Adrian's POV
The villa was unusually quiet when Drek and I returned.
The fire in the sitting room had burned low, casting restless shadows across the walls. Mike sat beside the fireplace, staring into the flames, while Elisa occupied the chair nearby. Both looked up the moment we entered.
Mike's eyes settled on me.
"Where were you?"
"Out."
His gaze hardened.
"Where?"
I said nothing.
He rose slowly.
"We were waiting for you in the forest. Following every trail, searching every clearing. You were nowhere to be found. Then you suddenly appear at that meeting as if nothing happened."
I leaned against the edge of the table.
"What was that meeting?" he asked.
"A meeting."
"I know that." His voice sharpened. "What I want to know is why there was a sudden meeting in the first place."
"Peace."
Mike gave a humorless laugh.
"Peace?"
"You're the one who said vampires and werewolves need to remain together for the sake of peace."
I met his eyes.
"And I'm simply following your advice."
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he laughed quietly.
"You really think you're clever."
I didn't answer.
His amusement faded.
"You've killed werewolves in the forest, disappeared without a trace, and now you're standing here talking about peace. You expect me to believe there's nothing else going on?"
Mike stepped closer.
"Who is she?"
Silence settled over the room.
Elisa looked between us.
Mike continued.
"Why are you hiding her?"
I remained still.
"The girl needed to die, Adrian. You can't risk all the vampires for one person."
"You don't need to worry about that."
"Don't tell me not to worry."
He moved closer.
"Everyone is looking for her. The wolves want whatever is inside her, and the vampires will kill her if they discover what she carries."
I said nothing.
Mike studied me carefully.
"I've watched you for a long time, Adrian. You don't disappear without a reason, and you don't interfere without a purpose."
He paused.
"Now there's a girl everyone is searching for—and somehow, you're the one standing between her and everyone who wants her dead."
"Why?"
I held his gaze.
"You're asking the wrong questions."
"Then give me the right ones."
I remained silent.
Mike's expression hardened.
"What is she to you?"
I didn't answer.
"And why would you risk everything to protect a werewolf?"
I looked away.
"You're wasting your time."
For several seconds, Mike simply watched me.
Then his expression changed.
His anger disappeared.
That was more dangerous.
"I hope you're not hiding the girl."
My gaze returned to him.
"I don't have proof that you're involved," he continued. "But I know you well enough to recognize when you're keeping something from me."
He stepped closer.
"And if you are involved…"
He let the words hang.
"…I'll find out."
I said nothing.
Mike's lips curved into a faint smile.
"That's the problem with secrets, Adrian."
His voice lowered.
"They leave traces."
He finally stepped back.
"I'm not accusing you."
A pause.
"Not yet."
The words carried more weight than any accusation.
Mike turned toward the staircase. Elisa followed, but before leaving, she looked back at me.
"Adrian…"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Be careful."
I gave no response.
Mike stopped on the first step.
Without turning around, he said, "I hope your secret stays a secret."
His voice was calm.
Almost pleasant.
That made it more dangerous.
"Because once I discover what you're hiding…"
He glanced over his shoulder.
"…you won't have anywhere left to hide it."
Mike disappeared upstairs with Elisa.
Drek and I remained in the sitting room.
"He's suspicious," Drek said.
"He always is."
"You think he'll keep looking?"
I looked toward the staircase.
"He won't stop."
Drek was silent for a moment.
"Do you think he knows?"
"No."
I turned toward the dying fire.
"Not yet."
Eira's POV
The week passed strangely.
Life seemed to return to normal on the surface, but something about the silence that followed the party felt wrong. Adrian had vanished completely, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions—and, despite myself, I found that I was still looking for him whenever I entered a crowded room.
I told myself it didn't matter.
Perhaps that was the easiest lie to believe.
By the time I finally returned to college, the familiar corridors no longer felt quite as familiar.
My entire body still ached when I woke that morning.
For several seconds, I stared at the ceiling, trying to understand why everything felt so wrong.
I couldn't remember everything.
I remembered the party.
I remembered Jake leaving.
Then—
Nothing.
I pressed a hand against my chest.
A strange warmth lingered beneath my skin.
What had happened to me?
I closed my eyes, trying to force the missing memories back.
Instead, an unfamiliar image flashed through my mind.
A woman standing in darkness.
I couldn't see her face clearly.
Then I heard her voice.
"It's time."
My eyes snapped open.
The vision disappeared.
"What was that?"
I shook my head.
It had to be a dream.
I checked the time.
I was already late for college.
I quickly got ready and left.
By the time I reached campus, the corridors were crowded. Students moved around me, laughing and talking as though nothing had ever happened.
I slipped into the classroom just before the lecture began.
I had barely taken my seat when someone approached me.
"Eira."
I looked up.
Jake stood beside my desk, looking unusually serious.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For leaving you like that at the party."
He seemed genuinely regretful.
"What happened?"
"My sister wasn't okay that night. I had to leave."
"Is she okay?"
He nodded.
"Yes. She's fine now."
I smiled faintly.
"Then it's okay."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Relief crossed his face.
"Thank you."
Before he could say anything else, the professor entered.
"Everyone, take your seats."
Jake gave me a small smile.
"I'll see you later."
He returned to his seat.
The lecture began.
I tried to concentrate, but my thoughts kept drifting.
The strange pain.
The missing memories.
The woman from my vision.
And Adrian.
Why did everything seem connected to him?
"Miss Eira?"
I looked up.
The professor was staring directly at me.
"Yes, sir?"
"You've been somewhere else for the past ten minutes."
A few students turned toward me.
Heat rose to my face.
"I'm sorry."
The professor sighed.
"Since you seem to have plenty of time to think about other things, you can use some of that time productively."
He placed a notebook on my desk.
"I want a thesis on the treatment of lymphocytosis."
My eyes widened.
"Sir?"
"You heard me. Submit it by the end of the week."
"Yes, sir."
The lecture continued.
I lowered my eyes to my notebook, but a wave of sadness settled over me.
I didn't understand why I couldn't focus anymore.
When the class ended, the students began leaving.
Tessy called after me, but I told her I'd meet her later.
Instead, I headed toward the library.
I needed somewhere quiet.
Somewhere I could think.
I sat alone at a table surrounded by books. My laptop was open in front of me, the blank document staring back at me.
Treatment of Lymphocytosis.
I sighed and began searching through my notes.
For a while, I managed to concentrate.
Then my thoughts wandered again.
What had happened to me?
Why couldn't I remember?
And why did Adrian's face keep appearing whenever I tried to make sense of it?
I closed my eyes.
Something inside me felt different.
I just didn't know what.
Jake's POVI had barely left the college grounds when my phone rang.
I answered immediately.
"Jake."
"Alpha."
The voice on the other end was urgent.
"The Wakintion are here."
My expression changed.
"How many?"
"All of them."
My eyes narrowed.
"Good."
A brief silence followed.
Then the voice continued.
"But there's something else."
"What?"
"We found out that the girl's scent originates from your college."
I stopped walking.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
My jaw tightened.
So she was connected to the college.
That changed everything.
"Take the Wakintion to the forest."
"Alpha?"
"I'll meet you there."
I ended the call.
Within minutes, I had gathered the wolves.
The Wakintion moved among them.
Unlike ordinary wolves, they possessed an extraordinary sense of smell. They could detect traces of blood, fear, magic, and supernatural energy from astonishing distances. Once they caught a scent, losing the trail was almost impossible.
We entered the forest.
The Wakintion immediately spread out.
One lowered himself to the ground and inhaled deeply. Another moved between the trees, while a third stopped near a cluster of bushes.
Then he raised his head.
"I have it."
I approached.
"What did you find?"
The Wakintion inhaled again, his expression tightening.
"The scent is unusual."
"How?"
"Powerful. Old."
He paused.
"But different."
My eyes narrowed.
"Can you follow it?"
"Yes."
"Then do it."
The Wakintion moved forward.
The rest of us followed.
The scent was faint, but unmistakable.
And it was growing stronger.
I looked deeper into the forest.
"Find her."
The wolves disappeared between the trees.
I followed.
The hunt had begun again.
Adrian's POV
I stood near the window when the villa door suddenly opened.
A vampire hurried inside.
"Adrian."
I turned.
"What happened?"
"Jake is back in the forest."
Drek looked at me.
"Again?"
The vampire nodded.
"He has brought the Wakintion with him."
My expression hardened.
"The Wakintion?"
"Yes."
Drek and I exchanged a glance.
Their senses could follow traces that ordinary wolves would never detect.
Drek turned toward the vampire.
"Leave us."
The vampire bowed and immediately left.
The door closed behind him.
"They'll find her," Drek said.
I said nothing.
"The Wakintion won't stop once they've caught the trail."
"I know."
He studied me.
"Then what are you going to do?"
I looked toward the forest.
For the first time that day, my composure slipped.
Eira had no idea what was happening.
She didn't know who was searching for her—or why.
But I did.
And if the Wakintion reached her before I did, there was no telling what would happen.
I closed my eyes.
My power reached outward, searching through the distance.
For a moment, there was nothing.
Then—
A familiar presence.
Faint.
But unmistakable.
My eyes opened.
"She's at the college."
Drek's expression changed.
"The college?"
I nodded.
"She hasn't left."
I turned toward the door.
Drek followed immediately.
"Where are you going?"
I didn't slow down.
"To find her."
Outside, the forest waited beneath the darkening sky.
Somewhere among those trees, the Wakintion were already following Eira's scent.
And somewhere beyond them—
Eira remained completely unaware that the hunt had found her trail.