Chapter 11: The Wolf's Weakness

The boat dashed across the dark water, waves splashing against its sides. Valentina pressed a cloth against Alessio's injured shoulder. Her brother winced in pain.

"Hold on," she whispered. "We'll get help soon."

Dante guided the boat, his face hard with anger. The wind whipped his hair as he pushed the engine faster.

"Where are we going?" Valentina asked.

"Safe house," Dante said. "Not far now."

Valentina looked back at the burning hotel. She couldn't believe they had fled. But Marco's last words haunted her. What secret was he talking about? What did she reportedly know about her parents' death?

The boat bumped against a small wooden dock. Dante jumped out and tied it quickly.

"Help me with him," he said.

Together, they lifted Alessio from the boat. He tried to stand but stumbled.

"I'm fine," he insisted.

"You're not," Valentina said. "You've lost too much blood."

They half-carried Alessio up a narrow path to a small house hidden among trees. Dante pushed the door open with his arm and flicked on a light.

"Get him to the couch," he ordered.

The cabin was simple but clean. Valentina helped Alessio lie down while Dante grabbed a first aid kit from a cabinet.

"You know how to use that?" Valentina asked.

Dante nodded. "I've patched up more bullet wounds than I can count."

He knelt beside Alessio and carefully cut away the red shirt. The bullet had gone through Alessio's shoulder.

"You're lucky," Dante said. "Clean shot. No bullet to dig out."

While Dante cleaned and dressed the wound, Valentina paced the room. Her mind raced with questions. Why had Luca helped them escape? What was the secret about her parents? And why was Dante helping them now?

"Why did you bring us here?" she finally asked.

Dante didn't look up from his work. "Where else would we go?"

"You could have left us," she said. "Saved yourself."

Something flashed across Dante's face—pain, maybe, or shame. "I'm not that person anymore."

Alessio's eyes fluttered open. "What happened to Luca?"

"I don't know," Dante said, his voice tight. "He stayed behind."

Valentina sat beside her brother. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got shot," Alessio said with a weak smile. Then his face grew serious. "We need to talk about what Marco said."

Valentina's stomach tightened. "About our parents?"

Before Alessio could answer, the cabin's lights went out. They froze in darkness.

"Get down!" Dante hissed, pulling Valentina to the floor.

A second later, bullets shattered the windows. Glass rained down on them.

"How did they find us?" Valentina gasped.

"Tracker," Dante said. "The boat must have had a tracker."

He crawled to a cabinet and pulled out two guns. He gave one to Valentina.

"Stay with your brother," he whispered. "I'll check the back."

"Don't go alone," Valentina said, grabbing his arm.

Dante looked surprised by her concern. "I'll be fine."

He slipped away into the darkness. Valentina moved closer to Alessio, her gun ready.

"Can you shoot?" Alessio asked.

"You taught me, remember?" she said.

Footsteps crunched outside. Valentina aimed at the door, her heart pounding.

The back door creaked. Then came a thud and a grunt of pain.

"Dante?" she called softly.

No answer.

Valentina touched Alessio's good arm. "Stay here."

She crept toward the back, keeping low. The kitchen was empty, but the back door stood open. Outside, shadows moved in the moonlight.

A figure stumbled through the door—Dante. Blood trickled from a cut on his face.

"Run," he gasped. "It's my people. They've all turned."

Before Valentina could reply, men burst through both doors. They wore Dante's family colors. His own men, here to kill him.

"Traitor!" one shouted at Dante.

Gunfire burst throughout the cabin. Valentina ducked behind a bar, pulling Dante down with her.

"Get to Alessio!" Dante yelled.

They crawled across the floor as bullets whizzed overhead. Alessio had rolled off the couch and taken cover behind it. His face was pale but determined.

"There's a tunnel," Dante said between breaths. "Under the rug in the bedroom. It leads to a boat house."

"Go," Alessio said to Valentina. "I'll cover you."

"I'm not leaving you," she declared.

Alessio's eyes were angry. "You have to know the truth. About our family."

A bullet split the wood beside Valentina's head. She flinched.

"We all go," Dante said. He reached for a lamp and threw it at the invaders. It exploded in flames—it had been filled with oil.

In the confusion, they scrambled to the bedroom. Dante pulled back a rug, revealing a trapdoor. He yanked it open.

"Go!" he urged Valentina.

She paused, then climbed down the ladder. Alessio followed, grimacing with each step. Dante came last, pulling the hatch shut above them.

The cave was narrow and dark. Valentina felt her way forward, spiders brushing against her face. She tried not to think about how many bugs might be crawling around them.

"Keep going," Alessio whispered behind her.

After what felt like hours, they reached another ladder. Valentina climbed up and pushed open a hatch. Cool night air rushed in.

They emerged in a small boat house. A speedboat waited at the dock.

"Get in," Dante said. "Quickly."

They climbed aboard. Dante started the engine just as gunshots rang out. His men had found the tunnel.

The boat shot forward into the night. Bullets splashed in the water behind them, but soon they were out of range.

Valentina fell onto a seat, exhausted. Alessio sat beside her, his bandage now wet with fresh blood.

"You need a doctor," she said.

"Later," Alessio answered. "First, you need to hear the truth."

Dante kept his eyes on the dark water ahead. "We should be safe for now. They won't know which way we went."

Valentina looked at her brother. "Tell me," she said. "What's this secret about our parents?"

Alessio took a deep breath. "The Morettis aren't our real family," he said. "We were adopted after the fire."

Valentina felt like the world had stopped. "What?"

"Our real parents were killed because of something they knew," Alessio continued. "Something about both families—the Morettis and the Russos."

Dante's head snapped around. "What are you saying?"

"The Vega family wasn't always in charge," Alessio said. "There was another family above them all. A family that controlled everything from the shadows."

Valentina's mind reeled. "And our parents knew about them?"

Alessio nodded. "They were going to expose everything. That's why they were killed."

"Who were they?" Valentina asked, her voice shaking.

Alessio looked at Dante. "Your father would know. He helped hide us after the fire."

Dante's face went white. "My father is dead."

"Is he?" Alessio asked. "Or is that another lie?"

Before Dante could answer, the boat's engine sputtered and died. They drifted in the middle of the dark lake.

"What's happening?" Valentina asked.

Dante checked the fuel gauge. "We're empty." He looked around at the dark shore. "We're stranded."

A light appeared in the distance—a boat coming toward them.

"Get down," Dante demanded.

As they crouched in the boat, Valentina grabbed Alessio's hand. "I don't understand," she whispered. "If we're not Morettis, then who are we?"

Alessio squeezed her hand. "We're the children of the people who could have stopped all of this. The children of the only people who knew the truth."

The approaching boat grew closer. Its searchlight swept across the water.

"If they find us," Dante said quietly, "we're dead."

Valentina looked from her brother to Dante. Something had changed between these two enemies. They were protecting each other now.

"Whatever happens," Alessio said to Valentina, "remember this—your real name isn't Valentina Moretti."

The searchlight hit their boat, blinding them with its brightness.

"Then who am I?" Valentina whispered.