123

Jenny’s POV

I had always imagined the vampire realm as something grand, magical even. Maybe a mix between some ancient gothic castle and a supernatural paradise. But as I stepped through the portal with Jacob, Ian, Sophia, and Lyanna by my side, I couldn’t help but feel… underwhelmed.

It wasn’t terrible, sure, but it wasn’t the breathtaking spectacle I had built up in my head. Dark, gloomy, and cold, the place looked like a knockoff medieval village with way too much stone and far too little color. If vampires were supposed to be these all-powerful, ageless beings, you’d think they’d have upgraded their décor a bit by now. I mean, come on, hadn’t they ever heard of modern architecture? Or at least a pop of color?

“This is it?” I muttered under my breath, side-eyeing Jacob, who clearly heard me.

His lips twitched, but he didn’t say anything. Just squeezed my hand a little tighter.

“Welcome to the vampire realm,” Lyanna said, her tone flat as she gestured ahead. “It’s not about aesthetics here, Jenny. Function over form.”

“Oh, clearly.” I couldn’t stop the sarcasm from slipping out. “Because who needs light or warmth, right?”

Jacob stifled a laugh, but his eyes softened with that look, the one that said he was trying to keep me calm. I appreciated the effort, but it was going to take more than hand-squeezing and sympathetic glances to keep me from completely losing it.

We walked quietly to the castle and entered it without any hassle. The guards were bowing and greeting Ian and Jacob. We walked down the quiet hallway, my heart beating too loud.

I was already on edge, and the moment I saw the Council room ahead, the massive, wooden doors closed, I felt my stomach twist into knots. This was it. I was about to be paraded in front of a bunch of ancient, judgmental vampires, and if they didn’t like what they saw, who knew what they’d do? I didn’t care what Jacob had promised me. I still wasn’t convinced these vampires weren’t capable of something… final.

The moment we stepped into the Council chamber, I felt the weight of a thousand eyes on me. The room was huge, cold, and as dark as I expected, with stone pillars and dim lights casting long, eerie shadows across the walls. Seated at a long, raised table were the Council members—each of them older than dirt, judging by their haggard faces and stern expressions.

Jacob and Ian led the way, with Lyanna standing close by. I lingered behind Sophia, trying to blend into the background. Not that it would work. I was the whole reason for this little trip, after all.

“Jacob. Ian.” One of the Council members, an old woman with sharp features and cruel eyes, spoke first. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. “And this… must be the human.”

Ah. Straight to the insults. Nice.

“Jenny,” I said, stepping forward despite my instincts telling me to hide. “The name’s Jenny. And I’m one of you.”

Her eyes flicked over me like I was something stuck to her shoe. “So, this is the human girl who has caused such a… disturbance.”

A disturbance? Seriously? I bit my tongue to stop myself from blurting out something I’d regret. The last thing I needed was to piss off a room full of powerful vampires on my first day here. I eyed them. It seemed like they were so focused on ignoring the fact that I was now one of them.

But then she sneered, and I couldn’t help it. “Well, it’s nice to see all of you ancient relics in one place. Are you going to ask me questions, or are we just going to stare at each other like this is some kind of awkward family dinner?”

Jacob tensed beside me, his eyes darting between me and the Council. Ian remained stone-faced, but I could sense he was annoyed, probably more with the Council than with me. At least, I hoped.

The woman’s eyes narrowed. “You dare speak to us that way?”

I crossed my arms, standing my ground. “I dare. You called me a disturbance. I call it being human, as you prefer to call me.”

Lyanna shot me a warning look, but I ignored it. I wasn’t going to let these pompous, self-important vampires push me around. If they thought they could intimidate me just because they were old and powerful, they had another thing coming.

Another council member, a man with hollow cheeks and a long, gray beard, leaned forward. “The girl has no respect for her betters.”

“Betters?” I snorted. “You’ve been sitting here for centuries, judging people you don’t even know. That doesn’t make you my better. It just makes you boring.”

That did it. I could practically hear the gasps around the room, and I noticed Jacob shift uncomfortably beside me. But I wasn’t backing down. I’d been dragged here against my will, to Be gawked at and judged like some kind of specimen, and if they thought I was going to sit quietly and take it, they were dead wrong.

“She is disrespectful,” the old woman hissed, her voice dripping with contempt. “This is what you bring before us?”

I looked her straight in the eye. “I’m disrespectful? Lady, you’ve been disrespectful since I walked in here.”

Another council member chimed in, his tone dripping with condescension. “We could end you with a thought, human. You are nothing here.”

I tilted my head, pretending to think about it. “But you won’t, will you? Because you’re all so scared of what I might do, of what might happen if you don’t play nice. That’s why I’m here in the first place, right? You’re curious. You’re nervous. Well, guess what? I don’t care what you think. I’m here for one reason, and that’s because Jacob asked me to be.”

I could feel Jacob’s tension beside me, but he didn’t speak. He let me handle it, and that was probably for the best. I needed to get this out of my system.

The Council members exchanged glances, their expressions cold and calculating. I could see it in their eyes—they were trying to figure out how to handle me. Maybe they weren’t used to humans standing up to them. Or maybe they just didn’t expect this kind of sass from someone who wasn’t one of them. Either way, I was done playing nice.

“I’m not some pawn for you to use,” I continued, my voice steady despite the fear bubbling under the surface. “I’m not here for your approval. I’m here because I love Jacob. That’s it. So if you’ve got something to say to me, go ahead and say it. Otherwise, I’m out.”

The silence in the room was deafening. I could feel their stares, feel the weight of their judgment pressing down on me, but I didn’t flinch. I’d come this far, and I wasn’t about to back down now.

Finally, the old woman spoke again, her voice cold and measured. “You are brave, I will give you that. But bravery without wisdom is foolishness.”

I gave her a small, sarcastic smile. “And sitting around judging people for centuries is wise?” I added, “mind you, no matter how much you try to ignore this, it wouldn’t change. I wouldn’t magically turn human again. I’m now one of you. A vampire, and it’s either you suck up to it and accept it, or…I don’t know, stab yourself with wood?”

She narrowed her eyes at me, but I didn’t wait for her to respond. I had had enough. I turned on my heel, my heart racing, and walked out of the room without looking back.

Jacob followed after me, and I could hear Ian murmuring something to the Council as we left. But I didn’t care. I was done with them. Done with their arrogance, their superiority, their petty insults.

“Jenny,” Jacob called after me, catching up as we made our way down the long corridor. “Wait.”

I stopped but didn’t turn around right away. When I finally did, I saw the worry in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, stepping closer. “I know this wasn’t easy.”

“It’s not about easy,” I replied, shaking my head with a scowl. “It’s about respect. And they clearly don’t have any.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know. But it’s just the way they are.” He replied like that was supposed to be an excuse for their bad manners.

“Yeah, well, I don’t like them,” I said firmly. “And I don’t think I ever will.”

Jacob smiled softly, pulling me into his arms. “You don’t have to like them. You just have to survive them.”

I leaned into him, letting his warmth calm the storm inside me. “I can do that,” I muttered. “But I’m never coming back here again.”

“I know,” he replied with a nod. “And I won’t make you.”