Alyssa’s POV
The room was eerily quiet, save for the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock. I sat at the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the flickering glow of the lamp on the nightstand.
The weight of everything-the blood, the loss, the chaos-pressed heavily on my chest, threatening to suffocate me.
Ethan was asleep, or at least pretending to be. His breathing was shallow, but steady. The bruises on his face had darkened, a stark contrast to his pale skin. Every time I looked at him, a pang of guilt shot through me.
“This is what freedom looks like?” I muttered under my breath, the bitterness in my voice surprising even me.
A soft knock on the door startled me. My hand instinctively reached for the gun under the pillow, but I paused. No one should know we were here-not unless…
“Who is it?” I called out, my voice sharp.
“It’s Isabella.”
I let out a shaky breath and lowered the gun. Isabella slipped inside, her expression unreadable. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, crossing her arms.
“You look like hell,” she said, her tone devoid of humor.
“Thanks,” I replied dryly. “You always know how to cheer me up.”
She didn’t smile. Instead, she walked over to the window, peeking through the curtains. “You think it’s over, don’t you?”
I frowned, her words pulling me out of my haze. “Xavier’s dead. My father’s empire is in ruins. What else is there?”
Isabella turned to face me, her eyes narrowing. “You’re smarter than that, Alyssa. You’ve been in this world long enough to know that the moment you think it’s over is when it’s just beginning.”
“Spare me the cryptic lectures,” I snapped, standing up. “I’ve had enough for one lifetime.”
“I’m not being cryptic,” she shot back, her voice sharp. “I’m being realistic. You’ve made enemies, Alyssa. Powerful ones. And just because Xavier and your father are gone doesn’t mean those enemies have disappeared.”
I clenched my fists, the frustration bubbling to the surface. “Then what do you suggest I do, huh? Keep running? Keep fighting until there’s nothing left of me? I’m done, Isabella. I want out.”
“Out?” she scoffed. “There is no ‘out.’ You’ve spilled too much blood. You’ve made too many waves. You think the underworld just lets people walk away?”
Her words stung because I knew she was right. I sank back onto the bed, burying my face in my hands.
“What do you want from me?” I whispered.
“I want you to be ready,” she said, her voice softening. “Because whether you like it or not, the real fight hasn’t even started yet.”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. The sound sliced through the tension in the room, making both of us freeze.
Isabella exchanged a glance with me, and I hesitated before picking it up. The screen was blank, except for a single notification: Unknown Number.
I unlocked the phone and opened the message.
“Congratulations, Alyssa. You’ve won the first battle. But the war is far from over. I’ll be in touch.”
A chill ran down my spine as I stared at the words.
“What is it?” Isabella asked, stepping closer.
I handed her the phone without saying a word. She read the message, her expression darkening.
“Do you recognize the number?” she asked.
“No,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Then they know how to hide,” she muttered, handing the phone back. “That’s not good.”
I paced the room, my mind racing. “Who could it be? Someone connected to my father? A rival of Xavier’s?”
“Could be anyone,” Isabella said, watching me closely. “But whoever it is, they’re not playing games. That message was deliberate.”
I stopped, gripping the back of a chair. “What do they want?”
“To remind you that you’re not safe,” she said bluntly. “That no matter how many empires you burn to the ground, there’s always someone ready to rise from the ashes.”
I hated how much sense she made.
Ethan stirred on the bed, his voice hoarse as he spoke. “What’s going on?”
I turned to him, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “Nothing. Just a message from someone trying to rattle us.”
He sat up slowly, wincing as he moved. “Did it work?”
“Not even a little,” I lied.
Ethan’s gaze lingered on me, as if he could see through the facade. “Alyssa, whoever it is, they’re not going to stop. You know that, right?”
“I know,” I admitted, my voice cracking.
“So what’s the plan?” he asked.
I hesitated, glancing at Isabella. “We stay ahead. We gather resources, allies-whatever it takes. We don’t let them corner us.”
“And if they do?” Isabella asked, arching a brow.
“Then we fight,” I said, my jaw tightening. “But this time, we fight on our terms.”
Ethan nodded, his expression grim. “Good. Because I’m not going to let anyone take you from me.”
I swallowed hard, his words both comforting and terrifying.
Isabella sighed, pushing off the wall. “Well, I hope you’re ready for a long night. Because if this message is any indication, things are about to get a lot worse.”
She turned to leave, pausing at the door. “Get some rest if you can. You’re going to need it.”
After she left, the room fell into a heavy silence. Ethan leaned back against the pillows, his eyes closing.
“You should rest too,” he murmured.
“I will,” I said, though we both knew it was a lie.
As the hours ticked by, I sat by the window, staring out into the darkness. The message replayed in my mind over and over, each word a dagger in my gut.
Congratulations, Alyssa. You’ve won the first battle.
But the war is far from over.
Whoever had sent that message knew me-knew exactly how to get under my skin. And as much as I hated to admit it, they’d succeeded.
Just before dawn, another buzz from my phone shattered the quiet. My hands trembled as I picked it up, a new message appearing on the screen:
“We’re closer than you think.”
I looked up, my breath catching as a shadow moved across the street. The figure paused, tilting their head as if they knew I was watching.
The war wasn’t just beginning. It had already arrived.