The preparations began before the sun dared show itself.
The courtyard bustled as warriors in polished leather and apprentices moved from one place to another following orders. Banners were raised, the deep maroon of the Alpha's crest hanging alongside silvery wolf emblems. Every wall was scrubbed, every doorway swept.
The vampire king was coming.
Inside the hall, Calista stood at the center of a flurry of activity. Her future had been traded for a silver-lined ceremonial robe. It shimmered when she moved, flowing behind her like liquid moonlight. Servants flitted around her, adjusting folds, applying oils to her skin, braiding her golden hair in twists of ivy and crystal.
"They'll be here by the second sun," announced the Lieutenant as he paced across the stone floor. "Everyone must remain in position. This isn't a social call—it's politics wearing a crown."
Freya tugged Zoey behind a pillar as Calista swept by, her nose in the air, eyes searching for invisible flaws. Marnie stood close, rubbing at a scar on her palm—a nervous habit.
"Do you think he'll really agree to it?" Freya whispered.
"Of course," Marnie muttered. "She's the Alpha's daughter. That's what this is about. Power. He just wants to spread his wings more."
Zoey said nothing.
But her heart had been drumming like a war song since the night Ryan returned.
By mid-afternoon, the sky changed. Not with rain or storm—but with something better. The temperature dropped. Clouds slowed, hanging motionless like watchful eyes. Even the trees were still.
Then came the sound—wheels against stone.
The vampire van appeared over the ridge.
There were twelve vans, each made with the best and most expensive metals, steel and tyres. The center van of the vans moved slowly . It bore the Vampire King and then when the vans came to a halt, the driver quickly stepped out and opened the door for the king.
The entire pack lined the clearing in formation, heads bowed. Calista stood at the front, flanked by the Alpha and his advisors.
When the door opened, silence reigned.
King Adrien emerged first.
He was tall—taller than anyone Zoey had ever seen—and dressed in robes blacker than raven feathers, with veins of red thread running through like living blood. His hair was night-dark and shoulder-length, his eyes a burning crimson. His features were carved marble, too perfect to be real.
The lords followed, moving like shadows given form—sharp-eyed, silent, watching.
The meeting began inside the ceremonial lodge. A great fire burned in the center, casting flickering light on both werewolf and vampire faces. Tension thickened the air.
Calista took her place beside the Alpha, her chin high. Zoey remained in the far back, behind a pillar, watching through the smoke.
King Adrien sat with elegance, his voice smooth as winter frost.
"We have come to honor what was promised," he began, "and what was lost."
He spoke of history, of bloodshed and betrayal, of alliances forged through pain and necessity. The Alpha answered with equal calm, promising loyalty, unity, and the strength of the wolves.
Then came the proposal details.
"She," Adrien said, motioning toward Calista, "is to move to the court one week after the wedding which will be held here. As per tradition, she will be accompanied by one female of equal age who shall serve the vampire family as maid and witness to the bond."
The Alpha nodded. "It is agreed."
Calista, radiant with self-importance, didn't blink. She already saw herself in a castle of bone and silver.
The lords murmured among themselves. Only Adrien remained still.
After the meeting dispersed, most returned to their duties, eager to speak of what they'd witnessed.
Zoey lingered in the empty hall, tracing the stones with her fingers, her mind lost in worry about Ryan—and now this.
She didn't realize the King was still there.
"Why do you seem more stressed than the bride," came a voice like smoke and steel.
She turned quickly. Adrien stood not far from her, half in shadow, eyes gleaming.
"Forgive me, I didn't know—"
"You don't need to kneel..."
Zoey blinked. "I wasn't going to."
His lips curled slightly. "Even better."
They regarded each other in silence.
"You're the one who took a beating in the courtyard."
"I'm a lot of things," she replied. "That's just one of them."
Adrien stepped closer. "What's your name?"
"Zoey."
He studied her, not like a man looking at a girl—but like a tactician studying a map.
"Zoey," he repeated. "You smell like old blood. Not wolf. Not entirely."
She frowned. "Does everyone have to say something condemning when they see me?" She whispered
But the Vampire's sharp instincts caught on.
"Bloodlines lie more than kings," he said softly.
Before she could respond, footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Adrien stepped back into the shadows, his presence evaporating like mist.
Zoey touched her chest. Her heart raced.
By evening, she found herself summoned to the Alpha's chamber.
His expression was unreadable. Calista lounged beside him, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips.
"Zoey," the Alpha said. "You've been chosen."
Her blood froze.
"To serve the vampire house," he continued. "You'll accompany Calista to the Shadow Court as her attendant."
Zoey stared. "What? Why me?"
"Because it was requested," Calista purred. "They wanted someone... unremarkable."
The Alpha said nothing to dispute that.
"But I have a life. What about my school " Zoey.
Calista's eyes glittered. "I'll be stopping school anyway. Shouldn't you? Remember
your place. Freak."
As Zoey left the chamber, her mind raced with several thoughts. What could she do to escape this.