Romance

  Aurora &#39;s Perspective
  The car sped along the road back to the estate. Outside, the city lights streamed by like a cold, distant galaxy. Lex drove in focused silence, throwing me the occasional worried glance. The only sounds were the engine&#39;s low growl and the hiss of the heater.
  The lead from Marta was like a rusty fishhook lodged deep in my mind. A sliver of hope, vanishingly small, yet impossible to ignore. Wait for Marta&#39;s people to make discreet inquiries? Wait for that junkie who might never wake up coherent? Every passing second felt like another weight added to the scales of whatever torment Brett might be enduring. The image of Uncle Jacob&#39;s bloodshot eyes and Aunt Selena&#39;s silently trembling shoulders wouldn&#39;t leave me.
  A frantic, burning anxiety churned in my gut, hotter than the alcohol I&#39;d consumed. I stared at the faint glow of my phone s

  Brett&#39;s Perspective
  What we&#39;re doing lately? The coolest thing ever. Seriously, tops anything I&#39;ve ever done—*planning a prison break*. Me, Brett, legit scheming how to bust out of this creepy joint.
  Okay, not just &quot;me.&quot; &quot;Us.&quot; Besides Luka, we&#39;ve cautiously brought in two others. Scarface—quiet, vicious, with an eagle eye for detail. And &quot;Rat&quot;—skinny, agile, ears like a bat, always catching whispers from the corners. We chose them because they can keep their mouths shut, and more importantly, they have the same look in their eyes—the will to live, the fear of just… vanishing. Luka shared a bit about the &quot;disappearances&quot; with them. That was enough. Nobody wants to be next.
  Our little group operates in the shadows. During yard time, we mix it up in fake scuffles to exchange whispers. After lights-out, we hold meetings with cod

  Aurora &#39;s Perspective
  Pushing open the door to &quot;The Propeller&quot; felt like stepping into the stomach of another world.
  The noise hit first—an avalanche of sound. The clatter of glasses, slurred shouts, the sharp *crack* of pool balls, all underpinned by a complex odor of stale beer, sweat, cheap tobacco, and something sharper no amount of air freshener could mask. The air was thick, the lighting artfully dim, providing just enough visibility while hiding most faces and transactions.
  My wolf senses were on overload. The smells were overwhelming. The sour tang of fermentation, the burn of cheap liquor, the greasy scent of human bodies, and… kin. More than one. Their scents were mostly murky, feral, carrying the gunpowder-stink of street-level struggle, raw desire, or simply numb apathy. The so-called dark creatures or stray wolves.
  A few pockets radiated considerable 

Aurora &#39;s Perspective
  The car sped along the road back to the estate. Outside, the city lights streamed by like a cold, distant galaxy. Lex drove in focused silence, throwing me the occasional worried glance. The only sounds were the engine&#39;s low growl and the hiss of the heater.
  The lead from Marta was like a rusty fishhook lodged deep in my mind. A sliver of hope, vanishingly small, yet impossible to ignore. Wait for Marta&#39;s people to make discreet inquiries? Wait for that junkie who might never wake up coherent? Every passing second felt like another weight added to the scales of whatever torment Brett might be enduring. The image of Uncle Jacob&#39;s bloodshot eyes and Aunt Selena&#39;s silently trembling shoulders wouldn&#39;t leave me.
  A frantic, burning anxiety churned in my gut, hotter than the alcohol I&#39;d consumed. I stared at the faint glow of my phone screen, my finger hovering over the newly saved contact labeled &quot;L.S.&quot;
  Liam Thornton. H

Chapter 266