Alexander lounged in his study, a cigar between his fingers, puffing on it.

The meeting had wrapped up, and the encrypted phone on his desk was a constant reminder of the choice he’d made.

Help them take down Alpha Dark.

Turn on the man he’d been loyal to for years.

All to protect Emma. All to keep his secret under wraps. All to maintain the fragile lie that he was her father instead of her kidnapper.

He took a deep drag from the cigar and blew the smoke out slowly in the dim light of his study.

The house was quiet. Emma was probably in her room, either texting Zayn, studying, or doing whatever twenty-three-year-olds usually do when they aren’t stressing about their fathers falling apart.

She had no clue what was coming.

No idea that in two days, her whole world would fall apart.

He closed his eyes, trying to shove aside the guilt that never really left him.

Then something clicked in his mind.

A memory. A detail. Something he’d known for a long time and seen firsthand but had never thought to use as a weapon.

Alpha’s weak spot.

Not a physical flaw, nothing that could be used against him with a gun, knife, or a well-aimed hit.

But a weakness for sure.

A seriously damaging one.

One that changed everything about how you’d deal with him.

He opened his eyes, and a slow smile crept across his face.

It wasn’t a friendly smile. It was the kind of smile that said he’d just realized he had a winning hand.

He grabbed the encrypted phone and sent Aylin a message.

"Need to talk. Important. Call me as soon as you can."

He hit send... and waited.

The reply came in just three minutes.

*****

In the tower, Aylin’s phone buzzed.

She was hanging out with Zayden in his office, wrapping up the last details for their big move. Just two days left, forty-eight hours until they went after the most dangerous crime gang in the city.

Everything had to be spot-on. Every little detail sorted out. Every backup plan in place.

One slip-up, and people could get hurt.

Aylin glanced at her phone and saw it was from Alexander.

Without saying anything, she showed the message to Zayden.

He read it, and even though his face didn’t change, she noticed his jaw tighten a bit.

They shared a look.

A wordless conversation happened between them.

Is this a setup?

Is he already selling us out?

Did Alpha find out what he’s up to?

Or does he really have something we need to know?

Zayden gave a quick nod, showing that he trusted her.

Aylin hit the call button.

Alexander picked up right away, almost like he was waiting for her call.

"Aylin," he said, sounding calm and collected, not at all like someone in trouble.

"You said you needed to chat," Aylin replied, putting it on speaker so Zayden could hear too.

"I’ve got some info," Alexander said. "About Alpha Dark. Something super important you should know before you go after him."

Aylin and Zayden exchanged another look.

"We’re listening," Aylin said carefully.

Alexander took a moment on the other end of the line. "Alpha Dark is not doing well."

Silence.

Complete silence filled the office.

"Sick in what way?" Aylin inquired, her tone even.

"With dementia," Alexander answered. "It began in the early stages over a year ago and has been steadily worsening since. He’s been losing his memory and cognitive abilities, and he is trying desperately to conceal it."

Aylin straightened her posture, while Zayden’s expression hardened, his full attention directed at the phone.

"What makes you aware of this?" Zayden questioned, his voice altered through the modulator he was using.

Alexander didn’t react to the mechanical tone; he clearly anticipated others might be listening. "Because I have been his personal doctor for twenty years. I’ve conducted every surgery, medical procedure, and intervention he has needed."

"Surgeries?" Aylin echoed, her mind racing with the ramifications.

"Yes. Extensive cosmetic surgeries over the years. Alpha has changed his appearance multiple times, taking on different faces and identities. Each change required general anesthesia and significant sedation to keep him unconscious for long periods."

Zayden leaned in closer to the phone. "Repeated anesthesia exposure can lead to neurological injury."

"Especially if it’s in high doses over many years," Alexander agreed. "Along with his age, he is now forty-eight; the cumulative impact has been devastating. His neural connections are breaking down, impairing his memory formation and cognitive recall."

Aylin felt her heart rate increase. "What does this mean practically? What can he remember, and what can he forget?"

"It varies from day to day, even hour to hour," Alexander clarified. "Some days he’s sharp and clear, recalling everything accurately. Other days..." he paused. "Other days he forgets names, faces he’s known for years, and whole conversations from the previous day. Sometimes he remembers events but not specifics; other times he can recall details but struggles to place them in the correct sequence."

"Is he conscious of this condition?" Zayden inquired.

"Partially. He recognizes that something is wrong; he notices the lapses and confusion. But he refuses to fully accept it. He dismisses any treatment or intervention, believing that he can overcome it through sheer determination."

Aylin quickly processed this information. "So, when we strike in two days, he may not even recognize us or understand why we are attacking?"

"That’s a possibility," Alexander replied. "Or he might remember everything quite clearly. There’s no way to predict which version of Alpha you will face. The dementia makes him unreliable."

Zayden’s voice was cold and exact. "Are you completely certain about this diagnosis? This isn’t mere speculation or guesswork?"

"I am entirely certain," Alexander responded firmly. "I have conducted thorough tests over the past year: cognitive function evaluations, MRI scans, blood tests, and neurological assessments. The diagnosis is conclusive; Alpha Dark suffers from progressive dementia due to cumulative anesthesia exposure alongside age-related neural degradation."

A long silence followed as they processed the revelation.