The battle was over, but its scars remained.
The safe house was eerily quiet. No one celebrated their victory—because it didn't feel like one.
The past week had been about recovery. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally.
But the weight of the fight still lingered, like a ghost that refused to leave.
Jeffrie hadn't slept.
Had barely eaten.
Instead, he spent his time in the training room. Fists wrapped, knuckles raw, sweat dripping from his brow as he pounded the punching bag. repeatedly.
Each hit hurt more than next.
It was punishment.
For being too slow.
For not seeing Raven.
For not stopping them sooner.
His body ached from the countless times he had relived that moment—
Raven, lying in a pool of her own blood.
Nick and Mack, laughing.
The sickening crunch of his fists breaking their bones.
The sheer, unrelenting rage that had consumed him.
And the worst part?
He had killed them.
And it still wasn't enough.
The thought made his stomach turn.
"Jeff."
He stopped.
Turned his head slightly as Raven walked in.
She looked better. Still bandaged, still sore—but standing.
That was a relief.
Yet, seeing her like this, knowing how close he had come to losing her, made something sharp twist inside him.
She stepped closer, her deep blue eyes unreadable.
"You're still beating yourself up over what happened."
Jeffrie exhaled, shaking his head.
"I lost control."
"You killed them."
His jaw clenched.
"I wanted to."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, Raven reached out.
Her fingers brushed over his bandaged knuckles.
"I'm still here, Jeff." Her voice was soft, but firm. "I made it."
Jeffrie's jaw tightened.
"Because of Lily. Because they stopped the bleeding."
His golden eyes flickered.
"But no one stopped me."
Raven tilted her head, studying him.
"And if they had?"
Jeffrie swallowed hard.
He knew the answer.
He had felt it in his bones, in the fury that had taken him that day.
He wouldn't have stopped.
Not until there was nothing left of them.
She stepped even closer, her touch grounding him. "You're not a monster, Jeff."
His fingers twitched before he finally allowed himself to pull her into his arms, his forehead resting against hers.
"I don't know who I am anymore."
Raven's breath was warm against his skin. "Then let me remind you."
Her lips met his in a slow, deliberate kiss—unspoken promises, lingering fear, and the fire that had always existed between them. Jeffrie deepened it, gripping her waist, feeling the steady beat of her heart against his chest.
She was alive.
That was all that mattered.
The rest of the night passed in a rare moment of calm. The team had been shaken, but in their own ways, they were finding strength again.
Scarlett – A Heated Reminder
Later that night, Jeffrie found himself on the balcony, staring at the dark skyline.
Scarlett leaned against the railing beside him, arms crossed. "So, when do you plan on actually sleeping?"
He smirked. "Not tired."
She rolled her eyes. "Bullshit."
Before he could argue, she grabbed him by the collar, pulling him into a heated kiss. It was rough, needy, and exactly what he needed.
When they pulled apart, she smirked. "There. Now stop brooding and get your ass inside."
Azul – Quiet Understanding
Azul was waiting for him in the main room, feet propped on the table, a sly grin on her face.
"So, BruddaBear, you gonna keep running from us, or are you finally gonna sit your ass down and let someone take care of you?"
He sighed, sitting beside her.
She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're not invincible, you know."
He smirked. "Feels like it sometimes."
She flicked his ear. "Dumbass."
Sophia – A Warrior's Concern
Later, he found himself alone with Sophia in the training room.
She handed him a bottle of water before sitting beside him on the mat.
"You're not the only one who's scared, you know," she murmured.
He looked at her. "You? Scared?"
She smirked. "You almost lost yourself today. If you ever actually do... I don't think any of us could stop you."
Jeffrie exhaled. "I won't let it happen again."
She studied him for a moment before leaning in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Good."
Lily – A Gentle Reassurance
Lily had been waiting for him in his room.
The moment he walked in, she hugged him, burying her face in his chest. "You need to let us in, Angel."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "I'm trying."
She pulled back slightly, kissing him softly. "Try harder."
The week passed in a blur of healing, training, and preparation.
But the war wasn't over.
Sable was still out there.
Nick and Mack were dead.
And now, with two more lost brothers swooping in to take them, the stakes had never been higher.
Sophia finally broke the tension during a late-night briefing.
"We can't stay here forever."
Jeffrie, now fully composed, met her gaze. "What do we have?"
Azul pushed a data pad toward him. "Nick and Mack weren't acting alone. The two soldiers who extracted them? They weren't just random operatives. We ran their profiles."
Ray leaned forward. "And?"
Azul's smirk was humorless. "They're ours. Or at least, they were."
Trice muttered a curse. "More ghosts."
Sophia tapped the screen, pulling up two familiar faces.
Xavier Cain and Elias Monroe.
Lily's breath hitched. "No way."
Jeffrie's eyes narrowed. He remembered them.
More brothers-in-arms. More soldiers who had vanished without a trace...
Now working for Sable.
Scarlett tightened her grip on her dagger. "Tell me we're bringing them in."
Sophia's expression was cold. "That's the plan."
Jeffrie studied the faces on the screen. Xavier and Elias had been some of their best fighters. Tactical. Unrelenting.
If they had truly turned...
This wouldn't be a rescue.
It would be a war.
Jeffrie exhaled slowly. "First, we find out why they turned." He met Raven's gaze, her hand still resting on his.
"Then?" His voice was steel.
"We take the fight to Sable."
Raven, still seated beside him, rested her hand on his thigh. "And if they can't be saved?"
Jeffrie clenched his jaw. He already knew the answer.
But saying it made it too real.
"Then we do what has to be done."