Hayley’s POV

That clearing, the anticipation was tangible in the air as we all gathered around. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, everyone standing silent as Aiden and Ethan met gazes once again. It was a confrontation between past and present; it would be our legacy or life as we knew it.

Aiden straightened up and manned the hell of Ethan fiercely. And I sensed the battle within him, between leader and big brother.

“Ethan,” Aiden enunciated, calmer but ringing with inflection. "We don’t have to do this."

Ethan looked unreadable and coiled. "It’s the only way, Aiden. I need to prove myself."

The...