The adrenaline had finally worn off, and my limbs felt like wet sandbags as Cody and I walked side by side down the dim corridor leading out of the arena. The roar of the crowd had faded into a distant hum, replaced by the soft shuffle of our boots on concrete and the occasional creak of the fluorescent lights overhead. We’d already been patched up by the in-house medics—bandages on our ribs, tape on our knuckles, butterfly strips across our faces like medals of war. I still had a taste of blood in my mouth, but the pain felt... distant. Almost like background noise to the quiet buzz of peace in my chest.
“Okay,” Cody muttered, adjusting his gear bag over one shoulder with a wince. “So, when Liberty ran into the ring? I thought I was gonna lose it, not gonna lie.”
I laughed, though it came out more like a wheeze. “You did lose it. You ugly cried in front of twenty thousand people, man.”
He gave me a mock glare. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry my tear ducts work, Angel. Unlike some people who just stare stoically into the void like a Batman reject.”
I bumped my shoulder against his gently. “You love it.”
“Unfortunately.”
We were almost to the parking lot when he suddenly stumbled forward, one hand going to the wall for balance. “Ouch,” he hissed under his breath.
I reacted on instinct, grabbing his arm to steady him. “Whoa, hey. Cody?”
He blinked slowly, like he was trying to stay present, his pupils already dilating unnaturally. And that’s when I saw it. A dart. Sticking out of his back, right below his shoulder blade. Time stopped. My blood went ice-cold. I looked up—and there he was.
My father. Standing about twenty feet behind us, in the mouth of a shadowy hallway. Blowgun in hand. Smirking like he’d just scored the game-winning point. “You son of a—” I reached for the dart and yanked it out, tossing it aside as Cody collapsed to his knees, already swaying.
My father tilted his head mockingly. “Ah, batrachotoxin. Nasty stuff. Mix it with a tranquilizer, and… well, I’d say he has about sixty seconds before his muscles lock up. Maybe a little more, since he’s so stubborn.”
“You poisoned him?” My voice came out hollow, but the fury underneath was volcanic.
He gave a low, slow chuckle that made my skin crawl. “Not you this time, Angel. Just him. The golden boy.”
I took a step forward, fists clenched, ready to lunge—ready to kill—but in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Vanished into the dark. “Cody!” I dropped to my knees beside him. His breathing was shallow now, jaw tight with pain. “Hey, stay with me, okay? Look at me!”
“...’m okay,” he slurred, eyes fluttering. “Jus’... tired…”
“No. No, you don’t get to tap out now. You hear me?” My hands were shaking as I pressed them against his chest, grounding myself even as the rage boiled over. “You don’t get to die on me, Cody!”
“Angel?!”
I looked up to see Bianca sprinting toward us, LA Knight just behind her, and Randy bringing up the rear. “What the hell happened?” Bianca dropped to her knees across from me, eyes wide.
“Dart. Back. Poisoned.” I said, my words clipped, sharp. I held up the dart with trembling fingers. “He said it was batrachotoxin and tranquilizers. He’s going under fast.”
LA Knight’s face darkened. “Get him to the hospital. Now.”
Randy didn’t waste a second. He slung Cody over his shoulder like dead weight and barked, “Angel, ride with us. Let’s go!”
I nodded, but my eyes stayed locked on the bloodied dart in my hand until the last second. My father’s weapon. His message. He’d picked tonight, this moment, to strike—to take Cody from me. But I didn’t feel fear. Not anymore. What I felt was the same thing I had locked deep inside me for years. That fire I always kept buried behind sarcasm and steel, lying to myself that it was my passion to protect my friends. Now…it was something different. It was that thing I swore I’d never let loose unless I had no other choice.
And now? Now it wanted out. Because this wasn’t just about revenge. This was war.
The hospital room was quiet except for the beeping of the heart monitor and the rhythmic sound of Cody’s breathing. He lay still in the bed, pale and unmoving, a stark contrast to the man I’d stood shoulder to shoulder with just hours ago. Tubes and wires ran across his body like threads barely holding him together, and the bandage on his shoulder where the dart had struck was fresh. Too fresh.
I sat in the chair beside him, elbows on my knees, fingers laced tightly enough to turn my knuckles white. My body was still—my mind, anything but. Bianca sat on the couch near the window, her usual fire subdued, eyes flicking between me and Cody every few seconds. LA Knight paced near the door, muttering curses under his breath, while Randy stood silent in the corner, arms crossed over his chest, jaw tight with unspoken tension. None of them said a word to me. I knew why.
They’d never seen me like this. The door creaked open, and I didn’t have to look to know who it was. The room seemed to shift with their presence—darker, heavier. Colder.
Undertaker. Kane.
I kept my gaze locked on Cody’s sleeping face, even as the door clicked shut behind them. “He did this,” I said, my voice quiet but clear. “And he’s going to pay.”
There was a pause. I heard footsteps—slow, deliberate—and then Undertaker’s low rumble of a voice.
“Angel.”
Still, I didn’t look up. “I need you to go get his family,” I said. “Brandi, Mama Rhodes… Liberty. Dustin. Get them here. Get them here safe.”
Bianca sat up straighter, eyes narrowing. “You really think he’d go after them?”
“I don’t think,” I said. “I know.” I finally stood, slowly, deliberately. “He’ll want to finish what he started. Cody’s family needs to be protected.”
Kane stepped forward slightly. “Of course,” he said. “We’ll bring them back. But what are you going to do?”
I turned to them then. Finally looked up. And when I met Undertaker’s eyes, I knew he saw it—the thing I’d buried deep for so long. The thing I’d spent years controlling. “I’m going to stop him,” I said. “For good.”
I didn’t wait for their response. I brushed past them both, my shoulders squaring as I crossed the threshold into the hallway, the fluorescent lights flickering slightly overhead. Behind me, I heard Bianca whisper, “She’s not just angry.”
“No,” Randy said grimly. “She’s changed.”
But I didn’t stop. I didn’t flinch. Because something had broken in me the moment Cody collapsed into my arms. And now? Now the darkness I’d kept locked away was no longer something I could ignore. It was time he learned what it meant to push me this far. It was time he met that side of me.
The night air was heavy, almost suffocating, but I barely felt it. My hand was clenched so tightly around the dart that my knuckles had gone numb. I could still see the way it stuck out of Cody’s back like a cruel joke. I could still hear him groan, see him stumble, feel his weight crumple in my arms. That image would never leave me. Not ever. Fifteen minutes. That’s how long I stalked through the darkened city streets like a shadow myself, eyes sharp, every nerve on fire. My boots hit the pavement in a slow, deliberate rhythm, the dart still warm in my grip.
Then I heard it. That damn whistle. His whistle. It cut through the night like a blade, high and mocking, curling into my spine like poison. My breath caught—and then I exhaled slowly, my jaw tightening. There was a time that sound would’ve sent me running in the other direction. But that version of me was gone. Burned out, buried beneath what he’d done. What he tried to do. I followed the sound into an alley bathed in moonlight and shadow, where the buildings narrowed in around me like walls of a cage.
He was there. Leaning casually against a brick wall, arms crossed, face full of smug satisfaction. Like this was all just a game. “Well, well,” he drawled. “Look at you. So predictable.”
I didn’t answer. I lunged. My shoulder slammed into his chest, my forearm pinning him hard against the bricks, the dart raised in my other hand like a dagger. His laughter was low and cruel. “There they are,” he said, eyes gleaming. “Those wings of yours—pure black now. A shadow, just like me. The only light left in you are those pretty white eyes.”
“I’m nothing like you,” I snarled, pressing harder into his windpipe.
“Aren’t you?” His smirk widened, teeth flashing like a serpent. “Look at yourself. Look at what you’re doing.”
I raised the dart, the very one he used on Cody, and hovered it just over his skin. “I should end you,” I whispered. “Right here. Right now. One push and you’re gone.”
He didn’t flinch. That smirk never left his face. “Oh, sweet girl. You’re exactly like me. Look at you—fueled by anger, blinded by rage. You came here ready to kill me, didn’t you?”
I didn’t deny it. Instead, I raised the dart and brought it to his neck, the tip grazing his skin. “You remember this?” I whispered. “Same dart you used on Cody.”
“Oh,” he growled, chuckling again. “There’s my little reaper. He’s just another pawn, Angel. You’ve always needed a little tragedy to unlock your true potential.”
“Shut up.” My voice came out low, almost unrecognizable. “You don’t get to speak. Not after what you did.”
Then I drew the tip across his neck, shallow but enough to bleed. A crimson line blossomed instantly. His breath hitched, and his smile wavered just for a second. I leaned in close, my voice like ice. “Keep talking. Keep pushing me. Let’s see how long you last.”
“Go ahead,” he growled back. “Prove me right. Do it.”
I raised the dart, hand trembling—but not with hesitation. With fury.
Then—
“Angel, stop!” Hands grabbed my arm.
I spun, furious—but it was Bianca. Her eyes wide, pleading. “What the hell are you doing?” I snapped, turning sharply to face her. Randy and Knight flanked her, tense and alert.
She didn’t back down. “Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life.”
Knight and Randy surged forward, forcing my father back against the wall, keeping him pinned with barely restrained fury. I felt their rage vibrating in the air—but it was Bianca who stepped close, who reached for me like I hadn’t become a monster in front of her.
“You don’t understand,” I breathed, my voice breaking with the weight of it all. “He tried to kill Cody. He nearly succeeded.”
“I know,” she said softly, placing a hand over mine. “I know, Angel. But this isn’t the way.”
I shook my head. “He won’t stop. Not until he’s taken everything from me.”
“And he’ll pay for it,” she said softly. “But not like this. Not with your hands covered in blood.”
I looked back at him. He was watching us with that same smug look, like he’d already won. Bianca gently tugged my arm again. “He wants you to lose yourself. That’s all this is. He wants you to become him. But you don’t have to. You don’t have to face this alone.”
My breathing was ragged. The darkness still churned in my chest like a storm. But Bianca didn’t let go. “We’ll do this together,” she said. “The right way. Let the police take him. You stay you. Not him.”
I closed my eyes. It hurt, letting go of that anger. Releasing the urge to finish this right here, right now. But…
I dropped the dart. It clattered against the pavement like a gun hitting the floor. Bianca caught me as my knees buckled, just enough to stop me from sinking. “We’ve got you,” she whispered. Randy and Knight shoved my father harder against the wall.
“You’re done,” Randy growled. “You’ll never get another chance.”
Knight added, “You messed with the wrong damn people.”
And me? I stood there in that alley, feeling the last thread of darkness slip back into its cage. For now.
Bianca insisted on taking me back to the hospital herself. I didn’t fight her on it—not because I didn’t want to stay and make sure he was locked away forever, but because if I’d looked at him for one second longer, I might’ve changed my mind and done something I couldn’t take back. Knight and Randy stayed behind, holding my father down until the cops arrived. I could still hear Randy’s low, venomous voice telling him, “You’ll never get another chance.” That sound echoed in my head all the way back.
The ride was mostly quiet. Bianca kept glancing over at me like she was afraid I’d shatter if she said the wrong thing. I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t. My hands still trembled, the phantom weight of the dart lingering in my fingers. I’d been so close to crossing that line… and yet, I hadn’t. Because of them. Because of her. When we got to the hospital, the cold fluorescent lights stung my eyes. Every step toward Cody’s room felt heavier than the last. Guilt curled around my ribs like barbed wire.
I braced myself as I pushed the door open. And froze. Inside, standing like sentinels, were my brothers—Taker and Kane. No words, just their silent presence. Their hulking frames somehow making the sterile hospital room feel safe. My eyes flicked to the bed, and that’s when I saw them—Brandi, Mama Rhodes… and little Liberty, clinging gently to Cody’s arm like she never wanted to let go. Safe.
They were safe. I felt something catch in my throat. My legs nearly gave out from the sheer relief. I gave my brothers a small, grateful smile—one I hoped said all the things I couldn’t voice just yet—and then made my way straight to Cody’s family. Brandi looked up just in time for me to reach her, and I pulled all three of them into a hug, holding them like I’d never let go. “I’m so sorry,” I choked, voice cracking. “I should’ve stopped him before he got to Cody. I should’ve seen it coming. I—I let this happen.”
Brandi tightened her hold on me instantly. “Angel, stop,” she said softly, fiercely. “You didn’t let anything happen. You saved him.”
Mama Rhodes cupped my face gently, her thumb wiping away a tear. “You were out there fighting for him when he couldn’t fight for himself. Don’t ever apologize for that, sweetheart.”
Even Liberty looked up at me with those big innocent eyes and said, “You’re the reason Daddy’s coming home.”
I couldn’t speak. I just hugged them tighter, letting their warmth sink in through the cold in my bones. I didn’t deserve their kindness—but I held onto it anyway. When I finally turned back toward the door, my brothers were gone. Of course they were. That was their way—there when I needed them, gone when I could stand on my own again. I smiled faintly. Thank you, I thought. Both of you.
A groan from the bed made me whip around. Cody stirred. He blinked slowly, eyes flicking around the room as if trying to place where he was. Brandi moved first, her hand sliding into his as she leaned over him.
I stepped to the side, giving them space as his mother leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead and Liberty climbed up to hug him carefully. Watching them, a knot in my chest loosened. Just a little. He was okay. Finally—finally—he was okay. After they exchanged soft words and Brandi assured him he was safe, his eyes wandered until they landed on me. They softened instantly.
“Angel… are you okay?”
I hesitated before stepping forward. My voice was quiet. “Yeah,” I whispered. “Yeah, I am now.”
I leaned down and wrapped my arms around him gently, mindful of the injuries. He hugged me back without hesitation, his hand lightly rubbing my back like I was the one who’d been hurt. He pulled back enough to look at me. “Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No… no, he didn’t. Not physically.” I paused, swallowing hard. “I almost let him. Not to me, but—he wanted me to become like him. To end him.”
Cody watched me, waiting. “I almost did,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I had the dart—that dart—and I was ready to use it. But Bianca stopped me. She showed up with Knight and Randy. They—” I laughed dryly, emotion twisting behind it. “They saved me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”
Cody’s hand found mine and squeezed. “You didn’t make a mistake. You made a choice. That’s what separates you from him.”
I looked away, shame crawling back. “I let him catch me off guard. I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve—”
“Angel.”
I stopped talking immediately. He sat up a little more, even though I could see how much it hurt. “You didn’t let anything happen. This man is a snake, a manipulator, and he’s been planning this for who knows how long. He didn’t get the drop on you because you were weak. He did it because he’s a coward who hides in the shadows. And you? You went straight into the dark and dragged him out.”
“I should’ve protected you,” I said, barely above a whisper.
“You did.” His voice was firm. “You protected me, and now you’re here. And you didn’t lose yourself in the process. That’s all that matters.”
I couldn’t speak. I just nodded, blinking rapidly. “Hey,” he added, softer this time. “You’re allowed to be angry. You’re allowed to be hurt. But don’t carry his choices like they’re yours. That man’s sins aren’t your burden to bear.”
I took a deep breath. It helped. A little. The guilt didn’t vanish, and the rage still bubbled quietly in my gut—but Cody’s words had carved out a place for something else. Something lighter. Hope. I gave his hand one final squeeze before pulling back, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Thank you,” I whispered. Cody smiled, bruised and tired—but still Cody.
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and then Add to home screen.