The penthouse basement was alive with the hum of computers, the tapping of keys, and the occasional shuffle of boots on concrete. The chaos of the night had settled into a tense, focused precision. Lucian, once untouchable and commanding, sat handcuffed, his gaze flicking nervously between Ares, Atlas, Maria, and Helena. For the first time, the predator was cornered.

Ares loomed over him, fists clenched. “You’ve given us enough to know the full scale of what you’ve done,” he said, ...