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Sophia’s POV

The news of Aldric’s death hit me like a storm I hadn’t expected, leaving me feeling both unsettled and strangely relieved. He had been a thorn in Ian’s side since I had entered his world, always questioning our relationship, always doubting my place in it. Aldric had been one of the most vocal members of the council, always disapproving of Ian’s decision to involve me in vampire politics and, more importantly, in his life as king. Now, he was dead, and I didn’t know how to feel about it.

Sitting in the living room of Ian’s condo, I tried to wrap my mind around the news. Aldric had been in the council meeting earlier that day, as if nothing was wrong, and then, suddenly, his body had been found in the woods. Killed by someone—or something. Ian had told me everything when he returned from the realm, his voice laced with concern as he explained the confusion surrounding Aldric’s death. It didn’t make sense. How could someone have been alive one minute and dead the next, especially when he was in a room full of people?

I shifted in my seat, placing my hand protectively over my stomach. The life growing inside me had changed everything. Every decision, every action, now carried a weight I hadn’t fully realized before. I wasn’t just thinking about myself anymore—there was another life to consider. And the fact that Aldric was gone… did it mean we were safer? Or did it mean something far worse was coming?

I looked up as Ian walked into the room, his presence calming me in a way that nothing else could. He looked exhausted, the weight of the realm and everything that had happened clearly etched in the lines of his face. When he caught my gaze, he gave me a soft smile, but I could see the worry behind it.

“Are you okay?” he asked, sitting down next to me and reaching for my hand.

I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely sure if that was true. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I should be terrified or relieved. Aldric… he was a threat, wasn’t he?”

Ian’s expression tightened, and he nodded. “He was, but his death complicates things. We don’t know who’s responsible, and that makes it harder to know if we’re any safer.”

I let out a long breath, leaning back against the cushions. “Do you think this was a message? Whoever killed him… do you think they’re trying to come for us next?”

“I don’t know,” Ian admitted, his voice heavy with uncertainty. “That’s what scares me the most. There’s too much we don’t know right now.”

The uncertainty gnawed at me. I had been dragged into this world, marked by Ian, transformed into a vampire, and now, carrying his child, the stakes felt impossibly high. And yet, through it all, the only thing I wanted was a chance for some kind of normalcy. For me, for Ian, and most of all, for our baby.

“What kind of life is our child going to have, Ian?” I asked quietly, my fingers absently tracing circles over my stomach. “With everything that’s happening—Aldric’s death, the realm falling apart—what kind of future will they have?”

Ian’s grip on my hand tightened, and he looked at me with such intensity that it sent a shiver down my spine. “Our child is going to have the best life we can give them,” he said firmly. “No matter what happens, I will make sure they’re safe. I’ll protect both of you.”

I wanted to believe him—I needed to believe him. But the doubt lingered. I wasn’t naïve. I knew the kind of world we were living in now, and no matter how much Ian promised to protect us, there were forces beyond our control.

“I’m scared,” I whispered, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me all at once. “What if we can’t protect them? What if they grow up in a world full of danger, always looking over their shoulder? I don’t want that for them.”

Ian pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me as if he could shield me from all the darkness. “I don’t want that either,” he murmured against my hair. “But we’ll figure it out, Sophia. We have to. I won’t let anyone hurt you or our child.”

I closed my eyes, leaning into his embrace, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing. Every time I thought about the baby, I couldn’t help but wonder if they would ever know peace. Being tied to both me and Ian put them in a dangerous position. The enemies we had—vampires, witches, werewolves, and god knows who else—would see our child as a target. And the council… they had made it clear that I wasn’t their preferred choice for Ian’s future. What if they saw the baby as a threat to their plans?

“What if the council tries something?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “They didn’t want me in your life, and now there’s a child. Do you think they’ll accept this?”

Ian was silent for a moment, and I could feel the tension in his body. “They don’t have a choice,” he finally said, though there was a hard edge to his voice. “They can’t dictate what happens in our family.”

“But you know they’ll try,” I pressed. “Aldric might be gone, but there are others. They’ll see our child as… as leverage. Or worse.”

Ian pulled back slightly, cupping my face in his hands, his eyes locked on mine. “Let them try,” he said, his voice filled with determination. “I will tear down anyone who comes for our family. You have my word.”

I wanted to believe him. I did. But the fear wouldn’t let go of me. I had seen too much, experienced too much, to just brush it aside. And now, with Aldric dead, it felt like everything was spiraling out of control.

“I just want them to be safe,” I said, my voice trembling. “I want them to have a normal life, Ian. Is that even possible?”

He kissed my forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before he spoke. “I don’t know what ‘normal’ looks like for us anymore. But I know that we’ll fight for them. We’ll fight for our family. And as long as I’m standing, no one will take that from us.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I don’t want to live in fear,” I said softly. “I don’t want to raise our child in fear.”

“You won’t have to,” he promised, his voice firm and resolute. “I’ll make sure of it.”

I wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him. But as I sat there, wrapped in his arms, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were on the edge of something much bigger than either of us could handle. Aldric’s death was just the beginning—I could feel it. And now, more than ever, I worried about what that meant for our future, and for the life of our unborn child.

All I could do was hope that Ian’s strength would be enough to protect us from whatever darkness was coming. Because deep down, I knew that it was only a matter of time before we were faced with it again.