MARKED BY MY STEPBROTHER

Chapter Twenty Four

Sophie’s POV

Morning can slower than I was expecting. And that was because of the fact that I barely slept, spending most of the night feeding Lucas and reaching through the mating bond to Damon. His presence was faint but steady.

Marcus gathered our small team in the living room: Lena, two other wolves named Jax and Riley, and myself. We studied a hand-drawn map of the compound spread across the wooden table.

“The east loading dock is our best entry point,” Marcus said, pointing. “The resistance inside will disable the cameras for twelve minutes. We go in, get Damon, and get out. No heroics.”

I adjusted Lucas in the baby sling against my chest. He was calm, but I could feel his power. “I’m not leaving without him.”

Lena handed me a small earpiece. “We’ll stay in contact. Your golden energy can disrupt their silver systems if you push hard enough. But don’t overdo it, you’re still recovering.”

We left under the cover of the early morning mist, two vehicles moving silently through the forest. My heart pounded the whole drive. Every mile brought me closer to Damon, and to Victor and Seraphina as well.

Damon’s POV

The silver cuffs had rubbed my wrists raw. I hadn’t eaten in nearly a day. But when I felt Sophie getting closer through the bond, I felt this new strength flow through me.

She was coming.

I tested the chains again, my muscles straining. The resistance guard had managed to loosen one of the wall brackets slightly during his last check. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

Footsteps approached. Victor entered with two guards, looking worse for wear. The pack rebellion had clearly taken a toll on him. I wondered how he was feeling ay the moment, both physically and emotionally. I guess he had a lot of blame to pile on me. That I caused it and what not. Well that was gonna be his problem because I wasn't even sorry.

“Still alive, I see,” he said, in manner of mocking me. “Your mate is proving more troublesome than expected. But we’ll find her soon enough. Seraphina can track the child’s power signature.”

I smiled through bloody lips. “You’re losing control, old man. The pack is turning on you. How does it feel to know your own son is going to be the one who ends you?”

Victor’s fist connected with my jaw. Pain exploded across my face, but I laughed.

“You’ll never break us,” I growled. “Sophie and I choose each other. Not you, and not your sick plans.”

Seraphina entered behind him, holding a small device that glowed faintly gold. “The child’s power is growing rapidly. Once we recover him, we won’t need either of you anymore.”

Alarms sounded through the compound.

Victor’s head snapped up. “What now?!”

“Intruders at the east loading dock!” a voice shouted over the intercom.

My heart surged with unabashed pride.

Sophie.

Victor cursed and stormed out with his guards, leaving me alone with Seraphina.

She stepped closer, studying me with cold fascination. “You really love her, don’t you? Your own stepsister. How pathetic. See what you've done to yourself. There are other ladies out there but you chose to get obsessed over someone you call stepsister.”

I lunged against the chains, snapping the weakened bracket. One arm came free. I grabbed Seraphina by the throat before she could react.

“Big mistake,” I told her, then I began to squeeze. “Leaving me alone with you.”

She gasped, golden energy flaring around her. But I was done playing nice. I slammed her head against the wall, knocking her unconscious, then worked as fast as I could to free the other parts of my body that had been chained.

Sophie’s POV

Gunfire, howls, shouting, filled the east loading dock as our team fought through the outer guards. I stayed behind Marcus and Jax, golden energy forming a shield around Lucas as I pushed forward.

“We’re close!” Marcus shouted. “Damon’s cell block is just ahead!”

A group of men loyal to Victor came at us. I unleashed a wave of golden power, knocking several off their feet. The feeling was getting easier, more controlled.

We burst into the inner corridor. Bodies littered the floor from earlier fighting. My heart nearly stopped when I saw Damon staggering out of an open cell, bleeding heavily but free, dragging an unconscious Seraphina behind him by her hair.

“Damon!” I cried out.

His silver eyes locked onto mine, so intense.He dropped Seraphina and ran toward us. We collided in the middle of the hallway. He pulled me and Lucas into a crushing embrace, kissing me fiercely despite the blood on his lips.

“You came,” he breathed against my mouth. “Both of you.”

“We have to move!” Marcus yelled. “Victor is coming!”

Well, did move. By running.

Explosions hit the compound as the resistance set off more diversions. We made it back to the vehicles, piling in as more wolves loyal to the rebellion covered our escape.

As we sped away into the forest, I looked back. Black smoke rose from the compound like some witch's boiling cauldron.

Damon sat beside me, one arm around my shoulders, the other gently touching Lucas’s head. His silver eyes were filled with exhaustion but they were also happy that we had been victorious.

“We’re not safe yet,” he said quietly. “Victor and Seraphina are still alive. The pack is divided. This war is far from over.”

I leaned my head against his shoulder, Lucas sleeping peacefully between us.

“I know,” I whispered. “But we’re together. That’s what matters.”

For the first time since this nightmare began, I began to hope that things may actually get better in the coming days.

We had our son and we had each other.

And we would fight for the future we chose, and not the one Victor or Seraphina tried to force on us.