Page 16 of Where Lightning Strikes Twice (Fated Mates, Stubborn Hearts #2)

She’s right, of course. The information I possess could save the Storm Eagles—or doom them, depending on who controls it. And there’s the evidence about my own heritage, evidence that could change everything about how I understand myself.

“I need to destroy my research first,” I say, decision crystallizing. “Or at least the most dangerous parts. The files they downloaded contain enough information to develop their bioweapons.”

“Can you access your terminal remotely?”

I nod. “My tablet is synchronized. If I can get to it, I might be able to corrupt specific data files before they’re fully analyzed.”

Zara glances over her shoulder at the lightening sky. “I need to go before dawn breaks. Be ready tonight, after midnight. Kael will come for you.”

My heart leaps at his name, even as my rational mind rebels against the recklessness of such a plan. “The settlement is guarded. He can’t just fly in?—”

“He’ll find a way,” Zara says with absolute confidence. “Just be ready.” She prepares to leave, then hesitates. “Elena… he hasn’t been the same since you. Whatever’s between you—it’s changing him. Changing all of us, maybe.”

Before I can respond, she drops from the ledge. A moment later, a bronze eagle soars upward, quickly disappearing against the pre-dawn sky.

I close the window, mind racing. Escape with Kael would mean abandoning everything—my career, my identity, my world. Becoming, in the eyes of Haven’s Heart, the very traitor they already suspect me to be.

But staying means watching my research become the instrument of genocide. It means betraying Kael, betraying the truth I’ve discovered about Storm Eagle genetics, and betraying whatever dormant heritage stirs within my own blood.

I spend the morning in a state of tense calculation, weighing options, planning contingencies.

The guard outside my door changes shifts at regular intervals.

Meals are delivered on a strict schedule.

My tablet remains in the lab, presumably being analyzed along with everything else.

Without it, I can’t access my terminal to corrupt the research files.

Around midday, an unexpected visitor arrives: my brother, Marcus. The security officer admits him without question—as Haven’s Heart Military Research Liaison, his authority here is second only to Director Voss herself.

“Elena.” His voice is strained as the door closes behind him. His military uniform is impeccable as always, but his face shows the strain of recent travel. “What have you done?”

I rise to face him. “Hello, Marcus. I see they’ve called in the family connection.”

“This isn’t a joke,” he snaps. “Do you have any idea how serious this is? Unauthorized research, withheld intelligence, potential collaboration with enemy forces—these are treasonous offenses during an active conflict.”

“Is that the official position, or are you here as my brother?” I ask quietly.

His expression softens slightly. “Both. Director Voss contacted me directly. She thought I might be able to… mitigate the situation.”

“By convincing me to cooperate?” I cross my arms. “To help them develop bioweapons against the Storm Eagles?”

“By convincing you to share your research for the protection of our people,” Marcus corrects. “These aren’t just academic subjects, Elena. They’re predators who’ve killed hundreds of settlers.”

“It’s more complicated than that,” I say. “My research indicates the Storm Eagles are acting from resource desperation, not inherent aggression. And their genetic structure is unique—they’re not just another wild clan. They’re living conduits for primordial magic.”

Marcus sighs, running a hand through his military-short hair. “This is exactly what Voss warned me about. You’ve become so obsessed with the scientific implications that you’ve lost perspective on the threat they pose.”

“Or maybe I’ve gained perspective you don’t have,” I counter. “The Storm Eagles aren’t mindless killers. They have a society, a culture, and leadership that’s trying to prevent all-out war. The bioweapons Haven’s Heart is developing won’t discriminate between warriors and children.”

“How would you know about their leadership?” Marcus asks sharply, his tactical mind catching the implication immediately. “Unless…”

I remain silent, unwilling to lie to my brother but unable to confess the truth.

Marcus studies my face, realization dawning. “The pure blood sample. You’ve had direct contact with them, haven’t you?”

“My research required uncontaminated specimens,” I say carefully.

“Don’t give me scientific evasions,” he snaps. “Have you met with Storm Eagles? Communicated with them? Shared information?”

The accusation in his voice stings, but I hold my ground. “I’ve done what was necessary to understand them.”

Marcus paces the small room, visibly struggling between familial loyalty and military duty. “Elena, I can’t protect you if you’ve actively collaborated with them. The best I can do is argue for leniency based on your scientific contributions.”

“I don’t want protection,” I tell him. “I want you to look at my research objectively. The Storm Eagles aren’t what Haven’s Heart thinks they are. And what the Council is planning isn’t defense—it’s genocide.”

“What exactly do you expect me to do?” he demands. “Go against direct orders? Risk my own position to validate your unauthorized theories?”

“I expect you to think for yourself,” I say quietly. “To consider that maybe, just maybe, there’s more to this conflict than Haven’s Heart’s official position. Just like there was more to the Northern Forest situation five years ago.”

He stiffens at the reference to the controversial military action that we’d disagreed about so bitterly—an operation later revealed to have been based on manipulated intelligence.

“This isn’t the same,” he insists, but with less conviction.

“Just look at the data,” I urge. “My complete findings, not just the sanitized version Voss is presenting. The Storm Eagle genetic structure, their attack patterns, their resource targets—it all points to a people fighting for survival, not conquest.”

Marcus is silent for a long moment, his expression torn between skepticism and concern. Finally, he sighs. “I’ll review your research files. That’s all I can promise.”

It’s a small victory, but I’ll take it. “Thank you.”

He moves toward the door, then pauses. “The transport arrives tomorrow morning. Whatever Voss decides, you’ll be returning to Haven’s Heart for a formal inquiry.”

My heart sinks. Sooner than I expected—which means Kael’s rescue attempt, if it comes at all, will have only one chance tonight.

“I understand,” I say.

Marcus studies me, brotherly concern momentarily overriding military protocol. “Elena… whatever you’re thinking of doing—don’t. It will only make things worse.”

After he leaves, I sit on the edge of my bed, mind racing. Marcus’s unexpected visit has changed the calculation. If he truly reviews my complete findings, he might understand the implications of what Haven’s Heart is planning. But that would take time I don’t have.

The afternoon passes in tense anticipation. I pace my small quarters, watching the sun track across the sky through my window. As evening approaches, a second meal arrives, along with unexpected news from the guard.

“Dr.Ashford? Director Voss has authorized the return of your personal effects.” He hands me a small box containing items from my lab—basic toiletries, a change of clothes, and, remarkably, my tablet.

I accept it with carefully concealed shock. “Thank you.”

Once alone, I examine the tablet cautiously. It’s almost certainly been modified with tracking software and monitoring protocols. Using it to access my research files would immediately alert security. But its return offers a slim possibility I hadn’t dared hope for—communication.

As darkness falls, I activate the tablet, watching for any sign of tampering.

The standard interface appears, but several applications are disabled.

The communication functions, predictably, have been blocked.

However, the basic system utilities remain accessible—including power management and device diagnostics.

Working quickly, I access the tablet’s diagnostic interface.

It’s a backdoor approach I’ve used before to bypass security restrictions in Haven’s Heart’s overly-controlled research networks.

Within minutes, I’ve established a limited connection to the settlement’s emergency broadcast system—not enough to send detailed messages, but sufficient for a simple alert.

I program a timed security override that will trigger the settlement’s perimeter alarm systems at precisely 2 AM—creating a diversion that might give Kael the opening he needs. It’s a risky gamble, but the best I can manage with limited resources.

The next part is harder. I need to corrupt my research files without triggering security alerts. Direct access to the main database is impossible from my restricted tablet, but there’s another approach—one that plays on Haven’s Heart’s own security protocols.

I initiate a series of diagnostic scans focusing on the genetic sequencing data clusters where my most sensitive Storm Eagle research is stored.

Each scan includes a subtly malformed query designed to corrupt specific portions of the database—the portions containing information about Storm Eagle neural pathways, magical conductivity, and genetic vulnerabilities.

It won’t destroy everything, but it might render the most dangerous data unusable for weapons development. At least temporarily.

As midnight approaches, I make final preparations. I dress in the practical field gear returned with my personal effects, hiding my tablet in an inner pocket. There’s nothing else to take—everything that matters is either in my head or already in Haven’s Heart’s possession.

I sit by the window, watching the settlement quiet for the night. Guards patrol in predictable patterns, security lights casting sharp shadows across the compound. Somewhere beyond the perimeter fence, in the vast darkness of the northern wilderness, Kael is coming for me.

The realization strikes me with sudden clarity: I’ve made my choice. Not just for tonight, but for whatever comes after. Somewhere between scientific curiosity and forbidden attraction, between duty and truth, I’ve chosen a side in this conflict. I’ve chosen Kael.

I’ve chosen to be something I never imagined—a traitor to Haven’s Heart, a fugitive from my own people, and perhaps something else entirely. Something connected to the storm and sky in ways I’m only beginning to understand.

As I wait for midnight, I think about the research I’ve done, the discoveries I’ve made, and the man who has somehow become the center of my uncertain future.

Whatever happens tonight will irrevocably change the course of my life.

There’s no going back to who I was before—the dedicated researcher, the loyal citizen, the woman who believed her place in the world was fixed and known.

That Elena Ashford died the moment lightning struck near her and awakened something ancient in her blood. Something that recognized the golden eagle watching from above.

Something that still calls to him, even now, across the darkness and distance between us.