MasukCarla’s POVI woke up to a sudden, biting cold and the sensation of hands roaming over my skin.I didn’t realize I had been knocked out.My head was heavy, my vision a blurred mess of shadows and light, and a low growl escaped my throat as I fought to claw my way out of a hazy sleep.The moment my eyes focused, blurry figures loomed over me, their faces indistinct in the dark, but their touch was unmistakable.I felt fingers tracing my skin, and an immediate, violent shiver racked my body.“W-What’s going on?” I tried to demand, but my voice was hoarse and cracked.Before I could even process where I was, a sharp, cold voice cut through the air. “Shut the fuck up and just submit yourself to us!”Panic spiked in my chest as I realized what was happening. I looked down and saw them—filthy hands ripping at my clothes, tearing the fabric away with a sickening lack of hesitation.“No!” I screamed, the sound echoing off the walls. I thrashed, trying to shove the men away as the memories fin
Daniel’s POVThe moment Aiden and I split paths, I didn’t look back at him.We both understood what we had to do, so there was no reason to hesitate or waste time.I led my men straight toward our assigned route while keeping my steps light and controlled.My eyes moved constantly as I scanned every dark corner and every shadow for movement.“Stay low,” I whispered to my team while raising my hand to signal them.They nodded to show they understood. I pressed my back against the cold stone wall and gripped my gun tighter.Slowly, I leaned my head out just enough to peek around the corner. I saw two guards standing there. Both of them were carrying rifles. I pulled back and looked at my men, who were already waiting for my signal.“On three,” I mouthed to them without making a single sound.I raised my fingers one by one.One.Two.Three.Before the guards could even realize we were there, we moved.Soft clicks echoed through the hall as we attached silencers to our weapons in one smoo
Aiden’s POV“Move! Faster,” I told my men as we got ready to leave the storage area. I waved for them to follow me, and I kept a tight grip on my gun as we headed toward the exit.We stopped for a moment when we reached the edge of the room. I stayed quiet and listened for any sounds of danger. I did not hear any footsteps or voices, and nothing was moving.The path was clear.I turned to my men and gave them quick instructions while pointing in different directions. “I will take this side. You go the other way. Check every room and do not miss anything.”They hesitated because they were worried about me. “But what about you, Lord Serpent?” one of them asked.“I’m going alone,” I replied.Before they could argue, I checked my gun to make sure the magazine was full. I had enough bullets to take down anyone who tried to stop me. I was ready to tear this whole place apart to find her.“Don’t worry about me,” I said, and my voice sounded colder than before. “They have the most important w
Carla’s POVI looked at her with sharp eyes, feeling a wave of disgust rise in my chest. Before I could stop myself, I spat directly into her face. The saliva hit her right in her eye, making her flinch.“Fuck!” she shouted. She stumbled back a step and quickly covered her eye with her hand. Her face twisted with a terrible anger. She glared at me with one eye squeezed shut while the other one seemed to burn with pure hatred.Suddenly, her men lifted their guns. I did not scream or beg for my life. Instead, I held my head high and stared back at her even harder. I was not going to let her see me break.“I am getting out of here, Catherine,” I said. My voice was low, but it did not shake even with the chaos happening around us. “Mark my fucking words. Everything is going to change in my favor.”Catherine curled her lips into a mean smile. “You little bitch,” she snapped at me.She stepped closer, her jaw held tight and her hand still covering her red eye. Then, she slowly raised her ha
Carla’s POVI don’t know what to do anymore.I stared at the ceiling, my body feeling weak and drained. My eyes were dry, but the exhaustion behind them felt deeper than any sleep could ever fix. I couldn’t even remember when I stopped hoping things would get better. Everything just felt like too much.Before I could gather my thoughts, the door suddenly swung open. My body tensed on instinct, a cold shiver running down my spine.This time, it was Catherine.She walked in like she owned the room. Behind her were a few men—the usual dogs that followed her everywhere—and each one held guns in their hands. Just the sight of those made my stomach twist into a knot.Her lips curled into a faint, cruel smile when she saw my eyes were open. “Good, you’re awake. We won’t have to throw water on you.”I didn’t respond right away. I just looked at her, forcing myself to stay still even though my hands were already starting to shake. I tightened my grip on my own fingers, trying to hide the tremb
Aiden’s POVDealing with Daniel Collins was not on my bingo card this year. But as I watched the dust settle around the ruins of the wedding, I realized I didn’t have a choice.He had been right there when everything went to hell. He saw the chaos, the betrayal, and the exact moment Vince and Catherine had snatched Chandria. If anyone had even the slightest inkling of where they had taken her, it was him.As much as it pissed me off to admit it, this wasn’t something I could handle alone.“Into your stations! Now, now, now!”The command from my guard captain cut through the humid air.The day finally arrived.My men moved instantly, rushing to their assigned vehicles with practiced, military precision. One by one, engines roared to life, a low growl that echoed my own internal fury.We had already mapped out the initial strategy, but we’d finalize the kill-zone tactics on the move. A direct attack on the main entrance would be suicide. We needed a back door.I slid into the backseat o
Chandria’s POVHis lips moved down my neck, and I immediately looked away.I stared at the blank wall just to keep my mind off what was happening.I tried so hard to force myself to enjoy it, or at least pretend to.But deep down, I felt sick. My stomach twisted in a way that had nothing to do with
Aiden’s POVMy phone kept ringing, but I did not answer it.I already knew who it was. One of my people. They were probably calling to ask for my status, my orders, what they needed to do next.They always did.But I was not in the mood to talk to anyone. I did not want to hear their voices, their
Chandria’s POV“Daniel!”I tried to push him away with all my strength, but he would not stop.Instead, he grabbed both of my wrists and forced them down, pinning me.I felt trapped, unable to move. He stared straight into my eyes.“Chandria,” his voice low, “Please…let me do this.”Before I could
Chandria’s POV“But—”“No buts, Chandria.”He was about to leave when I stopped him.“Wait! Please, at least remove these…” I glanced down at my hands. “It’s hurting me.”He looked at me with that cold stare. Silence passed between the two of us. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.Then he s







