Zayden squeezed her hand. "You know me, Mom. I can handle it."

"That’s what worries me," Isabella replied.

She knew him too well.

"You’re so confident. So sure of yourself. Sometimes I wish you’d slow down, just a bit. Just enough to be careful."

She knew him too well

"I’m always careful."

"You’re actually pretty reckless," Isabella corrected. "Ever since you were a kid. Jumping off roofs. Climbing trees that were way too high. Fighting guys twice your size." She smiled sadly. "You’ve never known fear. And that freaks me out."

Zayden pulled Isabella into another hug. "I’ll be good, I promise."

Isabella squeezed him tight. "Better be. Because if you get yourself killed, I’ll drag you back from the afterlife just to give you a piece of my mind."

Zayden laughed—a real laugh. "I believe you."

They sat in silence for a bit.

Then Isabella pulled back and quickly wiped her eyes. "Alright, enough sappy stuff. Tell me about this Aylin girl. What’s she like?"

Zayden’s smile got bigger. "She’s... amazing. Super smart, strong, brave, gorgeous—everything.

"And you’re in love with her," Isabella said.

"More than anything."

Isabella studied his face. "Good. You deserve someone who makes you happy. Someone who really gets you."

"She does," Zayden said quietly. "She understands me better than anyone."

Isabella grinned warmly. "I can’t wait to meet her. Like, for real. Not just hearing about her from Zayn."

"Soon," Zayden promised again. "After this whole thing is over."

"This big, mysterious thing you can’t talk about."

"Yep."

Isabella sighed. "Fine. I’ll wait. But not patiently."

Zayden stood up. "Where’s Zayn? I need to talk to him."

Isabella pointed down the hall. "He’s in his room. Probably still asleep. That guy sleeps like a rock."

"Thanks, Mom."

Isabella got up and hugged him one last time. "Please be careful, Zayden. Whatever you’re up to, just stay safe."

"I will."

She pulled back and gave him a peck on the cheek. Then she leaned in close and sniffed.

Zayden blinked. "Did you just smell me?"

Isabella chuckled. "You smell like someone who’s totally in love—like happiness, desperation, and hope all mixed together."

Zayden felt his face heat up. "Mom..."

"I’m spot on, aren’t I?" Isabella laughed. "Oh, my son. You really are head over heels."

"I should go," Zayden said, trying not to smile.

"Go talk to your brother. I need to head home anyway. Dad’s waiting." Isabella grabbed her bag. "But Zayden?"

He looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"Make sure you bring her to dinner soon. Seriously."

"I will, Mom. I promise."

Isabella smiled, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and headed out.

Zayden hung out for a moment in the quiet penthouse, then strolled down the hall to Zayn’s room.

*****

Zayden opened the door without knocking.

Zayn was tossed across his bed, fully dressed, completely asleep.

Zayden couldn’t help but smile. He grabbed a decorative pillow from the couch near the door and tossed it right at his brother’s head.

It smacked Zayn square in the face.

Zayn shot up awake with a strangled noise, flailing around, his eyes wide and confused.

"What the—" he started, blinking rapidly and rubbing his face as he tried to wake up.

When he spotted Zayden standing in the doorway, grinning, he added, "What’s going on?"

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Zayden said.

Zayn groaned and flopped back on the pillows. "I can’t stand you," he mumbled.

"No, you don’t really mean that," came the reply.

"Right now, I totally do." Zayn squinted at him. "What time is it?"

"Time to get up."

Zayn pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you here? And why are you hitting me with throw pillows?"

Zayden walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, his face serious.

"I need you to do something," Zayden said.

Zayn looked at him, suddenly more awake. "What’s up?"

"I need you and Emma to leave. Like, today. Right now."

Zayn froze. "What?"

"I’ve got a private jet ready and a hotel booked in Miami Beach. A week. Everything’s arranged. You and Emma leave this afternoon, and you won’t come back until I say it’s safe."

Zayn shook his head. "Wait. Slow down. What’s going on?"

"I can’t give you the details," Zayden replied. "But something big is happening tonight. Something risky. I need you as far away from this city as possible."

"Tonight?" Zayn echoed. "The thing you’ve been planning."

"Yep."

"Against Alpha."

"Exactly."

Zayn ran a hand through his hair. "And you want me to take off."

"I want you to be safe," Zayden clarified. "You and Emma. If things go south, if Alpha finds out you’re connected to me, he’ll come after you. He’ll come after her, too. I can’t risk that."

"So, you’re just sending us away."

"Pretty much."

Zayn was quiet for a long moment. "What do I tell Emma? She’s not just going to agree to fly to Miami for no reason."

"Tell her you want to surprise her. Say you have some business there and want her to join you. You could say you planned a romantic getaway. Say whatever you need to. Just get her on that plane."

Zayn looked at his brother. "This is really serious, huh?"

This wasn’t just another mission.

"Yeah."

"You’re really going up against Alpha Dark tonight."

"Yep."

"And you really think you can win?"

Zayden looked him in the eye. "I intend to. But I also know that battles always come with a price, and I won’t let you or Emma pay for it."

Zayn took that in.

Then he asked, "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"If this goes south—if you..." Zayn hesitated. "What happens to Aylin if you don’t come back?"

Zayden’s expression softened. "I will come back. I’ve got too much to stick around for now."

"That doesn’t really answer my question."

Zayden spoke softly, "If something goes wrong, you’re in charge of her. You, Zayn. Make sure she’s okay. Keep her safe as I would."

Zayn swallowed hard. "Zayden..."

"Promise me," Zayden insisted.

Zayn didn’t answer immediately.

The room felt unusually quiet.

"I promise. But you’re coming back, alright? You hear me? You’re not leaving me to deal with Aylin’s anger if you get yourself killed."

Zayden smiled. "Deal."

They sat in silence for a moment.

Then Zayn stood up. "Alright. Miami. One week. I’ll figure out what to say to Emma."

"The jet leaves at 4:00 PM. Don’t be late."

"We won’t." Zayn looked at him. "Be careful out there tonight."

"Always."

"No. I mean it. Be really careful. Not your version of careful, where you throw yourself into dangerous situations and somehow manage to survive."

Zayden stood up and pulled his brother into a hug. "I will be careful. I promise."

Zayn hugged him back tightly. "Good. Because Mom will kill both of us if you die."

"She really will," Zayden agreed.

They pulled apart.

Zayden moved toward the door but then stopped and turned back.

"Zayn?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care of Emma. No matter what happens tonight, no matter what she learns, you need to protect her. Understood?"

Zayn nodded. "Understood."

"Good."

Zayden left the room, walked out of the penthouse, and hoped that the next time he saw his brother, the war would be over.