LOGINElena’s POVEverything changed in an instant. Before Thomas could finish giving his order, Cindy moved.She threw both hands forward, unleashing a powerful blast of icy wind that roared through the entrance of the mine.The freezing gust struck the lanterns first, shattering the glass and plunging the cavern into near darkness. Only the faint orange glow of dying embers remained, flickering across the floor.The force of the wind hurled two guards off their feet and their iron spears flew from their hands, clanging against the rock walls before they slammed into the wooden support beams.“Now!” I shouted.I rushed around the wooden support beam, as my scalpels flashed in the dim light. The nearest guard spun toward me and swung his spear at me.I ducked under it and closed the distance before he could recover. Driving my elbow into his chin, I felt the impact as his head snapped back.Before he could react, I spun and slammed the heavy handle of my flashlight into his stomach and he c
Elena’s POV"They what?!" Nathan’s voice exploded through the quiet kitchen.He almost knocked the high stool over as he stood up, his face instantly turning pale. I grabbed his arm, my heart hammering like a wild animal against my ribs as I looked at Cindy."Cindy, take a breath," I demanded, forcing my voice into a flat, steady command despite the terror clawing at my throat. "What do you mean they disappeared?""We were in the game room," Cindy gasped, wiping a tear from her cheek with her trembling hand. "Leo was showing Caleb and Colin how he could make the metal springs inside the sofa hum using small electric charges. He told them to touch the metal frame while he pulled the voltage... and then... then there was this huge, blinding flash of blue light!"She choked on a sob, her green eyes wide with horror. "The room smelled like burning metal, and when the light went out... they were just gone, Mom! The whole sofa was scorched, and the three of them weren't there anymore!"Nath
Elena’s POVRico and his three surviving mercenaries were groaning, stirring weakly on the ground and before Rico could regain his footing, Colin stepped forward, his heavy boot pressing hard against Rico’s chest, pinning the gray-haired man back against the cold floor."Don't move," Colin growled.Beside him, Caleb was already using the heavy steel cables to secure Rico’s arms behind his back. Nathan stood over them, his jaw tight, and his hands still trembling slightly as he looked at the wreckage of the room, then at his son.Leo was standing near the main power terminal and hands were hovered an inch above the scorched metal casing of the server. A faint, blue static hummed around his fingertips, and with a sharp, electric pop, the hard drives inside the security terminal melted into a lump of useless plastic."Digital footage is wiped," Leo said, his voice flat and precise as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "The local law enforcement won't have anything on their feeds
Elena’s POVLeo sat in the front passenger seat, his laptop was open on his knees, illuminated by the pale blue glare of the screen. He was guiding us through a labyrinth of overgrown railroad tracks and towering stacks of rusted shipping containers."Turn left after the abandoned grain silo," Leo said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "The old iron foundry is two hundred yards ahead. It’s off the municipal grid, but they’re running a heavy diesel generator.""Who are they, Leo?" I asked, my hands gripping the steering wheel as I killed the SUV's headlights. We rolled in dark, quiet coasting through the gravel."The Order of the Silver Hammer," Leo murmured, closing his laptop with a quiet snap. "My dad called them 'the collectors.' They’ve been hunting my family line for three generations."Cindy leaned forward from the back seat, her hands trembling as she adjusted her jacket. "Your family line? Leo, what are you?""Anomalies," Leo answered simply, looking out the window toward a massiv
Elena’s POVThe call disconnected with a sharp, hollow click that rang in my ears like a gunshot.For two seconds, my body refused to move. The bright, warm kitchen smelled of baking chocolate and vanilla, but the world around me had narrowed down to the cold, hard floor beneath my feet and the static humming from my phone screen."Miss Willow?"Leo was staring at me from beside the counter, his green eyes were wide and his phone still held loosely in his hand. He had heard the terror in my voice and had seen the way my face had gone entirely white."Get your coat, Leo," I gasped, my voice cracking as I snatched the car keys off the counter. My fingers were shaking so violently I almost dropped them. "We're leaving. Right now.""What happened?" Leo asked, scrambling off the stool and grabbing his hoodie. "Was that Cindy? Did something happen to my dad?""Something bad," I choked out, pushing the front door open and running down the porch steps into the cool afternoon air. "I have to g
Elena’s POVThe competition started at eight in the morning.Nathan had picked up Colin, Caleb, and Cindy in his car, looking equally nervous and determined. Before he drove off to start his twenty-four hours with the triplets, he had leaned out the driver's side window and grinned at me."May the best parent win, Elena," he had called out."You don't stand a chance, Nathan," I had shouted back, waving as his car pulled down the street.That left me standing in the driveway with Leo. He was wearing an oversized hoodie and sneakers, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he looked up at me with a solemn, serious face."So," I said, walking down the porch steps toward him. "Where do you want to go first? What’s your absolute favorite thing to do?"Leo shook his head immediately, his dark curls bouncing. "Can't tell you, Miss. Willow. That would be cheating. You’re supposed to figure out what I like on your own. That’s part of the test."I let out a quiet, exasperated laugh, shaking m
Elena’s POV"Mommy has to go help someone who is very sick," I said softly, kneeling down to look my three babies in the eyes. "Mr. Sinclair is going to stay with you. You have to be on your best behavior, stay inside the garden, and you must never take off your necklaces. Do you promise?"I touch
Elena’s POVSix Years Later…“Mommy, wake up! It’s past 8!”A chorus of chattering voices broke through the fog of my sleep, followed by a shower of soft kisses and tiny, energetic hands.“Let’s go for the tickle, it always works,” Caleb’s mischievous voice commanded.I cracked my eyes open, giggli
Elena’s POVI could only stand there and watch as my partner marked another, and there was nothing I could do.***The hall fell unnaturally silent. Even the elders straightened as the Alpha stepped forward.“Now,” the Alpha’s voice rang out, vibrating with authority that jolted me back to reality.
Elena’s POVThe surgery took six hours. By the time I stepped out of the operating theater, my back was aching and my hands were stiff, but Elder Thomas was stable. I had removed the blackened tissue around his heart. The tissue hadn't just been rotting, but was literally saturated with a dark, oi







