Reminder:
Abel - Angelo's bodyguard
Christian - Alina's bodyguard
Rafe - Alina's 2nd bodyguard

Soren's POV

I watched my sister get ready for the party and I felt a wave of anxiousness wash over me. I think we - my brothers and I - felt it all the time now that Alina lived with us. We were protective over her and I could especially see it in Killian and Angelo.

She looked just like Angelo. I hadn't expected her to look like my oldest brother, but they had the same eyes. Killian had been skeptical in the beginning, unsure that she should live in a world where monsters were in her blood.

And yet, he had become more protective than Angelo. Not that Angelo didn't care. He would do anything for his family, especially Alina.

I stood from her bed, tripping over her books. "Let me do your hair," I said, tucking my phone into my jeans pocket, stopping behind her. "I'm going to braid it, is that okay?"

"Can you do a crown?"

"Sure thing," I said and took the brush from her. I quickly did her braid. "Promise me that if anyone picks on you tonight, you'll tell Christian immediately."

It took everything within me not to go with him, to not watch and protect her.

"I promise."

As I weaved her hair into a delicate crown, Alina's reflection in the mirror seemed to soften, the anxiety in her eyes easing at the touch of familiarity. "I promise," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

I finished the braid, securing it with a gentle twist before meeting her gaze in the mirror. "You look like a princess," I said with a smile, hoping to bolster her confidence for the evening ahead. Little did she know.

She offered a tentative smile in return, her fingers tracing the woven pattern of the braid. "Thanks, Soren," she murmured softly, a flicker of gratitude shining in her eyes.

As she turned to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at my insides. "Be safe," I called after her, the words heavy with unspoken worry. I'd have grey hair before I was thirty. I followed her from her room and into the hallway, heading in the direction of my bedroom. I reached for my phone and texted Enzo, wondering if he was ready to get the delivery. He called me right away.

"Pick me up at my apartment," he said and hung up.

"Jerk."

"Who are you calling a jerk?"

Julian walked down the hallway, an eyebrow raised. I sighed. "Enzo. He's rude."

"Tell me about it. I asked him if he wanted to come to dinner tomorrow night and he said "hard pass."

I chuckled. "What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in Athens right now?"

He shrugged. "I took care of business early. I just got in. Where's Angelo?"

"Probably telling Alina to have fun and be good."

"Ah, right. I hear it's been quite the week."

"I'm surprised Angelo didn't do anything to the kids father as retaliation."

"Who's his father?"

I gritted my teeth. "Terrence Alcaraz."

"That family is a bunch of slimy bastards," he mumbled, shaking his head. "Didn't his wife die three years ago?"

"Yeah. Such a tragic accident. His older son Dante is one of our associates. He's a psycho."

"Seems like it runs in the family."

"I will have the boy murdered if he looks in her direction again. I don't care if he's only seventeen -"

"Soren, Enzo is waiting for you. Hurry up, he's in a mood," Angelo called from the bottom of the stairs. Julian clapped me on the back and walked down the hall.

"He's always in a damn mood," I muttered, heading for my bedroom. I shrugged on my leather jacket and opened my nightstand drawer to grab my knives. On my way downstairs, I heard Angelo rant to his boyfriend about the chaos this week had brought.

"The entire world knows about her return," Julian said. "It's gonna be hard to hide everything from her."

"I know, but we can't break our vow. She's smart, she'll figure it out," Angelo murmured, realizing the day would come sooner rather than later.

I soon left the house, striding to the garage. I got in my black charger and left the estate, speeding down the streets to Enzo's apartment. He lived in a high rise, taller than most buildings surrounding it.

He must have been waiting in the lobby, seen me pull up. He glared at me through the windshield as he walked to the passengers seat. "Where have you been, I've been waiting for fucking ever," he growled, slamming the door shut.

"It's been twenty minutes. Pull the stick out of your ass, Enzo," I muttered, pulling out of the parking lot. He grunted, clicking his seat buckle into place. "Why are you in such a mood, man?"

Enzo scoffed. "I saw my therapist yesterday, thanks."

"I'm trying to be nice, you asshole."

"How's the runt?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Adjusting well."

He smirked. "Does she know what you did?"

I tensed and he noticed, snickering. "No."

"Does she know what her big brothers are, hmm?"

"She knows nothing, Enzo. We'd like to keep it that way."

"She'll find out one day. She'll hate you all for keeping secrets. You're not being fair to her, Soren."

"You refuse to even meet her, so don't talk like you care about her," I snapped, pulling up to the warehouse, two men opening the gate. When I got out, I nodded to Jesper and Adrian, two soldiers that patrolled the property.

"She's a good kid, Enzo. Just come meet her."

"No, I'm not going to become attached to a little girl who will end up dead within a month." His words angered me and I elbowed him hard in the ribs.

He grunted. "Ouch."

"She's not going to die," I snapped.

"Or worse, she gets kidnapped and tortured."

"Shut the fuck -"

Shots echoed across the warehouse and pain exploded in my chest. I glanced down, seeing blood seep from the wound in my chest - I'd been shot.

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Thanks for reading.

FYI this is the last prewritten chapter!

Charlie 🧡