109

Ian’s POV

The Council chambers were always cold. It didn’t matter what time of day it was, or even what season—there was an ever-present chill in the air that sank into your bones the moment you stepped inside. Maybe it was a reflection of the people who ruled from here, the ancient vampires who had governed for centuries, steeped in tradition and power. Or maybe it was just another way they liked to keep everyone on edge.

Today, I felt that cold more acutely than ever.

The summons had come abruptly, without explanation. That wasn’t unusual, but something about the way it was delivered—the way the messenger had looked at me, almost nervously—set off alarms in my head. They didn’t just want to talk about political matters. This was something else.

I entered the chamber, keeping my expression neutral as the heavy wooden doors closed behind me. The Council members were already seated in their usual formation, their faces impassive, their eyes dark and unreadable. But I could feel the tension in the room, hanging in the air like a storm cloud waiting to break.

“Ian,” Viktor greeted me, his voice was smooth, controlled, but there was an edge to it. “Thank you for coming.”

I inclined my head, stepping forward to take my place in front of them. “You summoned me. I assume this isn’t about the usual matters of state.”

Viktor’s eyes flickered for a moment before he exchanged glances with the others. “No, it’s not. We’ve come across some information—troubling information—that we believe you need to address.”

Troubling information. My muscles tensed, but I kept my face calm. I knew where this was headed. They had been sniffing around, growing more suspicious of Sophia with each passing day, even though I had made it clear she wasn’t a threat. But the Council didn’t listen to words—they only believed in what they could control.

Viktor leaned forward, folding his hands in front of him. “It’s come to our attention that Lyanna, the witch you’ve been consulting, has been investigating Sophia’s lineage. And it appears that Sophia is not an ordinary vampire, as you’ve claimed.”

My heart stuttered in my chest, but I didn’t let it show. I had expected this, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “What exactly are you implying?”

Another Council member, Damian, spoke up, his voice as cold as the room itself. “We’ve heard rumors of an ancient bloodline. One that disappeared long ago. If Sophia is tied to that bloodline, it could have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power in our realm.”

I clenched my jaw. “Sophia is adjusting to her new life. She’s not interested in politics or power.”

“Not yet,” Viktor cut in, his eyes sharp. “But we’ve heard reports that her powers are growing—powers that no ordinary vampire should possess. She’s a danger, Ian, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.”

My mind raced. I had kept Lyanna’s suspicions quiet, not wanting to alarm Sophia before we had more concrete answers. But it seemed the Council had their own ways of digging up secrets. There were spies everywhere in the realm, eyes and ears in every corner. I should have expected this.

“What powers?” I asked, keeping my voice steady. “What have you heard?”

Viktor’s lip curled in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “It seems that during a recent encounter with vampire hunters, Sophia unleashed a force so powerful it incapacitated multiple attackers at once. A force even you were unable to control.”

My blood ran cold. So, they knew. Somehow, the Council had found out about the incident with the hunters. But how? I hadn’t told anyone, and neither had Sophia, Jacob, or Jenny.

My eyes flicked over the Council members, suspicion growing in my gut. “Who told you this?”

The room went quiet. Viktor and Damian exchanged glances again, and then another voice spoke up—one I hadn’t expected.

Mira, one of the older Council members, leaned forward, her expression neutral but her words dripping with intent. “It seems, Ian, that you’ve underestimated just how closely we’ve been monitoring the situation. We’ve always kept tabs on potential threats to the realm. And now, with Sophia’s powers growing out of control, we have no choice but to consider all possibilities.”

The implication was clear. They were watching us. Watching her.

I took a slow breath, trying to keep my temper in check. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Mira’s eyes locked on mine, unflinching. “Sophia’s powers are dangerous. If they continue to grow, she could become a destabilizing force in both the human world and our realm. We need to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

I took a step forward, my voice lowering. “You think you can control her?”

Viktor’s expression remained calm, but there was a sharpness to his tone. “We believe that her existence, unchecked, could lead to chaos. If she’s tied to the ancient bloodline, her powers will only grow. And when that happens, there’s no telling what kind of destruction she could bring.”

Destruction. They were already treating her like a weapon—a ticking time bomb. My fists clenched at my sides. I had sworn to protect Sophia, no matter what. I wasn’t going to let the Council turn her into some kind of scapegoat for their fear of change.

But before I could respond, another voice cut through the tension, a voice that sent a chill down my spine.

“Ian,” a man to my left said slowly, his tone deliberate. It was Roderic, a Council member I had always regarded with suspicion. His narrow, calculating gaze met mine. “There’s something else we need to discuss. We’ve received credible reports that one of our own has been leaking information to the vampire hunters. Information about you… and Sophia.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

Roderic’s gaze flicked to the other members of the Council. “We’ve known for some time that there’s been a mole within our ranks. Someone feeding the hunters information about our weaknesses. But now, we have reason to believe that they’ve also been providing intelligence about Sophia—about her powers.”

My mind spun. A traitor, working with the hunters. It made sense. How else would they have known to attack Sophia so soon after her transition? How else would they know about her growing powers?

I turned my gaze to Roderic, my instincts flaring. “Who?”

Roderic’s smile was thin, almost amused. “I believe you already suspect the answer.”

I did. The pieces were falling into place, but I didn’t want to believe it. Could one of the Council members really be so desperate for power that they’d ally themselves with vampire hunters?

Before I could voice my thoughts, Viktor spoke again, his tone measured. “We have our suspicions. But what’s important now is how we handle this… situation. If the hunters continue to gain information about Sophia, they will become an even greater threat. And if Sophia’s powers are as dangerous as they appear, we may need to consider more drastic measures.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of measures?”

Mira’s voice was like ice. “Elimination. For the good of the realm.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Eliminate Sophia? The Council was actually considering killing her. My mind reeled, disbelief and fury warring inside me. They were scared of her, scared of what she might become, but they had no idea who she really was. No idea how strong she was—how good.

I took a step forward, my voice deadly calm. “You’re suggesting we kill Sophia because you’re afraid of her powers?”

Viktor shrugged, as if it was the most logical thing in the world. “If she’s a danger, then yes. We cannot allow one person to disrupt the balance of power in the realm. It would be irresponsible.”

Irresponsible. That was what they called it—erasing a threat before it had a chance to grow. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“No,” I said, my voice firm. “Sophia isn’t a threat. She’s not interested in power, and she’s not your enemy. If you lay a hand on her, you’ll be making a grave mistake.”

Viktor raised an eyebrow. “And if her powers become uncontrollable? What then?”

“Then we’ll deal with it,” I snapped. “I will deal with it. But I’m warning you now—if you try to harm her, I will come for whoever is responsible.”

The silence that followed was thick, heavy. The Council members exchanged glances, and I knew they were weighing their options. But I had made my position clear.

Finally, Viktor nodded slowly. “Very well. But know this, Ian—we will be watching. And if it becomes clear that Sophia’s powers are a danger to us all, we will not hesitate to act.”

I met his gaze, unblinking. “You’ll regret it if you do.”

With that, I turned on my heel and strode out of the chamber, my mind racing. There was a traitor among us, and they wanted Sophia dead. But they had underestimated me—and her.

I wasn’t going to let them destroy what we had built. Not now. Not ever.