Ken stared at Ezekiel, his mind refusing to accept what he was seeing. His brother… a criminal? The room seemed to shrink around him, walls pressing in, shadows stretching, the held breath of everyone amplifying the shock. Eloïse and Hansi froze, hands trembling, unable to form a word.
How… how could you? Ken's voice shook, still trapped in Ayato's body. You were supposed to… supposed to protect your little brother. Then why leave me behind?
Ezekiel's gaze was calm, almost cold, but his eyes betrayed a glimmer of pain.
You can believe me or not, he said softly. I never abandoned Ken. Every choice, every step, every shadow I faced… it was to protect him. Even if you don't understand now.
Ken felt a lump forming in his throat. He wanted to scream, to run, to pull him into his arms and pour out his anger and pain—but he couldn't. No one could know he was Ken.
No… this can't be true, he thought. Ezekiel… dead with our parents… impossible…
Ezekiel stepped closer, his voice firm but laced with regret:
You will not judge me yet. But you will work with me. Together, we hunt those who took my brother… or you will remain in the shadows forever.
The words struck Ken like a hammer. His fists clenched.
I'll never work with someone who abandoned their little brother, he spat. Never.
Ezekiel's anger erupted, echoing across the warehouse:
Don't accuse me! You know nothing of what happened!
Ken took a deep breath, shouting back:
Maybe, but I know what Ken endured during your absence!
A heavy silence fell. Memories surged into Ken's mind.
---
Flashback
They were children, playing in the courtyard when a group of boys attacked. Ezekiel, already brave beyond his years, signaled Ken to stay behind him. Blows rained down on his younger brother. Tears stinging his eyes, Ken asked afterward:
Why didn't you defend yourself?
Ezekiel, breath short, answered with surprising strength and wisdom:
If I defended myself, I'd be just like them. Nothing can justify violence. Even then, I was watching over you, little brother.
---
Return to the Present
A metallic snap, a sudden gunshot. Ken's heart skipped. Ezekiel wavered but stayed upright, blood slowly staining his clothes, yet his eyes still burned with a fierce light.
Eloïse recoiled, hands over her mouth, a silent scream caught in her throat. Hansi sank to her knees, trembling, unable to look away.
No… Ezekiel! she whispered, her voice choked with fear.
Behind them, a cold smile appeared. Ariel, Ayato's cousin, still held the smoking gun.
Sorry… he murmured, cold as stone. But no one threatens the Montclair family.
Ken's anger, fear, and grief merged into a single force. He lunged, grabbing Ariel by the collar and throwing him against a wall. The gun clattered to the ground. The room echoed with the dull impact.
Ezekiel, swaying but conscious, rasped:
Ayato… I… I'm grateful you were here… for Ken… for my little brother. Thank you.
The words struck Ken like a lightning bolt. The weight of rage and despair yielded to a mix of emotion and acknowledgment. The darkness of vengeance still simmered within him, but now it was colored with a renewed bond—a silent, powerful loyalty. Ken's fists clenched. The White Wolf was no longer just a part of him… he was ready to do whatever it took to protect Hansi, Eloïse, and honor his brother's memory.
---
Expanded Emotional Reflection
Ken sank to his knees beside Ezekiel, rain from the open windows washing over him, dripping from his hair. Memories of their childhood, the laughter, the fights, the promises, swirled in his mind. Each memory burned a path through his anger, through the confusion. The pain of loss, of betrayal, of hidden truths… it all collided in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
He glanced at Eloïse and Hansi, their wide eyes reflecting fear and disbelief. He realized how fragile the world felt in this moment. Life and death, loyalty and betrayal, love and rage—they were all tangled in a single thread. A thread that, somehow, he had to protect and follow to its end.
---
Action Extended
The warehouse smelled of gunpowder, blood, and damp metal. Ariel stirred, attempting to rise. Ken's muscles tensed. One wrong move could undo everything. But his fury, mixed with fear and a burning determination, lent him strength. He moved swiftly, disarming Ariel completely, securing the threat. Every breath was calculated, every heartbeat a drum of survival.
Ezekiel, still swaying from the earlier shot, finally steadied himself. His eyes met Ken's—not with accusation, but with understanding.
You did what you had to, he said hoarsely. I see now… you protected everything I couldn't.
Ken's chest ached. The White Wolf inside him howled silently, not for vengeance this time, but for the promise he had just renewed—he would protect the people he cared about, no matter the cost.
---
Closing Emotional Beat
As the rain poured outside, Ken stood over Ariel, ensuring he could no longer harm anyone. The warehouse was silent except for the occasional drip of water and the ragged breathing of those left standing. In that silence, Ken felt a weight lift slightly. The fight wasn't over. Shadows still lurked. But for this fleeting moment, the bond of brothers, blood and chosen, had survived.
He would fight. He would endure. He would protect.
And one day, every betrayal would meet justice.