Raven barely had time to catch her breath before the chaos found her again. The city seemed to twist and pulse with unseen energy, shadows shifting where they shouldn't. She knew it wasn't random—it was a warning.
Alfa was at her side almost before she realized he had arrived, silver eyes sharp and watchful. "They're organizing," he said, voice low and urgent. "The vampire factions are calling their forces. If you're out here alone, you won't last ten minutes."
Raven tightened her grip on the Harley, heart racing. "Then we don't wait."
Storm emerged from the alley, fangs glinting as his amber gaze met hers. "You're reckless," he growled, but there was no anger in his tone—only concern. "You won't survive this without me. I won't let you."
Her chest tightened. The pull between Alfa and Storm was undeniable, each tethering her in ways she couldn't resist. Desire and danger twisted around her, making every choice feel impossible.
Then came the chill that made her skin prickle—the signature of Jethro, the vampire prince. Crimson eyes cutting through the darkness, his presence commanding, threatening, irresistible. "Running won't save you," he said, voice smooth and deadly. "I've claimed what is mine. And you cannot deny it."
Raven's fingers brushed the knife in her boot, but she knew steel meant little. She was alive because of the pull of Alfa and the protection Storm offered, and yet the hunger in Jethro's gaze made her pulse spike. The supernatural world was closing in, and every step she took seemed to draw her deeper into their orbit.
Tylif appeared then, her dark robes brushing the ground, eyes sharp and unwavering. "The factions are forming alliances," she warned. "You are at the center of a storm they cannot control. The more you resist, the stronger they will become. You must choose your path—or the world will choose it for you."
Raven swallowed, feeling the weight of the witch's words settle over her. She was no longer a runaway daughter of biker royalty—she was a pivot point, the storm at the heart of a war she hadn't wanted but couldn't escape.
As the night stretched before them, Raven realized something terrifying and exhilarating: she didn't have to fight alone. She had Alfa's blade, Storm's strength, Jethro's obsession—and Tylif's guidance. The storm inside her was ready to be unleashed, and the world would bend—or break—around it.