Unlawful Shadows | +18

Chapter 33

Elowen's POV

As I sat in the office, the sterile scent of antiseptic stinging my nostrils, I felt a pit of anxiety settle in my stomach. Zander sat across from me, wincing slightly as I gently cleaned the cut on his arm. The light glinted off the silver blade embedded in his skin—a reminder of the chaos that had erupted only hours earlier.

"What a fucking mess," Zander grumbled, his voice laced with irritation as I worked on bandaging him. "I shouldn't have put you in this position, Elowen. You shouldn't have had to see any of that."

"Don't say that," I replied, trying to keep my hands steady. "You protected me, Zander. You didn't have to fight them. You could've—"

"I won't let anyone hurt you. Not now, not ever," he interrupted, his gaze fierce, almost possessive. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

My heart raced at his words, but I couldn't shake off the tremors of fear. The encounter earlier was still vivid in my mind, the gang surrounding us, their hostile shouts echoing. Zander had been so composed, yet I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his fists clenched, ready for a fight.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and in burst Lysander and Zephyr, their expressions a storm of fury.

"What the hell happened?" Lysander barked, his eyes landing on Zander, the sight of his brother's injury causing his features to twist in anger.

"Just a little run-in with some thugs," Zander replied, trying to downplay it, but his bravado fell flat under the weight of their concern.

"Those bastards," Zephyr growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Who did this?"

Zander hesitated, his jaw tightening as he looked up at his older brothers. "It was a gang. The one led by Miguel. He wanted revenge because I threw this rapist fuck of a brother into jail."

The moment the name left Zander's lips, I saw a flicker of rage ignite in Lysander's eyes, his hands balling into fists. "They have no fucking idea who they're messing with," he seethed.

"Not at all," Zephyr agreed, pacing the small space, his expression dark. "We need to send them a message. They think they can fuck with my family? They're in for a rude awakening."

I felt a chill run down my spine as their anger intensified. There was something terrifying yet profoundly moving about the way they rallied around each other, a brotherhood forged in the fires of adversity.

"What are you guys planning?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. 

"We're going to make sure they know exactly who they're dealing with," Lysander said, his tone unyielding. "No one messes with my fucking brothers and gets away with it."

As I bandaged Zander's arm, I kept my head down, listening intently as the brothers strategized their next move.

"First, we need to gather intel on Miguel and his crew," Zephyr stated, his voice sharp with authority. "We'll find out where they hang out, who their connections are. I want everything documented."

Lysander leaned forward, the intensity in his gaze unyielding. "And then we make our move. I say we hit them hard—literally. Send in a few thugs, have them break a few bones. Send a clear message that they messed with the wrong people."

"Agreed," Zander chimed in, the fire in his eyes matching his brothers'. "We need to make it personal. They think they can just walk away from this? They need to know there are consequences."

My stomach churned as they spoke, the raw violence of their words echoing in my mind. I was starting to grasp the extent of their loyalty and how far they were willing to go to protect one another.