(Charles's POV)
Seeing Leo enveloped in green, Charles grinned wide from ear to ear.
It wasn't a grin of mockery, nor the twisted smile of a sadist who'd broken a toy.
It was the grin of a man who had just pulled off the most dangerous gamble of his career — and won.
'That's it, kid… That's what I was waiting for. That flicker. That freaking spark of defiance,' Charles thought, pride swelling deep in his chest as he let out a long, relieved breath. 'You've got that dog in you, you really fucking do–'
The emerald light wasn't just aura. It was a statement. A scream of will from a half-dead boy whose body had no business surviving that kind of beating, but whose heart had refused to shut up and die.
And it made all of Charles's cruelty feel worth it.
"Good job, son," Charles said aloud, keeping his voice measured, calm. "I guess you're really not ready to die—"
