165

Jenny's POV

Bianca and I stood just outside Alina’s office door, our ears straining for any hint of what was happening inside. The confrontation we’d witnessed through the small crack in the door had left us both on edge. Dean had tied Alina up and left her helpless, and now we were ready to stop him before he could cause more harm.

The door suddenly swung open, and Dean emerged, his expression a mix of panic and determination. He froze for a split second upon seeing us, then scowled.

“Where are you off to in such a rush?” I asked, stepping into his path.

Bianca crossed her arms, blocking his escape in the other direction.

“Out of my way,” Dean growled, his voice low and threatening. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Funny,” Bianca said, her tone sharp. “You didn’t seem to have time for anything else when you were tying up Alina a few minutes ago.”

Dean’s face darkened, and he took a step forward, clearly ready to force his way through. But before he could make a move, the pack sentinels appeared, emerging from the hallway.

“Dean,” one of them said, his tone commanding, “you’re not going anywhere.”

Dean’s eyes darted around, his jaw clenching as he realized he was cornered. “You don’t know what you’re doing,” he snapped, trying to push past the nearest sentinel.

The sentinel grabbed his arm and yanked him back, pinning him against the wall. Another joined in, ensuring he couldn’t move.

“This is a mistake!” Dean shouted, struggling against their grip.

“Save it,” I said, stepping closer to him. “We’ve seen enough to know exactly who you are. You’re done, Dean.”

I hurried into Alina’s office, my heart pounding as I spotted her tied to the chair. Her face was pale, her expression a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Alina!” I rushed over, quickly untying the ropes around her wrists. She winced as I freed her, rubbing her arms.

“Thank you,” she said breathlessly, standing on shaky legs.

Bianca entered the room, glancing over her shoulder. “The sentinels have him secured. What should we do next?”

Alina straightened, her determination shining through the anger in her eyes. “We take him to the dungeon. He doesn’t deserve to be anywhere else.”

With that, the three of us made our way to the dungeon, where the sentinels had already dragged Dean. He was inside a cold, dark cell, pacing like a caged animal. When he saw us, his eyes narrowed, and he slammed a fist against the bars.

“You don’t know what you’re doing!” he snarled. “This isn’t over!”

“Oh, it’s over,” Alina said, her voice icy. “Your judgment is coming very soon, and you’ll pay for everything you’ve done.”

Dean laughed bitterly. “You think you can stop me? You think you’re in control? You have no idea what’s coming.”

“Save your threats,” Bianca snapped, her tone matching Alina’s. “No one’s afraid of you anymore.”

I pulled out my phone and quickly called Luca. The line barely rang before he picked up.

“What’s going on?” Luca asked, his voice tense.

“It’s done,” I told him. “Dean’s in the dungeon. He’s been exposed, and Alina’s safe. But you need to get here. Things are escalating fast.”

“I’m on my way,” Luca said. “Keep an eye on him. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

I ended the call and turned back to the cell. Dean was sitting on the bench inside, his hands clasped as he glared at us.

“Luca’s coming,” I informed Alina. “We’ll get to the bottom of this soon.”

Alina nodded, though her gaze remained fixed on Dean. “He won’t get away with this,” she said firmly. “Not this time.”

Bianca placed a hand on her shoulder, offering silent support. I knew this was far from over, but for now, we had the upper hand. Dean’s reign of deceit and manipulation was crumbling, and soon, justice would be served.

___

Lia’s POV

I sat in the corner of the cold, damp dungeon, my back pressed against the rough stone wall. My wrists ached from the heavy chains, but the pain in my heart was far worse. I had been accused of something I hadn’t done, and no matter how hard I tried to convince them, no one believed me.

The door creaked open suddenly, and I flinched at the sound of approaching footsteps. The light from the hallway spilled into the dark room, and I squinted, trying to make out who it was. My breath hitched when I saw Alina, followed closely by Jenny and Bianca.

I scrambled to my feet, unsure of what to expect. Were they here to finally pass judgment?

“Lia,” Alina’s voice broke through the silence, softer than I’d ever heard it before.

“What is this?” I asked warily, my voice hoarse from lack of use.

Jenny and Bianca stepped forward, unlocking the chains around my wrists. The weight fell away, and I rubbed the sore spots, still watching them with suspicion.

“We’re here to take you out of this place,” Bianca said, her tone gentle.

I blinked in disbelief. “What?”

“We’ve exposed Dean,” Jenny explained, her eyes meeting mine. “Alina knows the truth now. Dean’s been manipulating everything from the start. He’s in the dungeon now, waiting for judgment.”

The words took a moment to sink in. I stared at them, searching for any sign of deceit, but all I saw was sincerity.

“Is this real?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

Alina stepped closer, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Lia, I owe you an apology. A deep, heartfelt apology. I should have believed you. I should have listened to you instead of letting my anger cloud my judgment. I’m so sorry for everything I put you through.”

Her words hit me like a tidal wave, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak. The weight of her apology, combined with the revelation that my nightmare was finally over, overwhelmed me.

Jenny and Bianca looked at me with matching expressions of remorse.

“We’re sorry too,” Jenny said softly. “We should have done more. We should have questioned things. Please forgive us.”

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, and before I could stop myself, I was nodding. “I… I forgive you,” I managed to say.

Alina stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. For a moment, I froze, unsure of how to react. But then the warmth of her embrace melted my hesitation, and I hugged her back tightly.

Jenny and Bianca joined in, and the four of us stood there in a circle, united in a way I hadn’t thought possible just hours ago.

Just as we stepped back, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. We all turned to see Luca walking in, his expression a mixture of relief and determination.

“Luca,” I breathed, my heart skipping a beat.

He strode toward us, his gaze locked on mine. Alina glanced at Jenny and Bianca, and without a word, they nodded and began to walk out of the dungeon.

“We’ll give you two some privacy,” Alina said softly before disappearing through the door.

The silence that followed felt heavy but not uncomfortable. Luca came closer, and I could see the worry etched into his features.

“I’m so sorry for everything,” he said, his voice low. “I should have done more to protect you. I should have been there.”

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “You did what you could. You believed me when no one else did. That’s all that matters.”

He reached out and cupped my face, his thumb brushing away a tear. “I promise you, Lia, no one will ever hurt you again. Not Dean, not anyone.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to feel a glimmer of hope. Luca had always been my anchor, and now, with Dean’s lies unraveling, I felt like I could finally breathe again.

“Thank you,” I whispered, leaning into his touch.

Luca’s lips curved into a small smile. “You don’t need to thank me. You deserve justice, and I’ll make sure you get it.”

We stood there in silence for a while, the tension and fear of the past few weeks slowly melting away. For the first time, I felt safe. I felt like I wasn’t alo

I'm not in this fight anymore.

And as I looked into Luca’s eyes, I knew that no matter what happened next, we’d face it together.