Chapter 113: it has ended

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: it has ended

Rue’s fist froze mid-air.

Her heart slammed like a hammer against her ribs at the sound of that painfully familiar voice. She turned her head slowly, the breath catching in her throat. The woman was already closing the distance. The instant she drew close enough, Rue scrambled backward in a blind panic, clawing frantically at the floor to put as much distance between herself and Amelia as she could possibly manage.

The woman knelt beside Amelia’s crumpled form. She checked for a pulse, fingers pressing lightly against her neck, then exhaled in quiet relief when she confirmed she was still breathing—unconscious, but alive.

The brothers closed the remaining distance in seconds, stopping just short of the woman.

Enzo’s voice was edged with demand. "Who are you?"

The woman didn’t look up immediately. When she did, her expression was calm, almost resigned.

"We weren’t supposed to meet until later. This unexpected event changed everything." She rose to her full height. "Take Amelia and leave."

Enzo’s eyes narrowed. "Who are you to speak to us like that?"

The woman’s hand moved in a small waving gesture. Behind her, the air tore open. A dimensional rift expanded with a low, resonant sound, and from it stepped a massive, towering wolf. Its fur bristled. A deep, bloodthirsty growl rolled from its chest as it locked onto the brothers.

The woman spoke without turning. "You can keep my pet busy while I have a serious talk with someone."

Her gaze locked onto Rue, who stepped back, fear flashing plainly across her face.

The wolf moved.

It launched forward with unnatural speed, far faster than any ordinary creature should have been capable of. Enzo barely twisted out of the way in time, the beast’s claws raking the air where he had stood a heartbeat earlier. He hadn’t expected anything that large to move that fast.

Dean shoved his hair back from his face, eyes flashing with irritation.

"Ugly bastard—"

He lunged to engage. Enzo’s voice cut through the chaos at once, sharp and absolute.

"Reid—check on Amelia."

That was their priority.

The woman kept advancing, her measured steps closing in on a shrinking Rue. Rue scrambled backward faster, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. She darted a frantic look behind her, desperate to see why the security teams hadn’t stepped in—and then the horrifying truth hit her. Every single guard lay slumped motionless across the floor, completely unconscious.

Help wasn’t coming. She was entirely on her own.

"Did I instruct you to do this?"

Rue stammered, the words catching in her throat. "I—I thought—"

"Answer me."

Rue dropped to her knees at once, head bowed. "I thought that was what you wanted. It’s what your partner told me to do."

The woman’s eyes narrowed.

"So my partner told you to get rid of Amelia."

"Yes."

"And did you confirm that with me?"

Rue opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

In a single, fluid motion the woman closed the distance. Her hand locked around Rue’s throat and lifted her clean off the ground. Rue’s feet dangled uselessly. The woman’s eyes burned with restrained fury.

"I made you everything you are today," she said, her voice dropping into a low, terrifyingly quiet register that scraped against the air. "And now you actually think you’re strong enough to stand against us?"

Rue choked out the words, clawing weakly at the wrist holding her.

"That’s not true—I would never—"

Someone lunged from the side.

The woman didn’t even bother to turn her head all the way. Her free hand snapped out with terrifying speed, catching the attacker squarely by the ankle mid-air. Skye froze, staring in absolute, paralyzed shock at the sheer impossibility of the reflex.

With a casual, vicious twist of her wrist, the woman hurled the attacker away like she weighed nothing at all. Skye hit the floor hard, the brutal impact knocking the wind out of her lungs and forcing a wet, sharp cough of blood past her lips.

She pushed herself up on trembling arms. "Leave Rue alone."

The woman finally looked at her properly, recognition flickering across her face.

"I remember you. You’re Rue’s girlfriend, aren’t you?"

The woman released her grip. Rue dropped hard to the ground, coughing and gasping as air rushed back into her lungs. She glared at Skye through watering eyes.

"Fuck off."

Skye didn’t move away. "I’m going to help."

The woman let out a short, amused breath—almost a laugh.

"How impressive. Rue really has managed to wrap a supposedly smart woman around her finger."

—

A short distance away, Reid had already lifted Amelia into his arms. Her body hung limp against him, blood and bruises marking nearly every visible inch of skin.

Looking down at how badly injured she was sent a sharp, unwanted ache through his chest. He forced his attention outward, watching as Enzo and Dean continued their fight with the massive wolf.

The creature already had two broken legs, yet it refused to yield. Snarling, it still tried to lunge. Just as the brothers prepared to deliver the final blow, instinct screamed through them both. They stepped back in the same instant—

A powerful blast of red energy tore through the space where they had been standing a heartbeat earlier, scorching the ground black.

The woman was already beside the wounded wolf, one hand resting lightly against its bloodied fur.

Her voice softened." Gosh, look at what they did to my poor baby. I’ll fix you right up when we get up."

"I won’t ask again, who are you?" Enzo demanded.

The woman kept rubbing the wolfs fur. "You really do live up to your reputation. No wonder none of the Underworld subjects ever managed to get rid of you." A thin smile touched her lips. "I’ll reward you with my name."

Reid carefully set Amelia down and moved to stand with his brothers. Something primal and cold crawled up their spines—a deep, familiar hatred that felt older than memory. Their instincts roared the same command:

She is an enemy.

Behind the woman, a dimensional rift tore open once more. The massive wolf limped through it without hesitation. She slowly walked backwards towards it.

"You can call me Zelda."

The brothers ran towards her at once.

The rift sealed shut inches from their reaching hands, leaving only empty air and the fading echo of her presence.