Five years had passed in Iceland. Snow draped the cliffs like a silent guardian, and Lyria moved through the small village with careful precision, blending in, hiding the extraordinary secret that pulsed within her bloodline. Her highblood twins slept upstairs, their soft breaths rhythmic and innocent, a fragile heartbeat against a world that threatened to consume them.
Every glance at her reflection reminded her of the life she had left behind — golden eyes that once burned with fiery defiance now softened by motherly worry and protective vigilance. Her wolf instincts roared constantly, alert to every shadow, every whisper, every subtle danger.
Kael's presence was never far. Not physically, of course he was thousands of miles away, ruling his empire as the Vampire King and CEO of the largest company in Europe but in her blood, in her bones, in the pull of the twins' life force, he was there. She could feel him: molten, obsessive, relentless.
His empire had grown ruthless under his rule. Executives feared him, rivals crumbled under his gaze, and the board whispered that Kael's obsession with her had made him unpredictable, almost brutal. The Vampire King had become harder, colder, more dangerous yet every ounce of that danger was reserved for anyone who dared threaten Lyria or the children he did not yet know were his.
Lyria's nights were haunted by the memory of his golden eyes, molten and demanding, and the knowledge that one day, Kael would find them. She pressed her hands to her belly each night, whispering promises to the twins growing within:
"You are our hope. You are everything. One day, your father will see you, and we will change the world together."
The humans were not idle. Rumors had reached her ears weapons, designed to eradicate both wolves and vampires, were being tested. The stakes were rising, and Lyria's heart ached with the knowledge that the children carried the only hope of survival for both worlds.
Her wolf instincts flared whenever she ventured outside the village. Every shadow, every stranger, could be a threat. And yet, every heartbeat reminded her of the bond she could never deny Kael. She longed to see him, to feel his molten obsession, his possessive energy, his dangerous, relentless love.
One evening, as snow swirled outside the small cabin window, Lyria's wolf senses flared. She froze, ears pricked, senses straining. Somewhere far, yet impossibly near she felt him. Kael. His presence was molten, consuming, a fire that made her pulse quicken even in the cold.
Her lips curved in a mix of fear, longing, and a spark of desire. He would come for them. He had to. The children, their blood, and their bond nothing would stop him. Not distance, not time, not packs or rules.
Lyria hugged the twins to her chest, snow falling silently against the window, heart heavy with both fear and hope. The hidden life she had built was safe… for now. But the storm was coming.
And somewhere across Europe, Kael, golden eyes blazing, clenched his fists. He would stop at nothing to claim her. To claim them all.