Page 39

Amelia

I was weak.

Weak, frantic—roaring like a caged animal.

“I fucking told you!”

My fists collided with Dylan’s chest, his shoulder, the side of his jaw. I didn’t care where I hit him. I just needed to feel something break.

He didn’t stop me.

Didn’t block a single blow.

Not because he couldn’t.

But because he knew he deserved it.

I shifted, breath heaving, and locked eyes with Sebastian. “Satisfied now?” I spat. “Still think he’s a rogue asset?”

Sebastian’s head dropped, the weight of it finally sinking into his spine. His silence was an admission of failure.

My gaze snapped to Zane. “You should’ve trusted me.”

I was a sobbing, shaking mess—rage and heartbreak knotted tight in my chest. Logan stood nearby, whispering something, trying to calm me, but I couldn’t hear him over the roaring in my ears.

Zarek was at the end of the table—silent, shoulders tense. He looked almost… remorseful.

Too little. Too fucking late.

And Dylan—

I stared at him.

He wasn’t speaking.

Wasn’t blinking.

His expression didn’t show remorse.

Didn’t show guilt.

Didn’t show anything.

He was gone.

A blank slate of a man who used to be my brother.

My fucking brother.

The same man who had shot the love of my life.

And I couldn’t even read him anymore.

That scared me more than the bullet ever did.

Another punch landed—this time across his face. His head turned with the impact, blood blooming at the corner of his lip.

Still, nothing.

No reaction. No flinch. Like hitting a goddamn mannequin.

I kept going—sobbing, screaming, striking.

A fist to his gut.

A curse. A cry. Another shove.

“Amelia,” Zarek said, sharp—almost commanding. “Stand down!”

Oh, fuck you.

I spun on my heel, seething, eyes blazing as I turned toward Sebastian.

“Sebastian,” I snapped, voice trembling with fury, “was there an insubordination clause when you built the new Alpha team?”

His brows furrowed. “What?”

“I’m asking,” I ground out, voice clipped, “if there was a hierarchical structure instated when forming the new Alpha crew, formerly Squad Six. Any chain of command.”

Seb’s mouth opened, then closed. His eyes flicked to Zarek. “No.”

Good.

I turned back to Zarek, blood pounding in my ears.

I smirked. Wild. Broken.

“Get fucked, Ghost.”

He looked as though he’d taken a physical blow from me.

He actually flinched .

Good.

Let him feel just a sliver of what Kabir felt—alone, hunted, betrayed.

I turned toward the rest of them, my chest heaving, hands trembling at my sides.

“No one gave him the benefit of the doubt,” I said, voice low and lethal. “Not one of you.”

Zane opened his mouth. “That’s not true. I—”

“You did not!” I screamed, cutting him off, my voice cracking around the words.

He fell silent.

I spun slowly, facing all of them. “If it had been Logan, or Zarek, or this walking goddamn statue of loyalty—” I threw a pointed glare at Dylan, “you would’ve hesitated. You would’ve questioned it. You would’ve looked twice .”

I took a shaky breath, tears blurring my vision.

“But Kabir?” I whispered. “Kabir never even stood a chance with you. None of you give a fuck!”

“We do,” Logan said gently, his voice a steady thread in the storm.

I whipped around. “YOU!” I pointed at Zarek again. “Are you sad your precious rogue asset got shot? Or are you just mad it wasn’t you pulling the trigger?”

Zarek didn’t respond. He just stood there—haunted. His jaw was locked, his eyes dark, regret sinking into every line of his face.

He shook his head once, like the answer hurt too much to say out loud.

Behind me, Logan stepped aside, pulling out his comm. His voice was quiet, but I heard it—every word.

“Kaylan, can you bring Leora as well?” he said. “She’s not okay. Amelia is… just… come over.”

I laughed.

Loud, cracked, hysterical.

“Of course I’m not okay, Logan!”

I spun toward Zane.

“You left him. You left him bleeding . In some alley. Like a fucking enemy .”

He didn’t flinch.

He just nodded—because he knew.

Logan stepped forward slowly, careful not to push. “Amelia—”

But I was already spiraling.

“You three,” I spat, gesturing between him, Dylan, and Zarek. “The fucking golden trio. The inner fucking circle of assholes.”

My chest heaved. The rage was molten now, rising fast.

“Kabir was never in it, was he? He was the asset . Never a brother .”

Logan’s face twisted. “That’s not fair. That’s not true .”

“Maybe not for you,” I snapped, eyes wet, voice shaking, “but for him —” I pointed at Zarek like I was aiming a weapon. “Don’t even try to deny it. You never treated him like a brother. Not once.”

Zarek looked like I’d slapped him. But he didn’t argue.

He didn’t have the right.

“‘On it, Ghost. On it, Ghost. On it, Ghost.’ I never want to hear him say that ever fucking again ,” I screamed at him.

“And you, Titan?” I stared at my brother, my chest heaving. “You pulled the fucking trigger.”

“Amelia—” Logan tried, stepping closer.

“Don’t,” I said sharply, holding out a hand to stop him. “Don’t tell me to fucking breathe. Don’t tell me to calm down. Because the only reason I haven’t completely fucking snapped and put a bullet through Titan’s head is because I have to believe he’s still alive.”

Silence.

And then—movement.

Dylan.

He finally moved.

Not toward me. Not toward anyone.

He just sat.

Heavy. Slow. Like the weight finally caught up with him.

He dropped into a chair, his face slack, eyes vacant.

A man hollowed out.

But I didn’t care.

I stared at him—at the gun that had destroyed everything.

And gave him one, final look.

Not sorrow. Not empathy.

Just pure, unfiltered disgust.

And then I turned on my heel and walked out.

Kaylan and Leora silently followed me back to my room.

Because if I stayed even a second longer—I might’ve picked up where the bullet left off.