Surprises

Sophia POV

Khalid nodded at my response. There was no questioning, no questions, and certainly no doubts, only understanding and acceptance. And that brought me a peace I didn't know I needed.

This had always been my bond with Khalid, long before he became my mate… The vampire understood me on a different level from Achilles and Perseus, but that didn't mean something would happen between us.

I had never thought of betraying my mates, I had never thought of Khalid as anything more than a good friend, only now, feeling the attraction of the bond, I started to feel this way, never before.

"When do you want this change?" Khalid asked me, his voice now carrying a more sensual tone, something I hadn't noticed before.

"As soon as possible!" I replied without needing to think much about it.

I felt Achilles's body tense up, and I turned my head to look at him.

"You just woke up…" Achilles explained. "I don't want to put you in another coma… Your body is under a lot of stress."

I sighed and held my mate's face, smiling.

"I need this! This body you see is not mine, it's not who I am!" I tried to explain my point of view. "If I look in the mirror, I will find my reflection strange… That's why I used to cut and dye my hair red."

Achilles sighed and nodded.

"But know this, no matter your appearance, you will always be Sophia Turner to me." Achilles said.

My heart raced at Achilles's words. There was so much truth in them that it hurt, in a good way. He looked at me with devotion, as if he could see beyond the skin, beyond the flesh molded by the hands of others. Achilles saw my soul. And that's what kept me firm, even when everything around me seemed to crumble.

I leaned forward and touched my forehead to his, closing my eyes.

"Thank you for reminding me who I am…" I murmured. "But I also need to remind myself. I need to see me, Achilles. I need to look in the mirror and recognize the woman who survived."

I felt his fingers gently caress my nape, in a tender, protective gesture, and so painfully familiar.

"Then we'll do it together." Achilles said, his voice intense, showing his determination to be with me. "I'll be by your side, even if it hurts me to see you suffer."

I opened my eyes and lifted my face to look at Khalid, seeing the lightness and affection in his eyes, and my heart warmed again. There seemed to be an expectation between us… Something that needed to be resolved.

Instinctively, I knew what it was… I needed to understand myself with Perseus before the bond between me and Khalid closed completely, and I sighed sadly, as it wasn't something that could be solved so quickly.

'I'll wait as long as it takes.' I heard Khalid's voice in my mind.

I widened my eyes, as it took me a long time to achieve this with Achilles and Perseus, and Khalid could do it so easily.

'I've been in your mind before, that's why I can communicate this way.' Khalid responded.

I nodded.

"So…" I spoke, clearing my throat, paying attention to speak the words so the conversation wouldn't stay just between me and Khalid. "How long until your subject arrives at the pack?"

"That's easy." Khalid said with a low laugh. "Now that I'm connected to the pack, she links to my domains."

"I still don't understand how this works." Achilles said. "Are we no longer the rulers of the pack?"

"Well, we still have to decide that, which is why I'm keeping my domains separate, but we need to find a middle ground to rule everything." Khalid calmly replied.

Then I noticed that his Daemon began to move, and the aura around Khalid increased, as if the dust in the room started to gather at a point near the door.

The sensation I had was that sand was being created in that place, spinning in a way that seemed like a magic circle, a portal to some forgotten place that shouldn't be seen with common eyes.

Through this portal, I saw a woman with silver hair, with subtle touches of red, which shone under the room's light. She walked out of the portal as if the whole place belonged to her. Her eyes were vivid red, and if she wanted, she wouldn't need to threaten anyone with words, her gaze would do it. And then I noticed the detail: a discreet symbol, the Eye of Horus on her forehead. A subtle Egyptian touch, elegant, which didn't scream power but whispered it firmly.

The jewels she wore seemed part of her, as if they had crossed centuries by her side. A deep ruby around her neck, so alive it almost pulsed. She was a masterpiece of the night, cold, beautiful, and deadly. And, although I had never heard a word from her, I knew, this woman was like me, molded by pain but raised above it.

Her red eyes met mine, and I knew she was evaluating me, wanting to know if I was worthy of being her ruler. It was as if she could see all my versions at once, the broken girl in the alley, the determined nurse, the Luna fighting for her place, and the woman yearning to rediscover herself. Her gaze was not cruel, nor condescending. It was ancient, patient, and as if she had already witnessed a thousand rebirths… And was ready to witness another.

"This is my servant, Neferet Khalima Sothis," Khalid announced, with reverence in his voice. "But you may call her Nina Khalis."

My lips moved before I could reflect, as if the answer sprang from some buried memory in my soul.

"The eternal beauty, daughter of the stars. Ancient vampire of Egypt, silent guardian of art, night, and blood."

As soon as I pronounced these words, Nina smiled slightly and bowed before me with the grace of a queen paying tribute.

"Ah! I finally found you." Nina said, her voice carrying the knowledge of ages. "My Lady."

At that moment, I understood, she was not bowing to Sophia Turner. She was greeting the Chimera that I was. The one who had walked in other bodies, with other names, and in other eras. There was something greater in me, something that was only now beginning to awaken, and Nina recognized this essence with a fidelity that went beyond time.

Before I could respond to this revelation, the door of the room opened abruptly. I turned my head and found Alex standing in the doorway. His eyes were intensely bright, almost wild. When his eyes fell on Nina, something in him changed.

"Mine!" Alex shouted and quickly approached Nina. "Mate!"