Chapter 24 - The Bloodline Broken
"Faith, stay down!" Jared roared, sprinting forward, prepared to tackle the charging 160-pound beast with his bare hands.
Willa was faster.
She didn't use a tranquilizer or a baton. She grabbed Elena’s green silk ribbon from the kitchen counter and lunged between Roman and Faith, sliding across the polished floor on her knees.
Roman hit Willa hard, knocking the wind from her lungs. His jaws snapped inches from her throat, his hot breath reeking of raw adrenaline.
Willa didn't pull away. With steady, practiced veterinary precision, she wrapped the silk ribbon around Roman’s muzzle, pressing the fabric directly against his nostrils, forcing him to inhale Elena’s faint scent beneath the synthetic toxin.
"Roman, look at me!" Willa screamed, holding his thrashing skull with both hands, ignoring the sharp claws digging into her shoulders. "It's Willa! It's Elena's ribbon! Look at me!"
The Mastiff let out a choked, desperate wheeze. His thrashing slowed. His nostrils flared wildly as the scent of the woman who raised him collided with the synthetic rage firing in his brain.
Faith reached out through the dark. Her small fingers touched the back of Roman’s neck, right at the base of his collar where a leather tag hung.
"Good boy," Faith whispered, her voice trembling but steady. "I’m here, Roman. Don't be scared. The monsters aren't in this room."
Roman’s hind legs gave out. The massive dog collapsed onto his stomach, panting heavily, his eyes returning to their normal golden-brown warmth. He rested his heavy snout against Willa’s bruised knees, letting out a long, shuddering whimper of exhaustion.
Jared arrived a second later, pulling Willa and Faith into his arms, his entire body shaking.
Before anyone could speak, the penthouse elevator chime rang. The secure private elevator—accessible only via biometric master override—opened.
Stepping into the entryway was a tall, distinguished man in a charcoal bespoke suit, his silver hair neatly combed back, carrying a leather briefcase. Behind him stood two private security contractors wearing black tactical vests.
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Willa looked up through her tears, her voice turning to ice. "Uncle Marcus."
Marcus Vance smiled—a cold, calculated grin that showed neither malice nor pity. "Hello, Willa. You always were too attached to stray animals. Just like your mother."
