The Council -

"You can break her body, but you'll never break her spirit."

Logan froze mid-step, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the voice. The shadows in the room seemed to deepen as Dante stepped out of the doorway, his expression as dark and lethal as the storm brewing outside.

Logan smirked, masking the sudden fear that gripped him. "You're late, Blackwood. She's already mine again."

Dante's gaze shifted to Aria. Her pale skin was marred with bruises, her wrists raw from the silver chains. But her eyes... they still burned with defiance.

"No," Dante said, his voice low and steady. "She was never yours. And you'll pay for every mark on her."

---

The tension in the room thickened as Logan stood his ground. "You think I'm scared of you, Blackwood? You're just a man hiding behind a reputation."