Chapter 74 74
All the Alphas rose as well, standing in support of Thorne. Enzo looked at them all with a mocking smile.
“So?” Enzo asks, turning his gaze back to Thorne. “What exactly do you have to say to me? What the fuck do you want from me?”
“We’re talking about a vampire,” Thorne says. “We’re talking about a vampire you don’t know—and one we’ve recently sensed. There are too many questions. At the very least, tell us when you felt him and where,” Thorne demands.
“I don’t know where,” Enzo explains. “But I’ve had traces of his thirst for a couple of years now,” he says.
“And yet, in all those years, no vampire has ever been registered,” Thorne replies.
Enzo sits back down.
“Looks like we have another visitor,” Enzo says, crossing his arms.
The doors open again, and a woman appears in the doorway—brown-haired, slender, around thirty years old. A human. The murmurs rise once more, and the Alphas sit at Thorne’s look.
Silence falls as the human’s footsteps echo until she reaches the table.
“I see there’s no place for me,” the human says, staring directly at each of those present, until her gaze settles on the vampire.
Enzo stands up quickly and, with one hand behind his back and the other on the chair, invites her to sit. She smiles, her heart pounding—not because of all those beings, but because of the smile Enzo gave her.
“Irian, it’s a pleasure to have you here,” Thorne says. “There was a chair for you—sorry for the confusion,” Thorne apologizes. “I’ll give you a summary of what’s happened. There’s a vampire in wolf territory, and he seems to have the ability to hide. I just want to know if anything similar has happened on the human side.”
“It’s disturbing to know a vampire can do that,” Irian replies, looking at Enzo. “In our lands there have been no strange beings or vampire presences,” she answers calmly.
The Alphas exchange worried looks as Irian takes her seat. A human’s presence at this meeting is unusual, but her participation is crucial to better understand the situation.
“Then we’re facing an unknown vampire who doesn’t respect the borders of any species,” Thorne says, his voice heavy with concern. “This puts not only wolves at risk, but humans and vampires as well.”
Enzo nods slowly, his expression thoughtful.
“What worries me,” Enzo says, “is that if this vampire can hide from me, he might possess abilities we don’t yet know. And if he’s been acting for years, his plan could be far more complex than we imagine.”
Irian nods, her expression serious.
“We haven’t noticed anything unusual in our lands, but I’ll increase surveillance and have my agents investigate any sign of suspicious activity,” she says. “We can’t allow a threat like this to go unnoticed.”
Thorne takes a deep breath, his gaze sweeping the room.
“Each Alpha is responsible for searching their territory for the presence of a vampire,” Thorne orders.
“Does this mean there’s another clan?” Irian asks, looking at Enzo.
“There is only one clan,” he says, clearing his throat.
“It doesn’t seem so,” Irian replies calmly. “What if someone else created that vampire to infiltrate wolf or human territory? I mean… how is it that Enzo knows nothing?” she asks softly.
Everyone looks at Enzo—especially Thorne, whose gaze unsettles him, because it seems to doubt his word.
Enzo doesn’t answer, and she continues speaking.
“You could have created a vampire outside the rules for your own purposes. That implies taking humans—I don’t know if it’s possible with wolves, but—” Irian trusted Enzo’s friendly smile, her words flowing without restraint, perhaps because she didn’t fear him or because she felt secure. She was, after all, the representative of the humans in all matters involving votes that concerned multiple races. It was Thorne’s duty to have her present—especially while peace existed among those involved.
But that peace meant nothing ten seconds later, from the moment Irian’s lips stopped moving.
No one realized what had happened until blood spilled across the table and the soft sound that escaped Irian’s lips as her life left her.
“I was thirsty,” Enzo said when shock fell over them all.
Thorne ran his hands through his hair, then lowered his gaze to the table soaked in blood.
“I’ll continue what Irian was saying,” Enzo says, standing up. “The existence of all of you is so insignificant to me that the only reason I’m here is because there’s a vampire in your lands. Something that, even if I can’t control it, fills me with curiosity. The same reason your heads aren’t rolling across this table. Do you dare accuse me? Do you dare doubt me?”
They all go pale. The only one who holds his gaze is Thorne.
“You’re suspicious, Enzo. There are more than enough reasons.”
“But you have no proof of anything,” Enzo says, calmer now. “Find the vampire, and when you prove he’s one of mine…” He straightens, wipes the blood from his mouth and off his lips, then looks horrified at his ruined clothes. “…if you want, we can go to war. For now, I enjoy and appreciate this peace.”
“Peace…?” Thorne points at Irian.
“Tell them she tripped and fell onto some fangs, Thorne. What the hell can humans do?”
At that moment, he was fed up with everything and knew it was time to leave—before he felt like doing something else.
“Apologize to Morgana for staining her table. Call me… only when it’s not nonsense, Thorne.” He turns to the other Alphas. “What a disgrace—that you’ve had a vampire among you for so long and are only realizing it now. And you still think yourselves superior,” he says mockingly, walking toward the exit.