Hugh Jones erupted into cruelughter, relishing the sight of Kingswell''s fighters dropping one by one.


    Jasmine watched in horror, her face drained of color as the brutal truth sank in- they never had a chance.


    "See?" Hugh mocked, eyes glinting with twisted amusement.


    "They came here to save you, and look how pathetic they turned out. Weak. Useless."


    Hugh suddenly reached out, gripping Jasmine''s hair roughly, inhaling deeply with sickening pleasure.


    "Vancouver is weak," he growled softly. "Chicago is going to swallow it whole. You''d be smart to ept the deal I''ve offered you."


    Jasmine red, her eyes fiery despite her fear.


    "Marry you?" she scoffed bitterly.


    "It''s the best deal you''ll ever get," Hugh sneered, gripping her hair tighter.


    "Dupont and Hernandez are nning to reduce Vancouver to ashes. Our wedding would save it."


    Sheughed sharply, contempt dripping from every note.


    "And conveniently put Vancouver, my father, and Kelly under your thumb. You''d control three territories at once."


    "And you''d have Chicago," Hugh argued smoothly, arrogance thick in his voice. "It would be the political marriage of the century."


    Jasmine stared at him coldly. "Maybe so."


    Hugh smiled triumphantly, misreading her. "Then let''s make it official. Everyone wins."


    "Except," Jasmine snapped fiercely, "I already have a man."


    "You mean that nobody, Alex?" Hugh spat out the name with venom.


    "He''s the reason Hernandez and Dupont want Vancouver in mes. Are you really willing to sacrifice an entire city for that worthless piece of garbage?"


    Jasmine''sugh rang out defiantly. "For Alex, I would burn this whole world down without a second thought."


    In a sudden burst of defiance, she grabbed a full wine ss and hurled it straight into Hugh''s face, the liquid sttering violently.


    "And stop touching me! Every part of me belongs only to Alex!"


    Hugh''s expression darkened dangerously, his eyes ring with rage.


    "Fine, princess," he hissed through gritted teeth. "I''ll let this insult slide today. But mark my words—I''ll shatter your spirit and break your heart."


    His voice dripped with lethal promise. "When I finally have Alex, I''ll snap every bone in his body right in front of you."


    Jasmine met his chilling gaze unflinchingly. "You better hope Alex doesn''t get to you first."


    In a sudden fit of rage, Hugh grabbed the wine bottle from the table and swung it brutally at Jasmine''s face.


    The ss exploded, shards slicing her skin open, blood streaming down her cheek.


    Yet, despite the agony pulsing through her skull, Jasmine held Hugh''s eyes, unwavering.


    Blood dripped steadily, painting her pale skin crimson, yet her voice came steady and ice-cold.


    "You''ve just sealed your fate. Alex despises nothing more than someone hurting me."


    Outside the vi, the bald man tore away Four''s clothes with vicious intent, eyes glinting with predatory hunger.


    "You''re gonna scream my name tonight," he promised with vulgar excitement, licking his lips obscenely.


    "After I''m done, every night you''ll dream about me."


    Four''s courage evaporated, leaving behind sheer terror as reality crashed down on her.


    She had stormed in ready for battle, but never anticipated such overpowering brutality. Despair clutched her heart tightly, squeezing out every drop of hope.


    "It''s over," she whispered brokenly, eyes wide with dread. The bald man and hispanions towered over them, merciless and unstoppable.


    They were wolves, and she was nothing more than prey caught in their savage grip.


    These attackers were special forces, a ruthless breed far superior to anything she and herrades had faced before.


    They were about to die here, ughtered without mercy.


    Every one of them knew, deep in their hearts, this was the end.


    "You''re absolutely pathetic," came a cold voice from beside Four.


    She spun around, startled. "You?"


    Alex stood there, eyes sharp and filled with scorn.


    "All of you Kingswell fools will answer for your stupidity. Taunting me and opponents? Is this what the Kingswell name stands for now-cheap talk and cowardice?"


    Ov


    "Who the hell are you, little runt?" the bald man snarled, lunging aggressively toward Alex.


    In a blur of movement too swift for anyone to track, Alex was already past him.


    The bald man''s furious charge faltered abruptly, and he crashed lifelessly to the dirt, a look of frozen shock etched onto his face.


    "Destroyed by this weakling?" Alex sneered, turning his gaze back to Four.


    "You dragged your entire squad into certain death, loudmouth. You''re worse than


    a worm-you''re truly worthless."


    A chill ran down Four''s spine.


    She suddenly saw Alex clearly for the first time-a lethal predator hiding behind a mask of indifference.


    What madness had possessed her to taunt this man?


    The rest of the attackers realized theirpaniony dead, panic ring in their eyes.


    One of them let out an enraged shout and rushed toward Alex, joined instantly by Jasper, whose face twisted in grief and fury.


    "You-you murdered my lover! How dare you!" Jasper screamed, brandishing his machete, his voice breaking with raw pain.


    "Your lover?" Alex mocked coldly, raising an eyebrow in scorn. "Funny. He


    seemed far more interested in thedies."


    bet


    "You bastard!" Jasper roared, fury igniting his entire being. He swung his machete and charged


    ferociously, hispanionsver


    sprinting alongside him.


    Four watched helplessly, dread clutching her heart.


    "It''s over," she whispered, her voice trembling. Alex''s first kill might''ve been a fluke


    -maybe luck had yed a cruel trick.


    But surely against three raging attackers, he stood no chance.


    Alex, however, walked forward calmly, unfazed by the impending chaos.


    His steady pace matched their frenzied rush until, impossibly, they stopped.


    Mid-stride, Jasper and his allies froze, as if their limbs had be stone. Their knees buckled, crashing them heavily to the ground, bodies wracked by invisible torment.


    Terror filled their eyes, confusion overtaking anger as their hearts seized up, refusing to pump life any further.


    Their breath stilled, limbs limp and useless. All they could do was wait helplessly for death''s final embrace.


    An eerie silence nketed the battlefield, profound and chilling.


    Four and her fellow shadow guards stood paralyzed by disbelief, hearts pounding with fear and awe.


    If the bald man''s demise could be exined by surprise, this was pure dominance raw, terrifying strength.


    Four felt shame burn her cheeks as realization struck hard.


    She had severely underestimated Alex, thinking him weak when she herself was the true failure.


    Alex approached the vi''s massive front doors, eyes narrowing dangerously.


    With one brutal kick, the heavy doors splintered, exploding inward in a shower of jagged wood and dust.


    His cold, murderous gaze fell upon Hugh Jones, who stood arrogantly beside Jasmine.


    The moment Alex saw Jasmine''s bruised and bloodied head, the air turned bitterly cold, frost crackling around his barely restrained rage.


    "Did youy a hand on her?" Alex growled softly, his voice a de slicing through


    the tense silence.


    For the first time, true fear seeped


    ét


    into Hugh Jones'' bones Mét


    him where he stood, trapped beneath Alex''s terrifying, merciless


    stare. .