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What good would it do? The engagement was still intact, and I was the other woman, as long as I stayed with him. If he wasn't taking any action, I needed to impose myself. Or leave right then.

I tried to focus on the conversation and not on what he made me feel. Then I heard Dimitar comment on the rise of a sanguine to judge in his village, and I realized I knew little about them. Since the heat, I had almost completely forgotten my investigations. I decided to understand a bit more.

"Do you have judges too? And sanguines?"

"Yes, Lioara," Alexandar answered. "It's like that in all clans."

"But can one take the other's position?"

"It's possible, as long as the sanguine has more vampire traits than another species, like orange eyes. And is good for the security role the position requires. Generally, the clans choose the most capable judges with stronger vampire genetics."

"Is it like that here?" I looked at Antares, and he nodded, explaining:

"But each clan chooses its own numbers, with its own internal and social rules."

My curiosity had no limits, and I started asking everything that came to mind:

"Are clan leaders always purebloods from the same family? Or can they choose a pureblood from somewhere else?"

"From the same family. The firstborn assumes leadership when the father dies or steps down after a certain age." Alexandar seemed the most eager to answer.

"And if there’s no firstborn?"

"Another child assumes it."

"And if there are no other children? Could it be a daughter?"

"No. Unless she’s married, then her husband takes over. Because he becomes part of the family."

It was a bit like in wolf packs. Since there were no alpha females and an alpha always led, the males held the power. It was a bit unfair, but that was the reality.

"But... let's say the whole family dies for some reason. What happens to the clan?"

"This has never happened." Alexandar smiled slowly. "We're a bit hard to kill, Lioara. Is your curiosity satisfied?"

"No." I put my utensils down on the nearly empty plate and went straight to the point. "Is there rivalry between the clans? If so, how does it affect you, how do you resolve it?"

The tension became palpable. Alexandar exchanged a hard look with Antares, and I noticed the old rift, the sea of bad things beneath the surface. Everything was a façade, to hide the real stress.

Neither of them answered. For the first time that night, Balthazar spoke up, dryly:

"Yes, there’s rivalry and intrigue. But vampires are good at pretending, Lio. For survival."

"Survival?" I stared at him, my heart racing.

"We would have killed each other by now if we didn't have clans and temples to vote on and create laws that everyone respects. But that doesn’t mean there's friendship. In fact, it's quite rare."

His cold, harsh tone brought an uncomfortable stillness, completely ending the apparent tranquility from before. But he didn't look at the Draganovs, still focused entirely on me. Which only made the atmosphere more unstable.

"If vampires can be friends with wolves..." Alexandar caught my attention, without losing his cynical air. "Nothing prevents them from being friends with each other. Just like we will be, future brother-in-law, when you and Kassandra get married. All friends and one big family. Lioara, I insist that you be our guest."

That stabbed me, it affected me. And it affected Balthazar too, who seemed ready to jump up and break his face. When he stood up, I was startled. But he wasn't getting ready to fight.

"Be careful not to believe your own lies, Alexandar. Looks like you're the only one here who does."

Without saying goodnight or bidding farewell, Balthazar left the room. And no one said anything else, because there were no more masks. Clearly, that marriage wouldn't bring any friendship.

"Excuse me." Kassandra stood up, the skirt of her dress floating like clouds around her legs. "Thank you for your company."

She smiled subtly and left as well. Probably following him.

My breath quickened, the wolf inside me wanting to follow, to see if they'd be together. Rage ready to take over.

"Feel free." Antares pushed his chair back.

The dinner, which was just mine while they drank blood, ended abruptly. Everyone started saying their goodbyes and leaving. When I was about to do the same, Alexandar approached:

"I’ll head up too. I’ll walk you."

"Thanks."

We walked together down the hallway. My disturbance growing, everything throbbing in my chest.

Would Balthazar and Kassandra be together? Or had she just retired, since they barely looked at each other all night?

As if reading my thoughts, the vampire slyly commented:

"My brother-in-law seems a bit stressed these days, but it should be something temporary. After my sister calms him down, everything will be fine."

I gave him a look, knowing he was using his words to target his prey. Just like with the cynicism. He did the same when he invited me to the wedding. Intentionally, since he surely knew we had been lovers. He noticed how Balthazar kept me in his sights all night.

"Are you happy with this marriage?" I asked, not starting a fight. I preferred to observe better and act the same way.

"Of course! As I said in the room, it will be a great union of clans. Especially after they have children. Did you know they've been trying for a century?"

"What?"

I froze, shocked. Alexandar stopped too, his dark eyes deep in mine.

"Every time they see each other, they practice a lot. Since our reproduction is by agreement, and vampires took a long time to have children, they decided to start well before the wedding. Besides easing the longing from the distance, they might finally get lucky with a pregnancy in these days."

He said that to push me away from Balthazar. However, I saw that it was true. He was too confident.

"They're not in the same room." He left before I could stop him.

I walked faster, nervous. My legs shaking.

"Who told you that? Obviously, they'll spend the night together."

"If you say so!" I shrugged, acting like I didn’t care.

I hurried up the stairs, nearly having a heart attack. It beat so fast that the blood seemed to be poisoning my veins, filling me with rage and disappointment.

My gaze shifted toward the tower stairs, which led up to his rooms. Would Balthazar be there with Kassandra? Trying to get her pregnant, as he said was his responsibility with that engagement?

I almost screamed with fury and pain! The wolf inside me wanting to snarl, release its claws. My breath uneven.

"Did I upset you, Lioara?"

"And why would you?"

"Jealous?" He smirked. "It's no secret that you and Balthazar got involved."

"It's none of your business!"

I stormed down the hallway, torn apart, furious.

"I know it’s not. Just like I know Balthazar won’t disrespect his own fiancée. He’s too loyal to traditions, to rules. But let me say one thing..." He stopped when we reached my door, and I swung it open. His gaze held mine, hot, with red glowing near his pupils. "I don’t blame him for not resisting you. You’re very beautiful. If I were him, I’d be here, dying to get into your room."

"You don’t have to be Balthazar. Come in."

I yanked him inside, too furious to hold back. I was going to prove I could live without that damn vampire! If he had a fiancée, I could have as many lovers as I wanted!

Alexandar entered forcefully, slamming the door behind him. He wasn’t shy, didn’t stop to chat. He acted, rough and sexy, grabbing me like I weighed nothing.

He lifted me off the floor in a quick spin, his huge hands holding me against his body, his full lips crashing onto mine at once.

I truly spun in the kiss, the pleasure, hot and sensual, mixing with the rage.

I grabbed him back and kissed him.