Alyssa’s POV
The silence in the room is deafening.
I sit at the long table in our temporary safe house, surrounded by a scattering of papers and digital screens. Every piece of intel we’ve gathered, every operation we’ve dismantled, now sits before me like a jigsaw puzzle. But there’s something gnawing at me, a sense of dread that I can’t shake.
We’ve done it-taken down one of the Circle’s largest arms, crippled their supply chains, and put a dent in their operations. But I know better than to think this victory will last. My parents are still out there. Still plotting.
“They won’t stop,” I murmur to myself, my fingers brushing over the files in front of me. I can almost hear my mother’s cold, calculating voice in my mind. Her last words echoing in my ears. “This isn’t over.”
“Are you alright?” Ethan’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
I look up, seeing him leaning against the doorframe, his usually strong frame now sagging, his face pale. The shadows under his eyes are deeper than usual, and there’s an unspoken tension in the way he stands.
“I’m fine,” I lie, forcing a smile, though it doesn’t reach my eyes. “Just… thinking.”
He steps closer, his expression softening. “We’ve made progress. We’ll keep making progress. But I get it. You’re worried. About them. About the Circle. You’re always worried about what’s next.”
I let out a breath, running my hands through my hair. “I have to be. If I let myself stop thinking, if I let my guard down, they’ll be right there, waiting.”
“You know I’ve got your back,” Ethan says, his voice low but steady. “Always.”
I nod, but the words feel hollow. Always. But I’ve seen too much. I know too much. My parents, the Circle-they’re a force that can’t be defeated by brute strength alone. It’s more than power. It’s manipulation, control. They’ve been planning this for longer than I can even comprehend.
And then there’s Ethan.
The man I love. The man who’s been by my side through every battle, every twisted turn in this hellish game. But even his strength has limits. And I’m terrified that we’re running out of time.
“Where’s Isabella?” I ask, looking around the room.
Ethan shifts uncomfortably, his gaze flickering toward the hallway. “She’s… getting things in order. Making sure we’re ready for the next phase.”
I don’t buy it. Isabella is more than just our strategist. She’s our lifeline, our link to the outside world. She’s the one who can always find a way to make things work, even when everything seems impossible. But lately… she’s been distant. I don’t know if it’s the weight of the war or something more personal, but it’s starting to worry me.
Before I can say anything else, there’s a loud crash from the hallway. My heart leaps into my throat.
“Ethan!” I shout, springing to my feet.
I rush toward the sound, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios, my hand already reaching for the gun tucked into the waistband of my jeans. When I round the corner, my breath catches in my throat.
Ethan is on the floor, his face twisted in pain, his hand clutching his chest as if he can’t breathe.
“Ethan!” I scream again, falling to my knees beside him.
His eyes flicker open, and he gives me a weak smile. “I’m fine… just… a little… tired,” he whispers, but his voice is strained, almost faint.
“No, you’re not,” I say urgently, pressing my hand against his forehead. His skin is burning, too hot, and his breath comes in shallow, labored gasps.
“Don’t you dare say you’re fine,” I snap, my voice cracking.
Ethan shakes his head, his lips barely moving. “It’s nothing. Just… just need to rest.”
I don’t know what’s happening, but I feel a cold, heavy weight settle in my chest. I can see it now-the pallor of his skin, the way his eyes aren’t meeting mine with their usual clarity. This isn’t just exhaustion. This isn’t just a flare-up of his illness.
This is something worse.
“Isabella!” I shout, my voice rising in panic.
She appears at the doorframe almost instantly, her face creased with concern when she sees Ethan’s condition.
“What happened?” she asks, kneeling beside me.
“He collapsed,” I explain, my voice trembling. “Something’s wrong. He’s not… he’s not getting better.”
Isabella’s eyes narrow as she checks Ethan’s pulse. “This isn’t just exhaustion. His body is shutting down. He’s been pushing himself too hard.”
“No!” I snap, my voice cracking with raw emotion. “He can’t. He can’t do this, not now.”
Ethan tries to lift his hand in protest, but he’s too weak. “I’m fine, Alyssa,” he rasps, his voice barely audible. “You’ve got bigger things to worry about. The Circle…”
“Stop,” I cut him off, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. “Stop saying that. You’re not going anywhere.”
But the truth is, I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to make this better. How do I fix him when I can barely keep my own life from falling apart?
Isabella looks up at me, her face grave. “We need to get him medical help, now. And I mean now.”
I nod, swallowing hard. “I’ll make the call.”
But as I reach for my phone, the weight of everything hits me all at once-the Circle, my parents, this war that’s been consuming us all. And now, Ethan’s life is hanging by a thread.
I can’t breathe. I can’t think.
I feel like I’m drowning in everything that’s happening, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
Hours later, we’re still holed up in the safe house, Ethan unconscious, hooked up to a makeshift IV drip that Isabella managed to put together. I sit by his side, my fingers tightly clutching his hand, my mind racing with every worst-case scenario imaginable.
What if it’s too late? What if we don’t make it in time?
I refuse to let myself believe it, but the fear claws at me, refusing to let go.
Isabella walks in, her expression tense. “The Circle is making moves. They’re regrouping faster than we anticipated. We’ll have to move soon if we want to keep the upper hand.”
I don’t respond right away. My gaze is fixed on Ethan, his labored breathing the only sound in the room.
“Alyssa,” Isabella says, more forcefully this time. “We can’t wait forever. If we don’t act-”
“I know,” I snap, my voice sharp. I can feel the tears rising again, but I fight them back. “But right now, Ethan needs me. I need him.”
And then, in the midst of all the chaos, the reality crashes down.
Ethan is running out of time.