I'll have your head

Serena gasped, clutching her ribs and letting out a groan. When the third man lunged, she grabbed a nearby metal vase and swung it with all her strength. The metallic clang of impact reverberated through the garage as the man crumpled.

"Enough!"

The voice cut through the chaos like a blade. Serena froze, her eyes darting to the figure standing in the doorway. When and how was her door opened?

A woman, tall and composed, stepped into the room. Her face was unfamiliar , but her commanding presence was undeniable.

"Serena Alaric," the woman said, her tone cool and authoritative. "You've made this harder than it needed to be."

Serena glared, her chest heaving. "Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"

The woman tilted her head, as if mildly amused by the question. "We are here on behalf of the Council of Vitae. I'm sure you know who we are. You've been summoned, so do us a favor and come with us willingly."

A cold dread settled over Serena. The Council of Vitae—the shadowy organization, cult rather, that controlled the mafia world through bloodline contracts and genetic manipulation. They were the reason her father had fallen, the reason she had spent years running.

"I'm not part of your world anymore, haven't been for the past twelve years." Serena spat. "So do us a favor and leave my house peacefully before things turn bloody."

The woman's eyes glinted, a cruel smile playing at the corners of her lips. "This isn't about what you want, Miss Alaric. This is about what the Council needs. You've been matched, and your compliance isn't optional."

Matched. The word hit Serena like a punch to the gut.

In order to raise powerful heirs, who would have the ability to control the mafia world with an iron fist, the Council of Vitae matches genetically unique individuals, whose DNAs were sure to yield exceptional results.

She wasn't going to accept getting hooked with some strange man she knew nothing about. Not when she had worked so hard to get to where she was today. Her freedom meant so much to her. Fighting was her only option here, and thankfully she knew how to do that.

"Go to hell," she snarled, lunging for her knife.

Before she could reach it, one of the enforcers tackled her, pinning her to the ground. She thrashed and fought, successfully kicking him off her and grabbing her knife.

By the time he made an effort to pin her down again, she drew the knife across his chest and stabbed his shoulder, rolling away from him. But she couldn't go far before two other men caught up with her, and four strong hands pinned her to the floor, keeping her in place despite her struggles.

Serena's fury grew as the woman approached, her heels clicking against the hard floor.

"Enough of this," the woman said, her voice laced with impatience. "Bring her."

As the enforcers bound her wrists, Serena's mind raced. She couldn't let them take her. She had built a life here, far from the Council's grasp. But as they dragged her toward the waiting van, the woman's next words stopped her struggles cold.

"Your brother, Elias, is with us. He'll remain safe as long as you cooperate. I hope, for his sake, you understand that."

Serena's blood ran cold. Elias. Her younger brother, the only family she had left. She hadn't seen him in months as he was in school, but they kept in touch, always careful not to draw attention. If the Council had him…

"What is wrong with you people? Leave the poor boy out of this. What have you done to him?" she demanded, her voice trembling with rage.

The woman's smile was cruel. "He's alive, for now. But his fate depends entirely on you."

Serena's heart pounded as she was shoved into the back of the van. The doors slammed shut, plunging her into darkness. She could hear the muffled voices of her captors outside, their words indistinct.

As the van began to move, Serena leaned back against the cold metal wall, her mind spinning. The Council of Vitae didn't make idle threats. If they had Elias, they would use him to control her, to force her into whatever twisted plan they had in mind.

But why her? Why now? She had spent years staying off their radar, avoiding the mafia world entirely.

As the question appeared in her mind, a memory from her childhood surfaced like a ghost. Her father, seated at his desk, his expression grim as he explained the bloodline contracts to her. How the Council used advanced genetic technology to control the mafia families, matching individuals based on their genetic compatibilities to produce powerful heirs for the purpose of control.

"You're special, Serena," he had said, his voice heavy with regret. "More special than you realize. That's why you have to stay hidden."

She hadn't understood then, but she had followed his every instruction. Now the pieces were falling into place. Her father's betrayal, their years on the run, the Council's sudden interest in her, the sudden match with someone she didn't know—it all came back to whatever made her "special."

The van hit a bump, jolting her out of her thoughts. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside her. Panic wouldn't help Elias.

She shifted her position, testing the ropes around her wrists. They were tight, but not unbreakable. If she could just find an opening—

The van screeched to a halt, throwing her forward. The doors opened, and two enforcers climbed in, dragging her out before she could react.

They marched her toward a sleek black helicopter, its blades already spinning. The woman from before stood at the base of the aircraft, her coat billowing in the wind.

"Welcome to the next chapter of your life, Miss Alaric," she said, her tone dripping with mockery even though she had a smile on her face.

Serena glared at her, fire in her eyes. "If you hurt that boy, I'll have your head."

The woman's smile didn't waver. "We'll see about that."

As Serena was forced into the helicopter, her eyes hardened. But her insides were in chaos. She couldn't help but entertain that fleeting thought that her life, the life she had built and come to love, was about to end.