CHAPTER 41: I’M COMING FOR YOU, ELIAS!

Jace reached for the window button, but Elias grabbed his arm, his voice a panicked whisper. "Wait! What if it’s Viktor?"

Jace smirked, shaking his head.

"There’s no way Viktor’s here, Elias. I covered our tracks. Relax." He pressed the button, and the window slid down with a soft hum.

The man outside bent down, his face coming into view under the dim streetlight. Elias’s eyes widened, his breath catching. It wasn’t Viktor. It was his uncle, Marcus, his father’s brother.

His weathered face broke into a wide grin, his eyes crinkling with recognition.

"Elias? Is that you? God, it’s been years!"

Elias exhaled, his shoulders sagging with relief, though his heart still raced. He stepped out of the car, forcing a small smile.

"Uncle Marcus. I... didn’t expect to see you."

Marcus laughed, pulling Elias into a quick, awkward hug.

"Didn’t expect to see you either, kid! I was just passing by, and saw this car parked outside your old place. What’s going on? You moving out?"

Jace leaned against the car, folding his arms, his expression unreadable. Under his breath, he muttered,

"Great. There goes my chance to hang with Elias." He stayed by the car, giving them space but keeping an eye on the interaction.

Elias gestured toward the apartment building. "Let’s go inside. I need to grab some stuff."

They walked into the small, cramped apartment, the air stale and heavy with the scent of dust and old furniture. The living room was sparsely furnished... a worn couch, a small table, and a flickering fluorescent light overhead. Elias moved quickly, pulling a duffel bag from under the couch and shoving clothes into it. Lila’s things were his priority... her favourite sweaters, a pair of soft pyjamas, anything to make her comfortable.

Marcus followed him, his heavy footsteps echoing in the small space.

"So, how’s Lila doing? Are you still taking care of her?"

Elias nodded, keeping his focus on the bag.

"She’s fine and she’s getting better. I’m doing my best to look after her."

Marcus leaned against the wall, his tone casual but probing.

"You know, Elias, you don’t have to do this alone. Why don’t you move in with us? Your cousins would love to have you around. We’re family, after all."

Elias’s hands froze, his jaw tightening. He’d never liked his father’s family. Ever since they found out he was an omega... and adopted... they’d treated him like a prize to be claimed. They’d pushed him to marry one of their alpha cousins, claiming it would "secure the family line" with healthy kids. To Elias, they were vultures, not family. He shook his head, zipping the bag shut.

"No, thanks. I’m good. I’d rather be with Lila,"

Marcus’s smile faltered, but he pressed on.

"Come on, Elias. Think about it. We could help with Lila’s bills. She’s still sick, right? You don’t have to carry this burden by yourself."

Elias’s eyes narrowed, his voice sharp.

"Fine. What about Lila? Are you gonna help her too? Is she also going to move in or is she just extra baggage to you?"

Marcus hesitated, his expression tightening.

"Uh... I mean, we could pay her bills, sure. She’s... important to you."

Elias rolled his eyes, slinging the bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah, right." He pushed past Marcus, heading for the door. "I don’t want to be with anyone who doesn’t care about my sister."

Marcus’s face flushed, his voice rising.

"She’s not even your real sister, Elias! You don’t have to care so much!"

Elias stopped dead, his blood boiling. He turned slowly, his fist clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He stepped toward Marcus, his voice low and dangerous.

"Say that again, and I’ll punch a hole through your face. I don’t joke about my sister, remember that!"

Marcus stumbled back, tripping over the edge of a stair and landing hard on his backside. He glared up at Elias, his teeth gritted.

"You’ll regret this, Elias. I’ll make sure you come crawling back to us."

Elias forced a cold smile.

"Good luck with that." He turned and walked out, leaving Marcus sprawled on the steps.

.

.

Outside, Jace was leaning against the car, his arms still crossed. He straightened when he saw Elias, his brow furrowing.

"Are you okay? Looked like that got heated. I didn’t mean to watch but, I could see you two from down here,"

Elias nodded, tossing the bag into the backseat. Of course, the balcony was exposed and everyone could watch them.

"It’s fine. He’s just... nosy. Always has been."

Jace laughed, sliding into the driver’s seat.

"Family, huh? So... Do you wanna grab lunch somewhere before we head back? Get your mind off it?"

Elias shook his head, his voice soft.

"No, thanks. I just want to get back to Lila."

Jace’s shoulders slumped slightly, but he hid his disappointment with a grin.

"Fair enough." He started the car, then paused, glancing at Elias. "Hey, you don’t have a phone anymore. We should fix that."

Elias frowned, confused. "Where are we going?"

Jace winked, turning the car in a new direction. "To get you a new phone. You need one to stay in touch, especially with Lila’s doctors. Plus, it’ll make it easier for us to talk if we’re away from each other."

Elias opened his mouth to protest, but Jace cut him off.

"Nope, don’t argue. You’re getting a phone. You said the butler sent you money, right? We’ll use that. Your hard-earned cash."

Elias’s fist clenched, a flicker of irritation crossing his face.

"I can handle it, Jace. I’m not a kid."

Jace chuckled, unfazed. "Never said you were. Just helping out a friend."

They drove to a small electronics shop on the edge of town, parking near a back entrance where no cameras could catch them. Jace led the way inside, nodding to a clerk who seemed to know him. "No questions, no records," Jace muttered to Elias as they browsed. They picked out a sleek new phone, a new SIM card, and set it up quickly.

Elias held the device, its screen glinting under the shop’s fluorescent lights. It was nicer than the one the twins had given him, and for a moment, he felt a pang of guilt for leaving them behind.

"Thanks," Elias said quietly, slipping the phone into his pocket. "I’ll pay you back for this."

Jace waved him off. "Don’t worry about it, it’s your money after all. Oh, and speaking of school, we’ve got that big presentation tomorrow. You coming? It’s a big part of our grade."

Elias nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, I have to. My scores matter too much."

Jace smirked, starting the car. "Cool. I’ll make sure no one’s sniffing around for you. We’ll be careful."

They drove back to the Voss estate, the city blurring past as Elias stared at his new phone, his fingers tracing the smooth edges. He couldn’t shake the image of Dante and Dario, their tear-streaked faces haunting him.

’I hope they’re okay,’ he thought, his chest tightening.

.

.

Meanwhile, Viktor pulled up outside a familiar apartment building, his phone pressed to his ear. The informant’s voice crackled through the line. "Room 67, boss. That’s Elias’s place."

Viktor nodded, his jaw tight as he stepped out of the car. The building was old, its paint peeling and windows grimy. He climbed the stairs two at a time, his heart pounding as he reached the door and banged on it. There was no answer. He tried the handle... locked. For a moment, he considered breaking it down, but a voice stopped him.

"Who are you?" a middle-aged man asked, approaching cautiously. His clothes were worn, and he carried a set of keys, marking him as the landlord.

Viktor turned, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"

The man straightened, his tone firm. "I’m the landlord. Are you looking for someone?"

"Elias Kane," Viktor said, his voice low. "Where is he?"

The landlord frowned, crossing his arms.

"Why should I tell you? What’s your business with him?"

Viktor groaned, resisting the urge to grab the man’s shoulders. He took a deep breath, forcing a polite tone.

"I’m sorry for being rude. I just need to find Elias. It’s important."

The landlord studied him, his eyes lingering on the tattoo peeking out from Viktor’s sleeve.

"Elias was here earlier. He paid his rent for six months, plus the overdue stuff. Then he left. Didn’t say where."

Viktor’s heart sank, his hands clenching. "He was here? When?"

"About an hour ago," the landlord said. "Look, Elias is a good kid and he cares about his sister a lot. You’re not here to hurt him, are you? That tattoo of yours doesn’t exactly scream ’friendly.’"

Viktor forced a smile, his voice tight. "No. I just need to settle a debt with him. Thanks for your help."

The landlord nodded, but his eyes were wary. "Hope that’s true."

Viktor turned, heading back to his car. As he slid into the driver’s seat, he called his informant. "Elias isn’t at his apartment. Any leads on Jace Voss?"

The informant hesitated.

"It’s tough, boss. Jace is careful. He’s got people covering his tracks... CCTV footage keeps disappearing. But... if Elias is hiding, the Voss estate’s a good bet."

Viktor’s lips curled into a cold grin. "Then that’s where I’m going. But first, I need to clean up. I’ve been driving for over a day."

"Got it, boss. I’ll keep digging."

Viktor hung up, tossing his phone onto the passenger seat. He leaned back, exhaustion tugging at him.

"Elias," he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "Just wait. I’m coming for you."