Chapter 189: Damn, I love you

Apex was shifting.

They all felt it.

It wasn’t just the new partnership with the CIA. It wasn’t just the fact that their once-secretive, independent organization now had a direct line to one of the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world.

It was the fact that, for the first time in years, they weren’t the ones in the field.

No more personal missions. No more running into danger. No more being the ones who bled.

And yet…

None of them could shake the feeling that this wasn’t the end of the war.

Dominic was quiet.

More than usual.

Which, considering he had the emotional range of a brick wall on a good day, was saying something.

Elena noticed.

She didn’t push.

Not yet.

Instead, she sat beside him in the Apex operations center, watching the newly structured team reports scroll across the large screens.

“We have over a dozen candidates prepped for deployment,” Elena murmured. “They’ll be running simulations for the next few weeks before we send them out.”

Dominic nodded. “Good.”

Silence.

Then, softly—"You don’t like this, do you?"

Dominic’s jaw tensed.

Elena didn’t press.

She just… waited.

Finally—

“No.”

He exhaled slowly, watching the names of their newest operatives flash across the screen.

“I trained to be in the field,” he muttered. “Not to sit in a chair and watch from a distance.”

Elena studied him carefully.

Then, evenly—“You think stepping back makes you weak?”

Dominic’s fingers curled into fists.

Elena sighed, shaking her head.

“You’re not weak, Dominic,” she murmured. “You’re just human.”

Dominic scoffed, looking away.

“That’s debatable.”

Elena smirked.

“Then I guess I’m the only one here who remembers you were a person before you became a weapon.”

Dominic froze.

Elena didn’t wait for a response.

She just stood, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she walked away, leaving him with nothing but the echoes of a past he wasn’t ready to face.

Seraphina leaned against the kitchen counter of their home, arms crossed, watching as Damon poured her a glass of water like it was a five-star vintage.

“You know,” she murmured, “I’m still capable of getting my own drinks.”

Damon smirked. "Not taking any chances, Hale."

Seraphina rolled her eyes, taking the glass.

Damon settled beside her, his fingers absently tracing slow circles along her wrist.

"You okay?" he asked.

Seraphina tilted her head. "You keep asking me that."

Damon shrugged. "You keep avoiding the answer."

She exhaled.

"I'm fine," she said. "It just feels... strange."

Damon studied her.

"You mean stepping back?"

Seraphina nodded.

"I know it's the right thing," she murmured. "I know we can't keep doing this forever."

Damon didn’t disagree.

Because the truth was—he felt the same way.

But that didn’t mean it was easy.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said, his voice steady, certain.

Seraphina sighed. "We always do."

Damon smirked, pressing a slow kiss to her temple. "Always in all ways."

Seraphina exhaled.

Because, for once—she actually believed it.

Liam stood in the med bay, watching as Alexandra sorted through supplies with effortless efficiency.

“You know you don’t have to keep working, right?” he muttered.

Alexandra didn’t look up. “You know that’s not how I function.”

Liam grinned. "Stubborn as ever."

Alexandra finally turned to him, raising a brow.

"Have you met yourself, Carter?"

Liam chuckled. "Touché."

She sighed, placing a few vials back into a case before leaning against the counter.

"You nervous?" she asked.

Liam frowned. "About what?"

Alexandra gave him a look.

Liam exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Not about us. Just… about what's next."

Alexandra nodded, her gaze softening.

"You don’t have to have all the answers, Liam."

Liam smirked. "Tell that to the part of my brain that refuses to shut up."

Alexandra stepped closer.

“Well, if it helps,” she murmured, “I already know my answer.”

Liam arched a brow.

Alexandra smirked. "To whatever you're overthinking. The answer is yes."

Liam exhaled, shaking his head.

"Damn, I love you."

Alexandra grinned. "I know."

Zayn stood on the balcony overlooking the city, the small black box still tucked away in his pocket.

He had been holding onto it for days.

Waiting.

For what, he wasn’t sure.

The right moment? The right words?

The right something?

But then—

The balcony door slid open, and Tessa stepped outside, arms crossed against the cool night air.

"You’re brooding," she muttered.

Zayn smirked. "It’s what I do best."

Tessa leaned against the railing beside him, her gaze flicking toward the skyline.

"You ever think about just… disappearing?" she asked.

Zayn frowned. "What?"

Tessa exhaled.

"Not literally. Just… leaving all of this behind. Apex. The past. The expectations."

Zayn went still.

Because she had just said out loud the one thing he had been thinking for weeks.

And the worst part?

He wasn’t sure if she was saying it because she wanted it—or because she was afraid she never could.

Zayn swallowed, his fingers tightening around the box in his pocket.

"You ever think about staying?" he asked, voice quieter now.

Tessa’s eyes flickered toward him.

And for a second—**just a second—**Zayn thought maybe she understood.

Maybe she knew.

Maybe she felt it too.

But then—she looked away.

And the moment passed.

Zayn exhaled.

And once again—he kept the words to himself.

For now.