Kael’s POVI nearly crashed the bike twice while getting to the hospital, and rain blurred my vision while panic clawed at my chest so hard I could barely breathe. Every red light felt personal, and every slow car in front of me felt like an obstacle designed to ruin me.“God, please let her be okay.” I prayed desperately on my way.The emergency entrance came into view, and I jumped off the bike before it fully stopped, almost slipping on the wet pavement as I ran inside. The smell of bleach, medicine, and death hit me immediately. Hospitals always smelled like people trying not to die.I rushed toward the front desk. “Room 306, my mother.”The nurse behind the counter recognized me instantly, and the look on her face made my stomach drop. “She’s stable,” the nurse said quickly, probably noticing the terror on my face. “But you need to speak with the doctor immediately.”That should’ve made me feel better, but it didn’t as I ran a hand through my soaked hair and nodded tightly before

Kael’s POVThe footsteps downstairs multiplied rapidly, and I knew there were at least six men or more. Rain battered the broken windows of the abandoned building while thunder shook the walls hard enough to rattle dust from the ceiling. My shoulder burned where the bullet had grazed me, warm blood soaking through my hoodie, but somehow the pain barely registered anymore because my brain was still stuck on one sentence.Most hunted man in Blackthorn City.I stared at the blonde woman and yelled, “Who the hell are you?”She ignored the question completely; instead, she moved toward a nearby table and calmly assembled another gun, like this was a normal Tuesday night for her.Metal clicked softly beneath her fingers, precise, practiced, and dangerous. “You know,” she said casually, “most people say thank you after being saved.” “You pointed a gun at me.” “But you’re still alive; that's a fair point.” Another crash echoed downstairs, and a male voice shouted, “Search every floor!”Adrena

Kael’s POVGunfire erupted beneath the bridge, and the first bullet slammed into the concrete inches from my face, spraying dust into my eyes as Raven yanked me behind one of the support pillars. “Move!” she yelled. Men flooded the bridge from both ends like shadows spilling into the rain. They wore black suits, had assault rifles, and wore cold expressions. Those were Lucien’s people, and my heart slammed violently against my ribs. Marcus crouched behind a car nearby, surprisingly calm for an old man caught in a shootout. “Raven!” he shouted. “Get him out!” “Oh, that’s the plan?” she yelled back while firing two quick shots. One of the attackers dropped instantly, and I stared at her in disbelief. “How are you this calm?” I asked, and she shot me an irritated look. “Because panicking gets people killed.”Another SUV screeched beneath the bridge, and more armed men jumped out. They were way too damn many. Raven cursed softly. “This is bad.” “Is that your professional opinion?” “Yes.”

Kael’s POVDarkness swallowed the warehouse. One second the lights were on; the next, everything vanished. The only sounds left were the storm outside and my own heartbeat slamming violently against my ribs. “What happened?” I shouted. “Don’t panic,” Marcus said immediately, like it was easy for him to say.Raven moved instantly beside me. I couldn’t fully see her in the darkness, but I heard the metallic click of a gun being loaded. “They cut the power,” she said coldly.Outside, thunder exploded across the sky, and I heard the sound of lots of slow and organized footsteps getting closer that made my blood run cold. Those were Lucien’s men, and I backed away instinctively while trying to control my breathing. This couldn’t be happening again; we had just escaped, so how the hell did he find us so fast?Raven grabbed my wrist suddenly and shoved a cold gun into my hand, which I nearly dropped. “What the hell?” “Safety’s off,” she whispered. “I don’t know how to use this!” “You’ll lear

Kael’s POVThe words didn’t settle.ACCESS GRANTED: Heir Confirmed. They just kept echoing in my head like the system had decided for me without asking.Lucien stood in the doorway, rain dripping from his coat, as calm as if the explosion behind him were background noise. His men flooded in behind him, spreading out fast, controlling angles, and cutting exits professionally and cleanly. Like they had done this a hundred times.Raven pulled the trigger first. A shot cracked through the warehouse. One of Lucien’s men dropped. Immediately, return fire ripped through the air. “DOWN!” Marcus shouted. We hit the ground as bullets shredded the metal shelves behind us. Sparks exploded. Dust filled the air again. I crawled backward, heart hammering, eyes locked on the screen. The map was still glowing. Still alive, still building itself.Lucien didn’t move. That was the worst part. He just watched me. Like everything happening around him was already decided. “Don’t let him near that system,”