455 The Oakbar brothers grew increasingly impatient, the tension in the cramped hideout palpable. Their voices, once unified, now splintered into sharp, cutting tones. The eldest brother, eyes cold and calculating, paced the room, his steps echoing with frustration. “It’s been too long. We’re riski
456 The suffocating silence stretched thin as the brothers moved about, their voices grating with impatience. Zoe's pulse hammered as she glanced at Darwin, bound and bruised, his eyes flicking up to meet hers with a question that needed no words. Zayne’s voice cut through the room. “Keep watch at
457 Zoe didn’t deny it, her chin lifting defiantly. “This isn’t what we signed up for, Zayne.” “You’ve gone soft,” the eldest brother spat, stepping closer to Zoe, his fury burning brighter than his injury. “You want to end up like him? Because I’ll make sure neither of you sees daylight again.”
458 Whitaker leaned against the edge of the grand oak desk in lady Margaret's study, his expression grim. “They’ve fled, Lady Margaret,” he began, his words cutting through the tense silence. “The Oakbar brothers took Darwin with them before we could close in. Our team found traces of their esca
459 The moon cast a cold, pale light over the forest as King Maelstrom’s team worked quickly to extract Darwin. He was barely conscious, blood seeping from his wounds, but his breaths, shallow and labored, were enough to spur the medics into action. “Stabilize him,” Maelstrom barked, his voice sh
460 Zoe paced nervously in the cramped room she’d rented under a fake name, her phone trembling in her hand. She had thought about this call for hours, rehearsing every possible way it could go wrong. James had always been loyal to Darwin and his family, but now she was counting on his sense of dut
461 Zoe sat on the edge of the worn-out bed, her fingers clenching the phone so tightly it felt like it might shatter. Her chest rose and fell with shaky breaths as she stared out the rain-slicked window. James had agreed to help her—for now—but his tone left no room for doubt. If she stepped out
462 The car's headlights cut through the darkness as they approached a sprawling estate on the outskirts of the city. Zoe’s hands trembled in her lap, her nerves wound so tightly she thought she might snap. She recognized the place immediately—one of Darwin family’s safehouses. Logan, sitting bes