Keifer's POV
None of us had slept; we were just staring at blank screens and dead ends.
My jaw was throbbing, and my patience was non-existent.
"Angelo," I said, turning to him.
"Can we use the fraternity? Use their connections. I've invested enough money into that group—they owe me."
"No," Angelo said, his voice flat. "You can't."
"Why the hell not?" I snapped.
"Because I just got word," Angelo looked at me with eyes that looked hollow. "One of the strongest members was killed tonight. And Ram too."
My heart stopped. "What? How?"
"I don't know, Keifer. But whoever did it wasn't an amateur."
The weight of the situation was crushing us. Edrix stood up, looking like a zombie. "I'm going to put my phone on charge in the guest room," he mumbled.
Angelo nodded, and Edrix dragged his feet out of the hall.
I looked around the room, a sudden, cold instinct crawling up my spine. "Where is Jay?"
"I saw her going to the washroom a while ago," CN said, not looking up from his phone.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A notification.
I swiped it open, and my blood turned to ice. It was a video.
The camera panned over a cold, concrete floor. Jay-Jay, Grace, Ella, Freya, Edrix's mom, Keigen, Kerien, and even Mica... they were all there. Tied up, blindfolded, and fainted on the ground like discarded dolls.
The room erupted into shouts of terror as the others saw the screen. Then, my phone buzzed again. A call. The caller ID made me want to vomit.
MONSTER.
I picked up and screamed into the receiver, my voice raw. "If you touch any of them—if you even leave a scratch on them—I swear I will kill you with my bare hands!"
The voice on the other end didn't sound angry. It sounded amused. My so-called father, the Monster, let out a low, dark laugh that made the hair on my neck stand up.
"First," he whispered, "save yourself, Keifer."
Before I could even process his words, the windows shattered. The doors were kicked in simultaneously.
We were surrounded in seconds by men in tactical gear, guns leveled at our chests. We tried to fight—Aries lunged for a weapon, and I threw a punch—but it was useless. There were too many of them.
They slammed us onto the floor, zip-tied our hands, and shoved us toward a waiting black van.
"Move!" a guard barked, shoving a blindfold over my eyes.
I heard the others cursing and struggling around me as we were tossed into the back like cargo. The engine roared to life.
As the van sped away, the only thing I could think about was the video of the girls and my brothers.
And Elara... where the hell are you now?
Edrix's POV
I was in guest room when voices came from outside, I saw from window, I know that I should help them but if I go , I'll be a victim too, I had to stay.
I slowly crept out of the guest room, my legs feeling like jelly. I saw a shadow move near a large cupboard, and I almost screamed. But then, Angelo stepped out.
"You... you got saved too?" I whispered, my voice coming out as a pathetic squeak.
"Yes," Angelo grunted, his face dark with fury. He looked like he wanted to set the whole world on fire. "But look at this mess. We're in deep trouble, Edrix."
"What do we do now?" I asked, feeling a wave of panic. "We are doomed. My tech is locked, the boys are gone, and the girls... they have my mom, Angelo. They have everyone."
"Shut up!" Angelo snapped. He walked over to the heavy oak table and punched it with a terrifying CRACK. The wood actually split.
Note to self: Do not make Angelo angry. Ever. He just broke a table with his bare hand. I can barely open a jar of pickles.
"My connections have failed," Angelo growled, pacing the room like a caged tiger. "The fraternity is a mess. We are on our own."
I felt hopeless. No tech, no backup, no plan. But then, a loud, bone-rattling horn echoed from outside. It was a deep, metallic roar that vibrated through the floorboards.
"Stay behind me," Angelo ordered, drawing his gun.
We stepped out onto the porch, and I think my brain actually glitched.
Sitting in the driveway was a Knight XV Fully Armored SUV. It was a matte-black, high-tech fortress on wheels. It looked like a tank had a baby with a stealth bomber. It was giant, menacing, and looked completely indestructible.
the door of that massive black truck opened. Elara didn't just stay in the driver's seat; she stepped out onto the gravel.
She looked... different. She was wearing a crisp white shirt and a black suit coat, but the white fabric was ruined. There were splatters of dark, fresh blood across her chest and shoulder.
She looked like she had just walked out of a war zone, but her expression was as bored as if she were standing in line at the cafeteria.
Angelo didn't care about the truck or the blood. He saw red. He lunged forward and grabbed her by the collar, slamming her back against the armored door.
"Who the hell are you?!" Angelo roared, his knuckles white.
Elara didn't fight back. She didn't even blink. She just looked at him and let out a long, tired sigh.
"Seriously? Are you really going to waste time like this? Every second you spend shaking me, your sister gets closer to a boat she's never coming back from."
"First, tell me who the fucking hell you are!" Angelo screamed, his face inches from hers. "And what do you even know about us?!"
Elara tilted her head slightly, a cold light in her eyes. "I know your name."
"Name?" Angelo laughed, and it sounded crazy. "Do you think I'm a fool? Everyone knows my name!"
"No," Elara said, her voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a knife. "You are Michael.Angelo. Watson."