The silence didn't last long.
It never did—Not when people like them were involved.
Marcus's phone vibrated once.
Sharp.
Precise.
Like everything else in his world.
He didn't need to check it.
Didn't need to guess.
He already knew who it was.
Helena watched him carefully.
"You're not answering."
"No."
That alone told her everything.
Because Marcus didn't ignore anything.
Unless it was something he couldn't control.
"Your family," she said quietly.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"Yes."
The phone vibrated again.
Longer this time.
Insistent.
Helena crossed her arms slowly.
"Feels urgent."
"It is."
A pause.
"Then why are you still standing here?"
Marcus looked at her then.
Really looked.
"Because if I answer…"
A slight pause.
"…things change."
Her chest tightened.
"They already have."
Silence.
The phone stopped vibrating.
And for a second—It felt like the world was holding its breath.
Then—A message came through.
Marcus's eyes flicked down.
Just once.
And that was enough.
Because Helena saw it.
The shift.
Small.
But real.
"What did they say?" she asked.
He didn't respond immediately.
Which meant—
It was bad.
"They're not asking anymore," he said finally.
Her stomach dropped.
"They're ordering."
A pause.
"They want me to come home."
The word felt wrong.
Home.
It didn't sound like a place.
It sounded like a battlefield.
"And if you don't?"
Marcus met her gaze.
"They'll come here."
That was worse.
Much worse.
Helena exhaled slowly, her mind already moving ahead.
"They won't come alone."
"No."
"And they won't come quietly."
"No."
Silence fell again.
Then—
"What do they want?"
Marcus didn't hesitate this time.
"You."
The word hit like a punch.
Helena blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Her pulse spiked instantly.
"For what?"
Marcus's expression darkened.
"That depends on how valuable you are to them."
A cold chill ran through her.
"And how do they decide that?"
His gaze didn't soften.
"They test you."
Helena let out a quiet breath.
"That sounds… dangerous."
"It is."
A pause.
"It's also inevitable."
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
Because she understood now.
Running wasn't an option.
Hiding wasn't an option.
This was coming—Whether they were ready or not.
"Then we don't wait," she said.
Marcus's eyes flicked to hers.
"We go to them."
Silence.
Because that—That wasn't the answer he expected.
"You want to walk into their territory?" he asked.
Helena stepped closer.
"They already see me as a threat."
Another step.
"Better they see me as one on my terms."
Marcus studied her for a long moment.
Measuring.
Calculating.
And then—Something shifted.
Approval.
A slow, dangerous smile touched his lips.
"You really have no idea what you're walking into."
Helena met his gaze without hesitation.
"Then show me."
A pause.
"And don't hold back this time."
That did something to him.
Something dark.
Something sharp.
Something… impressed.
"Careful," he said quietly.
A step closer.
"You might not like what you see."
Helena didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
"I stopped being afraid of the truth the moment I picked up that gun."
Silence.
Heavy.
Charged.
Final.
Marcus reached out slowly—his hand brushing lightly against her jaw, tilting her face just enough to meet his eyes fully.
"You're walking into a war," he said.
Her breath hitched slightly.
"Then I won't walk in alone."
A beat.
"I walk in with you."
That was it.
The line was crossed.
Completely.
Marcus's grip tightened just slightly—just enough to feel real.
Grounded.
Certain.
"Then we go together."
Behind the calm words—There was something else.
Something inevitable.
Because once they stepped into his world—There was no leaving it.
Not alive.
The phone buzzed again.
This time—Marcus picked it up.
He didn't speak.
Didn't greet.
Didn't hesitate.
Just one sentence.
Cold.
Final.
"I'm coming."
And then he hung up.
Helena's heart pounded.
Because she knew—This wasn't just a meeting.
This was a test.
A trap.
A war waiting to begin.
And this time—There would be no running.