Lana stood frozen, her eyes locked on Dean as the realization sank in. He wasn’t here to kill them—not yet, at least. He had always played a game of control, of manipulation, and now, it seemed, the stakes were higher than ever. The cold glint in his eyes, the way his posture was so effortless, told Lana everything she needed to know—he was in complete control. But this time, she wouldn’t let him dictate the rules.
Elena instinctively moved to stand closer to Lana, a protective stance, but both of them remained tense, calculating. Caleb, on the other hand, looked like he might break down at any second. His hands were trembling, and his breath was shallow. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to run or if he just wanted to disappear into the shadows.
“Don’t worry, Caleb,” Dean said, his voice
