Chapter 54: The Shot That Didn’t Fire

The empty click echoed through the forest like thunder.

Marcus froze mid-smile.

Alexander blinked at the gun in disbelief, chest heaving.

“What—what’s wrong with—?”

“Jammed,” Elias said instantly, stepping closer. “It happens when the chamber overheats. Throw it away!”

But it was too late.

Marcus’s grin was slow, poisonous, triumphant.

“Well, well…”

He rose shakily to his feet.

“…seems fate has a sense of humor.”

Alexander raised the gun again out of instinct.

“Don’t,” Elias snapped. “It’s useless.”

Marcus brushed dirt and dried blood from his jacket.

Then he lifted two fingers into the air and whistled sharply.

The forest answered.

From the shadows behind him, two figures emerged — tall, masked, armed.

Not Circle.

Not soldiers.

Personal assassins.

His own.

Marcus smirked. “Did you really think I’d come here unprepared?”

Elias cursed under his breath. “Alex, stay behind me.”

Alexander’s jaw locked. “No. I finish this.”

Marcus laughed. “With what? A broken gun and a bleeding heart?”

Alexander’s hand trembled. Lena stepped toward him, placing her palm over his.

“Listen to me,” she whispered. “My mother told me you could end this. She never said you had to kill him with a gun.”

Alexander swallowed hard. “What do you mean…?”

But Elias understood first.

“No.”

His voice was sharp, panicked.

“He can’t use the purge mark. It’ll tear him apart.”

Lena turned to Elias. “What purge mark?”

Marcus beamed. “She doesn’t know? Elias, you’re slipping.”

Elias glared at him. “Shut up.”

But Marcus wasn’t done.

“You see, Lena… when you chose Alexander—when you made him heir—the Circle’s network imprinted something inside him.”

Elias cursed again. “Stop talking!”

Marcus ignored him.

“The heir carries the purge inside his blood.”

Alexander looked at Lena, horrified. “In my… blood?”

“Yes,” Marcus said, stepping closer. “You now hold the same power your mother did. The same power Elias’s mother did. The purge can be activated through you.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “How?”

Marcus’s smile sharpened.

“By killing me… with your bare hands.”

Alexander recoiled. “No. NO. I’m not touching you.”

“Oh, but you will,” Marcus purred. “Because the Circle will keep coming. For her. For you. For the weapon. Unless you end the bloodline the old way.”

Elias stepped between them. “Alexander, do NOT touch him. If you activate the purge manually, you’ll destroy your nervous system.”

Marcus tilted his head. “Not if he’s strong enough.”

“I won’t do it,” Alexander said, voice shaking. “I’m not a murderer.”

Marcus grinned wider. “Then she dies.”

He lifted a small remote.

Pressed a button.

A laser dot appeared on Lena’s forehead.

Alexander roared and shoved her behind him. “NO!”

Elias fired instantly — taking down one assassin.

The second lunged at Lena—

Elias tackled him mid-air with a brutal strike, both crashing into the dirt.

Alexander charged Marcus.

Marcus grabbed Alex’s arm, twisting it cruelly.

Alexander gasped, falling to his knees.

“Time to accept who you are,” Marcus whispered.

Alexander snarled through clenched teeth, “I am NOTHING like you!”

Marcus pressed the knife to his throat.

Lena screamed. “ALEX!”

Elias fought the assassin desperately, struggling to stand.

Marcus leaned down, voice venomous.

“You’re weak. Just like your mother. Beg me for her life, and maybe—”

Alexander snapped.

With a sound that wasn’t human—

a growl from somewhere deep in his soul—

he surged forward, grabbing Marcus by the throat.

Marcus’s eyes widened. “Alexander—wait—!”

But it was too late.

The purge mark flared beneath Alex’s skin — glowing like molten gold running through his veins.

Lena felt the air vibrate.

Elias froze mid-bloodied struggle.

Marcus’s smug expression collapsed into terror.

“No—no, you can’t—”

Alexander’s voice was low, broken, lethal.

“You hurt her. You hurt all of us.”

Lena screamed, “ALEX, STOP! YOU’LL KILL YOURSELF—!”

But Alexander didn’t hear her.

Or he didn’t care.

He squeezed Marcus’s throat.

And the purge activated.

Golden light burst outward from Alexander’s hands, flooding into Marcus’s body like lightning.

Marcus convulsed violently, screaming as veins lit up under his skin, glowing brighter and brighter—

Then—

Silence.

Marcus’s body went limp.

Smoke rose from his mouth.

The purge burned through him like fire.

And Marcus Hale —

the man who destroyed Lena’s family,

who corrupted Alexander’s,

who murdered Elias’s mother,

who hunted Lena for years —

collapsed dead into the dirt.

Alexander fell to his knees beside him.

His entire body trembled.

His veins still glowing.

Lena crawled to him, sobbing. “Alex—ALEX—”

He lifted his head slowly.

His eyes glowed gold.

And he whispered, voice ragged:

“Lena… it hurts…”

He collapsed against her.

Elias scrambled toward them, eyes wide with panic. “Get him away from Marcus’s body! The purge is unstable—MOVE!”

Lena held Alexander tight, tears streaming. “Don’t leave me—please—don’t leave me—”

Alexander’s breathing grew shallow.

Elias pressed a hand to his neck. “His pulse is crashing. He activated too much energy. His system is burning out—”

Lena sobbed harder. “Help him!”

Elias met her eyes — something breaking inside him too.

“I don’t know how.”

Alexander’s golden eyes closed.

And Lena screamed his name into the night.