Chapter 476: Episode 474: Tell us the truth.

The monolithic, glass-paneled skyscraper stood in the absolute center of the city’s financial district, piercing the terrestrial clouds like a massive, glittering spear.

The fleet of armored Maybachs seamlessly bypassed the chaotic traffic, descending into a heavily fortified, private underground parking garage. The sheer level of security was staggering. Elite private military contractors, dressed in impeccable dark suits, stood at attention, forming a flawless, impenetrable perimeter the absolute second the vehicles came to a halt.

Zarek stepped out first, his golden eyes sweeping the concrete expanse with the lethal, calculating precision of a Dragon King, before extending his hand to Roxy.

She took it, stepping out of the luxurious SUV and into the cool, climate-controlled air of the garage.

"This way, Matriarch," Syris murmured smoothly, gesturing toward a set of polished steel doors guarded by two heavily armed men.

They did not enter the main lobby. The Alpha Kings had no intention of allowing their Matriarch to share breathing space with the terrestrial public. Instead, they escorted her to a private, biometric-locked express elevator. Zarek pressed his thumb against the glass scanner. The doors parted instantly, revealing an interior lined with dark mahogany and brushed gold.

The ascent was completely silent and terrifyingly fast. The numbers on the digital display above the door climbed in a rapid blur, skipping the lower and middle floors entirely, rocketing straight toward the pinnacle of the skyscraper.

With a soft, melodic chime, the doors slid open.

Roxy stepped out of the elevator and completely lost her breath.

Zarek’s terrestrial residence was not a mere human apartment. It was a sprawling, multi-level fortress in the sky that occupied the entire top three floors of the massive skyscraper. The sheer, incomprehensible scale of the space completely defied terrestrial architecture.

Massive, floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the entire perimeter of the penthouse, offering a breathtaking, unobstructed, 360-degree view of the sprawling city skyline and the distant ocean. The afternoon sun poured across the pristine, dark hardwood floors and illuminated the heavy, custom-carved marble pillars that supported the vaulted ceilings.

It was massively oversized, deliberately built to accommodate the sheer, terrifying physical gravity of six apex predators. Standard human furniture would have looked comical beneath Torian’s massive frame or Zarek’s broad shoulders, so everything had been custom-designed. The plush velvet sofas were deep and incredibly wide. The heavy oak dining table could easily seat thirty Vanguard warlords. The doorways were built extra tall, completely ensuring that Kaelen did not have to duck his head to walk through them.

It was a modern, terrestrial recreation of the Obsidian Palace, bathed in sunlight and luxury. It easily fit all seven of them with luxurious space to spare, offering a terrifyingly beautiful sanctuary completely removed from the filth of the world below.

"Welcome home, Matriarch," Caspian whispered, his oceanic eyes shining as he stepped up beside her.

Roxy slowly walked into the massive living room, her green eyes wide as she took in the opulent details. There were massive, roaring fireplaces encased in dark stone, thick, imported rugs that swallowed the sound of their footsteps, and towering shelves lined with rare, ancient terrestrial books Kaelen had clearly sourced for his own amusement.

They had completely anticipated her every single need. She could see a sprawling, open-concept kitchen stocked with imported delicacies, and down a wide, sunlit corridor, a pair of heavy oak doors that led to the master suites.

But before Roxy could fully process the living room, Torian stepped entirely into her line of sight.

The massive White Tiger Alpha practically vibrated with a nervous, eager energy. His bright blue eyes were wide, and his large hands anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. He looked like a feral, lethal jungle cat desperately waiting for praise.

"Roxy," Torian rumbled, his deep voice thick with excitement. "Come here. There is something I need to show you. I built it for you."

Roxy blinked, entirely intrigued by his boyish enthusiasm. "You built something?"

Torian gently took her hand, his massive fingers wrapping carefully around hers. He led her away from the central living space, walking her down a quiet, sun-drenched hallway toward a set of frosted double glass doors.

He pushed the doors open and stepped aside.

Roxy stepped over the threshold and gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.

Torian had built her a pristine, high-end digital design studio.

The room was a creator’s absolute paradise, positioned perfectly in the corner of the penthouse to capture the best natural light. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking, sweeping view of the city skyline, providing a limitless canvas of inspiration.

But it was the equipment that truly left her speechless.

Resting on the center of a massive, custom-built drafting desk was a pristine MacBook Air, flanked by dual, ultra-high-definition curved monitors that possessed color accuracy most terrestrial studios would kill for. Beside the sleek keyboard lay the absolute newest 11th-generation iPad, paired with a professional-grade stylus, resting perfectly on an adjustable, illuminated drafting easel.

The room was stocked with everything a professional artist and freelance designer could ever fathom. There were premium terrestrial sketchpads, rows of expensive Copic markers, and a top-of-the-line ergonomic chair designed to support her healing spine for hours of uninterrupted work.

Roxy turned around, looking up at Torian with wide, tear-filled green eyes.

"Torian..." she whispered, entirely overwhelmed. "This is... this is incredible."

The White Tiger Alpha let out a massive, heavy breath of relief, his broad shoulders dropping. He stepped into the room, gently cupping her pale cheek with his warm hand.

"I know how your mind works, Matriarch," Torian murmured softly, his blue eyes turning incredibly tender and painfully observant. "I know that you have survived things in the dark that human words cannot adequately describe. You cannot keep that poison locked inside your chest. It will completely rot your soul."

Roxy’s breath hitched, a fresh wave of tears instantly blurring her vision.

He hadn’t just built her a workspace to continue her career. He had built her a sanctuary to process her survival. He knew she needed an outlet for her creativity, and more importantly, a safe, quiet space to bleed out all the horrific trauma she had endured in Elias’s basement. He was giving her the tools to draw the demons out of her head so she wouldn’t have to carry them alone.

"Thank you," Roxy choked out, throwing her arms around his massive, solid waist, burying her face against his chest.

Torian instantly wrapped his thick, heavily muscled arms around her, burying his face in her dark curls, holding her completely safe against his beating heart.

After a few minutes of quiet, healing tears, Torian gently guided her back out of the studio and into the massive central living room.

The other five Kings were waiting for her. They had gathered around the sprawling, U-shaped velvet sunken sofa. The massive fireplace was crackling warmly, entirely cutting through the chill of the high-altitude air conditioning.

Syris gently took her hand and guided her to the absolute center of the sofa. The second she sat down, the Alpha Kings completely closed ranks.

They surrounded her. Zarek sat on her immediate right, his heavy arm resting securely on the back of the sofa behind her shoulders. Ren sat on her left, his silver eyes tracking her every breath. Torian dropped to sit on the thick rug directly by her feet, leaning his broad back against her knees. Syris, Kaelen, and Caspian took the remaining seats, boxing her entirely in with their massive, protective frames. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

They were entirely, profoundly relieved that she was finally safe, healthy, and back in their arms. The terrifying, agonizing nightmare of the last four months was finally over. The Matriarch was home.

Roxy sank back into the plush velvet, surrounded by the scent of pine, ocean salt, dark earth, and embers. For the first time since the dimensional tear had ripped her from the Beastworld, the icy, suffocating knot of terror in her chest completely melted away. She was safe. She was untouchable.

She looked around at the six breathtaking, hopelessly devoted men who had permanently butchered their own souls just to sit in this room with her.

"I am so glad that you guys are here," Roxy whispered, her voice thick with raw, unfiltered emotion. She reached out, her fingers tangling lightly in the short hair at the nape of Torian’s neck. "What would I do without you guys."

A heavy, solemn silence settled over the opulent living room.

The Kings exchanged a dark, communal look. They had completely secured her physical safety. They had provided limitless wealth, a fortress in the clouds, and an absolute promise of devotion. But there was still a massive, bleeding wound hovering in the room that none of them had dared to touch while she was in the fragile environment of the hospital.

Zarek had found Elias. Zarek had put a high-caliber bullet through the scientist’s skull, entirely ending his pathetic terrestrial life.

But none of the Kings knew the specifics of what had actually occurred in that underground laboratory. They only knew she had been starved, chained, and electrocuted. They didn’t know why. They didn’t know the full extent of the horror she had been forced to endure.

Torian, sitting on the floor by her knees, slowly turned his head to look up at her. The playful, eager boyishness had entirely vanished from his bright blue eyes, replaced by a cold, lethal, and devastatingly protective darkness.

He placed his massive, warm hand gently over her knee.

"Roxy," Torian asked, his deep voice dropping into a heavy, gravelly rumble that demanded the absolute truth. "What happened? What did you have to go through down there?"

The room was deafeningly silent. Five pairs of lethal, predatory eyes were locked entirely onto her face, waiting to hear the confession of her torture so they could properly carry the weight of her suffering.

Roxy stared into Torian’s eyes. She took a slow, deep breath, pulling the suffocating memories out of the dark.

She pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Okay."