The moment froze like a photograph.

Lucian standing with unnerving calm.

Ares and Atlas braced like wolves ready to strike.

Helena a barrier of flesh and love standing between storms.

And Alina, deep underground, watching it all unravel through flickering monitors.

Helena’s heartbeat thundered in her ribs.

This was the moment she had dreaded. The moment she had prayed would never come.

Because the truth Lucian carried was a blade— and her sons had already bled enough for one ...