Chapter 27: The Elders' Verdict

POV – Ava

The moment we entered the Elders’ Palace, I knew I’d made a mistake.

The air was thick with power, suffocating, ancient.

The great hall stretched before me, dark and endless, the marble floors gleaming under the candlelight.

At the far end, six figures sat on thrones of black stone, their faces shadowed, their eyes burning like dying embers.

Dante walked beside me, his grip firm around my wrist. Possessive. Protective.

I tried to steady my breath, but something inside me whispered that I would not leave this place the same.

I wasn’t wrong.

Dante pov

I knew what was coming.

And I hated that I couldn’t tear through them and take her away.

But this was their domain. Their laws.

And as much as it made me sick, I had to play their game.

Ava walked beside me, shoulders stiff, jaw clenched.

She was afraid, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

And I couldn’t fucking blame her.

The elders weren’t just vampires.

They were monsters that had existed long before I was born.

And now, they wanted her.

\---------------

A Dangerous Proposition

POV – Ava

A tall figure stepped forward, draped in robes of deep crimson.

His voice was smooth, almost amused.

"Ava Laurent."

I stiffened at the sound of my name.

"You walk into our halls unmarked," the elder continued, his golden eyes glinting like a predator’s. "Tell me, was that by choice?"

The room fell silent.

I could feel Dante’s fury.

He was waiting for my answer.

I licked my lips, my voice steadier than I felt. "I don’t belong to anyone."

The elder smirked. "Not yet."

A shiver ran through me.

He turned his gaze to Dante.

"And you," he mused, "were wise not to claim her before coming here. It would have been… unfortunate."

Dante’s fists clenched. "Get to the point."

The elder’s grin widened.

"The point, Dante," he said smoothly, "is that she has a choice to make."

I swallowed hard. "A choice?"

Dante stiffened beside me. "What choice?"

The elder gestured lazily. "She can accept your mark, of course."

Dante’s grip tightened on me.

I felt my breath catch.

"Or…" the elder continued, voice slow, calculated.

"She can take the power that is rightfully hers."

Ava’s Bloodline

My stomach dropped.

"My… power?"

The elder tilted his head.

"Did he never tell you?" he mused. "That your blood is not just any blood?"

I turned to Dante, but he was silent.

His jaw tensed.

My pulse spiked. "Dante… what are they talking about?"

He didn’t answer.

Because he already knew.

And he hadn’t told me.

The elder’s smirk deepened.

"Ah," he mused. "So he kept that from you, too."

I felt something inside me crack.

"Dante," I whispered, voice barely audible. "Is it true?"

A muscle in his jaw jumped. "Ava, we don’t have time for this."

The elder chuckled. "Oh, I think she deserves time, don’t you?"

Dante’s body radiated rage. "Enough. If she refuses your offer, we walk out of here. Now."

The elder shook his head. "Refusing is not that simple."

His gaze flicked back to me.

"You are the last of an ancient bloodline, Ava. A lineage that predates even the first of us."

I blinked. "What?"

He took a step closer.

"If you take our mark, you will be more than his mate."

His eyes gleamed.

"You will be our queen."

Dante pov

No.

No.

They couldn’t fucking have her.

I moved, stepping in front of her, baring my fangs.

"She’s already mine," I snarled.

The elder sighed.

"And yet," he murmured, "she stands here, unmarked."

Ava was too still behind me.

I didn’t dare turn around.

Didn’t dare see the look in her eyes.

Because if she was considering this…

I might actually lose her.

Ava pov

A queen.

Not Dante’s mate.

Not someone’s possession.

A queen.

The words wrapped around me, tightening like invisible chains.

They were offering me power.

Freedom.

Something Dante never had.

And that terrified me.

Because for the first time…

I wasn’t sure I wanted to say no.

Dante’s fingers dug into my wrist, but I barely felt it. My pulse pounded against my skin, against the silence stretching between us.

The elder in crimson took another slow step forward. "Tell me, Ava," he mused. "Do you truly wish to be claimed like some ordinary fledgling?"

Dante’s growl vibrated through the air. "She is not yours to manipulate."

The elder barely spared him a glance. "And yet, here she is. Unmarked. Unbound. Free." His gaze flicked back to me. "Tell me, does that not intrigue you?"

My breath hitched.

Dante’s hand tightened.

"Ava," his voice was low, almost desperate, "don’t listen to them. You know what this is. What they want."

I swallowed, but my throat felt tight. "And what do you want, Dante?"

His entire body stilled.

"You know what I want," he said finally. His voice was rough, stripped bare. "You. Safe. Mine."

My chest ached at the rawness in his voice.

The elder chuckled. "And there it is," he murmured, golden eyes gleaming. "You may love her, Dante, but you will never be able to give her what she deserves."

I felt Dante’s anger pulse through him like a storm. "She deserves the truth," he bit out.

"Then why," the elder smirked, "have you been keeping it from her?"

The words landed like a blade.

I turned to Dante, my voice barely above a whisper. "Tell me."

His jaw tensed.

The silence stretched.

The elder let out a soft, knowing sigh. "You see, Ava? Even now, he chooses to keep you in the dark."

Dante whirled on him, fangs bared. "I kept it from her to protect her."

The elder raised a brow. "And did she ask for your protection?"

Dante stilled.

And the weight of those words hit me like a punch to the chest.

I hadn’t asked for it.

Had I?

The elder smiled, as if sensing the crack forming in my resolve. "You could be more than a mate, Ava." He stepped closer, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "You could be a ruler. A force the world has never seen. Tell me… doesn’t that call to you?"

I exhaled shakily.

Dante turned to face me fully, stepping into my space. His hands framed my face, forcing my gaze to his.

His voice was rough, urgent. "Look at me, Ava."

I did.

His eyes—dark, burning, pleading—locked onto mine. "You don’t need them. You don’t need this."

I opened my mouth, but the words caught in my throat.

Because I wasn’t sure if he was right.

And that scared me most of all.

The elder’s smirk deepened. "She already knows her answer, Dante."

Dante’s hands clenched into fists. "No. She doesn’t." His voice was rough, almost desperate.

I looked between them, my heart pounding.

"And if I say yes?" My voice was barely a whisper.

The elder smiled. "Then you will take your rightful place among us. With power beyond your imagination."

Dante inhaled sharply. "And if she refuses?"

The elder’s eyes darkened. "Then she will remain what she is now—vulnerable. Mortal. Prey."

I swallowed hard.

The weight of the decision crushed me.

Dante’s voice was raw when he spoke. "Ava. Choose me."

Dante turned to face me, his gaze dark, searching. "Ava. Say something."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.