<h4>Chapter 263: Umbra vis</h4>


    <strong>***************</strong>


    <strong>Chapter 263</strong>


    <strong>~Xavier/Golden God’s POV~</strong>


    When Snow had called me back then concerning his wife’s kidnapping, I wasn’t thrilled about leaving the house. But after the rescue mission, I stayed back to investigate to see if any clue was left behind.


    I knew they were after Zara and Snow but I wanted to know more. Where was theirir? Knowing Snow, he’d never let a threat like Melvin go scot-free. But lucky me. I found a drive.


    The drive was small, nondescript, just another piece of innocuous tech that could hold something world-shattering. I slid it into the port on my custom-builtputer system, the soft whir of the machine syncing perfectly with the hum of the multiple screens in front of me.


    With a flick of my wrist, I waved through the floating disy, opening a new workspace to analyze the drive’s contents.


    A message blinked onto the screen. <strong>"Encrypted. ess Denied."</strong>


    I let out a sharp breath, muttering, "Fucking bastards."


    The encryption was advanced—no surprise there. But they hadn’t met me. I cracked my knuckles and leaned forward, fingers dancing over the holographic keyboard.


    Algorithms scrolled across the screens, one by one breaking down theyers of encryption. Each failure pushed a growl from my throat, but giving up wasn’t in my vocabry.


    After two gruelling hours of relentless hacking and several bypass manoeuvres, the final encryption key gave way with a satisfying <i>ping</i>.


    "Got you," I murmured, leaning back as the decrypted data flooded the screen.


    A set of coordinates appeared first, along with a date and time. I cross-referenced the coordinates with a global positioning system and pinpointed a remote location—deep within the Siberian wilderness.


    My gut tightened.


    Whatever they were nning wasn’t going to be simple.


    But that wasn’t all.


    I navigated further into the decrypted files, my fingers flying over the keyboard as I backtracked the source. Layer afteryer, I delved into Melvin’s server.


    Every firewall I came across was a testament to his paranoia. It didn’t matter though, I was better.


    When I finally broke through, I saw them: names, messages, aliases. And then, buried within a string of coded phrases, a name jumped out at me.


    <strong>"Umbra vis."</strong>


    I froze. Latin. It rang a bell, but I wasn’t entirely sure. Quickly pulling up a trantion program, I entered the phrase and what I saw burnt on the screen like a curse.


    <strong>Shadow ve.</strong>


    "What the hell?" I muttered, my heart pounding as the name echoed in my mind.


    Shadow ve wasn’t just a name. It was a symbol—a whisper among the criminal underworld, a shadowy entity that even the most dangerous packs feared. And here it was, linked to Melvin.


    I mmed my fist against the desk, my thoughts racing. If Shadow ve was involved, this wasn’t just about Zara and Snow anymore. This was something bigger—much bigger.


    Grabbing my phone, I dialled Snow.


    No answer.


    "Damn it, Snow, pick up," I growled as I typed out a quick text:


    <strong>"You’ve got to see this. Shadow ve is in y. Call me ASAP."</strong>


    My gaze refocused on the screen, the glowing coordinates and the looming name causing a shiver to run down my spine.


    Whatever wasing, we weren’t ready for it. "Snow, your ass needs to prepare."


    ****************


    <strong>~Zara’s POV~</strong>


    The pce ballroom was filled with life. Glittering chandeliers cast a warm glow across the floors, and the murmur of noble conversations blended with the soft strains of a string quartet.


    Kaid’s "not-so-mini" party was proving to be a grand affair.


    As we entered, Zade and Snow nked me, their sharp eyes scanning the crowd. I couldn’t deny how stunning they both looked—Zade in his sleek, all-ck attire, exuding quiet power, and Snow in his crisp white suit, a vision ofmanding elegance.


    I felt their presence like a shield as we navigated the space. Noble guests turned to greet us, their smiles polite but their eyes calcting.


    "Ms. Zara Zarek," a voice interrupted, drawing my attention.


    A man dressed in fine silks approached, his expression warm yet inquisitive. I arched my brow, keeping my amused smile at how he referred to me. It was either his information tank was sost season or he was deliberately trying to annoy me.


    "You know, when I first got the invitation, I wasn’t sure what the Alpha King was trying to pull here until I saw you. This ceremony feels... special. Almost as if Kaid is insinuating something more. A union, perhaps?"


    I tilted my head, confusion flickering in my gaze.


    The man continued,pletely undeterred, "By union, I mean marital, of course. Is it true? Are you to marry Kaid?"


    My breath hitched briefly at his assuming question. Before I could formte a response, Snow stepped closer.


    "No," Snow said smoothly, his voiceing off dangerously low. "Because she’s already married—to me."


    The man’s face drained of colour as he stumbled over his words, bowing quickly. "My apologies, Alpha Snow. I meant no offence." He scurried off, leaving me blinking in surprise at Snow’s boldness.


    "Was that really necessary?" I whispered, my voice wavering between amusement and exasperation.


    Snow’s lips quirked into a faint smile as he leaned closer, his breath brushing against my ear. "Absolutely."


    I rolled my eyes, but my heart warmed at his possessive nature. Before I could reply, the faint clearing of a throat behind us drew our attention.


    We turned to find a man standing there, holding a champagne ss, his smile as polished as the golden ents on his coat. His aura was deep andmanding, but there was something sharp and unnerving in his eyes.


    "Alpha Snow and Lady Zara," the man began, his tone smooth, "that’s just the couple I’d love to see."


    Beside me, Snow stiffened. His aura shifted almost imperceptibly, but I felt it—an edge of protectiveness, of warning. His hand settled on the small of my back firmly.


    "And you are?" Snow enquired while sizing him up.


    The man inclined his head slightly, his smile widening. "Imperial. Lord Sterling Imperial of the Eastern Colonies."


    There was a pause at the mention of his title.


    "Ah," Snow chuckled lightly. "To what do we owe the pleasure, Lord Sterling?"


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