let me save your life."Rains of bullets fell upon her. His voice crackled on my earphones."Two minutes for backup." Retain your ground.I let out a quick exhale. Two minutes seemed to last eternity.Leo sneezed, his hold on my wrist getting tighter. You ought to go.I shot him a nasty look. Let you bleed out as well. Not happening.The men of Dmitri closed in.Leo battled to get to his feet. "Elara—'"I shot, eliminating three of them. "Stop Talking."Leo laughed barely. You are terrible.I graced myself. "Know."Then Dmitri's voice blounced."Enough of games, Elara." Surrender, and I might let him to live.I snipped. "I negotiate with traitors not here."Dmitri sighed. "then you are simply like your mother."The words come over as a slap.I stopped freezing.Leo's hand wound into a fist. Ignite not pay attention to him.Dmitri raised a smile. " Ah, but she
Elara’s POV"She wanted us here," I said, my pulse pounding. "To caution us. To ensure we understood who was in charge.Leo held his hands tightly. Not too long.I let out a quick sigh, attempting to stifle the fire of wrath within of me. "She aims to break me."Leo reached for my face and pushed me to stare at him. Then let her not allow you.His eyes were black and sharp. He was not only using the words. He meant them.I nodded and gulped. "She believes she will be victorious."His lips grazed mine. Let us then demonstrate her she hasn't.The craft of warAlready waiting back at the penthouse was Nikolai.He replied, "I tracked her location," extending a tablet toward me. She is not concealing at all either.Leo pouted. "She wants us to follow her".I graced myself. Let us not disappoint her then.Nikolai stood back. "Elara, you do realize what this means?"I turned to meet his eye. "I exactly know what it means."Leo slanted back with crossed arms. "This is not only about bringing
Elara’s POV"You're dealing with someone Valentina, not sure who they are."Like a warning, the words poured out of my lips. Second opportunities came too late, as did diplomacy. Valentina had taken everything from me; now, whatever of the cost, I would take it back.Leo's weight behind me was like a storm I knew would strike, consistent, relentless. His palm swept the small of my back, centering me in a manner I could not articulate. But the strain between Valentina and me thickened with every second that passed.You believe you have won? Valentina had hostile glints in her eyes. "You believe you could simply stroll in here and seize control of everything? Elara, you are a tiny child engaged in dress-up. You belong nowhere in this world.I kept my voice quiet and suppressed the want to yell back-off. "I am done following your guidelines. This stops tonight, you and my mother Dmitri, everyone who has been tugging the threads.Leo came up to me, his voice low but forceful. " Valentina,
Elara’s POVSet the rifle down, Dmitri.Before I really understood them, the words came from my mouth. Time appeared to stop momentarily as the revolver he carried pointed straight at Leo. The air was dense and packed with anxiety, as though each breath we took was our last one before everything broke."Don't move," Dmitri said, with a voice as icy. "Stay where each of you is now."Leo was rigid and every muscle in his body coiled like a spring right next to me. But first I sensed his hand—warm, solid, the one anchor amid this whirl of anarchy. I inhaled, recovering the fragments of my calm; Valentina's words still echoed in my ears."Dmitri, this is crazy," I remarked, my voice harder than I meant. "What the devil do you think you are doing?"He hardly blinked, nor flinches either. His eyes narrowing, he said, "What I should have done a long time ago." "You believe I was ignorant of your little scheme? You believe you could just go into my domain and grab what is mine?Leo moved in f
Elara’s POVLucas slid next to me, his hand curling into a fist. "Don't try negotiating with him, Elara." I wrote him off as neglected. "What are your preferences?" Looking at me, the shooter assessed. " you." But I would be content with an exchange. Lucas started to tighten. " Oversaw my dead body." The guy shrugged and said, "That is something one can arrange." Down my back slipped a shudder. This was really bad. really horrible. Lucas suffered, and I had no clue how we may come out of this. "Let's make this simple," the guy remarked, seeming almost relaxed. "I let your little Alpha guy live; you come with me, nice and easy." I stumbled. "no." "Yes," Lucas answered at the same moment. Widening my eyes, I turned to him. "Are you insane?!"?" Lucas grabbed my wrist, his grip firm despite his injuries. "Elara, I am not letting you go with him." Nor am I letting you die! I turned aside. Lucas's jaw clenched, frustration blazing in grey eyes. "I would sooner die
Elara's POVHe approaches quite closer; his presence is overpowering and for a time I am not sure where I am. Say it, he says, his voice a raspy scream. Say you also think it excessive. "I—my words twisted in the tempest of my feelings," I begin. "I'm not going to give in to you." His smile spreads dark and lethal. "You already possess, Elara." The air buzzes with electricity between us. More than I would care to say, this magnetic pull terrills me as it is unlike anything I have ever known. I have tried to forget his touch, but as his hand brushes across mine once more I cannot ignore it. Though it's a lie, my voice trembles and I say, "I hate you." I have no negative feelings towards him. Not sure even what to classify it under. It's far worse; it makes me feel both broken all at once and alive too. "You don't," he whispers softly, walking towards till not even an inch divides us. His breath is warm on my skin; I cannot stop the tremble down my spine. But you will.
Elara’s POVGideon's eyes soften briefly before his jaw closes with intense frustration. "I'm not here to boss you, Elara. Said another way, you should be careful. To genuinely be oneself once more. But suppose I no longer know my own self? Whispers, with my voice hardly heard. I fought them back, but I could feel tears beckoning to drop. "What if I am not the person I used to be?" Everything moves fast as the door smashes open with great power. The atmosphere of the room changes; black and terrible energy fills all around us. Deep down, I know this is the peril I have been sensing—something worse than I have ever experienced—but I cannot plainly see a shadow spanning the entrance. Gideon's hand immediately reaches my side; his body is orienting to cover me. Lucas remains still, his gaze fixed on the man almost within the threshold. Lucas answers, his voice low and hateful. "You'm too late." "She's mine." The man moves completely inside the room, the dim light highligh
Elara’s POVThe quiet bursts with a fantastic smash from the far side of the room. Ground vibrations cause the walls to vibrate. Then I get an alien presence darker beyond anything I have ever known. "What the hell was that??" I gasp, heart pounding faster. Gideon's voice tight with haste adds, "It's not just us." This area also has another quality. Really dangerous. Once more the lights flutter, creating lengthy shadows on the walls before I can react. The corridor echoes slow, cautious steps. And they are approaching really closely. The face of Lucas gets hard. "You consider this to be safe, Elara? You have just entered a battlefield. I stare at Gideon, but I am unable to speak. I am not compelled. The space seems too little, too oppressive. I had to get outside. But anywhere? All of a sudden, activity flashes across. A person standing in the gateway. Though it's too dark and too quick for me to see, it's there. And it is approaching as well. Gideon stands in fr
Elara’s POVI shake my head trying to keep a cool head. Not yours is what I mean. Here I am a special person. I choose my own road. " Do you? " He approaches, his eyes never straying from mine. Why would you then be running back to me? You see it, do you not? Our relationship is quite strong. Frustration bubbling up, I hold my hands at my sides. "I won't be any pawn in your game going forward." Gideon's body presses into mine while he grabs me tighter. Still, I can sense the fire; his raw strength flowing from his arms is still something indistinct. Something I'm unsure of. Gideon adds silently, his voice a loud growl: "You don't have to be a pawn, Elara." One never needs to be. Lucas's words and presence are like a lifeline I'm clinging on, even as his influence pulls me away. I truly feel it, though. the draw, they want to see Lucas. To surrender to the anarchy he advocates. Something dangerous and careless has always drawn me to him. And still awake and living
Elara’s POVBella, my voice higher than I would have wanted, I say, "I don't care about destiny," but it's not enough to cover the underlying dread. "I want to survive." The silence that follows is dense, loaded with unsaid messages, and I find—I'm not sure what I want either anymore. I know I cannot let her distance us. Heart tired, I look to Gideon. "What would follow from her being right? Suppose I'm not strong enough for this? He looks at me, his face softening just a bit, and at that moment I can practically see the child I used to know behind the hardness of the man he has grown to be. His palm poised for mine he says, "You're stronger than you think, Elara." Though it offers a moment of comfort, his soft touch has little effect on quieting the rage seething inside me. I want to truly believe him. I have a natural belief in him. Still, Bella's words remain with me and make breathing harder. She is accurate in one sphere alone. I cannot sprint straight ahead from h
Elara’s POVThe blackness is strangling and compressing on my chest as the cold air whirls about us. The males in front of me—Gideon, Finn, and Hunter—have scarcely noticeable shapes. But I feel their weight on my spirit sucking me in and anchoring me. Finn replies, "I told you not to trust her," with a sharp, furious edge. "Now take stock of her achievements.” I feel the hurt of betrayal; his words cut right through me. I start to explain myself, when Gideon's grip on my arm cuts me off. "I didn't," I say. Although his touch is nice, it has little effect on warming my blood. Enough, Gideon declares with the hardness of stone. We have no time for this. Right now, our choices are few. My heart hammering in my chest, I look at him. What do you mean? What is happening? Apart from this? Gideon doesn't flinch even if the tension between us is strong enough to cut with a knife. Elara, it surpasses all of us. Bella influences more than we could have possibly dreamed. She is
Elara’s POVTension permeating the air around us causes the world outside to vanish. Though it is not important, I can feel the cold wind on my skin. Gideon's eyes on me—burning with urgency, desperation, and something I cannot quite name—matter most.His voice breaks as he holds my shoulders, gently shakes me, draws me in. "Don't leave me." "I require you, Elara. You misunderstand; this is not yet ended.I try to dispel the cloud from my head by shaking it. "I'm not sure Gideon what you now want from me. I cannot continue doing this. I cannot keep being dragged into this whirlpool of falsehoods.His grasp gets tighter; the world slows down momentarily. You believe I desired this? You believe I intended to tell you lies? His voice breaks and is gruff. Though I never planned to injure you, I will do anything necessary to keep you safe. You see? Love you.I froze. Those sentences. Though I have heard them before, there is no doubt this time. Not hesitated. Just pure, unvarnished truth.
Elara’s POVBella didn’t even look at him. Her cold gaze was locked firmly on me. "I’m giving you one last chance, Elara," she said, her voice like ice. "You can join me, and we’ll walk away from this unscathed. Or you can keep fighting, and everyone you care about will fall."Her words echoed in the room, their meaning sinking into me like poison. A choice. A choice between trusting the people I loved or following Bella into a world that could swallow me whole."I’ll never join you," I said, the words coming out sharper than I’d intended, but the weight of the decision was already pressing down on me.Bella’s lips curled into a smile, but it was empty. "Then we’ll see how long your loyalty lasts, Elara. You’ll break. They all do."Before I could respond, one of the cloaked figures stepped forward. They moved with such precision, so quickly, I barely had time to react.Hunter shifted, his eyes widening, but it was too late. The figure raised a hand, and the room was plunged into darkn