Chapter 47

The cold, damp alley smelled of decay and desperation. The sound of rapid footsteps echoed against the brick walls, punctuating the tense silence. Shadows stretched long, merging into the darkness as Isabella, Enzo, and the others sprinted through the narrow passage, their breaths ragged and heavy. Behind them, the sounds of pursuit grew louder, menacing, as their enemies closed in.

Isabella's heart pounded, adrenaline spiking with every step. They had to reach the rendezvous point-there was no other choice. Enzo, despite his wounds, was leading the way, determination burning in his eyes. She couldn't allow herself to look back, couldn't afford to hesitate. But the weight of the situation pressed down on her like a heavy stone, suffocating her.

"Keep moving!" Enzo snapped, his voice sharp, more urgent than ever.

The others scrambled to follow, but Isabella's mind wasn't entirely on the escape. She could feel it-something was off. The tightness in the air, the way every glance was sharper than before. They were no longer just being hunted by their enemies; they were also hunting each other.

Reaching a small dead-end alcove, Enzo turned, breathing heavily, and scanned the streets. "We split up here. Head to the east side of the city. Meet back at the safe house in two hours. No exceptions," he instructed.

The others nodded quickly, eager to be off. But Isabella, still trying to catch her breath, felt a cold knot form in her stomach. Something was wrong.

As they began to move, she caught sight of a familiar face-a fleeting look from behind one of the crates. Her instincts flared.

"Wait!" she hissed, stopping in her tracks.

Enzo turned to her, his expression hardening as he stepped back toward her. "What's wrong?"

Before she could respond, the alley was filled with the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.

A cold voice cut through the air, low and steady. "You should've trusted no one, Isabella."

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

"Michael," Enzo growled, his voice laced with disbelief.

The traitor-the one they had all trusted.

Isabella's blood ran cold as Michael, their old ally, stepped from behind the crates, a wicked smile twisting his lips. His gun, aimed directly at them, glinted menacingly in the dim light.

"You," Enzo spat, his voice full of venom. "I should have known."

Michael shrugged, unfazed. "You didn't see it coming, did you? You never do."

Isabella's mind raced. How long had Michael been playing both sides? How long had he known about their every move, every plan? They had all believed he was loyal, one of them. But the truth? It was staring her in the face now.

"You always thought you could play the game, Enzo. But it's been rigged from the start." Michael's grin widened, dark and cold. "You know too much. All of you do."

"Why, Michael?" Isabella's voice broke through the anger rising in her throat. "Why betray us? After everything?"

He glanced at her, a look of amusement crossing his face. "Because it was always about survival, Isabella. Not loyalty. Not friendship. Power. That's the only thing that matters. And I always knew who had it in their hands."

Before either of them could react, Michael's finger tightened on the trigger.

A deafening crack echoed through the alley.

Isabella's world seemed to tilt. The bullet flew, a blur of metal that struck the ground near Enzo. The force sent him sprawling backward, his body crashing against the wall, a gasp of pain escaping his lips.

Enzo's vision blurred, his hands scrambling to find his footing. Isabella's heart stopped.

"Enzo!" She reached out for him, but Michael's laugh stopped her in her tracks.

The traitor had already taken another step forward, the barrel of his gun gleaming under the weak light. "Your move, Isabella."

Her pulse hammered in her ears, her instincts urging her to act. But Michael was too quick. He moved like a shadow, the weapon trained on them both.

"You think you're the hero, don't you?" Michael's voice was thick with bitterness. "But there's no place for heroes in this world."

Isabella clenched her fists. She couldn't let him take Enzo. She wouldn't.

She dove forward, moving faster than she thought possible. She grabbed a piece of metal from the ground-a pipe-using it as a makeshift weapon. Her muscles screamed as she swung it at Michael's hand, knocking the gun from his grasp.

For a brief, fleeting moment, she thought they had a chance. But Michael's eyes flickered, dangerous and calculating.

"You're all the same," he muttered, his lip curling. "Weak."

A sudden weight crashed into her from the side, knocking her off balance. She barely registered what was happening as Michael tackled her to the ground, his hands wrapped around her throat in a vice-like grip.

Isabella gasped for air, her vision swimming. But through the fog of her struggling mind, she saw something that froze her blood.

Enzo, blood dripping from his side, was on his feet. His eyes were wild with fury, but it was the blood in his hands that told her everything. He wasn't just standing; he was charging.

Michael never saw him coming.

With a roar, Enzo threw himself into the fight, his fist slamming into Michael's jaw with a sickening crack. The force sent Michael reeling, and in that moment, Enzo took control, slamming his knee into Michael's gut, forcing him to let go of Isabella.

Isabella gasped for air, her chest heaving. She watched, breathless, as Enzo fought with everything he had. His body was battered, but the raw fury in his eyes was enough to drive him forward.

Finally, Michael, bloodied and dazed, staggered back, his eyes dark with rage. He spat on the ground.

"You won't get away with this," he snarled, his hand reaching for a knife hidden in his jacket.

But before he could make a move, Enzo tackled him again, pinning him down with his full weight. Michael's struggles were weak, his energy spent. A final punch from Enzo rendered him unconscious.

The fight was over. For now.

The cold wind cut through the alley as Isabella helped Enzo to his feet, her hands trembling with both fear and relief. They had survived Michael's betrayal, but the night was far from over.

"We need to move," Enzo gritted out, his voice strained as he leaned on her for support.

Isabella nodded, her mind racing. The betrayal had been only the beginning. They had to get out of the city-now. But the streets were crawling with enemies, and they had no idea who could be trusted anymore.

"Do you think he was working alone?" Isabella asked, her voice low.

Enzo didn't answer right away. His eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of movement. The weight of his words hung in the air.

"I don't know. But we can't waste time wondering. We need to get to the outskirts and regroup. If we stay here any longer, we're sitting ducks."

They started moving, but it wasn't long before the sound of tires screeching echoed in the distance.

"Go," Enzo hissed. "Now."

But they were too late.

A car sped around the corner, its headlights blinding in the dark. Isabella froze, her heart hammering in her chest. From the driver's seat, a figure stepped out-a man she had hoped never to see again.

"Enzo..." Isabella whispered, her breath catching in her throat.

A knife was pressed to her throat before she could say anything else.

"Don't even think about it," the man growled, his voice cold and menacing.

Enzo's eyes went dark, his body tense. "Let her go, Marcus."

But Marcus, the old enemy Enzo had thought he'd left behind, just smirked.

"No," he said, pressing the blade tighter. "Not this time."

The warehouse was dark and damp, its corners shrouded in shadows. They had made it inside, but the moment they crossed the threshold, Enzo collapsed, his body unable to withstand the blood loss any longer.

"Enzo!" Isabella cried, rushing to his side.

She couldn't let him slip away-she couldn't lose him now, not after everything they'd been through.

Her hands trembled as she pressed them against his side, trying to stop the bleeding. But the blood kept flowing, soaking her clothes. She needed help-fast. But who could they trust?

Footsteps echoed from the entrance, growing louder. Isabella's heart skipped a beat.

They weren't alone.

"Enzo, stay with me," she whispered urgently.