Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

S ophia

Chaos swirls around me. The sounds of the circus—normally so familiar, so comforting—twist into something jagged, sharp. My heart is hammering in my chest as I watch the crew close in on Zeus, their hands reaching for the cage. It’s happening too fast. Too fast for me to stop it.

For a moment, everything slows.

The villain’s face blurs with the faces from my past—people I trusted, people who betrayed me. The air becomes thick, oppressive, as memories surge up, suffocating me. My pulse spikes, my body freezing in place as my mind drags me back to a time when I was powerless. I see it all again. The faces, the voices. The way I felt trapped, unable to stop the things happening around me. My parents, my past, every wrong turn I ever made.

I can't move. I can’t breathe.

The circus ring dissolves, replaced by old wounds, old fears. The shadows of my past tighten their grip around my throat. My vision blurs, and the sensation of losing control becomes all-consuming. Zeus’s roar fades into the background, swallowed by the storm inside my head. I’m losing him. I’m losing everything.

I don’t know how to stop it.

Suddenly, cutting through the haze, I hear Alex’s voice. Strong. Steady. Certain.

“You’ve got this, Sophia.”

His voice snaps me back to the present. I blink, my mind clawing its way out of the darkness. The chaos of the circus floods back in—Zeus snarling, the crew scrambling, the audience’s confused shouts. But none of it matters. All I focus on is Alex.

Our eyes lock from across the ring, and there’s something in his gaze—something that grounds me, pulls me out of the paralysis. He’s not giving me promises. He’s not telling me it’s going to be okay. He’s reminding me who I am.

“You’ve always had this,” he calls again, his voice cutting through the noise like a lifeline.

I inhale sharply, the air burning in my lungs as I shake off the fear that was threatening to consume me. He’s right. I’ve always had this. I’ve been through worse. I’ve faced down trauma, betrayal, and loss, and I’ve survived it all. I’m not the scared girl I used to be.

I’m in control now.

With a surge of determination, I turn back to Zeus. He’s watching me, waiting for my command, his massive body coiled with tension. My voice, which felt trapped in my throat moments ago, comes out steady, strong.

“Zeus, stay with me,” I say, my tone sharp, cutting through the chaos.

The lion responds instantly, his focus narrowing as he tunes out the surrounding confusion. We move together, seamlessly, as we’ve done so many times before. His strength is mine. His power flows through me, and I can feel it in every fiber of my being.

I step forward, my heart no longer racing in fear but beating with purpose. I call out to Zeus again, directing him to the far side of the ring, away from the villains trying to corner him. His movements are smooth, precise, and I can see the crew stumbling in their attempts to wrangle him. They’re panicking now, realizing they’ve lost the upper hand.

The control is back in my hands.

With each command, Zeus follows, his powerful body moving effortlessly to evade capture. He’s not a victim here—neither of us are. The villains scramble, their plan unraveling before their eyes as they try to regain control of the situation, but it’s too late.

“You’re not taking him,” I mutter under my breath, my eyes blazing with focus. “Not today.”

Behind me, I hear Alex moving closer, his presence solid, a constant reminder that I’m not in this alone. His support is there, steady but unobtrusive, letting me take the lead. And for the first time in a long time, I realize I’m okay with that. I don’t have to fight this battle by myself.

I glance at Alex briefly, the tension between us still thick, still unresolved, but it’s different now. It’s not about mistrust. It’s about something deeper—something I’m not ready to name, but it’s there, undeniable.

Zeus lets out a low growl as one of the masked figures reaches for him again, but I’m quicker.

“Back, Zeus,” I command, and the lion moves away from the man, his huge frame dwarfing the clumsy crew member.

I know we’re winning. I can feel it. The tide has turned, and the villains are retreating, their plan crumbling under the weight of our combined strength. For the first time in this nightmare, I see a way out. A way to keep Zeus safe, to protect what I’ve built here.

And more than that—I see a future where I’m not constantly running from my past.

Alex steps beside me, his hand brushing mine for just a second. The touch is brief, but it sends a jolt through me, a reminder that there’s more to fight for here than just the circus.

As the last of the crew scrambles to escape, I turn to Alex, breathless but steady. The adrenaline is still coursing through my veins, but it’s not fear anymore. It’s power. I’m in control, and for the first time in a long time, I feel it.

“You did it,” Alex says softly, his voice filled with admiration.

“No,” I correct, my eyes still locked on Zeus as the lion paces beside me. “ We did.”

He gives me a look—one filled with something deeper than just gratitude or relief. It’s something that makes my heart beat faster, something that makes me feel seen in a way I haven’t allowed myself to be in years.

The crowd, still mostly unaware of the true danger, erupts into applause, thinking they’ve just witnessed an extraordinary act. But I know the truth.

I’ve won something more important than just this battle. I’ve won against the fear that’s haunted me for so long.

And as Alex stands beside me, that tension between us still simmering, I know this fight—our fight—is far from over.

The roar of the audience fills the tent, a sound that should feel familiar, comforting even, but tonight it’s laced with something darker. The circus is alive with chaotic energy, a frenzied pulse that matches my own racing heart. The performance still swirls around us, oblivious to the storm about to break. Zeus is back by my side, his body radiating strength and calm, but my mind is locked on one person.

I see the villain across the ring, the one who betrayed me—betrayed all of us. My pulse spikes, anger curling hot and sharp inside me. I trusted them. We all did. And they used the circus, used me, to further their twisted plans. They wanted Zeus. And they nearly took him from me.

The thought of it turns my stomach.

For a second, there’s disbelief. I spent years side by side with this person, shared laughs, trusted them like family. And now… now I see the truth. They manipulated everything. The entire circus. Me.

But the disbelief doesn’t last long. It’s burned away by something stronger. Resolve.

I won’t let them win.

They’ve stopped trying to hide now, standing on the edge of the ring like they belong there. A mask of calm on their face, but I can see the flicker of panic in their eyes, the way they’re watching Zeus. They know it’s over, but they won’t go down without a fight. I take a step forward, feeling Alex move beside me, his presence a steadying force even as the tension between us simmers, unresolved.

But right now, that doesn’t matter. We’ve got bigger things to deal with.

“Stay with me,” I murmur to Zeus, my hand brushing his fur. He’s a mountain of muscle beside me, protective, waiting for my command. He knows something’s wrong—he’s known all along.

I glance at Alex, and our eyes meet. There’s no need for words. We’ve fought side by side enough times now to understand what needs to be done. This isn’t just about strength. It’s about outsmarting the villain, using everything we’ve got at our disposal. And we’ve got the whole damn circus.

I nod once, and Alex gives a sharp, almost imperceptible nod in return.

Time to end this.

I take a deep breath, my gaze locking back on the villain. I know they’ll try to make a run for it, use the chaos of the performance as cover. But I won’t let them slip away. Not after everything.

“Get ready,” I whisper to Alex, and we move as one.

The next few moments blur into motion. The villain’s eyes dart from me to Zeus, calculating. I can see the gears turning in their head, the desperate plans forming. They’re looking for an escape. Too bad I’m not giving them one.

With a subtle signal to the stage crew—people I still trust—I see the performers spring into action. We’ve planned for this, anticipated every possible move. Trapeze artists swing low, distracting the audience and the villain just long enough for us to shift into position. The lights flicker, and the villain hesitates.

That’s all we need.

Alex moves quickly, faster than I’ve ever seen him, positioning himself just behind the villain’s line of sight. Meanwhile, I step into the center of the ring, drawing all the attention. Zeus follows, his massive presence undeniable. The crowd gasps, thinking this is part of the show, their excitement building. They have no idea how real the danger is.

The villain’s eyes narrow, but I can see it now—desperation. They know they’ve lost control. Good.

“Where are you going to run?” I say, my voice steady, louder than I thought it would be. The audience can’t hear me over the roar, but the villain can. “There’s nowhere left to hide.”

For a moment, they falter, eyes flicking to the exits. But we’ve anticipated every move. The performers have blocked every escape route. The animals are safe, secured far from the chaos. It’s just the three of us now—me, Alex, and the villain.

I step closer, Zeus moving beside me, his gaze fixed on the threat. I can feel his power, his instinct to protect, and it mirrors my own. We’ve faced down danger before, but this is different. This is personal.

“Give it up,” Alex says from behind the villain, his voice cold and measured. He’s always been good at staying calm under pressure. “You’re not getting out of here.”

The villain’s gaze shifts between us, frantic now. Their cool exterior cracks, and I see the fear underneath. Good. They should be afraid.

In a final, desperate move, they lunge for the nearest exit, but Alex is there, cutting them off. I step forward again, Zeus roaring, a low, dangerous sound that reverberates through the tent. The villain freezes, their gaze snapping back to me.

“Enough,” I say, my voice low, but firm. I’m done playing games. “This ends now.”

For a moment, there’s silence. The villain’s shoulders slump, their hands falling to their sides in defeat. Alex steps in, his hand on their arm, securing them before they can make another move. It’s over.

As the reality sinks in, the adrenaline slowly ebbs from my system, leaving me standing in the middle of the ring, breathing hard, but steady. The villain is led away, and the truth—about the thefts, the manipulation, everything—is revealed to the rest of the circus.

The audience, blissfully unaware of the danger they just witnessed, erupts into applause, thinking it was all part of the act. The sound fills the tent, but I’m barely listening. My focus is on Zeus, still standing beside me, his massive form a comforting presence.

And then, on Alex.

We’ve saved the circus. Zeus is safe. But this moment is about more than just victory. It’s about reclaiming my strength, about realizing that I’m not the same woman I was before. The fear that haunted me, the trauma I’ve carried—it’s still there, but I’m not powerless against it anymore.

Alex steps closer, his eyes meeting mine. There’s something between us now—something undeniable. The connection is still raw, still simmering beneath the surface, but it’s real. And for the first time in a long time, I’m ready to face it.

This isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of something new. Something worth fighting for.