Beta's Mark: In the Eye of the Mafia

Chapter 3: I don’t have a choice

Lyra stood at the door of Luca’s room, her fingers lingering on the doorknob for a moment before she stepped inside. She had spent the entire day caught in a whirlwind of gunfire, betrayal, and confusion, and the only thing that had kept her grounded in the chaos was the sight of her son. Her little boy was asleep now, curled up in his bed, his small chest rising and falling with the slow, steady rhythm of a peaceful slumber. For a moment, it was like the world had returned to normal. It was just her and Luca, and everything else felt like a bad dream she could leave behind.

She sat on the edge of the bed, brushing her fingers through his soft brown hair, her heart swelling with a mixture of love and protectiveness. It was hard to believe that only two years ago, Luca had been born into a world that, to him, seemed so innocent, so untouched by the violence that had defined her own life. But now, after everything that had happened, she couldn’t deny the truth anymore—her son would be forced to inherit a world of shadows and blood.

She bent down and kissed Luca’s forehead gently. He stirred a little, his small hand reaching out in his sleep, but he didn’t wake. Lyra stood up, her resolve firming with each step she took away from his room. She couldn’t hide anymore. She couldn’t keep running from the reality that had been thrust upon her. The attack on her family, the betrayal, the Russian Don—it was all too much. But what was more painful than anything else was the truth that she couldn’t shield Luca from this darkness, no matter how much she wanted to.

She turned the corner and walked through the hall, her footsteps quiet as she approached the room where Viktor had gathered the pack. Her chest tightened at the thought of him. She still didn’t fully understand what it was that drew her to him, why his presence, despite everything that had happened, still held such a magnetic pull on her. Perhaps it was the way he looked at her, like he could see through all the walls she had built around herself. Or maybe it was the fierce way he fought for what he believed in, even when everything seemed lost.

Lyra reached the door and paused, taking a steadying breath before she entered. The room was dimly lit, with a large table at its center surrounded by Viktor, his second-in-command, Liam, and a tech guy she hadn’t yet met. Liam sat with his arms crossed, his demeanor calm, but there was a quiet intensity about him. The tech guy was hunched over a laptop, typing furiously, his brow furrowed in concentration.

The moment Lyra entered, Viktor’s gaze flicked up to meet hers. His eyes, still as intense as ever, softened for the briefest moment, but his expression quickly returned to its usual stoic focus. He gestured to the seat next to him.

“Lyra,” Viktor said, his voice low but filled with an unspoken invitation. “Come in. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

She stepped inside and shut the door behind her, walking slowly to the seat Viktor had indicated. She sat down, her body tense with the knowledge that the world she had known was slipping further and further from her control. As she settled into the chair, her mind raced with everything she had learned in the past few hours, and the crushing weight of it all made her feel like she was suffocating. But she had to face it—there was no turning back now.

Viktor didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He looked around the room at the other men before speaking.

“The wedding wasn’t the only thing they attacked today,” he began, his voice calm but edged with a cold fury that matched the look in his eyes. “Your father and brother’s entire business empire was targeted. All their assets, all their connections—it’s all at risk. This wasn’t some isolated attack. This was a coordinated effort. The Russian Don knew exactly what he was doing.”

Lyra’s stomach tightened, and she felt her blood run cold at the mention of the Russian Don. She had always known her family’s connections in the criminal world would make them enemies. But she had never imagined that someone would go so far as to try to take down everything they had worked for. It was a direct challenge, a declaration of war.

She glanced over at Liam, who sat silently, his eyes dark with understanding, and then at the tech guy, who was still absorbed in his laptop. Viktor’s gaze was fixed firmly on her.

“Your family’s assets aren’t as secure as they thought,” Viktor continued. “The Russian Don knew that. He couldn’t take me out directly, not yet, but your father and brother… their businesses are spread too thin. They weren’t prepared for an attack on this scale.”

Lyra’s mind churned with the implications. Viktor was right—her family’s empire had always been vast, but it was also fragile in some ways. Too many connections, too many fronts to defend, and with the way her father’s business dealings had spread across different countries, there had always been openings for someone like the Russian Don to exploit.

“So this was all planned?” Lyra’s voice came out sharper than she had intended. “They’ve been watching us, waiting for the right moment?”

Viktor nodded slowly. “Exactly. The Russian Don knew you’d be returning for the wedding. He knew it would bring all the heirs together in one place. And that’s when he struck. He thought if he could wipe out your family’s leadership, he could take over.”

Lyra clenched her fists at her sides. Her chest tightened as the weight of her family’s vulnerability settled over her. They had been blindsided, caught off guard by an attack that had been planned for months—maybe longer. Her father, the man who had built an empire from nothing, was now a target. Her brother, too. And all of it was because they had allowed themselves to believe they were untouchable.

“I’m not going to let them get away with this,” she said, her voice steady despite the fury rising within her. “If they think they can destroy everything we’ve built, they’re wrong. I’m staying. I’ll help you bring them down.”

Viktor studied her for a moment, his gaze searching, and for a brief moment, she saw something flicker in his eyes—respect, maybe, or perhaps something else. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a hard, calculated focus.

“I didn’t expect you to walk away from this,” he said quietly. “But I didn’t expect you to step back into this world, either.”

Lyra didn’t respond. There was nothing left to say. They both knew what was at stake now. Her family’s survival. Her survival. And the Russian Don had made it personal.

Viktor stood and gestured toward the door. “I’ve got two of the lower-level men from the attack locked up. I’m going to question them. I could use your help.”

Without hesitation, Lyra stood and followed him out of the room, her mind already bracing for what was to come. They made their way down the winding staircase to the basement, the air growing colder as they descended into the dark, dimly lit space. The basement smelled of damp concrete and old furniture, the atmosphere heavy with the tension of what was about to unfold.

At the center of the basement, two men were seated in chairs, their hands cuffed tightly to the arms of the chairs. Their faces were bruised and battered, but their eyes remained defiant. One of the men—the one with the broken nose—was the same man who had almost killed her earlier that day at the wedding. His eyes locked with hers, a flicker of recognition passing between them. He said nothing, though, and his lips curled into a sneer, as if daring her to say something.

Viktor didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He stepped forward, his voice hard as he addressed the men. “You’re going to tell me everything. Who’s behind this. Why they did it. And where the rest of their men are. Start talking.”

The man with the broken nose spat blood onto the floor but remained silent. Viktor didn’t wait for him to answer. With a brutal movement, he grabbed the man by the collar and slammed his head into the table in front of him. The man grunted in pain, but still, he refused to speak.

Lyra watched, a knot tightening in her stomach. She had seen her father’s men interrogate people before, but this—this felt different. Viktor wasn’t just trying to get information. He was getting revenge, and there was no room for mercy.

“Where is the Russian Don?” Viktor demanded, his voice a cold whisper. “Why did he target my family?”

The man’s lips trembled, but still, he didn’t speak. Viktor leaned in, his voice even lower now. “Tell me what I want to know. Or I’ll make you wish you hadn’t been born.”

It wasn’t long before the man finally broke. He gasped, his eyes wide with fear as he spoke in broken English.

“The Russian Don…” he said, his voice trembling. “He wants all the heirs gone. He wants control. He thought your family would be easy to take down. Your father’s businesses were too spread out. Too vulnerable. He knew the wedding would bring you back, and he knew it was the perfect chance to take out everyone at once.”

Lyra’s heart pounded in her chest as the man’s words sunk in. The Russian Don had been waiting for this moment. And now that it had arrived, there was no turning back.

Viktor stood up, his expression hard and resolute. “Get them out of here,” he muttered to Marcus, who was standing by, watching the interrogation unfold.

Lyra felt the weight of the man’s words settle in her stomach. She turned to Viktor, her voice quiet. “I don’t want anything to do with this. I want nothing to do with any of this war. I just want my son to be safe.”

Viktor’s eyes softened for a moment, but his voice was firm. “You can’t walk away, Lyra. Not now.”

She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

Without another word, she turned and walked back up the stairs, leaving the basement and the men behind. She needed to think, to process everything she had just learned. But one thing was clear: the war had already begun, and there was no way out now.

And her son would be caught in the middle of it.