Shadows of the General

Chapter Five – The Devil at the Door

The knock came again, three sharp raps that rattled the frame, Selene pressed her back against the wall, her breath shallow, every instinct screaming not to answer.

Her eyes darted to the phone on the nightstand, but even if she called someone, who could she trust? Her family, who had already condemned her? Adrian, who had pushed her away?, And Damon Locke was on the other side of her door.

“Selene,” his voice floated through, smooth as velvet, low as a whisper meant only for her. “I know you’re awake.”

Her chest tightened. She bit her lip, staying silent.

“You should let me in,” Damon coaxed. “The world outside is cruel. Cameras, whispers, betrayal in every corner. But I… I can make it softer. Safer.”

Her hand hovered over the deadbolt. Something magnetic in his tone tugged at her even as every nerve screamed to run. She hated herself for how it made her hesitate.

Another knock, slower this time, deliberate. “Or do you want me to come back when you’re not alone?”

Selene’s blood, turned to ice. He knew. He knew she was here, standing, listening, trembling.

“Go away!” she snapped, her voice breaking.

The silence that followed was worse than his words.

Then, finally, a chuckle. “Brave. I like that. We’ll talk soon, Selene. One way or another.”

Footsteps retreated.

Selene collapsed against the wall, her legs weak.

The next morning, the world outside her apartment looked unchanged, sunlight spilled over sidewalks, strangers hurried past, the city alive in its usual chaos. But Selene felt it in her bones: something had shifted.

She carried Damon’s voice in her ears, his presence at her door still crawling beneath her skin.

She needed answers, And there was only one person who could give them to her.

Military headquarters loomed colder than before, its glass façade reflecting the gray sky. Selene walked in with her head high, though inside she was unraveling.

Adrian was waiting.

He stood near the window of the briefing room, sunlight cutting sharp lines across his profile. His uniform was crisp, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his posture betrayed him.

“You shouldn’t have come back,” he said without turning.

Selene ignored the sting. “He came to my door.”, Adrian turned then, his eyes narrowing. “Damon?”

She nodded.

His jaw clenched. The air between them snapped taut.

“Did he touch you?”

“No,” Selene said quickly. “But he knows where I live. He knows I was alone. He…” Her voice faltered. “He isn’t going to stop.”

Adrian’s silence was heavy, dangerous.

Finally, he spoke, his tone like steel. “Then I won’t either.”

The briefing that followed was a blur of maps, photographs, and coded reports. Selene tried to follow, but most of it was beyond her grasp, networks, infiltration, threats that sprawled wider than she had imagined.

What she did understand was this: Damon Locke wasn’t just a playboy with too much money. He was tied to something larger. Something ruthless.

When the others filed out, Adrian lingered.

“You need to move out of that apartment,” he said. “It’s not safe.”

Selene crossed her arms, bristling at the command in his voice. “And where exactly am I supposed to go?”

His gaze didn’t waver. “With me.”

Her breath caught. “That’s not an option.”

“It isn’t a request,” he said coldly.

Selene’s anger flared. “You can’t just drag me back into your life because it’s convenient. You didn’t fight for me when I needed you. You don’t get to fight for me now.”

His expression flickered, pain, regret, something deeper, before hardening again. “This isn’t about us, Selene. It’s about keeping you alive.”

Her chest ached. She hated him for his silence, for the walls he built between them, for the way he still commanded her heart even when she wanted to despise him.

But she hated Damon Locke more, And deep down, she knew Adrian was right.

That night, Selene packed her things. The knock on her door still haunted her, Damon’s smile burned into her memory.

She followed Adrian’s car in silence, the city lights blurring past, her world collapsing into something unrecognizable.

When they finally pulled into his gated estate, relief loosened her chest, until she stepped out of the car.

The front door was already ajar.

Adrian froze. His hand went instinctively to the weapon at his side, And from inside the house came a single sound, A woman’s laugh, Low,  Familiar, Dangerous.

Selene’s blood ran cold, Vivienne Hale was waiting inside.