Adele
The night swallowed her Adele Moretti walked through the storm as if the rain parted for her. No umbrella. No hesitation. Only purpose. Matteo's men watched her leave the estate, but none dared stop her they knew better.Inside her black sedan, Adele finally exhaled.
Not in fear — but in satisfaction,Elena Rossi," she whispered to herself, tasting the name like a wine she hadn't decided to love or poison.The car pulled onto a secluded forest road. Two vehicles already waited there — matte-black SUVs with the windows tinted so dark they reflected nothing.A man stepped out.Tall. Scarred. A face from nightmares.Adele smiled faintly.
"Ah. I see the Council wasted no time."He bowed his head. "You said the bloodline had resurfaced."It has," Adele replied. "And this time… she must not slip through our fingers."The man studied her. "Does Lorenzo know?"Adele's smile sharpened, elegant and cruel.He knows nothing,a pause and I intend to keep it that way."The man opened the SUV door and motioned her inside.So," he said, "the girl must be taken?"Adele's silver eyes gleamed no,not yet. First, she must remember who she is."
Lorenzo's
Lorenzo's fists pounded the table hard enough to splinter wood.She walked out of my house," he snarled. "MY house. And she thinks I won't follow?"
Matteo stood grounded, but even he kept a step back.
"Lorenzo… this is Adele. She moves with shadows. She has allies we don't even—"
I don't care."
Lorenzo shoved a hand through his hair, soaked from the rain he hadn't even noticed. "If she touches Elene
She won't," Matteo assured him. "Not yet."
Lorenzo froze,Not yet?" he repeated.Matteo sighed, shoulders tense.
"You know your mother. She doesn't strike blind. She wants something. And she'll use fear before she uses force."
Lorenzo stared at the monitors showing the estate's perimeter, guards patrolling with rifles.Adele thinks she can drag Elena back into a war she never asked for." His jaw tightened. "Over my dead body."
Matteo hesitated. "Does Elena know everything?"
Lorenzo didn't answer.His silence said enough.
Matteo closed his eyes briefly. "Then she's already in more danger than we thought."
Lorenzo grabbed his gun,We find my mother," he said. "And we end whatever game she's playing."
Elena's
Elena sat on the edge of the guest room bed, hands trembling uncontrollably.She didn't know how long she'd been staring at the wall.
Her father,A Moretti,One of them?One of Adele's?Her blood felt poisoned. Every breath felt stolen.Her mind replayed Adele's voice:You were born into this war,You were the spark.
Elena wrapped her arms around herself, willing the shaking to stop. She couldn't feel her fingers. Or maybe she felt too much.A knock sounded at the door.
"Elena?"
Sofia's voice — Lorenzo's cousin. The only gentle thing left in the house.Elena opened the door, and Sofia stepped inside, carrying a glass of water and a blanket.You're freezing," Sofia whispered.I'm fine," Elena lied.
Sofia sat beside her.
"Elena… I don't know what Adele told you, but you need to understand something. She lies with the truth. She cuts with it."
Elena swallowed hard. "She said my father was one of hers."
Sofia's breath hitched.
"Elena—"
"Is it true?" Elena demanded, voice breaking. "Please. I need someone to tell me the truth."
Sofia hesitated.
Her silence was louder than any answer.
Elena felt the room tilt,Oh my God," she whispered.
Sofia grabbed her hands. "Listen to me — whatever your father was, whatever Adele wants… you are not them. You are not your blood."
Tears burned Elena's eyes. "Lorenzo knew. He knew and he didn't tell me."
Sofia's expression fell apart.
"Elena… he wasn't hiding it to hurt you."
"Then why?" Elena cried. "Why lie? Why let me walk into this blind?"
Sofia had no answer.
And that hurt more than anything.
Adele's
Inside the SUV, Adele watched the trees blur past.She's waking up," she murmured. "I saw it in her eyes. She felt the pull."
The scarred man beside her grunted.
"She doesn't know what she is."
"She will," Adele replied. "And when she does, Lorenzo will lose her."
"And the Council?" the man asked. "What do they want done?"
Adele looked out into the storm, eyes shining with a terrible certainty.What they always want," she whispered,"Balance."She turned her head slightly,and if Elena becomes what her father was… she will tip the scales."
The man frowned.
"Then she must be controlled."
Adele smiled slowly,No," she breathed she must be unleashed."
Lorenzo's
Lorenzo stormed down the hallway until he reached Elena's door — then froze.He could hear her crying
that sound broke something raw in him he raised a hand to knock… then lowered it he didn't deserve to be the one inside that room not tonight not with the secrets he'd buried.
Matteo approached quietly "She needs time."
"I don't have time," Lorenzo whispered not with Adele moving."
Matteo nodded.
"We'll find her. But Lorenzo… when Elena learns everything—"
"She won't leave me."
Matteo hesitated.
"If you believe that, you don't understand her at all."
Lorenzo's jaw clenched then — a distant alarm blared.
Matteo stiffened Perimeter breach."
Lorenzo pulled his gun.
"Mother?"
"Or worse," Matteo muttered.
Lorenzo's blood turned burned
Elena's
Elena wiped her face the house was suddenly too quiet then — a sharp crack of thunder no… not thunder a gunshot followed by shouting.
Sofia's head jerked toward the hallway. "Stay here."
But Elena was already standing.
"No. I'm done hiding. Whatever this is… it's because of me."
"Elena—!"
Elena moved to the dresser drawer where Lorenzo had placed a small pistol earlier her hands trembled as she picked it up the metal felt warm too warm like it recognized her.
Sofia's eyes widened. "Elena…"
Elena stared at the weapon — and for a split, horrifying moment — it felt natural in her grip like she'd held one before like she'd been trained. Footsteps thundered down the hall the door burst open.
"Elena!" Lorenzo shouted, breathless, rain-soaked, furious and terrified. "We need to move. Now."
Elena didn't move she held the gun.
And Lorenzo stopped cold when he saw it Elena… put that down."
"No," she whispered. "Not until you tell me the truth."
The alarms screamed voices shouted.
A shadow moved behind Lorenzo in the hallway.
Lorenzo stepped forward, hand outstretched Elena… please… we don't have time—"
"Then make time," she said, voice breaking.
And behind them, unseen, a figure stepped out of the shadows.
Adele,smiling,whispering—just like your father."