"And she is my woman."
The words crashed into the grand hall like a thunderclap, raw with possession, protection, and something far deeper that no one dared name aloud. They reverberated off the high ceilings, heavy with finality and unspoken consequences.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
For a long, suffocating moment, the only sounds were Kaelo's ragged, pained breathing and the faint, persistent ringing that still echoed in everyone's ears from the earlier gunshots. The metallic scent of blood lingered heavily in the air, mixing with gunpowder and fear.
"Adrian, stop this madness," Derek said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension as he continued pressing firmly on Kaelo's wound. His hands were stained red, his expression tight with concern and frustration.
But Adrian didn't lower the gun. He didn't blink. He didn't even glance away from Lucas. His aim remained steady, lethal, and unyielding.
