Chapter 101

Kael Voss PovAnd he was still waiting for the moment we both left our son unprotected.I stood in the command post before first light, the triad bond carrying Elias’s quiet focus from the nursery along with the soft, steady presence of Rowan still sleeping. Vesper’s compound in the northern ridges was confirmed. Supply traffic. Reinforced perimeter. An encrypted burst that still referenced a caregiver window. The collector was patient, but patience had limits.“We don’t give him the window,” I said into the open channel. “We take the compound before he can finish building one.”Riven’s acknowledgment came immediately. Seraphina was already adjusting the inner-ward grid to its highest randomization. Lira’s units locked into supporting positions without question.Elias joined me a short time later with Rowan in the sling. The pup was awake, silver eyes half-lidded but tracking the room. Elias’s voice stayed level.“Scouts only until we have full layout and staff numbers. No large forc

Chapter 102

Elias Vale POV Now he intended to make one.I stood in the nursery with Rowan against my chest, the triad bond running tight and cold as Kael’s early orders moved through the estate. Vesper had stopped waiting for a natural caregiver window. The latest intercept made the shift clear: opportunity must be created. That meant active interference. That meant the collector was done being patient.Kael’s voice came from the doorway, calm and absolute. “We assume every external contact is compromised until proven otherwise. No off-estate movement by either of us. Rowan stays inside the inner wards. We hunt the new ridge site before he can turn intention into action.”I nodded, adjusting Rowan as he stirred. “Riven’s teams map the second site today. Full scent masking. No large footprint. If Vesper is preparing to force a window, we close the territory around him first.”The bond carried shared steel. We moved without delay.The morning briefing was the most restrictive we had held. Seraphi

Chapter 103

Kael Voss PovNow he intended to reach inside the estate and force the separation himself.I stood in the command post before first light, the triad bond carrying Elias’s quiet focus from the nursery along with the soft, steady presence of Rowan still sleeping. The latest intercept had changed the shape of the threat again. Controlled disruption inside the estate. Create separation through internal pressure. Vesper was no longer content to wait or watch from the ridges. He meant to push from within.“We assume the pressure is already moving,” I said into the open channel. “Full internal audit. Every staff member with access to the secure wing, every recent delivery, every communication log from the last seventy-two hours. Nothing is trusted until it is cleared.”Riven’s acknowledgment came immediately. Seraphina was already locking the inner wards into their highest isolation grid. Lira’s units shifted to support the outer perimeter without question.Elias joined me a short time later

Chapter 104

Elias Vale PovNow he was prepared to use the heir himself as the lever.I stood in the nursery with Rowan against my chest, the triad bond running tight and cold as Kael’s early orders moved through the estate. The latest intercept had removed the last layer of distance. Final contingency authorized. If separation could not be forced, the heir became the direct pressure point. Vesper was no longer aiming around our son. He was aiming at him.Kael’s voice came from the doorway, calm and absolute. “We end the ridge site tonight. No further delay. Full insertion. We take every record, every device, and every person still operating under that pattern. The heir does not become leverage.”I nodded, adjusting Rowan as he stirred. “I hold the estate. Randomized grid stays at maximum. No one enters the secure wing without both of us present. Nothing touches him.”The bond carried shared steel. We moved without delay.The morning briefing was the most absolute we had held. Seraphina, Riven, L

Chapter 105

Kael Voss PovNow something he had placed was still waiting to be triggered.I stood in the command post before first light, the triad bond carrying Elias’s quiet focus from the secure suite along with the soft, steady presence of Rowan still sleeping. The latest intercept had removed every remaining buffer. Internal estate asset still active. Final pressure package already placed—awaiting remote trigger. Vesper had already reached inside once. Something he left behind was still live.“We find it before it activates,” I said into the open channel. “Full technical sweep of every system that touches the secure wing. Power, sensors, communications, environmental controls. Nothing is assumed clean.”Riven’s acknowledgment came immediately. Seraphina locked the inner wards into complete isolation. Lira’s units held the outer perimeter without question.Elias joined me a short time later with Rowan in the sling. The pup was awake, silver eyes tracking the low lights. Elias’s voice stayed l

Chapter 106

Elias Vale PovNow he was prepared to come for the heir directly.I stood in the highest-security suite with Rowan against my chest, the triad bond running tight and cold as Kael’s early orders moved through the estate. The latest intercept had removed the final layer of distance. Direct approach authorized. Heir is the primary target. Proximity strike if separation remains impossible. Vesper was no longer building windows or planting pressure packages. He was coming for our son.Kael’s voice came from the doorway, calm and absolute. “We assume a proximity attempt is already in motion. Full isolation of the secure wing. No external contact of any kind. Every approach route is monitored in real time. We do not give him a target that moves.”I nodded, adjusting Rowan as he stirred. “I stay with him. You direct the outer response. The bond stays open the entire time. Nothing reaches this suite.”The bond carried shared steel. We moved without delay.The morning briefing was the most abs