I glanced down at her. She seemed finally peaceful.. No panic, no fear. I checked for her heartbeat. Steady and still. And I.. I only breathed with her near me. My mind was still blank from all that worry and panic for her. I had to see those eyes opening again, to hear that soft symphonic voice again, telling me she was alright. But I knew there was no space for hesitation in that moment. I had to let go. I looked back at her father. He didn't change since the war.. Not a bit. Blood werewolves were immortal as well. And I was holding one of theirs. A sister, a daughter.. The daughter of the leader that stood before me. It was all up to me in that moment. War or peace. And what I did.. I didn't seem very much aware of it. I tried not focusing on all those damn concerns and thoughts and I simply handed her to her father. Yes, they seemed worried, I understood that.. But it was their fault she was in that state at the first place. They couldn't stop a sleepwalking girl. Lana called me that night before she went to bed. She told me her father said he needed time to think about making a deal with us. And I was waiting for that to be the moment he would choose. War or peace. He looked down at her. She was so vulnerable like that. Faint and unconscious.. From one arms to other, she seemed even weak. But I knew Lana was nothing but fierce. She was the key to everything. She was the reason why a war didn't start right in that moment. She protected two pieces so damn selflessly. And I couldn't help but fuckįng love every piece of good in her. That's why I listened to her words. That's why I gave her to her father rather than beating them up and leaving with her in my arms.. It surprised me Alexander was not with them. Maybe the bastard was too busy sleeping to come and save one of his own.. His future wife, her father would say.. He had no clue how wrong he was about that. I took a small step back.. I heard footsteps from the side.. "Dimitri," Amelia's voice filled the silence.. She must've thought he was about to start a damn bloodbath. They all seemed to think the same thing. The wolves all glanced in Dimitri's direction. He was walking towards me, and they seemed once again all ready to attack. We were no savages, for God's sake. If I wanted a war I would've started one before I let Lana go home. However, Dimitri stopped beside me.. Amelia too. I glanced at her. She was face to face with her father.. And while Khan Morpher was holding one daughter unconscious, he looked at the eyes the other. Amelia.. Amelia Morpher. His eldest daughter. His long lost child. And for a first meet, they both seemed very quiet. His eyes no longer held threat or intimidation. No, they held vulnerability. They held weakness. And Amelia and Lana were that weakness. One in his arms one in front of him. On our side. On his enemies' side. And Amelia.. She was not the hesitant weak girl I met a few years ago. She had grown into a confident young Queen that stood on Dimitri's side through everything. She was the mother of the next heirs of Venedocia.. She was a powerful cliona that could've taken them all down if she pleased and behind her eyes, I saw that exact threat. Her frowned expression said plenty no matter the fact that she stood a small step behind Dimitri and I. And Khan knew that very well. He seemed not as disappointed as I thought he would be in his daughter. He was a man stone. He masked his emotions quickly.. He took a step back and turning on the side he gave Lana to one of her brothers. "Take her in the car." I followed their moves. They were all very careful with her. But that still couldn't make up for the fact that it was their damn fault she was in that state at that point. "You need to start taking your daughter's safety more seriously, Khan. What happened tonight.. I don't want repeating again. I'm not going to allow my enemy getting what he wants because of your lack of protection over your family." I stopped, glancing at Lana being put in the car. I listened to her heartbeat once more. Steady and still. "It's dark magic that we're dealing with. None of us are safe. Especially her." He listened to me what seemed patiently. But I knew he would rather see me strangled repeatedly, probably even thinking how to find a way to kill me already. But I didn't give a damn fuck rather or not he despised me. I wanted Lana safe and only that. "How did you find her?" He finally asked what he must've been wondering the whole time. "She called me." Perhaps that was the true shock for him. It was clear surprise behind his eyes. And it only proved that Lana called only me.. They must've found her because they thought of checking the old house not because she called them. "I promised her protection if she discusses my offer with you." I added, clearing out the situation. I promised Lana I would give her the time to tell him about us. I tried sticking to that no matter how damn much I wanted to punch him and tell him that I was not the enemy he should be looking out from.. That my love for his daughter was the only reason why I was escaping war.