Chapter 92: The Branding

The afternoon was slipping away, and the house was becoming a whirlwind of activity. I stayed in my room for as long as I could, trying to avoid the staff who were carrying garment bags and polishing shoes. I felt like a ghost in my own home. After what happened with the delivery driver this morning, I didn't want to look anyone in the eye. I kept thinking about how easy it was for Ivan to erase someone’s life.

There was a soft knock on my door. It wasn't the sharp, demanding knock of Ivan or the heavy thud of Arthur. It was light and rhythmic.

"Come in," I said, sitting up on the edge of my bed.

Dmitri walked in. He was already dressed for the gala in a dark suit that made him look even taller than usual. He was carrying a small, square box wrapped in velvet. He had a look on his face that I couldn't quite read. It wasn't the usual smirk. It was something more serious.

"You look like you're hiding," Dmitri said. He walked over and sat in the chair across from me.

"I’m just tired," I replied. "It’s been a long day already."

"It’s barely started," he said. He leaned forward and placed the velvet box on my knees. "Open it. I’ve been waiting weeks for this to be finished."

I looked down at the box. My hands felt heavy as I reached for the lid. I slowly pulled it open. Inside, resting on a cushion of white silk, was a watch. It was beautiful in a way that felt dangerous. The metal was a brushed, dark silver, and the face was a deep midnight blue with silver hands. It didn't look like a piece of jewelry. It looked like a piece of machinery.

"It's a custom piece," Dmitri explained. He reached out and touched the side of the watch. "I helped design the casing myself. It’s weighted perfectly so you won't even notice you're wearing it after a few minutes."

"It’s too much, Dmitri," I said, trying to hand the box back to him. "I don't need a watch this expensive. I can just use my phone to check the time."

Dmitri shook his head and pushed my hand back. "It’s not just about the time, Leo. A man’s watch says everything about who he is. And you are a Volkov. Tonight is your debut. You need to look the part."

He took the watch out of the box and reached for my left hand. I hesitated for a second, but then I let him take my wrist. His fingers were cold as he wrapped the leather strap around my arm. He pulled it tight—a little tighter than it needed to be—and buckled it.

"There," he whispered. "Look at that. It fits you perfectly."

I looked at the watch on my wrist. It felt heavy. It felt like a cuff. I ran my thumb over the smooth glass of the face. "Thank you. It really is beautiful."

"There’s a reason it’s so heavy," Dmitri said. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping so low that I could barely hear him. "I wanted to make sure you were always safe. Even when I’m not standing right next to you. Even if we get separated in a crowd."

I looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

Dmitri took my hand and turned my wrist so the underside of the watch was facing up. He pressed a small, nearly invisible indentation on the side of the metal casing. The watch face flickered for a brief second, a tiny blue light glowing under the glass before disappearing.

"There is a transmitter inside the movement," Dmitri said. His eyes were locked on mine. "It’s linked to an encrypted server. It doesn't matter where you go, Leo. It doesn't matter if you're inside a building, underground, or halfway across the world. I will always be able to find you."

The air in the room felt like it was getting thinner. I tried to pull my hand away, but Dmitri held onto my wrist. He wasn't squeezing hard, but he wasn't letting go either.

"A GPS tracker?" I asked. My voice sounded small. "You put a tracker in my gift?"

"It’s not a tracker, Leo. It’s a promise," Dmitri said. He sounded so sincere that it made my skin crawl. "After what happened today with the driver, Ivan and I talked. We realized that your safety is our primary concern. You have a tendency to wander. You have a tendency to look for doors that are closed to you. This watch ensures that you never have to feel lost again."

"I don't want this," I said, my voice rising. I started fumbling with the buckle, trying to get the strap off. "Take it off, Dmitri. I don't want to be followed."

Dmitri caught my fingers before I could undo the buckle. He held both of my hands in his. "It’s for your own good. Think about it. If someone tried to take you, if you were ever in danger, I would be there in minutes. Doesn't that make you feel better?"

"No," I snapped. "It makes me feel like a dog on a leash. Is that what I am to you guys? Just something to be tagged and tracked?"

Dmitri stood up, still holding my hands. He pulled me up with him so we were standing chest to chest. He looked down at me with a soft, patronizing smile. "You are our brother. You are the most valuable thing in this house. Why wouldn't we want to know exactly where you are?"

"You're suffocating me," I said. I felt the tears coming again, but I fought them back. I didn't want to show him any more weakness today.

"You'll get used to it," Dmitri said. He let go of my hands and patted my cheek. "In a few days, you won't even remember it's there. It will just be a part of you. Like your name. Like this family."

He walked toward the door but stopped with his hand on the handle. "By the way, don't try to take it off tonight. The clasp has a sensor. If the watch is removed for more than ten seconds, an alert goes straight to my phone and Ivan’s. And you know how Ivan gets when his sleep is interrupted."

He winked at me and walked out, closing the door softly behind him.

I stood in the middle of the room, staring at the dark blue face of the watch. I could hear it ticking. It was a very faint, steady sound. Tick. Tick. Tick. It sounded like a countdown.

I walked over to the mirror and looked at myself. I was wearing expensive clothes and a beautiful watch. I looked like a prince. But when I looked at the reflection of the watch, all I saw was a brand. I was marked. I could run as far as my legs would carry me, I could hide in the darkest corner of the city, and it wouldn't matter. They would just look at a screen and see a little blue dot moving through the world.

I sat back down on the bed and leaned my head against the wall. The weight of the metal on my wrist felt like it was pulling me down into the floor. I realized then that the driver’s job wasn't the only thing that had been terminated today. My chance of being a ghost, of disappearing into the world and starting over, was gone too.

I was a Volkov. And according to Dmitri, a Volk

ov was never allowed to be lost.