CHAPTER 27

CATRIONA

The tension at the airport was thick, but no words were exchanged. Gabriel fell into step beside us, his tall frame composed, his expression unreadable. Sandra clutched Abriel close, while I held Jayden’s hand tight, needing his warmth against the cold weight of what lay ahead.

We boarded the plane—first class. The wide seats, soft lighting, and hushed attendants felt almost obscene compared to the storm inside me. Abriel curled into my lap, still drowsy, his small breaths a steady rhythm against my chest. I stroked his hair, letting the world outside blur.

Jayden sat at my side, tense, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Across the aisle, Gabriel leaned back into his seat, eyes closed, though I doubted he slept. His presence filled the cabin like a shadow that wouldn’t leave.

The flight was long, hours stretching endlessly. Sandra dozed on and off, and even I drifted for moments at a time. But every time I closed my eyes, the old man’s cruel smile flickered behind my lids. You can’t run from me.

---

When we finally landed, dawn was just breaking across the horizon.

The captain’s voice crackled overhead: “Welcome to Vienna, Austria. Local time is 5:42 AM.”

I pressed my forehead to the cool window. The city stretched out beneath us, rivers of light cutting through the waking streets. Old-world rooftops and spires pierced the pale sky, and in the distance, the faint outline of mountains loomed, watching.

Europe. Selena Jones’ domain.

And the beginning of the fight that would decide my son’s fate.

The car rolled smoothly through Vienna’s streets, the city slowly waking under the pale glow of morning. Stone buildings with elegant facades stood tall, their windows reflecting the rising sun. Cafés were just opening, their chairs being set out on cobbled sidewalks. Bicycles cut through narrow lanes, and trams hummed softly on their tracks.

Abriel pressed his small hands against the window, his sleepy eyes lighting up at every new sight. “Look, Mommy! The buildings are so tall… and the cars are different!”

I forced a smile, stroking his hair. My heart ached. This trip could have been a happy one—our first time abroad as a family, watching him discover a new world with pure joy. But instead, every landmark, every spire, every glimmer of light was shadowed by fear.

I hope this works. I hope Selena helps us. I hope one day I can bring him back here… not to fight for his life, but to explore, to laugh, to enjoy Austria’s beauty.

Beside me, Jayden’s hand rested firm on my thigh, his presence a steady anchor. His voice was low, practical. “We’ll stay at the hotel for now. Rest. Then we’ll reach out to Selena.”

I nodded, my gaze lingering on Abriel’s fascinated face as the car pulled into a busier district.

At last, we arrived before a towering glass-and-stone building, its sleek design dominating the street. Security guards stood posted by the entrance, eyes sharp, earpieces visible.

“The Imperial Crown Hotel,” the driver announced. One of Vienna’s finest—five stars, top security, every detail polished and pristine.

As the staff hurried forward to collect our luggage, I tilted my head back, staring up at its height. My chest tightened again. This wasn’t a holiday. But still… maybe within these walls, we’d have a moment of safety.

The lobby of the Imperial Crown Hotel gleamed with polished marble floors, gilded trim, and sparkling chandeliers that glittered like frozen stars. Abriel’s little gasp of wonder made me smile despite the heaviness in my chest. He tugged at Sandra’s hand, pointing at the towering fountain in the center.

When we reached our suite, the staff opened the double doors with a flourish. Abriel dashed inside the moment they left, his small feet padding across thick rugs, his laughter echoing as he threw himself onto the enormous bed. Sandra chuckled, shaking her head as she began unpacking our bags.

I trailed in behind, taking in the room—floor-to-ceiling windows spilling sunlight across velvet chairs, a dining table set with fresh flowers, and a private balcony overlooking the waking city. For a moment, it almost felt safe. Almost.

Jayden stood by the window, his reflection caught in the glass.

“Catriona,” he said, turning to me, “Gabriel and I need to go out. We have to make sure Selena’s location is still the same before we approach her.”

I nodded slowly, my heart tightening. “Be careful.”

He stepped closer, his presence warm and grounding. “I will. You, Abriel, and Sandra should rest. Or explore the hotel if you’d like. I booked this place for you—for Abriel—to have some comfort while we deal with finding her.”

My throat tightened at that. “Alright,” I whispered, softer than I meant to.

He leaned down, brushing his lips against mine in a kiss that lingered with unspoken promises. Then he bent further, pressing a tender kiss to Abriel’s head. Our son looked up from the bed, blinking sleepily, before curling back against the pillows with a small smile.

Jayden straightened, his hand brushing mine once more before he turned and stepped out.

The click of the door shutting echoed too loudly in the suite.

And just like that, I was left standing in the center of the room, praying this journey wouldn’t tear us apart before it saved us.

No sooner had Jayden left than a knock sounded at the door.

“Catriona? It’s me,” Sandra’s voice called.

I opened it, and she slipped inside, her face beaming.

I frowned playfully. “What’s that smile all about?”

Sandra laughed lightly, shaking her head. “Nothing. Maybe just… happy that I’m in a different country, in one of the most beautiful five-star hotels I’ve ever seen.”

I couldn’t help but smile back, a weary one but genuine. “I feel you. If things go right, we’ll surely get to enjoy Austria properly.”

Sandra moved to the couch, nodding as she sat. Her smile softened, but then her brows pulled together. “But… I don’t like the idea of Alpha Gabriel—”

I cut her off with a heavy sigh, sinking down beside Abriel where he lay quietly with his little toy. “Sandra, I’m tired of hearing that. Everyone isn’t happy. Including me. But he’s here now, and he’s tangled in this chaos too. I can’t change that. So… let’s just bear with the situation.”

She nodded reluctantly, then rose and wandered toward the wide windows. She pulled the curtains back fully and gasped, her face lighting. “This is beautiful.”

Curiosity tugged at me, and I got up to join her. The view sprawled out in every direction—the spires of Vienna catching the rising sun, the river threading through the city like silver, the mountains far in the distance. My chest swelled. It was beautiful, breathtaking.

I turned back—then nearly jumped out of my skin.

Abriel was no longer on the bed. He was at the door. His small frame stiff, his face twisted in an anger no three-year-old should be capable of. His hand gripped the handle.

“Abriel!” I cried, rushing forward. “Don’t—”

But the door was already open.

Before I could reach him, he bolted out into the hall, his little legs moving with impossible speed.

“Abriel!” My voice cracked, panic surging through me as I chased after him. “Stop! You’ll trip!”

Sandra was right behind me, her footsteps pounding the floor as we both tore into the corridor, desperate not to lose him.

And Abriel ran—fast, too fast, like something else was driving him.

“Abriel!” My scream echoed down the polished corridor as his tiny figure shot ahead, too fast for his short legs, as if invisible strings yanked him forward.

“Catch him!” Sandra cried, her voice high, frantic, her shoes slapping against the floor as she sprinted beside me.

My chest burned as I ran, every nerve screaming. “Abriel, stop! Please, baby, stop!”

But he didn’t. His little arms pumped, his head barely turning, as though he didn’t hear me at all. Or wouldn’t.

We turned a corner—the corridor splitting in two.

And he was gone.

I skidded to a halt, my heart dropping into my stomach. The hallways stretched empty, silent, only the echo of our footsteps bouncing back at us.

“No…” I gasped, my vision blurring with tears. My hands clawed at the air, desperate. “No, please!”

Sandra’s chest heaved beside me, her eyes darting wildly. “Catriona—where is he?!”

The silence pressed in, suffocating. The air felt colder. And for one terrifying second, I swore I heard it—

that same ancient laugh, soft and cruel, drifting through the corridor.

“Sandra—this way!” My voice cracked as we turned corner after corner, calling his name.

“Abriel!” Sandra’s voice echoed, frantic. “Sweetheart, where are you?”

But every hallway was the same—tall, polished walls, endless doors, wide carpets swallowing our footsteps. No little boy. No laughter. Only silence.

My chest heaved, panic rising like a flood. My son was gone. My baby was gone.

“Reception,” I gasped, spinning toward the elevators. “We have to get to the reception. Maybe—maybe their security can help.”

Sandra nodded quickly, her face pale, and followed close as we rushed down.

The receptionist looked up the second we stumbled forward. “Miss—?”

“My son,” I cried, slamming my hands on the desk. “My little boy—he’s gone, he’s missing, he—”

“Please, calm down,” a deep voice cut through mine.

I turned to see a man in his late forties stepping toward me, his suit sharp, his face unreadable. Authority radiated off him.

“Explain to me what happened,” he said evenly.

I swallowed hard, fighting to find words through the panic. “He—he was in the suite with us, then he ran out into the hallway. We followed but—he was too fast. We lost him. We can’t find him anywhere.”

The man nodded once, firm. “Alright, Miss Catriona. We will find him. Please, follow me.”

He turned, and without hesitation Sandra and I rushed after him. My hands shook, my knees weak, but I forced myself to keep up.

We stopped before a metal door. The man leaned forward, letting a red scanner glide across his eye. A soft beep, then the lock clicked open.

The door swung wide.

Inside was a massive security control room. Wall-to-wall screens showed every corner of the hotel—the lobby, the halls, the elevators, even the stairwells. Men in dark uniforms sat before the screens, scanning feeds with hawk-like precision.

The man’s voice rang out, calm but commanding. “We are looking for a young boy—three to four years old. Curly hair. Wearing blue jeans and white shirt and holding a small brown stuffed animal.”

The room came alive instantly, the guards leaning forward, cameras flipping through angles, the screens blinking as different hallways flashed into view.

My heart pounded wildly as my eyes darted over every image, desperate, pleading. Please, Abriel. Please show yourself.

The room buzzed with low chatter and the shuffle of screens being switched. My nails dug into my palms as the seconds dragged like hours.

Then—

“I’ve seen him,” one of the security guards said suddenly, his voice cutting sharp through the air.

My body jerked. My heart leapt into my throat. “Where?!”

The head of security strode over quickly. “Where is he?”

The guard motioned to one of the large monitors. “There. He’s at the Grand Sapphire Pool.”

My stomach dropped. The Grand what?!

The head of security’s brows furrowed. “How the hell did he get in there?”

I stumbled forward, nearly tripping, my breath tearing out of me. “Where is he? Show me!”

The guard switched the angle, and there he was.

Abriel.

My sweet little boy stood at the base of the biggest pool I've ever seen, glittering like an underground lake, his stuffed wolf clutched loosely in one hand. The vast water stretched around him, empty, silent, too big for such a tiny figure.

“Abriel,” I whispered, pressing both hands to the screen as if I could reach through. My heart felt like it shattered into pieces.

Then—slowly—he turned his head.

His eyes lifted, meeting the camera. Meeting me.

And he smiled.

A cold, knowing smile that didn’t belong to my son.

“No,” I breathed, shaking my head violently. “No, Abriel—”

Before anyone could move, before I could scream another word, his small body tipped backward—

—and he fell into the water.

“ABRIEL!”

My scream ripped through the room, raw and broken, louder than anything I’d ever let out in my life.