Eira's POV
I was running.
I didn't know where I was going.
The forest was dark, the towering trees surrounding me as I pushed desperately through the shadows. My breath came in short, frightened gasps, and every sound behind me made my heart pound harder.
Then I heard it.
Screams.
People were screaming.
A cry of pain echoed through the forest, followed by another scream—louder this time, filled with pure terror.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
I stopped.
I didn't know what to do.
Instinctively, I rushed behind a large tree and pressed myself against its rough bark, desperately trying to steady my breathing.
The screams grew louder.
And then—
Silence.
A terrifying, unnatural silence.
Slowly, I turned my head.
And froze.
Jake stood in the middle of the forest.
But he wasn't Jake anymore.
His body twisted violently.
Bones cracked.
His hands stretched into sharp claws as his body grew larger, dark fur spreading across his skin. His shoulders broadened, his face distorted, and his eyes burned with something wild and terrifying.
A low growl rumbled deep within his throat.
A werewolf.
My eyes widened in horror.
Before I could move, his head snapped toward me.
His eyes locked onto mine.
He lunged.
I screamed—
And suddenly woke up.
My eyes flew open.
I sat upright in bed, breathing heavily.
For several seconds, I couldn't understand where I was.
Then I looked around.
My room.
It had only been a dream.
I pressed a trembling hand against my chest.
My heart was still racing.
Slowly, I turned toward the window.
The sight outside immediately caught my attention.
Morning had arrived.
The forest that had seemed terrifying beneath the darkness of night looked completely different beneath the morning sunlight.
The trees were covered in lush green leaves, while golden rays slipped between the branches, painting the forest floor with patches of light.
The entire forest seemed alive.
Birds sang softly somewhere in the distance.
It was beautiful.
Last night, I hadn't been able to see any of this.
Darkness had hidden everything.
But now...
I could finally see how beautiful this place truly was.
For a few quiet seconds, I simply stood by the window, listening to the birds.
And somehow, I forgot everything.
The vampires.
The werewolves.
Selenathyx.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
The sound broke the peaceful moment.
I turned toward the door.
I quickly walked over and opened it.
Elisa stood outside with a warm smile.
"Good morning, dear."
She handed me a neatly folded set of fresh clothes.
"Come out when you're ready."
I nodded.
"Thank you."
She smiled before walking away.
I took a quick bath and changed into the clothes she had brought for me.
When I stepped outside, the smell of something cooking immediately reached me.
I followed it toward the kitchen.
And stopped.
Elisa was cooking.
And Adrian was helping her.
He stood beside her, quietly chopping vegetables with an expression of complete concentration.
For a moment, I simply stared at them.
It was strange.
The same Adrian who had looked terrifying the night before was now standing in a kitchen, calmly helping Elisa prepare breakfast.
Mike was sitting nearby.
He was staring directly at me.
The longer his eyes remained fixed on me, the more uncomfortable I became. I shifted slightly, trying not to meet his gaze.
Why was he staring at me like that?
I lowered my eyes, suddenly unsure of what to do.
The silence in the room felt uncomfortable.
"You're making her uncomfortable."
A voice broke the silence.
It was Adrian.
He said it without looking up from the chopping board.
Mike's eyes narrowed.
He glared at Adrian.
Elisa immediately sighed.
"Enough. No fighting this morning."
Mike said nothing.
He simply stood up and walked out.
A few seconds later, Drek entered the kitchen.
He looked around.
Then his eyes landed on Adrian.
"Wow."
Adrian didn't react.
Drek walked closer, watching him chop the vegetables.
"I never knew you could cook."
Adrian continued chopping.
Drek raised an eyebrow.
"Actually, I take that back. I never knew you could do anything that didn't involve threatening someone."
I couldn't help it.
A small laugh escaped me.
Drek immediately looked at me with a triumphant smile.
"See? At least someone appreciates my observations."
Adrian finally looked at him.
His expression was cold.
"Leave."
Drek ignored him.
"Come on, Adrian. Don't be embarrassed. I'm impressed."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"You're talking too much."
"That's what friends are for."
Elisa shook her head, trying to hide her smile.
She placed a plate in front of me.
"Try it, dear. It's my first time making this."
Drek leaned closer and examined the food suspiciously.
"Are you sure that's safe?"
Elisa laughed.
"Drek."
"I'm just asking."
He pointed at the plate.
"Shouldn't we test it on a rat first?"
I couldn't help myself.
I laughed again.
Drek immediately looked pleased with himself.
"See? At least someone understands my concerns."
I looked at the food, then at Elisa.
I took a small bite.
My eyes widened.
"It's good."
Elisa's face brightened.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"Delicious."
Drek pointed toward Adrian.
Then he pointed toward the other dish.
"That one was made by Adrian."
I looked at him.
Adrian's expression remained completely blank.
Drek continued,
"I call it survival cuisine."
I laughed again.
Adrian finally looked at him.
Drek grinned.
"I never knew my Adrian had become such a big—"
Before he could finish, Adrian grabbed him by the back of his shirt.
"Wait—Adrian!"
Adrian dragged him toward the door.
"Drek!"
"Why are you doing this?"
"You talk too much."
"I was complimenting you!"
Adrian opened the door.
"Goodbye."
"Adrian, wait!"
He dragged Drek outside.
I could hear Drek protesting from outside.
"This is violence!"
A moment later, his voice became distant.
"I am your friend!"
Elisa shook her head, trying not to laugh.
I smiled.
For the first time since discovering the truth, I felt...
Normal.
I looked at Elisa.
"You should eat too."
Then I suddenly remembered.
They were vampires.
I lowered my eyes.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
Elisa gently smiled.
"It's okay, dear."
I looked at her.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How long have you been..."
I hesitated.
"A vampire?"
Elisa understood immediately.
"Five hundred and thirty-eight years, dear."
My eyes widened.
"Five hundred and thirty-eight?"
She nodded.
"So... how do you survive?"
Elisa shook her head.
"Many vampires drink human blood. But Mike and I built this family around one rule."
She smiled faintly.
"We never hurt humans unless absolutely necessary."
"Then what do you drink?"
"Animal blood."
I listened carefully.
"When we first became vampires, things were different. During the first thirst, controlling the hunger was almost impossible."
She paused.
"When the first thirst awakens, no vampire can truly control it. At least, that's what we used to believe."
I nodded slowly.
"But Adrian..."
Elisa's expression softened.
"He was different from us."
My eyes lifted toward her.
"He was the first vampire we ever met who possessed that much control."
She smiled faintly.
"He didn't drink human blood—not even during his first thirst."
I stared at her.
"And without drinking human blood, his power became greater than that of almost any vampire we'd ever known. His speed, his strength... everything about him was extraordinary."
She looked toward the doorway where Adrian had disappeared.
"That's why he was special from the very beginning."
I remained silent.
"Mike never said much when we first met him," Elisa continued. "He simply took Adrian in and treated him as his son."
Her voice softened.
"Mike may be ruthless, cold, and arrogant..."
She smiled.
"But when it comes to his family, no one can touch us."
She looked at me.
"This family isn't bound by blood. We aren't even human."
Her smile grew warmer.
"But we are still a family."
I didn't know what to say.
I had just discovered that my own family wasn't connected by blood either.
And yet, they had always loved me unconditionally.
The thought made my chest ache softly.
Hearing about Adrian relieved something inside me.
I didn't understand why.
Maybe because a small part of me had still been afraid of him.
And now...
That fear was slowly disappearing.
A voice came from the doorway.
"Elisa, are you coming?"
Drek stood there.
He looked completely fine, despite having been dragged outside only moments ago.
Elisa smiled.
"Yes."
Then she looked at me.
"Would you like to come with us?"
"Where?"
"We're going into the forest to collect some wood and look for food."
I hesitated for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
The forest looked even more beautiful from inside it.
Sunlight streamed through the trees, illuminating patches of green grass beneath our feet.
Drek walked ahead of us, occasionally bending down to collect pieces of wood.
Then he suddenly looked at Adrian.
"You're doing all the hard work."
Adrian continued chopping wood.
"Because you're useless."
Drek placed a hand over his chest.
"That hurts."
Adrian ignored him.
Drek walked closer.
"Adrian."
No response.
"Adrian."
Still nothing.
"Adrian!"
Adrian finally looked at him.
"What?"
Drek smiled innocently.
"You're very strong."
Adrian stared at him suspiciously.
"Can you pick me up?"
"No."
"I'm tired."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
Drek sighed dramatically.
"I thought we were family."
Adrian continued working.
Drek turned toward me.
"Eira, tell him."
I tried to hold back my laughter.
"Drek, you're perfectly capable of walking."
He looked genuinely offended.
"No one understands me."
Elisa laughed.
"You're impossible."
Drek smiled proudly.
"I've been told that before."
I laughed.
For some reason, being around them felt strangely comforting.
It was almost impossible to believe that only a short time ago, I had been terrified of them.
Elisa suddenly stopped near a group of flowers.
"Eira, look."
I walked toward her.
She gently pointed toward a small cluster of beautiful flowers growing beneath a tree.
"They only bloom during this time of year."
I smiled.
"They're beautiful."
"They are."
I reached toward them.
But before I could touch them—
"Careful!"
Adrian's voice came sharply.
I turned.
A sharp piece of broken bark had fallen from the tree above me.
I barely had time to react.
Adrian moved.
In an instant, he was beside me.
He pulled me away.
The sharp piece of bark struck the ground exactly where I had been standing.
I stared at it.
Then I looked at Adrian.
I was in his arms, held securely against him.
He was already looking at me.
"Are you hurt?"
I shook my head.
"No."
His eyes moved over me, checking for injuries.
Then they stopped.
The back of my shirt had been torn slightly by the rough bark.
Without saying anything, Adrian removed his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.
I stared at him.
"You'll need this."
I slowly nodded.
"Thank you."
A loud voice came from behind us.
"Aww."
Drek stood there with a huge grin.
Adrian's expression darkened.
Drek continued.
"How romantic."
"Drek."
"Very protective, Adrian."
"Drek."
"You should just—"
Adrian grabbed him.
"Wait!"
And threw him onto the grass.
Drek landed dramatically.
"Ouch!"
He immediately looked at me.
"Eira, did you see that?"
I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh.
"He attacked me!"
Adrian simply walked away.
Drek sat up.
"Stupid vampire."
Adrian stopped.
Drek immediately lay back down.
"I said nothing."
I couldn't stop laughing.
And for the first time in what felt like forever...
I felt safe.
The fear I had once felt toward vampires was slowly disappearing.
I had expected monsters to feel terrifying.
But standing there with Elisa, Drek, and Adrian...
They didn't feel like monsters.
They felt like a family.
And strangely...
I was beginning to feel safer with them than anywhere else.
Jake's POV
"Where the hell are they?"
I shouted into the phone.
"Search every part of the forest."
The person on the other end tried to respond.
I clenched my jaw.
"I don't care how long it takes!"
I paced across the room, barely able to contain my anger.
"Find them."
A hesitant voice came through the phone.
I stopped.
"What?"
The person began explaining something.
My expression darkened.
"I don't care. Find them at any cost."
I tightened my grip around the phone.
"And if you fail me again..."
My voice dropped into something colder.
"I'll make sure you—and your entire family—pay for it."
Silence.
I ended the call.
The forest was enormous.
And it was hiding them.
I could smell them.
Adrian.
Mike.
Elisa.
Drek.
But every time I followed their scent, it disappeared.
I clenched my fists.
My breathing was heavy.
Adrian had her.
Eira was with him.
And I hated it.
I couldn't stand the thought of Adrian anywhere near her.
The image of him beside her burned through my mind.
My jaw tightened.
He had no right to be near her.
No right to touch her.
No right to make her feel safe.
Eira belonged with me.
The door opened.
Lila stepped inside.
She looked worried.
"Jake..."
I turned toward her.
"What?"
She hesitated.
"Is it true?"
I frowned.
"Is what true?"
"Eira."
My expression changed.
"She's the one you've been searching for, isn't she?"
Silence.
Lila's eyes filled with tears.
"She has Selenathyx."
I looked away.
"Yes."
Lila covered her mouth.
"Oh God..."
She shook her head.
"You can't hurt her."
"I won't."
"You love her."
Her voice broke.
"You love Eira."
I remained silent.
Lila stepped closer.
"This is wrong, Jake."
I looked at her.
"I said I won't hurt her."
"Then what are you going to do?"
I took a slow breath.
"We found a solution."
Lila stared at me.
"What solution?"
My eyes hardened.
"I'll mate with her."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"The Selenathyx will be mine forever."
I paused.
"And so will she."
Lila shook her head.
"But she's with Adrian."
My jaw tightened.
"Doesn't she..."
She stopped herself.
Then looked at me carefully.
My expression hardened.
"Never."
"But—"
"She could never love a blood-drinking creature."
I spoke with absolute certainty.
Then Lila asked quietly,
"And does she love you?"
I didn't answer immediately.
My fists clenched.
"She will."
Lila looked at me sadly.
"Jake..."
I turned toward her.
"She doesn't understand yet."
My voice was low.
"But she will."
I looked away.
"Selenathyx and Eira are both mine."
My fingers curled into fists.
"I'm not losing her now."
Lila's expression softened with concern.
"Doesn't it matter what Eira wants?"
My eyes snapped toward her.
"I don't want to talk about this."
"But—"
"I said enough."
My voice echoed through the room.
I took a slow breath, trying to control the anger rising inside me.
Then I spoke again, quieter this time.
"Eira will be with me."
"I won't let Adrian take her away."
Lila stared at me.
She had never seen this side of me before.
But I didn't care.
The thought of Eira choosing Adrian was unbearable.
I couldn't lose her.
Not to him.
Not to anyone.
If Adrian stood between us...
Then I would tear down everything that kept Eira from me.
Because this time, I would destroy anything that stood between me and Eira.