Chapter 168: Bang!!! Who Goes?

Armari chuckled softly.

"Jitters?"

I buried my face against his chest.

"Shut up."

His arms wrapped around me.

He kissed my forehead.

"I missed you too."

I looked up at him.

"I never said I missed you."

His familiar cocky grin returned.

"You didn't have to."

I groaned.

"You're so frustrating and annoying."

"And you're still here."

I couldn't argue with that.

GENERAL/OMNISCIENT POV:

The Uber rolled to a quiet stop outside Adrian's pack house.

Stella paid the driver, stepped out, and closed the door.

The enormous house stood before her, surrounded by the familiar security and pack members who immediately noticed her arrival.

"Good evening, Luna."

"Welcome, Luna."

"Stella—"

She ignored every greeting.

Not rudely.

Not angrily.

She simply walked past them with a faint, almost peaceful smile on her lips.

That smile unsettled one of the guards more than anger would have.

Stella entered the house and headed straight for the stairs.

She didn't need directions.

She knew exactly where Adrian would be.

The top floor.

His private office.

Her heels clicked quietly against the polished floor as she climbed.

When she reached the corridor, she found two of Adrian's men outside his door.

They straightened.

"Miss Stella—"

She smiled.

"Move."

Something about her voice made them hesitate.

Then they stepped aside.

She opened the door.

Adrian looked up from his desk.

His expression immediately soured.

"You."

Stella closed the door behind her.

"Hello, Adrian."

He leaned back.

"Did you come here to complain?"

She walked slowly toward his desk.

"I came to understand something."

"And what is that?"

"The setup last night."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"You mean the mess you created?"

Stella stopped.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me."

He stood.

"You were impatient."

"I was angry."

"You were reckless."

"I wanted Iris gone."

"And because you couldn't control yourself, you unsettled everyone."

His voice grew sharper.

"My men weren't prepared for your little emotional war. They rushed. They lost discipline."

Stella stared at him.

"And then they started shooting."

"Exactly."

Adrian shook his head.

"That was never supposed to happen."

"Then what was supposed to happen?"

"We were supposed to pressure them."

He pointed toward her.

"You wanted blood."

"I wanted Iris."

"And you nearly started a war."

Stella's faint smile disappeared.

"You sent them."

"You pushed me."

"You sent them."

"And you ruined everything by rushing me!"

The room fell silent.

Stella stared at him.

Adrian continued.

"You should have waited."

"You should have thought."

"You should have realized that Alexander's house wasn't some helpless little target."

Stella's expression became strangely calm.

"You really believe this is my fault."

"It is."

She nodded slowly.

"Interesting."

Adrian frowned.

"What?"

"You've all forgotten something."

"What?"

Stella reached slowly into her purse.

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Stella..."

She pulled out a gun.

His expression changed instantly.

"What the—"

Pfft.

The suppressed shot struck him.

Adrian staggered backward.

Before he could recover—

Pfft.

Another.

Then another.

And another.

And another.

Five shots.

The silenced weapon made each one sound disturbingly small inside the enormous room.

Adrian collapsed against the edge of his desk and slid toward the floor.

His eyes remained wide with disbelief.

Stella stood perfectly still.

She lowered the gun.

Adrian stared at her.

"You..."

His voice was barely audible.

Stella smiled.

Not wildly.

Not hysterically.

Almost sadly.

"So many of you have forgotten who I am."

She stepped closer.

"You've all been so busy deciding that I'm the emotional little Luna who can't control herself."

Her smile disappeared.

"Maybe I finally stopped fighting my demons."

Adrian tried to move.

Stella looked down at him.

"You should have been more careful about what you awakened."

She picked up the heavy iron object from beside the fireplace.

Adrian's eyes widened.

"Stella..."

She raised it.

"You wanted to know what happens when I stop being patient?"

She brought it down.

The room went silent.

Stella stood over him, breathing heavily.

She stared at the man who had spent so long believing he could manipulate her.

Then she whispered,

"Now you know."

She dropped the iron.

It struck the floor with a heavy clang.

Stella looked toward the door.

Her face was strangely calm again.

Then she walked out.

Leaving Adrian behind.

And for the first time in a very long time, Stella wasn't crying. She was ready for the kill.

LIAM'S POV

The room was dark.

Liam sat alone beside the window, staring at the city below.

He hadn't slept properly in days.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Iris.

Her smile.

Her tears.

The way she'd looked at him when she'd realized he was a werewolf.

The way she'd chosen someone else.

Again.

And again.

And again.

He lowered his head into his hands.

"I can't do this anymore."

His voice was barely audible.

For years, he'd believed he could protect her.

He'd believed that if he was patient enough, strong enough, careful enough...

eventually she'd understand.

But now?

She had four men surrounding her.

A curse.

A family history soaked in blood.

Witches.

Packs.

Her awakening.

And Liam couldn't even get close enough to know whether she was safe.

He laughed bitterly.

"What's the point?"

His phone lay on the table.

He picked it up.

There were messages from his pack.

Missed calls.

People asking where he was.

He didn't answer.

Then Iris's name appeared in his mind again.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

"I love you."

The words broke apart in his throat.

"I love you so much."

A tear slipped down his cheek.

"And I don't know how to live with watching you love everyone else."

He stared toward the window.

For one terrible moment, the thought of ending everything seemed peaceful.

No jealousy.

No curse.

No fear.

No watching Iris walk away.

Just silence.

Liam stood.

His legs felt heavy.

He took one step.

Then another.

His hand reached toward the place he'd been staring at.

He stopped.

Something inside him screamed.

Not his wolf.

Something human.

A memory.

Iris laughing.

Kimberly yelling at him.

Roanna rolling her eyes.

His mother telling him, years ago, that surviving a terrible night didn't mean the night had won.

Liam's breathing became ragged.

He stepped backward.

"No."

He covered his face.

"No..."

He sank onto the floor.

The tears came violently now.

"I don't want to die."

The admission came out broken.

"I just don't want to hurt anymore."

He stayed there for a long time.

Then his phone vibrated again.

He stared at it.

One message.

From an unknown number.

UNKNOWN: If you truly want to disappear, I know somewhere no one will find you.

Liam's blood ran cold.

He stared at the message.

Then another appeared.

UNKNOWN: But before you make a permanent decision... come and hear what I know about Iris.

Liam stopped breathing.

His eyes narrowed.

Whoever had sent it knew exactly what to say.

He should have deleted it.

Instead...

his fingers slowly tightened around the phone.

And for the first time that night, the darkness inside him gave way to something else.

Suspicion.

Because if someone knew about Iris...

Liam needed answers.