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Sophia’s POV

It was a quiet afternoon, one of those rare moments where things felt almost normal. I was sitting on the couch, a book in my hands, but my mind wasn’t really on the words in front of me. Instead, I was thinking about everything that had happened, the weight of the secrets we’d been carrying pressing down on me more with each passing day. My belly, rounder now, was a constant reminder of the life growing inside me—and the danger that came with it.

Ian had gone out for a meeting, and Jacob and Jenny were off somewhere, probably trying to act like everything was fine. I had the condo to myself, which gave me a strange sense of peace, even if it was short-lived.

The knock at the door was unexpected. I frowned, placing the book down and getting up slowly. No one was supposed to come here, at least not without letting us know first. But maybe Ian forgot to tell me someone was stopping by. He had a lot on his mind.

I opened the door, expecting to see maybe Mike or even Jenny back early. But when I saw Viktor standing there, my heart froze.

Viktor. His dark eyes scanned me immediately, and I could see the flicker of realization cross his face. He didn’t bother with pleasantries or small talk.

“Sophia,” he said, his voice low and cold. His eyes traveled down, landing on my growing belly. “I see I was right to suspect something.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. This was bad—very bad. Viktor wasn’t the type to ignore something like this. He was calculating, dangerous, and loyal to the council above everything else. I had to keep calm, but it felt like my brain had turned to static.

“What are you doing here, Viktor?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I knew he could probably hear the fear behind it.

He stepped into the condo without waiting for an invitation, his eyes never leaving me. “I was in the human realm on council business when I thought it would be prudent to check on the king. Imagine my surprise when I find his… companion here, alone, and clearly with child.”

I closed the door, my heart pounding in my chest as I stood there, trying to figure out what to say. “Ian will be back soon,” I managed to say, my hands instinctively going to my stomach, as if that could shield the truth from him.

He raised an eyebrow. “And what does Ian plan to do about this? Surely he knows how… delicate your situation is. A vampire king’s child born in the human realm—this is not something the council will take lightly.”

His words cut deep, and I could feel my fear turning into something else—anger. Anger at the council for meddling, anger at the situation we were in, and anger at Viktor for showing up here like this, unannounced and uninvited.

“We’re handling it,” I said, my voice stronger now. “It’s none of the council’s business.”

Viktor’s eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the small space. “Everything about the king is the council’s business, Sophia. You should know that by now. This child… this unborn child is a threat to the order of things. The council will demand answers, and I suggest you and Ian be prepared to give them.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration and fear boiling over. “This child is Ian’s, and mine. No one else gets a say in what happens to us.”

Viktor narrowed his eyes, his voice a low growl. “You’re naïve if you think the council will allow this to go unchecked. Ian may be king, but he is not above the laws that govern our kind. This child—” He gestured to my belly, his voice dripping with disdain. “—represents a shift in power. And the council does not take kindly to surprises.”

I took a step back, my hand trembling as I reached for my phone in my pocket. I needed to call Ian. I couldn’t handle this on my own, not with Viktor breathing down my neck, not when he already knew too much.

Before I could dial, Viktor’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a surprising amount of strength. “Don’t,” he said sharply. “We’ll wait for Ian to return. I’m sure he’ll have plenty to explain.”

I yanked my hand back, glaring at him. “You can’t just come in here and demand explanations, Viktor. You don’t control us.”

He smirked, his expression cold. “Oh, but I do, Sophia. You and Ian are bound by the same rules as the rest of us, no matter how much you try to pretend otherwise. And if you think you can hide this from the council for much longer, you’re sorely mistaken.”

Before I could respond, the sound of the door unlocking made my heart leap. Ian walked in, his eyes immediately going to Viktor, then to me. His face tensed, and I could see the storm brewing behind his eyes.

“Viktor,” Ian said, his voice calm but deadly. “What are you doing here?”

Viktor turned to face him, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp. “I was just visiting, checking on the king. I see you’ve been keeping secrets.”

Ian stepped forward, positioning himself between Viktor and me. “Whatever you think you know, Viktor, you’re wrong.”

Viktor scoffed, crossing his arms. “Am I? Because it seems to me that you’ve been hiding a rather important development from the council. I wonder what they’ll say when they find out about this.”

Ian’s jaw clenched, and I could feel the tension rising in the room like a thick fog. He was trying to stay calm, but I knew him well enough to see how close he was to losing it.

“This is none of the council’s concern,” Ian said, his voice tight. “Sophia and I will handle it. There’s no need for their involvement.”

Viktor raised an eyebrow. “No need for their involvement? You must be delusional if you think the council won’t demand answers. This child could destabilize everything we’ve built. The other vampires—”

“The other vampires will do as I say,” Ian interrupted, his voice low and dangerous. “I am still king, Viktor, and I will not allow you or the council to interfere in my family’s affairs.”

Viktor’s expression hardened, and for a moment, I thought he might push back. But then he smiled, a cold, calculating smile that sent a chill down my spine.

“We’ll see about that,” he said softly, turning toward the door. “I’ll be sure to inform the council of what I’ve discovered. You should prepare yourself, Ian. This isn’t over.”

With that, he walked out, leaving the door open behind him. The tension in the room didn’t fade once he was gone. If anything, it got worse. I turned to Ian, my heart racing.

“He knows,” I whispered, feeling the weight of it settle over me.

Ian ran a hand through his hair, his face pale. “I know.”

I felt a surge of panic rise in my chest. “What are we going to do? If the council—”

“They won’t,” Ian said firmly, stepping closer to me. “I won’t let them take our baby. I don’t care what I have to do, Sophia. They won’t touch either of you.”

I nodded, trying to hold on to the reassurance in his voice, but the fear was still there, gnawing at the edges of my mind. Viktor wasn’t going to let this go. The council would come for us, and when they did, we would have to be ready.

Ian pulled me into his arms, holding me tight. “We’ll figure this out,” he murmured into my hair. “I promise.”