Chapter 111

**ADAM**

Whistling softly, I made my way through the halls of the community and up to the administrative wing. My office door clicked open, and I stepped inside, dropping into the chair behind my desk. There was a lightness in me I hadn't felt in weeks. Maybe it was the relief of seeing Aria safe, or maybe it was the prospect of the family we were building together. Either way, it was a good day—or it would’ve been if Caedmon wasn’t still breathing our air.

Cassius, Leila, and Sasha joined me not long after. I’d asked them to meet, needing to go over community logistics, but also to figure out what the hell Caedmon’s next move might be.

"You’re in a good mood," Cassius said as he dropped into one of the chairs. He was wearing a dark gray T-shirt stretched tight over his chest, his hybrid form keeping him always slightly on edge.

"For once," Sasha added with a crooked grin, flopping into a chair with zero grace. "Was the world ending and we didn’t get the memo?"

Leila rolled her eyes but smiled. She’d been glowing lately too, and it wasn’t just from her pregnancy. Cassius had announced this morning that they were expecting a girl. The news had lifted all our spirits, if only briefly.

"I think we could all use good news once in a while," I said. "Congratulations, by the way. A girl, huh?"

Cassius nodded. "Yeah. I’m already thinking about getting a shotgun."

"Or three," Leila muttered, smirking. "She’s going to be a warrior, not some fragile flower."

"Spoken like someone who’s already planning her training regimen," Sasha quipped.

We shared a laugh before I leaned forward, the shift in my posture silencing the room.

"Let’s talk about Caedmon."

Cassius let out a slow breath. "He’s still asking questions. Too many questions."

Leila’s smile faded. "He cornered Rosalie yesterday. Wanted to know what kind of magic she used for the protections. She brushed him off, but he didn’t like that."

I cursed under my breath. "He’s getting bolder. I think he knows we suspect him, and he’s trying to stay one step ahead."

"He asked me about Ambrose again," Sasha added, suddenly serious. "Wanted to know if we had heard from him. He said something about planning to return to Europe and helping the elders 'reconsider their priorities.'"

"So he doesn’t know Ambrose is dead," I murmured, eyes narrowing. "Or he’s pretending not to."

Cassius’s fists tightened. "If he knows and he’s lying, that’s a problem. If he doesn’t know and still talks about helping him... that might mean someone else is pulling the strings."

I nodded. "Either way, we use this."

Leila tilted her head. "How?"

"We feed him disinformation," I said. "We tell him Ambrose sent a message. That he’s trying to get Caedmon out of the U.S. for something critical—something
urgent. We make Caedmon think he has to act fast or risk missing his opportunity."

Cassius leaned back. "And while he’s scrambling, we catch him in the act."

"Exactly," I said. "We plant the message through someone he’ll believe. Maybe through someone from the old vampire circles. We’ll reach out to the witches in Europe—have them create a magically bound letter with Ambrose’s seal."

"Rosalie can arrange that," Leila said confidently. "She has contacts who owe her favors."

Sasha, for once, looked serious. "If we corner him and he feels desperate, he might lash out. Especially if he finds out about Aria and the babies."

My blood ran cold.

"Which is why we act fast and control the narrative. He doesn't learn anything more. If he gets a whiff of the pregnancy, we cut him off completely. I want eyes on him twenty-four-seven until we move."

Everyone nodded.

"What about the others?" Leila asked. "Do we involve Austin and Aria?"

"Not yet," I said. "Aria needs rest. And Austin—well, he’d burn down half the region if he thought it would protect her. We can’t let emotions derail this."

Cassius looked at me, his eyes dark. "You’re thinking long-term, Adam. That’s good. But if this goes sideways—"

"It won’t," I said. "Because we’re going to control every step. And when it’s over, Caedmon won’t be a threat anymore."

The meeting ended with a quiet resolve. As they left, I stood at the window, watching the light shift through the trees. For once, I felt clarity—not the weight of fear, but the precision of purpose. I had something to fight for. Someone.

A family.

And I would destroy anything that tried to take it from me.

***

I left the office later than planned, rubbing the tiredness from my eyes as I shut the door behind me. The corridor was bathed in soft golden light from the descending sun, filtering in through the wide windows.

The sky had turned a deeper amber by the time I reached the residential wing. A few windows were open, and I could hear soft music and laughter inside. It was good to hear joy echoing through the halls after everything we'd been through.

I finally reached the top floor, pausing outside our apartment door. Just beyond it, Aria would be resting. Maybe Austin would be sitting beside her, one arm slung protectively around her shoulders while she read or dozed. The thought made my chest ache in the best way.

Before I could open the door, I heard someone behind me clear their throat.

"Adam."

I turned to see Renna, one of Alex’s surveillance team members. Her face was serious.

"We got something. You’ll want to see this."

So much for rest.

I followed her back toward the security wing, where Sasha, Leila and Cassius were already seated at the long table in the main briefing room.

Sasha leaned forward and tapped the monitor.

"We’ve got movement," he said. "From Caedmon."

I instantly sobered. "What kind of movement?"

"He accessed a restricted section of the archives," Renna explained. "But he was clever—he used a mirror spell to mask his presence. We only picked it up because one of the cameras glitched and flagged the error."

Cassius crossed his arms. "What was he looking at?"

"Maps," Renna replied. "Specifically the one of the eastern border—where the shielding spells are weakest."

My jaw clenched. "So he’s still trying to find a vulnerability."

Sasha nodded. "I think it’s time we bait him."

"Agreed," I said. "We’ll make it look like Aria will be traveling outside the protective bounds next week. Just a routine check-in. That’ll draw him out."

Leila shifted slightly. "You’ll need to be careful. If he suspects it’s a trap—"

"—He won’t," I finished. "Not if we make it subtle."

Cassius stood. "Then let’s start laying the groundwork. We have a week. Let’s make it count."

As the group began coordinating the trap, I stepped back for a moment, eyes drifting to the windows.

The sun was almost gone now. But there was still light in the sky. A final glimmer of gold before nightfall.

And in that glow, I felt hope.