Night fell fast too fast.
The beach house stood silent, wrapped in darkness except for the dim glow of the security monitors. Alaska stayed close to Alana the whole time like her shadow, like her heartbeat.
He never let go of her hand.
Every tick of the clock only sharpened his instincts. Someone was coming. Someone was watching.
Alana leaned her head against his shoulder, pretending to be calm for his sake. But fear gnawed at her chest. Not fear of the enemy… but fear of what Alaska might become because of her.
"What if Kavron finds us tonight?" she whispered.
Alaska turned his head slightly eyes glinting like a predator ready to strike.
"He already found us," he said. "He's just waiting for the right moment to steal the only thing I care about."
She swallowed hard.
"Means… me."
He didn't deny it.
Suddenly, the screen on the far right flickered static, then a zoomed-in image of the balcony.
Of Alana.
Taken from earlier that morning.
Alana's blood froze.
Alaska stood so fast the chair toppled.
"That son of a."
His voice was a growl, dangerous and unhinged.
Alana grabbed his arm. "Alaska."
He snapped his gaze to her, chest rising and falling too quickly.
"No one touches what's mine," he hissed.
His fingers curled around her waist as if checking she was still real. Still safe.
Still his.
In that moment, Alaska was no longer the man who held her in quiet mornings. He was the monster he tried so hard to bury.
A monster willing to destroy the world for one woman.
Alana cupped his jaw gently.
"I'm right here," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."
His breathing slowed barely. But his grip didn't loosen.
Then
Beep.
One of the motion sensors triggered.
Monitor Cliff perimeter.
A figure in black approaching fast.
Alaska pushed Alana behind him, fury igniting in his eyes.
"Stay back."
The doorbell suddenly chimed too calm and civilized for the terror crawling under their skin.
Someone laughed from outside.
A distorted voice through the speaker:
"Still playing house, Alaska?"
Kavron.
Before Alaska could reach the door, something boomed downstairs wood splintering, glass exploding.
Smoke. Footsteps. Shouting.
Alana gasped as a masked man burst from the hallway and lunged at her. Alaska tackled him midair with a snarl so feral it didn't sound human. They crashed to the floor, Alaska's knife flashing.
Blood.
A scream.
The intruder collapsed, lifeless.
Alaska rose slowly hands soaked red eyes wild with primal rage.
He turned to Alana…
And she realized:
Right now, he wasn't sure who was friend and who was threat.
"Alaska?" she whispered cautiously.
His breaths shook violently.
"I can't lose you. I can't. His voice cracked. If they take you from me, Alana… I will lose what's left of myself."
She reached out, touching his cheek despite the blood.
"I'm here," she said. "With you. Always."
He shut his eyes just one second
CRASH!
The ceiling window shattered
Ropes dropped in three attackers.
Alaska roared and shoved Alana aside just as bullets tore into the wall where she stood.
Alaska was fast too fast like a creature born for carnage. He snapped one man's neck, threw another into a cabinet, stabbing through armor. Violence danced with elegance in every movement.
But one attacker slipped past him
Heading straight for Alana.
He grabbed her wrist and yanked her back metal pressed to her neck.
Alaska froze.
Everything inside him went silent.
"One more step," the man hissed, "and she's dead."
Alaska's voice turned to ice.
"You won't touch a single strand of her hair."
The attacker laughed.
"You're obsessed. Kavron said it's your greatest weakness."
Alaska's hands twitched, lethal frustration shaking through him.
"Let her go," he growled.
Then
A soft click. A gun pressed to Alaska's skull from behind. Alana's eyes widened.
A familiar voice whispered.
"Hello again… brother."
Alaska stiffened shock flooding his face.
"No," he breathed. "It can't be."
The man stepped forward into the light. Riley Direndra. Alaska's cousin. The one he trusted.
The one he thought died years ago. Alive. And smiling with betrayal.
"You should have stayed in the grave," Alaska snarled.
Riley smirked.
"Oh, I did die. You just never noticed the knife in your back."
He nudged the gun harder against Alaska's head.
"Let's get to the point," Riley said. "Kavron wants the girl. And I… well, I want to watch you break when she's gone."
Alana trembled as Riley dragged her closer by the hair. Alaska's face twisted rage, fear, desperation.
The obsession inside him snapped its chains.
"Riley," Alaska growled, voice shaking with murder,
"If you hurt her, I will erase every memory the world has of you."
Riley chuckled.
"You can try."
Alana's voice broke through the chaos, small but fierce.
"Alaska… don't give them what they want."
His gaze locked onto hers.
Her courage. Her love. His reason to breathe.
"Be the man I see in you," she whispered.
Riley scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Cute."
But Alaska smiled. Slow. Deadly.
"Oh," he whispered,
"You're the one who should be afraid."
He moved like death unleashed. A twist a gunshot a scream.
Riley stumbled back bleeding shock written across his face.
"Alana," Alaska rasped, pulling her into his arms, "no one will take you from me. Ever."
Riley laughed weakly, blood dripping from his mouth.
"This is only the beginning…"
More footsteps thundered outside.
Kavron's army.
Alaska lifted Alana protectively obsession blazing like fire in his veins.
"If they want a monster," he whispered darkly,
"I'll show them one."