*~ Sophie’s POV ~*
The silence after his disappearance was worse than his voice.
Lucian stood in the doorway, muscles coiled, scanning the street with predatory precision. The night air was still—too still. No car engine. No footsteps. No whisper of movement. Just the echo of his final words playing in my head like a curse:
“This is just the beginning.”
My heart thudded painfully against my ribs, the terror threading through me like ice.
Lucian finally shut the door and locked every bolt with cold, controlled movements. His jaw was clenched so hard the muscles trembled. My father sank into the nearest chair as though the weight of the entire universe had collapsed onto his shoulders.
The girls had buried their faces into my sides, trembling quietly. I held them tighter, letting their
