Alina’s POV
The compound felt different now—no longer just a safe place to stay but more like a stronghold getting ready for an attack. Security cameras were set up in every corner, solid barriers blocked the main entrances, and armed guards walked the compound in shifts.
“We’ve upgraded everything since you left,” Ronan explained as we walked through the main building. “We have facial recognition tech, biometric locks, and enough weapons to fend off a small army. You’re safer here than anywhere else in the city.”
“It looks like a military base,” I said.
“That’s kind of the point,” he replied.
He led me to a room I hadn’t seen before—larger than the one I’d used previously, with windows that were clearly bulletproof and a door that looked like it belonged in a bank vault.
“This is yo
