*Chapter 17:
ALESSIA
The door didn’t open, it _died_.
Steel ripped inward, council enforcers filled B3 in black armor, rifles raised. Not five, or ten.
“Alessia Costa,” the lead one said, visor down. “Step away from the Alpha. You are under arrest for feral classification, Article Three.”
I wasn’t near Liam. I was at the terminal, one hand still on the keyboard where I’d deleted the camera file.
They weren’t here for Liam, they were here for _me_.
“How?” Asher snarled. He had Kayla behind him, bullet in his shoulder still bleeding. “We wiped the log—”
“Liam Greystone sent the feed before you cuffed him,” the enforcer said. “Direct to Council, timestamp 02:41, partial shift, one claw and Gold Iris, confirming feral breach.”
Liam on the floor in cuffs, Smiling.
“You bastard,” Axe
