Dawn broke over the horizon in a reluctant haze of gold and grey, its light barely pushing back the night’s lingering shadows. The old pier, slick with rain and salt, now served as the staging ground for a plan that would determine the course of their future—and possibly their very survival. Amelia stood at the edge of the worn wood, her heart pounding as if echoing the rhythmic crashing of the waves below. In the cool pre-dawn air, the promise of the coming day mingled with a deep-seated dread of the battle that lay ahead.
At her side, Dominic and Lucian stood in tense silence. Their faces, illuminated by the soft light of the emerging day, were etched with determination and an unmistakable pain. Dominic’s steady gaze was fixed on Amelia, protective and unyielding, while Lucian’s dark ey
