Gabriel and Michael walked side by side, their pace unhurried yet deliberate as they followed Haven. An unspoken challenge hung between them—each silently urging the other to start a conversation.

"She's our sister, Mikey," Gabriel whispered under his breath, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "You go first."

Michael gave him a sharp look. "You're the smooth talker, Gabe. Go ahead."

Gabriel opened his mouth to reply, but Haven's stiff posture and quickened pace made it clear she wasn't in the mood for idle chatter. She glanced back, her wary eyes narrowing assuming they were accomplices to her nightmare, Aerius.

She couldn't expect any good from them, to her they were as worst as Aerius.

She didn't say a word, but her actions were louder than any insult. Reaching her room, she stepped inside and, without hesitation, slammed the door shut in their faces.

The sound echoed through the hallway.

Gabriel blinked, then leaned back slightly, his arms crossing over his chest. "Rude much," he muttered, raising a brow. "Don't you think she's a bit of a brat?"

Michael shot him an icy glare. "Seriously? She just woke up in a completely new place, surrounded by a bunch of strangers, who are mafias. What do you think she's going to do? Roll out the welcome mat? If I were in her place, I'd be figuring out how to kill everyone in here."

Gabriel chuckled, his hands casually slipping into his pockets. "She did stab Ares, didn't she?"

Michael's lips curled into a grin, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, then, I guess it's in the blood."

"I swear if she wasn't one of us, Ares would have made her disappear already" Gabriel laughed lightly but soon fell quiet. His playful demeanor gave way to something more uncertain. "What if..." He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "What if she doesn't accept us as her family?"

Michael scoffed, his confidence unwavering. "Seriously? We're way better brothers than that asshole Aerius could ever be."

Gabriel arched a brow at him, unimpressed. "She doesn't even know us, Mikey. And let's face it, trust isn't exactly going to come easy after what she's been through. How do you think she'd believe we're better than that fucker?"

Michael smirked, a determined gleam in his eye. "We'll prove it to her. She's one of us now. It's not about words—it's about action."

Gabriel's lips twitched in a faint smile, but he couldn't hide the lingering worry in his eyes. "Yeah. I hope it's enough."

Michael clapped a hand on his shoulder as they started walking away. "It will be."

Gabriel chuckled at that, the hint of doubt fading from his expression as the brothers disappeared down the hallway, their shared determination a silent promise.

.

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🔞🔞🔞🔞🔞

Haven's heart pounded as she sat frozen on the edge of the bed, her eyes wide as Aerius's voice slithered through the room. His towering figure cast a long shadow that swallowed every corner of light, trapping her in darkness.

"ahhh" she screamed in pain but her cries and screams got muffled as his hand slammed on her mouth.

"shhh, another noise from your little mouth and they would hear you, do you want them to join us and fuck you as well huh. Do you want them to ruin you the way I can?" He groaned as he thrust inside her, she stiffened and clutched the bedsheet in her fist enduring all the pain afraid of what would happen if they came and did what he just told her.

Her muffled cries filled her ears as she shook her head frantically, her nails digging into her palms. Every nerve in her body screamed for her to run, but her limbs betrayed her, glued in place by fear.

"Good girl," he whispered, his tone dripping with mockery as he tightened his grip. The bed shook violently as her breath hitched, tears streaming silently down her face. She clung to the sheets like a lifeline, the coarse fabric biting into her skin.

He smirked as he saw her giving in, his pace increased, the bed shook with the speed he was thrusting inside her.

"fuck" He panted as he reached his high. His body weight fell all over her, she only cried silently trying her best to let not even a single sound leave her mouth, her tears rolled down her cheeks continuously, she felt shattered, she felt broken, she felt dead.

The air around her seemed to collapse in on itself. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying for it to stop, for anything to pull her away from this nightmare.

A hiss escaped her mouth as he untied her wrists.

"shhh it's ok " He stood up and grabbed an ointment from the drawer and applied on her bruises, her lips were bruised and swollen, her cheeks bruised with the number of slaps he had delivered to her.

The air around her seemed to collapse in on itself. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying for it to stop, for anything to pull her away from this nightmare.

"I love you, baby," Aerius murmured, his lips brushing against her temple with a sickening gentleness. He pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, tucking her in as though she were nothing more than a doll. "You'll understand one day."

"You belong to me Snow" He said pecking her lips and then tucking her back in her bed. She silently obeyed and closed her eyes.

Afterall what was she suppose to do, she was a doll, it was drilled deep inside her. She was stripped of all the rights that one deserved and she didn't bother about it because she was too shattered to even stand up for herself.

The sound of the door creaking shut echoed in her ears, and the silence that followed was deafening.

The sound of the door creaking shut echoed in her ears, and the silence that followed was deafening. She opened her eyes—only to find herself back in a dimly lit room, alone.

Then, suddenly—

CRACK!

A deafening thunderstorm rolled through, rattling the walls. Haven bolted upright, her breath ragged and her chest heaving. Her eyes darted around, wide and panicked.

Her trembling hands reached for her bruised wrists—only to find smooth, unmarked skin. She touched her face, her lips, her cheeks. No bruises. No swelling.

It wasn't real.

The storm raged outside, rain pelting against the windows, but her mind was still trapped in the darkness of her dream. The terror clung to her like a second skin.

She buried her face in her hands, her tears falling freely now. Even awake, it felt all too real.

It wasn't real.

Her chest heaved as relief mixed with the remnants of terror. The nightmare still clung to her like a second skin, its shadows lurking in the corners of her mind. Haven buried her face in her hands, her tears falling freely now.

Even awake, it felt all too real.

NEXT UPDATE POSSIBLY TOMORROW