51. A Hideout

~ MILENA ~“Where are you going?” Zade asks.I frown as I cross my arms. “I need to talk to the Arkan, the ones who are just pawns in this,” I say quietly.“And were you planning to just go alone?” He cocks an eyebrow.“I have lived alone for years. I can handle myself, but no, actually, I would have waited for Zion.” I frown at him.“Good, it might be worth doing that. Things haven’t really been what they were portrayed to be within the Arkan, either. Everyone deserves the truth and a second chance.”I nod as I look into his expressionless face. Just like him, he spent years in prison too. “Yeah, they do.”He casts me a final glance before he heads inside.I wait for Zion, deciding to stay outside and take the time to think.When he finally comes out, wiping the last remnants of blood from his hands, I notice how there’s not a drop of blood on his clothes.He cleans up well…“Hey, you alright?” he asks, his fingers curling around my waist as he leans down and kisses my lips.“Yeah, I

Last Updated : 2025-08-10

52. Break In

~ ZION ~That night may have been the longest night of negotiations I’ve ever led, but one that was the most important. With the Arkan agreeing to help, as long as they got to decide the punishment for those who betrayed and sold them out.A fair price.My duty was to make sure the rest agreed to their terms, and they did. Uncle’s and Xander’s approval helped greatly in swaying the rest, although some were a lot more optimistic.There are also a few of the Arkan I don’t trust, but we are keeping an eye on them, too.The final plan to finding the ones behind it all is one that only a select few of us know, and we are tracking them all down already.We didn’t wait three days to gather teams as we stated publicly. That is a job Xander and a few of our trusted men are doing.We had another job to take care of. Milena and I, along with Uncle and a few others, are locating the facilities where the testing and gene trialling was taking place and setting up detonators. We were able to locate s

Last Updated : 2025-08-12

53. Anaelation

~ ZION ~They were maybe human once, but some are half-mutated, some look like they have the snout or claws of a wolf… but it’s clear they’re all dead.“Do a full turn, Milena,” Adriana murmurs, and I know she’s taking pictures with the cameras we’re both wearing.The sight makes me sick; some of the bodies are of children.“They’re alive,” Milena mutters, and I glance up sharply, noticing the pipes and wires connected to the tubes.What on earth…Milena swears under her breath, moving to the main control panel.“I’m cutting life support on them… this is no life… and they are beyond help.”“What if there’s something left in them?” I murmur.“There isn’t, Zion,” Uncle mutters. I walk over to one of the cylinders, staring into the murky liquid at the body inside, but it’s the face that strikes me. Haunted, tortured and empty…“It’s the best we can do for them,” Milena murmurs from behind me.I’ve learned in my field of work that I can’t save everyone, and sometimes we have to make hard d

Last Updated : 2025-08-12

54. Alike

~ MILENA ~It’s been a few weeks since it all went down, and after the cacophony of delicious chaos, it was followed by serenity. A peace like I have never experienced before.The high officials of the government were notified of the situation, and things were brought under control. Many Arkan hunters are training to work for agencies where their skills will be of use, whilst others just wanted a new life far from here. Seven of the remaining elite traitors were punished for their involvement.The victims we found all died within days. They had been tested on by the first prototypes of the mutations that only destroyed them. Zion was devastated, but there was nothing he could do. I’m just glad we didn’t leave them there as we had decided originally, or he’d always blame himself.He saved them even if they didn’t have long to live. He tried.I am healed properly now, and Zion and I… Well, let’s just say we’re back to being mushy half the time, but I love how I don’t need to be vocal for

Last Updated : 2025-08-13

55. Declarations

~ MILENA ~His eyes now flick to me, and those words take me by surprise. I hate how it shows on my face, and it takes me a second to school my emotions.“Yeah, he isn’t, and my brother and mentor are also not here. No big deal.” But the moment the words leave my lips, I realise it is a big deal; it’s something that’s been weighing on me all morning without me even realising. I put it down to nerves…Although I found a family, on this day, there’s no one from my own family to give me away into this family.“Yeah, they aren’t. And that’s why I’m here.”One thing I like about Zade is that he doesn’t show pity. I detest pity.“I am perfectly fine walking alone,” I state.“I know, you might even prefer it.” He now approaches me, only stopping when we’re eye to eye, a foot apart as I look him square in the eyes, one normal, one eerie white. “You and I are similar in many ways, whether you admit it or not. I’ve been where you have.”“Walking down the aisle?” I smirk.He’s not even mildly im