Chapter 134
Warning: The following chapter may contain content that some readers may find sensitive. I recommend reading with discretion. It may contain: aggressive language, use of firearms, insinuations of abuse, psychological abuse, death, etc.
Adrian Valehart
Today was the day to put an end to all of this.
Once and for all.
Sofia’s life didn’t belong to the Council, didn’t belong to that sick family, and definitely didn’t belong to the twisted destiny they were trying to force on her. Her life was hers. And I was going to make damn sure everyone in that place understood that—
even if it had to be the hard way.
I drove slowly down the inner road of the property.
Slow on purpose.
I wanted to analyze every inch, memorize it, sense it.
Moonlight glimmered across the hood, and up ahead the house came into view—huge, far too bright for a place hidden so deep in nowhere.
A mansion.
Warm lights, open windows, soft music spilling into the garden.
From far away, it could fool someone clueless.
It looked… inviting. Familiar.
But I knew better.
It was all staged.
I saw people talking in the garden, glasses raised, laughing.
A family gathering.
All of it perfectly rehearsed.
They wanted to project normalcy, a sense of home—
to lower our guard.
Bad idea.
“Can you smell her?” Sofia whispered, not taking her eyes off the house.
I inhaled, filtering everything.
“No…” I answered, tense. “Nothing from Letícia yet.”
She nodded.
“We’re still outside. Maybe we’ll catch something once we’re inside.”
I parked near the front entrance.
The moment we stepped out, a familiar shiver crawled up my spine.
Instinct.
The kind that only shows up when something is deeply, dangerously wrong.
I hated that feeling.
We walked to the door.
I knocked.
Seconds later, it opened.
A well-dressed older woman appeared—straight posture, light hair pulled back neatly.
The face—
Damn it.
The face looked too much like Sofia’s mother. Same shape, same eyes, same controlled expression.
Did all the women in the Hines family look like this?
So similar?
Sofia froze beside me. I felt it.
The woman noticed too.
Her eyes widened the moment they landed on Sofia.
The shock in her expression was so genuine that for a split second, even I almost believed it.
She stepped forward and, before either of us could react, pulled Sofia into a tight hug.
Too fast.
I stiffened, my body instantly on alert.
I took a step forward on reflex, ready to yank Sofia back if needed.
But she was frozen—unsure, caught off guard.
“Finally…” the woman began to cry. “Finally you’re here. I waited so long for this…”
Sofia didn’t move.
Her heart rate spiked—I could feel it.
Was it nerves? Fear?
“You look so much like your mother…” the woman continued, still crying. “So beautiful… It’s a miracle.”
“I never imagined I’d have a granddaughter like you.”
Granddaughter.
There it was.
This woman was Sofia’s grandmother.
And knowing that a woman like her had been involved in everything—the horror done to her own daughter and now planning the same for her granddaughter…
Filled me with nothing but rage.
She kept talking, hitting exactly where she knew it would destabilize.
She was good. Too good.
I forced my expression to stay neutral.
“My name is Janine Hines… Please, come in,” she said, wiping her tears as if nothing had happened.
“The whole family is eager to meet you.”
Family.
She still had the nerve to use that word.
Inside, the house seemed even more alive.
Luxurious, spacious, old details mixed with modern designs.
And the smell… it was strong.
Too many scents layered together—wolves everywhere.
It's hard to distinguish any of them individually.
Sofia walked beside me, posture firm, but I knew her.
I knew she was acting.
Every smile, every polite answer—it was all performance.
Because now she knew the truth.
And we weren't here for reunions.
People rushed toward us as soon as they saw her.
Men, women, older, younger—
They all looked the same.
Similar features. Similar eyes.
And they all stared at Sofia like she was the star of the show they’d been rehearsing for.
“You grew up so beautiful,” one woman said, holding Sofia’s hands.
“Your mother would be proud,” said another, smiling perfectly.
“The family is finally complete,” an older man added, raising a glass.
I watched silently, cataloging faces, movements, and distances.
Counting doors. Windows.
Possible exits for an emergency.
This place was nothing but a nest of snakes.
Sofia smiled, replied, and thanked them.
She stayed polite, composed—
But I felt her tension.
The effort she made not to explode right there.
“You never imagined you had such a beautiful grandmother, did you?” the old lady teased again, smiling as she clung to Sofia’s arm.
“No,” Sofia replied, offering a controlled smile.
“It’s… surprising.”
They underestimated her intelligence far too much.
Just being here a few minutes made it obvious—
written all over their faces:
They weren’t happy to have found someone lost.
They were satisfied because they had finally obtained the main piece they needed for their twisted plans.
Wolves wearing sheep’s clothing.
Literal ones.
“Make yourself comfortable,” a man said as he approached me. “This is your home as well, Mr. Adrian Valehart.”
His tone felt more evaluative than welcoming.
“Thank you,” I answered, curt. “But I don’t plan on staying long.”
He smiled, amused.
“I’m sure you’ll think differently soon.”
I tilted my head slightly, every inch of me radiating confidence—
So he’d understand I wasn’t intimidated.
His smile flickered.
Good.
My gaze snapped back to Sofia.
She was being ushered deeper into the house, surrounded.
Each step she took in that direction made my chest tighten.
Focus.
I needed to focus.
We needed to find Letícia fast, finish what we came here to do, and get out.
But where was she?
Where the hell were they hiding her?
Were they keeping Letícia somewhere else?
But that made no sense.
Why call Sofia here then?
Unless… this wasn’t about negotiations at all.
My jaw clenched.
If this was psychological warfare—
If they had lied—
While laughter continued around us and that tacky background music filled the air, I could only think of one thing:
I would make sure to ruin whatever plans they had.
I forced myself to stay alert.
Everything required control.
Sofia was surrounded, overwhelmed with questions, smiles, and fake kindness.
They took turns around her like vultures circling fresh prey—each wanting a reaction, a detail, a weakness.
Maybe it was intentional—
Leave her unbalanced, distracted, emotionally exposed.
That always worked on humans.
But she wasn’t human anymore.
Not fully.
Still, I refused to lower my guard.
I stayed close—close enough to intervene at the smallest wrong sign.
That’s when Luke appeared.
“Oh, I’m so glad you came,” he said, all smiles. “We were all waiting.”
He approached naturally, as if we were old friends.
I stepped back on purpose, avoiding him.
“We prepared so many delicious things…” he said, sliding a hand into the pocket of his jacket, turning toward Sofia—who still seemed to be processing everything.
“…and we also have a few gifts.”
My entire body tensed.