(Author’s POV)

"Boss, the ritual was... it was a success," Robin conveyed; his voice faltered at the end when he delivered the news.

In that moment, Garry felt like all the oxygen from his lungs had been sucked out. He felt suffocated; his head started to buzz and spin simultaneously. His vitals displayed on the screen started to fluctuate erratically as he was overpowered with the feeling of immense dread and regret.

Robin panicked and started calling for him, "Mr. Yates, Mr. Yates~ .... BOSS~ ...."

Hearing the commotion, Jeffery and Liliana came hurriedly inside the room. The doctors followed suit. They gave him a shot to stabilize, and soon he fell into a deep slumber. "I specifically told you, the patient has just woken up. He had a major surgery. His health is still fragile. And a stressful conversation can be fatal for him. You all need to be very careful about what to say and what not to say," saying this, he walked out of the room.

Jeffery reprimanded Robin and rightly so. After that, he banned him from visiting Garry. For three whole weeks, Garry was in the hospital, recovering; he got no news about Amelia.

During his stay at the hospital, he had mulled over everything that had happened. The first few days and nights were difficult for him. He couldn’t eat, nor could he sleep peacefully, wretched with self reproach, haunted by Amelia’s bloodied figure. Still, he stayed put and didn’t fuss for his children’s sake.

The day he was discharged, Robin Carcello came to pick them up and take them to the airport. But Garry said, "You should go ahead. I have to go somewhere else first."

"No way, Dad. I am not leaving you alone," Jeffery was adamant.

Garry sighed and told him and Liliana, "Before going to Damona, I need to settle something here. Didn’t you say to cut ties with those people? I am going to do just that."

"I will come with you," Jeffery insisted, but Garry shot him down, "No need. They won’t do anything to me." His words were determined, as he nodded to reassure.

Jeffery was reluctant, but trusting his father, he decided to let him go. After all, Garry Yates was no ordinary man. After settling in the car, he dialled Brian’s number, "Where are you?"

"Garry Yates~ ... you~ ..." before Brian could say anything, Garry interrupted. His voice was cold, "I asked~ ... where are you all?"

"At Denver’s place," was Brian’s reply. Robin drove him straight to the destination. The moment he stepped inside, he saw all of the parties involved, excluding Vienna, were already in the living room.

The moment their eyes landed on him, Casper clapped sarcastically, commenting, "You filthy human, dare to show up. I guess you really wish to die this time, huh?"

Garry didn’t entertain him. He just walked in the centre of the room and announced, "From now on, I don’t want to take any part in this ritual."

"What did you say?" Brian spat, angry. "Who do you think you are, Garry? You dared to ruin the ritual, and now you come here and start showing attitude to us? Did that head injury make you go crazy? Do you even know what you are saying or in front of whom you are standing? Feel lucky that you didn’t die that night. So, enough with your bravado. Did you forget what you achieved from that deal? If not for this, you would have been stuck as a dealer in the underground for the rest of your life, licking Zavier’s boot. We made you the underground king. What you are today~ .... is all thanks to us, and you thought of betraying us."

He didn’t flinch; he didn’t twitch as he replied, "I feel lucky, extremely lucky that I survived. That’s why I am saying. I don’t want to be a part of Operation Gold Blood anymore, as for leaking the news. I am ready to bind myself with the oath of obedience and also~ ...." He paused, exhaled a breath, then continued, "renounce my title as the boss of the underground with immediate effect."

The room went dead silent; only the sound of breathing was heard, as everyone present was left stunned by his words.

The oath of obedience was not some random words you could throw lightly. If he dared to open his mouth about the operation to anyone, the oath would backfire, and it would start to spread poison in his veins. His limbs would shrink, and in the next three days, he would die a miserable, torturous death. And this applied to all kinds, whether vampire, werewolf or human alike. Even after knowing all this, Garry was ready to take on the oath.

"So, you are giving up everything you have built for what~ .... morality?" Keith, with his eyebrows raised, said in a mocking tone. "You don’t even have any connection with that girl. What are you showing such compassion for?"

"Alpha, you can think whatever you want. I am just tired of all this," he sounded worn out. "I just want to rest." He then turned his attention to Denver and said, "Let’s get this over with."

Denver walked towards him, slow and deliberate, his eyes constantly on Garry. He was observing the old man’s body language, but the man in front of him didn’t waver, not even for a second. "Extend your hand," he said.

Instead of doing that, he started to remove his shirt and said, "Do it on my back. I don’t want others to see it."

Denver’s eyes flickered. "Are you sure? It will hurt a lot," he warned.

"I am," he replied, determined. "Alright, then~ ...." Saying this, Denver closed his eyes and started chanting the incantation. A stream of dark, ash like energy emanated from his hands and made its way into Garry’s back and started absorbing into his spine. A low, suppressing grunt came out of his mouth as he bit his lower lip, tasting blood.

Yet he stood firm on the ground. Once the process was completed, he put back his shirt, gave all of them a subtle nod, commenting, "I hope we all never meet again," and walked out without looking back. Once in the car, all his strength drained from his body. His face scrunched into a painful scowl. Seeing him like that, Robin asked, "Sir~ ... what happened? Did they~ ...."

"I am fine," he waved his hand. "It’s finally over. Take me away from this place."

To Be Continued . . . . . . . . . .