Aster stayed quiet for a while, his gaze fixed on the floor like it held all the answers he didn't have. Rea didn't push him to speak. She just sat there, waiting, letting the weight of everything settle between them.
Eventually, he exhaled. "I don't know if I can do this."
Rea glanced at him. "Do what?"
"All of it." He gestured vaguely. "The mission. The fighting. The secrets. Finding out my whole life was a lie." He scoffed, shaking his head. "I spent years thinking Westwood was my father, thinking I was supposed to be this perfect soldier, only to find out I was never even his to begin with."
Rea leaned back against the wall. "Yeah, well. At least you were human."
Aster glanced at her, his expression shifting. "Rea…"
She let out a dry laugh. "I found out I wasn't even the species I thought I was. My entire existence is a lie." She shook her head. "So, trust me, I get it."
Aster studied her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. You do."
Silence settled again, but it wasn't as heavy this time.
Then Aster groaned, running both hands through his hair. "And Christy? I don't even know what to do with her."
Rea smirked. "She's an agent of chaos. I say you just let her do her thing and hope she doesn't get you killed."
Aster scoffed. "Yeah, great plan." He hesitated. "But she's… I don't know. She acts like she doesn't care, but I think she does."
Rea hummed. "She's reckless, but not stupid. She wouldn't be here if she didn't care."
Aster let out a slow breath. "And this mission… This whole secret war we're fighting…" He turned his head to look at her. "Do you think we actually win?"
Rea met his gaze. "I don't know."
Aster nodded like he expected that answer. Then, after a beat, he sighed dramatically. "So, about the wedding—"
Rea groaned, shoving him lightly. "Shut up."
Aster grinned. "We should at least send Elena an invitation. Would be rude not to."
Rea narrowed her eyes. "I swear, Aster, if you—"
"Big ceremony? Or are we thinking something small and intimate?"
Rea picked up the nearest object—a small wrench—and chucked it at him. Aster barely dodged, laughing as he leaned away.
"That's assault, future Mrs. Westwood."
Rea grabbed another tool. "I hate you."
Aster smirked. "That's not what your blushing says."
Rea, already standing, went to grab something heavier, but Aster jumped up, hands raised in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll stop. For now."
She narrowed her eyes at him, but there was a hint of amusement behind her glare.
Aster shook his head, still grinning. "See? That's the first real smile I've seen from you in days."
Rea paused, and before she could stop herself, she felt it—a small, reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Maybe things were a mess. Maybe they were both lost.
But for now, they weren't alone in it.
The air was thick with tension. Every member of the crew was in position, waiting for the signal. The plan was simple—get in, take out Collaway's forces, and get the intel they needed. But simple didn't mean easy.
Rina sat in the back of the getaway car, fingers flying over her laptop as she worked to disable as many external security systems as possible. Next to her, Rea sat rigidly, eyes flickering between the screens displaying the compound's layout.
"Status?" Jaxon's voice came through the comms, sharp and controlled.
Eric, positioned inside the compound, responded first. "Deactivating internal security now. Cameras in your direct path are looping."
"Good," Andrew said. "We move in thirty seconds."
Inside the compound, the army was already on high alert, but they had no idea what was coming for them. Jaxon's team would strike from the left, Andrew's from the right. And in the center—Celeste and Christy would carve a path straight through.
Aster remained hidden in the shadows, perched on an overhead beam near the entrance, watching. He wasn't part of any official squad—he was a wildcard, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. His breath was steady, but inside, his mind was chaotic.
Jaxon hated him.
Rina was his mother, and he had no idea how to talk to her.
Westwood wasn't his real father.
And worst of all, Collaway was.
Everything he had believed about himself had been a lie.
His fingers tightened around the hilt of his knife. There was no time for doubt now.
"Ten seconds," Celeste's voice cut through the comms.
Rea turned to Rina. "We're ready."
Rina didn't respond, too focused on keeping the security systems disabled. The decryption was taking longer than expected. "Just hold them off for a few minutes. I need more time."
Aster took a deep breath. He had been trained for battle, molded into a weapon. But for the first time, he wasn't sure whose war he was fighting.
Then, in his earpiece, Jaxon's voice rang out.
"Move."
And hell broke loose.