Chapter 66: Changes The sun rose slowly, casting a soft light over the empty road. Elsa opened her eyes and sat up, feeling stiff from the long night. They had spent the night in a small roadside motel, one of the quiet ones on the edge of town. It wasn’t fancy, but it was safe. The twins, Mia and Leah, were still sleeping on the bed beside her. Their small faces looked peaceful, their breaths steady. For now, everything was calm.Tessa came in through the door holding two paper cups of coffee. She handed one to Elsa.“You didn’t sleep much,” Tessa said, sitting on the edge of the bed.Elsa shook her head. “I couldn’t. I kept thinking he’d show up.”Tessa didn’t ask who she meant. They both knew Lucian would be coming. He had too much pride to let them leave so easily. But Elsa had no regrets. She had taken the twins and walked away from the life Lucian tried to force on them. That was the only choice she had.“We have to leave before eight,” Elsa said. “Clara’s driver is meeting us
chapter 64 Elsa nodded. “Lucian won’t waste time. Once he realizes the twins are gone, he’ll come for us.”Tessa frowned. “We should have taken another route back. Staying near the border is risky.”“I know,” Elsa said softly. “But the warriors are tired. The pups need rest. We’ll move again by dawn.”Behind them, a small fire crackled. The warriors sat in a circle, speaking in low tones. The twins, Mia and Leah, lay asleep under warm blankets. Their little faces looked peaceful, unaware of the danger surrounding them.Elsa walked over to the fire. She scanned the faces of her warriors—strong, loyal, and brave. Each one had followed her into Shadow Fang territory without question.She cleared her throat. “Tonight, we keep watch in turns. Lucian may come with force. We’ll be ready.”“Yes, Alpha,” the warriors said in unison.Tessa stood and handed out assignments. “Group one—first watch. Group two—rest for now. Stay close.”As the warriors moved into position, Elsa sat beside the twin
Chapter 64: Shadow legacy The sky was cloudy and gray as Nathan and Landon walked out of their hotel early in the morning. It was cold, and the streets were mostly empty. They had just finished an important meeting with Gregory Mays. He had given them a box full of papers that revealed something huge. The documents were not just about stolen money. They showed a hidden system of lies, fake companies, and powerful people working behind the scenes.Landon held the heavy box in his arms and looked around the street, feeling uneasy. "Do you think any of these people are still alive?" he asked Nathan."Some might be," Nathan replied. "If they survived Smith’s attacks, they could still be working in the background."Their first stop was the city’s public records office. With Mays’s notes in hand, they searched through old property records, news stories, and court papers. After hours of searching, they started to see a pattern—fake businesses, hidden bank accounts, and large donations to po
Chapter 63: Shadow The sky was cloudy and gray as Nathan and Landon walked out of their hotel early in the morning. It was cold, and the streets were mostly empty. They had just finished an important meeting with Gregory Mays. He had given them a box full of papers that revealed something huge. The documents were not just about stolen money. They showed a hidden system of lies, fake companies, and powerful people working behind the scenes.Landon held the heavy box in his arms and looked around the street, feeling uneasy. "Do you think any of these people are still alive?" he asked Nathan."Some might be," Nathan replied. "If they survived Smith’s attacks, they could still be working in the background."Their first stop was the city’s public records office. With Mays’s notes in hand, they searched through old property records, news stories, and court papers. After hours of searching, they started to see a pattern—fake businesses, hidden bank accounts, and large donations to politica
Chapter 62Landon could barely sleep after the shocking news. Every time he closed his eyes, his mind wandered back to what Nathan had said. His hands shook, and his heart felt heavy. He had killed his own father without knowing it. Guilt tore at his chest like claws, and regret sat deep in his gut. Even though he had no memory of the event, the truth was now clear: Robert Landon had died by his son’s hand, all because of manipulation. Nathan had played him like a pawn, used his pain and hatred to destroy the one person he had always longed to know.As the sun rose, Landon stood by the window, watching the world slowly come to life. He couldn’t believe how normal everything looked outside when his whole world had fallen apart. He was still processing Nathan’s confession. The worst part was that Nathan didn’t even seem sorry. He had said everything like it was just a game—a game that he had won.Meanwhile, Nathan stayed locked in a separate room. After telling Landon the truth, he hadn
Chapter 61: Only Nathan couldn’t sleep that night. The words from the mysterious letter kept replaying in his head. “You think truth protects you? It exposes you.” What did Smith mean by that? Was there something else hidden? Something they had missed? He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling until the first light of dawn crept through the curtains. When he finally got up, he walked straight to the library.The old bookshelves towered above him, the scent of paper and dust thick in the air. He moved carefully, scanning the rows until he reached the spot where the book with the letter had been left. Nathan checked the other books nearby, pulling them out one by one. His instincts told him there was more. And he was right. Behind a thick red encyclopedia, taped to the back of the shelf, was another envelope.This one was handwritten. The slanted cursive was shaky, but clear. "You’re close, but not close enough. The blood that binds you is the same that blinds you." Nathan's fingers tight
Chapter 61: Unraveling the PastThe days that followed Smith’s escape were filled with silence, suspicion, and sudden change. The mansion no longer felt haunted, but neither did it feel whole. Nathan found himself staring out the tall windows more often, thinking about all the things Robert never got to say, all the truths he never lived to explain. But there was no time for sorrow now. They had to finish what they started.Landon had taken up the role of restoring order, not just within the family, but in the community. Many of the elders came forward to apologize, admitting they had chosen silence over truth when Robert died. Some did it out of fear, others out of loyalty to Smith. But now that the lies had been pulled apart, it was time to rebuild trust.While Landon handled the external matters, Nathan dug deeper into the past. He knew Smith wouldn’t stay hidden forever. Someone that dangerous didn’t run without a plan. And Nathan intended to uncover whatever was left of Smith's
Chapter 59: Gone The morning after the town hall meeting was quiet, almost too quiet. The town had been shaken to its core by Nathan's revelations. While some people stayed indoors, processing everything, others gathered in small groups, whispering in hushed voices about Smith's betrayal and Robert's tragic end. Nathan stood at the mansion balcony, looking down at the estate's gardens, where the early sun kissed the dew-drenched leaves. His eyes were tired, but his heart felt a little lighter. For the first time in a long while, the truth had a voice.Inside, Landon was in the study, going through more of Robert's old journals. He wanted to understand his father better, to piece together the man he had never truly known. Each page revealed fragments of Robert's dreams, his fears, and his suspicions about Smith. "He knew something was wrong," Landon muttered to himself. "He just didn't know who to trust."Nathan entered the room, holding a cup of coffee. "Any luck finding more clues?
Chapter 58: The Price of PeaceNathan stood on the balcony of the mansion, watching the sun rise slowly over the hills. The orange and pink hues lit up the land that had once been drenched in secrets. Now, with Smith gone and the truth out in the open, things felt different. Quieter. But not peaceful. Not yet.He hadn't slept much the night before. Too many thoughts raced through his head. The town had turned against Smith, but there were still questions, still people unsure of what to believe. Some wondered if Nathan had come just for revenge, not justice. Some missed the man Smith had pretended to be.Landon joined him outside. He looked tired, but determined. The last few weeks had aged him, not in appearance, but in spirit. He had carried the guilt of killing his father—guilt that still lingered, even if it wasn’t truly his fault."We need to talk to the workers today," Landon said. "They deserve to hear it from us. What happened, what’s next."Nathan nodded. "We can’t just tear