The Almighty Dominance

Alex sat cross-legged in the dark silence, eyes shut tight, chasing calm.

The piercing shriek of his phone shattered the stillness.

He glanced over reluctantly, recognizing Sophia's number flashing insistently on the screen.

His stomach twisted; every conversation they'd had lately ended in bitter arguments. He decided to ignore it, letting the incessant ring echo through the

room.

But the phone wouldn't stop, vibrating angrily for five relentless minutes.

With an aggravated sigh, he picked it up.

"What the hell took you so long, asshole?" barked a voice clearly not Sophia's-a rough, hostile voice dripping venom.

Alex's brow furrowed. "Who the hell is this?"

"Your worst goddamn nightmare," growled the stranger.

"Listen carefully. You've got something valuable-an ingredient for the elixir. Hand

it over, or Sophia's going to have the worst night of her life."

"Charles?" Alex questioned, voice edged with suspicion, though the unfamiliar growl threw him off.

"I don't know any Charles," snapped the caller impatiently. "Give me what I want, or she's dead. Simple as that."

"Fine," Alex said coldly. "Where do you want the exchange?"

"I'll send you the coordinates. Screw this up, and she pays the price." The call disconnected abruptly.

Without another word, Alex grabbed his keys and stormed from the clinic to his car, heart pounding fiercely in his chest.

Whoever waited at the rendezvous point would pay dearly.

Meanwhile, sprawled limply on the hotel bed, Sophia fought to regain

consciousness, her limbs like lead and head spinning painfully.

Charles loomed over her, eyes glinting with cruel delight as he admired her helpless beauty.

"I have to say, Sophia, you're something special," Charles sneered, his voice thick with twisted admiration.

"I've tasted plenty, but none as delicious as you. You wasted your time with Alex- that weakling could never appreciate you. But after tonight, you'll belong to me completely."

hands reached for his shirt buttons eagerly but

his phone, aiming it at Sophia's vulnerable form. "Almost forgot-I have to save this

darker ambitions. Sophia had money—he'd lost

when leverage

to a leer as his fingers danced along the edges of Sophia's blouse, undoing buttons methodically, slowly, savoring

town, Alex raced beneath shadowed streetlights toward the coordinates he'd

a bleak bridge, he stepped into the gloom just as one cocky youth emerged, arrogance

over,"

out an orange. "This

the punk scoffed, confusion creasing his arrogant

firmly. "This is exactly

the young thug shrugged. "Whatever, man. You give me that, I give

Sophia's

out, gripping the punk's throat tight enough to choke off his

Sophia is right

the youth fumbled desperately for a

panic blossoming

grasp further, menace dripping from

now, or I swear you'll never

don't know!" The kid gasped, dropping the

just a gig! Someone hired me

hurled him to

herbal thing, then mail it somewhere out of state," he

paid-that's

stared coldly, recognizing the raw terror in the boy's

manipulated by someone else's

under his breath, Alex threw that man away and swiftly dialed

Sophia Lancaster,

the phone buzzed back, delivering the grim

the darkness toward the hotel, ready to unleash hell itself upon

Sophia's clothes like a madman, his breath hot and heavy,

Then-BOOM.

inward with a thunderous crack, wood flying. A shadow burst through

A storm

the hell dares interrupt me now?" Charles

voice like frozen

eyes, his sneer

Always

hissed, eyes narrowed. "After all you've done, you've got the nerve to lay your filthy hands on

a sinister chuckle, Charles aimed his pistol straight at

an inch, and your precious Sophia gets a bullet through her skull. You love her enough