The world is always shifting beneath my feet. A game of moving pieces, hidden threats, and power plays woven into every conversation. And now, a new piece has emerged—Elias Volkova.
The name lingers in my mind long after Roman's departure, its weight pressing against my ribs like a vice. If what he says is true, if Elias is more than just another forgotten son, then he is a weapon waiting to be wielded.
And I intend to wield him.
But first, I need to know exactly what I'm dealing with.
Dusk Industries - The Private Office
Celeste is already waiting for me when I step into my office. She's perched on the armrest of my chair, arms crossed, a knowing look in her eyes.
"You've been thinking about him all night," she says.
I arch a brow, moving past her to the bar in the corner. "Him?"
She tilts her head. "Elias. Don't pretend otherwise."
Pouring myself a drink, I take a slow sip, letting the burn of whiskey settle the chaos in my mind. "Thinking isn't the same as acting."
Celeste exhales, pushing off the chair. "So, what's the plan?"
I turn to face her, the glass cool in my grip. "We find him."
She expected that answer, but there's still a flicker of unease in her gaze. "And then?"
I smile, slow and deliberate. "Then, we see whether he's worth keeping alive."
Celeste watches me for a beat before shaking her head. "You're ruthless, you know that?"
I set my glass down, stepping closer. "Ruthless keeps us breathing."
She doesn't argue. She never does when she knows I'm right.
A sharp knock at the door interrupts the conversation. My secretary, Evelyn, steps inside, her expression carefully blank. "Miss Dusk, Mr. Drakovich is back."
Celeste sighs. "Already?"
I smirk. "Good. Send him in."
A moment later, Roman strides into my office, his presence commanding as ever. He's dressed in dark, tailored perfection, his smirk lazy, but his eyes calculating.
"Lilith," he greets smoothly. "Missed me already?"
I gesture for him to sit. "You don't strike me as the type to waste time. So tell me, Roman—why are you here?"
He leans back, stretching out comfortably. "I thought you'd have questions about our mutual friend."
Elias.
I study him carefully. Roman never offers anything for free.
"And what price are you putting on those answers?" I ask.
His smirk sharpens. "Nothing—yet. Call it a gesture of goodwill."
Celeste scoffs. "You don't do goodwill."
Roman chuckles. "Fair. But let's just say I have my own reasons for wanting to see Damon and Kade brought to their knees."
I swirl the last of my whiskey in my glass. "Then talk."
Roman leans forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Elias is a ghost. Off the grid, untraceable, but not dead. He's been kept in the shadows for a reason, and if my sources are correct, he's more than just a hidden brother—he's a liability.
Intriguing.
Celeste's expression tightens. "Meaning?"
Roman's gaze flickers to her before returning to me. "Meaning Damon and Kade have spent years ensuring no one knows about him. And the question you should be asking, Lilith, is why."
I tap my nails against the glass, considering his words. "You wouldn't have brought this to me if you didn't already have a lead."
He grins. "Smart as ever. I do."
I wait, unmoving.
Roman leans back, watching me carefully. "There's a contact. Someone who knows enough about Elias to make him bend to your every whomp. But you're not going to like who it is."
Celeste crosses her arms. "Spit it out, Drakovich."
His smirk widens. "Kora Laurent."
The air in the room stills.
A slow, cold anger creeps up my spine. Sienna. The name alone is enough to make my blood boil.
Celeste mutters a curse under her breath. "That conniving snake. Of course, she'd be involved."
Roman watches me, his expression one of amusement. "You look like you want to kill someone, Lilith."
I do.
Kora Laurent is a ghost from my past—cold, cunning, and deadly. Once an informant, she sold out my pack, tipping the war in our enemies' favor. Celeste loathes her, and I have every reason to want her dead.
But now, Kora holds a different kind of power—knowledge of Elias Volkova's past. A secret that could shift the game.
And despite the blood between them, I knows one truth: keeping an enemy close is sometimes the sharpest weapon.
Kora Laurent has always been an irritant, a whisper in the dark that never quite fades. She operates in shadows, moving pieces on the board before anyone realizes she's even playing. And now, she has ties to Elias?
Interesting.
I set my glass down, the soft clink echoing in the silence. "Where is she?"
Roman chuckles, shaking his head. "That's the tricky part. She's been careful—moving between safe houses, keeping her whereabouts limited to only a select few. But I do know she'll be attending the St. Regis Gala tomorrow night."
The St. Regis Gala. A high-profile event crawling with politicians, crime lords, and business elites, all draped in silk and secrets.
Celeste sighs, rubbing her temples. "You're telling me we have to waltz into a gala filled with people who'd love to see Lilith dead, just to find Sienna?"
Roman shrugs. "Unless you have a better way of getting to her."
I smile, slow and sharp. "Oh, I don't mind walking into the lion's den. The lions just have to remember I bite harder."
Roman's eyes glint with amusement. "That's the spirit."
Celeste shakes her head but doesn't argue. "Fine. But we go in with a plan."
I glance at her. "We always do."
The Next Evening - The St. Regis Gala
Power is a language, and tonight, I intend to speak it fluently.
The St. Regis Hotel looms ahead, its golden lights casting a warm glow against the night sky. The entrance is a spectacle—men in tailored suits, women in designer gowns, and whispers of backroom deals hanging in the air like expensive perfume.
As I step out of the limo, all eyes turn to me. They always do.
My gown is black silk, fitted like a second skin, the deep slit along my leg a calculated choice. A queen should always command attention.
Celeste, dressed in a sleek emerald number, steps beside me. "Remind me again why we're not just putting a bullet in Sienna's head?"
I smirk. "Because I want answers before I kill her."
Roman joins us, adjusting his cuffs. "Try not to cause too much of a scene, will you?"
I ignore him, my gaze sweeping the crowd. The moment I step inside, the tension shifts. People move aside, whispers trailing in my wake. I recognize the glances—fear, respect, resentment.
Good.
Celeste leans in slightly. "She's here. Across the room, near the balcony."
I follow her gaze and spot her instantly.
Kora Laurent.
She's dressed in red, her dark hair swept to the side, a glass of wine in hand. She's speaking to a man, but I can tell—she knows we're here.
Her posture remains relaxed, but I see the way her grip tightens on the glass, the way her shoulders go rigid for just a second before she smooths it away.
She was expecting me.
Perfect.
I move toward her with slow, measured steps, savoring the way she pretends not to notice me until I'm close enough that ignoring me would be a mistake.
"Kora," I purr.
She turns, her smile perfectly practiced. "Lilith. What a surprise."
I tilt my head. "Is it?"
She chuckles, swirling her wine. "Not really. I had a feeling you'd come looking for me eventually."
I glance at her drink. "Enjoying your last meal?"
Kora smirks. "Now, now. No need for threats. We're all friends here, aren't we?"
I lean in, my voice lowering. "Tell me about Elias."
Her smile doesn't falter, but I see it—the flicker of something in her eyes. Surprise? Annoyance?
She sighs, setting her glass down. "I could, but where's the fun in that?"
Celeste tenses beside me, but I hold up a hand, keeping her back.
I smirk. "You think this is a game?"
Kora leans closer, her voice a whisper against the noise of the gala. "Everything is a game, Lilith. The question is… are you willing to pay the price for the next move?"
I meet her gaze, my patience thinning. "Name your price."
Kora exhales, feigning disappointment. "So eager. But information like this doesn't come cheap."
I smile, cold and sharp. "Lucky for you, neither do I."
She studies me for a long moment before finally saying, "Meet me at the old greenhouse on Ashford Street. Midnight. Come alone."
Celeste scoffs. "Absolutely not—"
"I'll be there," I interrupt.
Kora grins. "Good. Then we have a deal."
She turns, disappearing into the crowd before Celeste can protest.
My second-in-command glares at me. "You can't be serious. She's setting you up."
I chuckle, finishing the rest of Kora's abandoned wine. "Of course she is."
Celeste's brows furrow. "Then why are we playing into her hands?"
I set the glass down, my smirk widening.
"Because she doesn't realize…" I murmur. "She's playing into mine."
Midnight - The Old Greenhouse
The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting wood. The old greenhouse looms before me, its glass panels cracked, vines creeping along its structure like veins of a dying beast.
I step inside, the silence pressing against my skin. The only sound is the faint drip of water from a broken pipe.
Kora is already waiting, perched on an old wooden table, legs crossed.
"You came alone," she observes.
I smirk. "Did you expect otherwise?"
She chuckles. "No. But it would've been smarter."
I tilt my head. "I don't need smart. I need answers."
Kora leans forward, eyes gleaming. "Elias Volkova is more than a secret, Lilith. He's a mistake. One that Damon and Kade have spent years burying."
I fold my arms. "Go on."
She exhales, tracing patterns on the table. "He was meant to be erased. He was supposed to die the night their father did."
Something cold settles in my stomach. "But he didn't."
Kora shakes her head. "No. And now… he's coming back."
The words hang in the air, thick with promise.
"Damon's mother and Kade's father had him in secret. An affair, a mistake—one that needed to be erased before it could threaten the rightful heirs. But someone stopped it. Someone hid him away."
I frown. "Who?"
Kora's lips curve into something unreadable. "That's the question, isn't it?"
I inhale slowly. "So why reveal this now?"
Kora shrugs. "Because everything buried eventually comes to light. And when it does, you want to be the one holding the shovel."
She steps closer, the air between us charged. "Elias is alive, Lilith. And his past is tied to the fate of your enemies. I know the full story. But knowledge comes at a price."
A slow smirk plays at my lips. "And what exactly do you want in exchange?"
Kora leans in slightly, her voice smooth as silk. "I want a seat at your table."
Silence . A dangerous offer. An even more dangerous woman.
I tilt my head. "And if I refuse?"
Kora smiles, the kind that promises secrets too valuable to lose. "Then someone else will pay my price."
She turns, heading for the door. But before she steps out, she pauses. "I'll give you time to consider, Lilith. But don't take too long. Storms are coming, and you'll need to decide which side you want to be on."
Kora Laurent is a viper, a woman whose very existence is a reminder of everything I lost. She doesn't deserve mercy. But she does have something I want.
And that makes her useful—for now
I watch her leave letting the weight of our conversation settle.
I will get the information I need from her
Then —I kill her.
And with that, I walk out, the storm already brewing in my veins.