تسجيل الدخولAlina’s POVI reached the safe room to find the door blown open, smoke pouring out. Inside, Ghost was down but alive, clutching his leg where he’d been shot. Two Vultures stood over Chloe, who’d been knocked to the ground but was fighting back with surprising strength.I didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. Just raised my gun and fired.The first Vulture went down. The second turned toward me, bringing his weapon up, but Chloe grabbed his leg, throwing him off balance. I fired again. He dropped to the floor.“Are you okay?” I asked Chloe, helping her up.“I’m fine. He is not.” She gestured to Ghost, who was bleeding heavily from his thigh.“Ghost needs a medic,” I said into the radio.“All medics are occupied,” someone responded. “Apply pressure. We’ll get to him when we can.”I grabbed a medical kit from the wall, started applying pressure to Ghost’s wound. Chloe took my gun, positioning herself at the door to watch for more attackers.“You know how to shoot?” I asked her.“You think I’ve
Maddox’s POV - Two Days LaterThe trial had stopped for the weekend, giving everyone time to process the bombshell that was David Reeves’ testimony. Hart’s defense team was scrambling, public opinion had turned completely against him, and legal experts were predicting a quick guilty verdict.Which made the Vultures desperate.The attack came at dawn—too early for most people to be fully awake, late enough that night security would be tired and less alert. Smart timing. Professional planning.The first explosion took out the front gate.I was already moving before the sound stopped echoing, grabbing my gun and heading for Alina’s room. Found Jaxon already there, pulling her from bed while she was still groggy and confused.“What’s happening?” she asked, voice thick with sleep.“Compound’s under attack,” Jaxon said shortly. “Get dressed. Put on a body armor. Now.&rd
Alina’s POVDocuments appeared on screens, the original license plate registration, showing the car belonged to a known Vulture member. Police reports from that night showing Reeves’ original statement before it was “corrected.” Financial records showing large payments from Vulture accounts to Hart starting one week after my mother’s death.And photographs—crime scene photos I’d never seen, never been allowed to see, showing my mother’s broken body in that warehouse district.I made a sound…something between a sob and a gasp. Jaxon immediately stood, pulling me up with him.“We’re leaving,” he said firmly. “Now.”“But the trial…”“Doesn’t need you falling apart in front of cameras,” Ronan said, already moving to clear a path. “Let’s go.”They got me out through a side exit, avoiding the media chaos in the main hallways. I was crying now, I couldn’t stop, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t process what I’d just learned.My mother had been murdered. It wasn't an accident. Not a tragedy. It was
Alina’s POV - Trial Day FiveI wasn’t scheduled to testify again, so I could sit in the audience and watch. The courtroom had become familiar over the past week—the same wooden benches, the same quiet conversations, the same feeling of anticipation every time a new witness sat down.Today felt different, though. There was tension in the air. People whispered about a “surprise witness” the prosecution was calling.“Do you know who it is?” I whispered to Ronan, who sat on my left. Jaxon was on my right, and Maddox had stayed back at our place for security—we’d learned not to leave it completely empty.“No idea,” Ronan whispered back. “But judging by Hart’s lawyers scrambling around, they didn’t know either.”The bailiff’s voice rang out. “The prosecution calls David Reeves to the stand.”The name hit me like a punch. David Reeves—t
Alina’s POV - Three Days LaterThe courtroom was overflowing—every seat was taken, and people filled the back, while others watched on screens in nearby rooms. This wasn’t just any trial; it felt like a dramatic show. The fall of Commissioner Marcus Hart, brought down by his own daughter, played out for public consumption like a Greek tragedy.I sat nervously in the witness waiting room, still wearing the same navy suit from my earlier testimony but feeling entirely different this time. I felt more ready and determined. Instead of feeling like a victim, I was now someone who wanted justice.Across from me, my lawyer Patricia Morrison reviewed some last-minute advice. “Remember, answer only the questions they ask. Don’t go into too much detail. If Blake tries to rattle you, take a breath, center yourself, respond calmly. You’ve been through worse than cross-examination.”“Have I, really?” I asked, feeling overwhelmed. “Because this feels pretty horrible.”“You’ve faced down assassins,
Ronan’s POV - Later That EveningI found Alina in the library—a quiet place we made at the compound for anyone looking to escape the chaos around us. She was cozied up in a big chair, staring off into space, deep in thought.“Mind if I sit here?” I asked from the doorway.She motioned for me to join her. “Actually, I could use the company. My thoughts are getting overwhelming.”I sat down, and for a moment, we enjoyed a comfortable silence. Something had changed between us lately; the walls I had built around myself were starting to crumble, revealing a more open and vulnerable side.“Care to share what’s on your mind?” I asked.“Tommy called me poison,” she said quietly. “He said I was ruining everything. Part of me wonders if he’s right. Not about his methods, but about the truth underneath it all. My being here has caused problems. There’s been division. P







