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41

Sophia’s POV

I pulled Jenny into a bear hug for the umpteenth time today. I couldn’t believe that she had really gotten her father to aquire an house this big for us. It didn’t seem real. It didn’t feel real but yet it was real. “Thank you so much,” I murmured against her neck and I kissed her cheek. “You’re the best! You know that right?”

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” she answered flatly, pushing me off her gently. I could tell she was still annoyed by what I had said at the restaurant earlier today but I just needed her to realize that I was trying to lookout for her and nothing more. I wouldn’t hurt her on purpose.

I know she would become even more closed off if I tried to address the issues with her so I sighed and ran my hands through my hair tiredly. It was still in it’s slick bun and I didn’t want to roughen it more.

I stared at Jenny as she got into her car and sighed again. I just needed to give her a little space and time to think clearly. When she felt better I knew she’d come around. But if I tried to push the issue, she’d get even more closed off.

I stepped out of the house. It was now fully furnished and all we needed to do was to move into it. It was exciting to be sharing a house with her.

I locked the door and walked to Jenny to hand her the keys. “I’ve ordered an Uber which will be here soon. I’m going to Ian’s house,” I told her.

She collected the key from me and nodded before starting the engine. I sighed as she revved it and then sped away. I just hoped I hadn’t pushed her away too far with my words this time.

It wasn’t long before my Uber arrived and we left.

I walked through Ian’s gate slowly, wondering why it was open and feeling a sense of dread wash over me. I knew it! Something was wrong.

I walked quietly to the door and I almost rang the doorbell when I heard voices that I couldn’t exactly place. One belonged to Ian and another belonged to someone I didn’t know.

I wasn’t one to listen in on conversations but I couldn’t help myself this time.

“A lot have changed since you left, Ian. The realm is not the same as it used to be anymore. It’s not the same one you once knew,” the other voice said and I frowned. Realm? What did he mean by realm? What were they talking about?

“What do you mean?” Ian asked.

“The witches have backed out of our agreement with them,” the other man answered, leaving me even more confused.

“The witches backed out of the treaty and you just let them leave?” Ian barked.

“We can’t kill them,” the other man answered roughly. “We’ve tried to threaten them in every way we can but right now they have the support of the lycanthropes so they’re no longer scared of us.” Who were they killing? What were they saying?

“An alliance between the lycanthropes and the witches? Jeez, Jacob. You’ve been doing a really terrible job ruling!” Ian bellowed. “And what of Lucian? He’s your advicer for fuck’s sake!”

“He was the one who advice me to leave them alone,” the man answered.

“Leave them alone?” Ian repeated with a scoff. “He told you to leave them alone and you left them alone? Are you that stupid? And no that you’ve left them alone, what good has that done you?”

“So now we have a situation with the lycanthropes and another situation with the witches. We also have the rebellion on our hands. What exactly have you been doing? You’re their fucking leader, sometimes you should remind them once in a while that you’re their leader for a reason! Make them fear you!” Ian yelled. “The lycanthropes, the witches and a fucki g rebellion under a year?!”

“Oh it’s not just that,” the man said.

“What do you mean?” Ian asked.

“Your fiance. Your betrothed. Your girlfriend, Freya,” the man answered. “She’s missing.”

My heart stopped. Fiance. Betrothed. Girlfriend. Freya.

“What do you mean she’s missing?” Ian asked.

“Exactly what I mean. She is missing. Didn’t you hear me well?” The man snapped. “She hasn’t been in the realm for a month right now and I suspect that she’s here, which has something to do with you!”

“With me?” Ian snapped back.

“Yes, Ian! With you! The cause of all this problems is you! It isn’t just me, you’ve played a part in them too! First you absconded from your wedding with Freya and left the realm all together! We didn’t hear from you! And then all of a sudden I’m getting an information that you marked an human girl coincidentally the same time the rebellion started, the lycanthropes gathered the courage to start attacking us and the witches backed out from the treaty?” The man yelled. “And now Freya is missing. You’re part of the reason all of this is happening for God’s sake! You fucked up! What were you thinking?!”

“So you know about her,” Ian’s voice was now cold and quiet.

“Of course I know about your little human whore!” The snapped back. I gasped and quickly covered my mouth at that.

“Are you the one who has been attacking her?” Ian asked quietly. “You’re the one who has been sending men to kill her?”

People have been trying to kill me?

I then remembered about how I was almost hit by that car that just came out of nowhere.

“Jeez, what do you mean? I only just found out yesterday!” The man growled. “Trust me, Ian, if I was the one trying to kill her then she would be dead by now.”

“And I don’t know why you have a soft spot for her. Fine I get that you weren’t in your right senses when you marked her. You were pussy-whipped and that’s fine. I think I would have been too-“ the man continued but Ian cut him off with a growl. He continued talking anyway. “-but you’ve had your fun with her and it’s time you get rid of her. If you’re the one who has been protecting her then stop protecting her. Let her get rid of her. Once and for all. Come back to the realm. Get married to Freya. Do your duty and be done with it! Take your rightful place and bring everything back to order!”

“She’s mine and if anyone hurts her-“

“Freya is the one you should have marked!”

“And I marked the girl I loved instead and if anyone dared to hurt her-“

At this point I decided I already had enough of their arguments and I couldn’t bear it anymore. Tears was already streaming down my face. I was confused and I felt like I was going crazy.

I pushed the door open. “What is going on here?”

In one nanosecond, the second man was already behind me, one hand on my jaw and on my neck. Ian’s eyes widened and all of a sudden, he wasn’t there anymore.

“You fucking bastard! How dare you touch her?!” The other man was on the floor now. “Get out! Now!” Ian bellowed at the man, shielding me. The man glared at me and then got up and all of a sudden, he was out of the door. It was like he was running with high speed. It was more than running. I couldn’t explain it. I couldn’t even understand it.

I pushed Ian away from me. “What is all these things I just heard?” I asked him.

“I’m guessing you heard everything?” He asked calmly and I threw my bag at him, tears still streaming out of my face.

“Every single thing!” I yelled.

He sighed, his shoulders slumling as he turned away from me and began to walk to the kitchen. “I have something to tell you, but first I need you to be calm while you listen to me.”

He took a few minutes in the kitchen and then he came back with a glass of tea in his hand. He stretched it out to me and I eyed it skeptically. “I want you to explain what I just heard.”

“Fine. If it makes you feel better,” he murmured and then took a sip of the tea before stretching it back to me. “It’s not poisoned. Drink and I’ll explain.”

I did just as he wanted, and surprisingly the tea calmed me down just a bit.

“I’m a vampire,” he began. My brain was running a thousand miles per second so I understood what he was saying instantly. And even though I wanted to laugh, everything clicked all at once. All they had been talking about. How the both of them had been able move that fast.

I gulped, the cup falling from my hand as I took a step back.

“Those two tiny dots on your neck…they’re from me. I marked you as mine that first night we met,” he continued and I took a step back again, shaking my head. I refused to believe all of this but the truth was right there..

“I left the realm when I was supposed to take up the crown and get married to the girl who was meant for me. Freya,” he explained and I took another step back.

“And some people have been trying to get me killed?” I whispered.

“And I’ve been trying to protect you in every way that I can, Sophia. I swear I love you. I—”

“No you don’t,” I replied, shaking my head and bursting into tears as I turned around and ran out of the house. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I was able to step out of his house and I quickly texted Jenny thy I was coming back home, since I had texted her when I got to his place and I had also shared my location with her when the driver was bringing me here.

I began to run down the street, trying to get as far away from him as I could before I order an Uber.

When I was sure that I was far enough, I began to order my ride when something hit me hard at the back of my head and my whole body went limp before everything went dark.