The silver light slowly receded, leaving the forest in a heavy, charcoal darkness. The silence that followed the explosion of the Nullifier was ringing and hollow. Silas, Kael, and Jax stood in a loose semi-circle around Elena, their breathing heavy and synchronized. They were still physically connected, their fingers interlaced, but the raw, crushing pressure of the merge had settled into a low, thrumming heat.
Julian was on his knees a few yards away. His grey suit was ruined, covered in mud and shredded at the hemlines. He looked up at them, his eyes darting from Elena’s glowing palms to the three Alphas standing like gods at her side.
"You have no idea what you’ve started," Julian wheezed, coughing out a mouthful of dirt. "You think this is a victory? You just lit a flare for every E
