As Kaelen walked out of the station, the world outside seemed unnaturally still, as if even the air was holding its breath. His Porsche was parked in the lot, gleaming under the harsh lights. Loren had been waiting, pacing anxiously near the car. The moment she saw him emerge from the building, her eyes lit up with relief, and without a second thought, she rushed over to him.

“Kaelen!” Loren called, her voice breathless with emotion. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, pressing herself against his chest as if trying to reassure herself that he was really there, that he was safe.

Kaelen wrapped his arms around her, but the brief moment of peace was shattered almost immediately. Zelyndra Nyxaris, Kaelen’s grandmother, moved in with the swift, deadly grace of a predator. Her slender, pale hand snatched a fistful of Loren’s hair, yanking her away from Kaelen with brutal force.

Loren gasped, stumbling to the ground as her knees hit the asphalt. Disoriented, she glanced up at Zelyndra, her face a mixture of confusion and pain.

“No,” Zelyndra hissed, her voice cold as ice and full of regal dominance. Her eyes, sharp and piercing, bore down on Loren. “You are a servant. Nothing more. Do not forget your place by showing affection to my grandson.”

Kaelen's blood boiled. He clenched his fists at his sides, his violet eyes flashing with fury as he took a step toward his grandmother. “Oh, hell no,” he growled, his voice low and seething with anger. “Loren can hug me whenever the goddamn hell she wants.”

Zelyndra’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a thin, contemptuous smile. Kaelen felt the weight of his defiance hang in the air, but he wasn’t backing down. Not this time.

“You know what?” he added, his tone softening with determination. “I think it’s time we go our separate ways.”

Before Zelyndra could respond, a sudden shift in the atmosphere drew their attention. The temperature dropped sharply, and the air around them crackled with an unnatural energy. In the blink of an eye, a shimmering ripple appeared, and Delphinus, the psychic pink dolphin, materialized near Zagoth with an eerie ease. His flippers moved in a smooth, almost languid motion as he waved them, and with a brief flash of light, both Delphinus and the massive dragon, Zagoth, vanished.

The sudden disappearance left the parking lot in eerie silence.

Zelyndra’s regal composure cracked for the first time. Her face twisted in fury as she cursed in an ancient tongue under her breath, pulling out her phone and barking harsh commands to someone on the other end of the line. The cold, calculating matriarch was momentarily rattled, her carefully controlled demeanor slipping as she directed her anger at whoever dared fail her.

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Kaelen ignored her. He knelt beside Loren, gently helping her up. “You okay?” he asked, his voice soft with concern.

Loren nodded, wincing slightly as she brushed herself off. “I’m fine,” she muttered, though the humiliation and embarrassment still burned on her cheeks.

Together, they made their way to the Porsche, where Seraphis lay curled up in the backseat, oblivious to the chaos outside. The dragoness, whose pink scales glistened even in her human form, slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths.

“Lucky she can sleep through anything,” Loren muttered, forcing a small smile as she settled into the passenger seat.

Kaelen started the engine, the low hum of the Porsche’s power reverberating through the quiet night. He glanced back at the station one last time, where his grandmother was still on the phone, barking orders. He peeled out of the parking lot, the dark, winding road ahead offering little comfort as his mind raced with everything that had just happened.

The drive to the Black Fang was quick but tense. His club, once a place of pride and success, now felt like a battleground. The neon sign flickered dimly, casting an eerie glow on the darkened streets of Ravetham. The club was still closed to the public, its doors locked, awaiting the court’s decision on whether it could reopen.

Kaelen parked the Porsche and got out, Loren close beside him. As they approached the entrance, Kaelen saw Alyssa, his lawyer, sitting at one of the tables near the bar. She looked sharp, professional, and slightly irritated, her laptop glowing faintly as files were spread out in front of her.

"You're late," Alyssa said without preamble as they entered. Her tone was clipped, but she quickly switched to business. "We have a lot to go over. The court needs these documents signed before your club can officially reopen. We’ve managed to schedule a hearing for the 20th, but I need your signature on the paperwork now."

Kaelen nodded, taking a seat across from Alyssa as she slid the stack of documents toward him. Loren hovered nearby, her eyes scanning the papers as Alyssa explained each section.

“It’s just a procedural hearing,” Alyssa continued, her tone brisk. “The charges aren’t against you personally—just the club. We need to argue that the Black Fang can reopen without any safety concerns. I've drafted a statement explaining how we’ll ensure no further incidents. You just need to review it and sign off.”

Kaelen barely glanced at the statement, trusting Alyssa’s expertise as he scrawled his signature across the pages.

As Alyssa packed up the last of the papers, the atmosphere in the club shifted. A low murmur of voices and the sound of heavy boots echoed from outside the building. Kaelen tensed, instinctively moving closer to Loren as the doors of the Black Fang swung open.

A procession of professional bodyguards entered, their movements sharp and coordinated. They were dressed in dark tactical uniforms, their faces obscured by shades, their hands resting near their holstered weapons. These weren’t ordinary security—they moved with the precision of trained military operatives.

Kaelen’s heart sank as Zelyndra stepped into the club. She was flanked by her royal security team, who immediately began sweeping the room, checking every corner and exit before giving a brief nod of approval.

Alyssa shot Kaelen a concerned look before quickly gathering her things.