Chapter 73 73
The great hall, filled with murmurs and hushed conversations, suddenly falls silent when the main doors are thrown wide open.
Enzo enters—the strongest vampire, capable of walking under the sun. His presence is imposing, dominating the space with a supernatural ease.
Enzo is dressed in white, wearing a linen suit open at the chest, revealing the necklace hanging there, set with a rare stone that allows him to walk beneath the sun.
The murmurs grow louder, and few dare to meet his eyes.
Despite his apparent calm, he instills fear among those present with every step he takes—not only for being a vampire, but for the danger he represents.
His gaze, cold and calculating, sweeps across the room, observing every Alpha present.
He knows them all. He knows they all fear him.
“Alpha Thorne,” Enzo greets, his deep, calm voice resonating through the silence.
Thorne, the only one who does not seem intimidated, gives a slight nod in acknowledgment.
Outside of all this spectacle, Enzo and Thorne are very good friends; they respect each other deeply. But now… each of them is a leader, and they must treat each other as such—especially after the violation of one of the rules.
“Enzo,” Thorne replies. “Thank you for coming.”
Enzo advances slowly, each step putting every person present on alert.
The gathered Alphas feel the weight of his presence, the latent threat he represents. Though Thorne is the only one who does not fear him, even he cannot deny the vampire’s formidable presence.
“We’ve had an incident,” Thorne says bluntly. “A vampire crossed into our territory without authorization.”
Enzo nods, his expression impassive.
“I’m aware. And I assure you, it was not an action sanctioned by me,” Enzo replies, his gaze fixed on Thorne.
“What do you mean? It was one of your kind, Enzo. A vampire invaded our territory!”
When Enzo hears Thorne say that a vampire invaded his domains, he slowly shakes his head in denial, causing the murmurs to grow louder.
“He called him a liar!” one of the Alphas shouts, only to fall instantly silent when Enzo’s gaze settles on him.
“Are you saying I’m mistaken?” Thorne asks, his softness far too sinister.
Enzo looks him in the eyes, and Thorne holds his gaze without effort. The tension is dangerous—not because of the two of them, but because of the rest of the Alphas present.
“Thorne, there is a very clear system to know if one of my vampires crosses into wolf territory. I am the first to know, thanks to the border. Every one of those vampires carries my blood in their veins, without exception. Therefore, if one of them breaks the rules… I would know,” Enzo explains as everyone remains silent. “I know where they are at all times. It’s like a radar that goes straight into my head—much like the chain of command within a pack, except this works through my blood.”
“I know it was a vampire. I’m not mistaken,” Thorne says.
“I’m certain you weren’t mistaken. The problem here…” Enzo says with distaste, “is that it seems there is a vampire I do not know—one who can appear and disappear at will. I’ve felt him again, for seconds at a time, a few times now, so fleeting it seemed unreal. I thought it wasn’t real… until this alarm went off and you confirmed it. There is a vampire over whom I have no control. He does not carry my blood. The only reason I can sense him is because his hunger reaches me as if it were my own. And yes, this time I felt it—longer, stronger, with more thirst. And now he drank… he drank quite a lot,” he says, licking his lips.
“Are you saying there’s a vampire among us with that ability, and you hadn’t told us anything?” Thorne asks.
“He’s not one of mine. He’s not my problem,” Enzo replies. “So discard the idea that any treaty or rule has been broken—because that individual does not belong to me. That vampire is beyond my control.”
Silence falls over the room at that confession and the concern it brings. There is a vampire among them, and they don’t know how long he’s been there, whom he’s fed from, or how he can hide and disappear without anyone noticing until now.
Thorne looks at the gathered Alphas, their faces reflecting a mix of disbelief and fear. Enzo’s revelation changes everything. The balance that had maintained peace between wolves and vampires is in danger, and now there is an unknown threat among them.
“This is unacceptable,” Thorne says firmly. “We must find this vampire and neutralize the threat he represents.”
“As I’ve already said, he’s not from my clan. And he’s not my problem,” Enzo says, rising from his seat, ready to leave.
“There is only one clan!” Thorne snaps, slamming his hands against the table. “All wolves are meant to be in wolf territory, humans in their designated areas, and vampires… in your domain. Enzo, this is your problem too,” he says, stepping closer to the vampire. “There are no vampires outside their territory, just as there are no wolves elsewhere, nor humans. If there is a vampire… he is from your clan. Because it is the only vampire clan that exists.”