CHAPTER 1

The buzzing lights of Arvanis General Hospital faded behind Caveen as he stepped into the cool night air.

After twelve exhausting hours in the operating room, all he wanted was one thing...

Silence.

No alarms. No nurses calling his name. No emergency surgeries. No patients waiting for answers. No expectations.

Just one quiet night where he could forget he was a doctor. His tall, lean frame moved through the crowded streets, his storm-gray eyes scanning the road ahead without really seeing it.

He was tired.

Not the kind of tired that sleep could easily fix.

He simply needed to breathe.

His gaze eventually settled on a small bar tucked between two old buildings. Warm golden light spilled through its windows, accompanied by the soft sound of jazz.

It looked quiet.

Perfect.

Without another thought, Caveen pushed open the door.

The scent of aged whiskey and polished wood greeted him. Unlike the hospital, the place was calm. Nobody knew him here. Nobody needed anything from him.

He chose a booth in the back, away from the crowd, and sank into the seat.

"Whiskey," he told the bartender.

When the glass arrived, he loosened his collar and leaned back.

Finally.

A moment for himself.

His fingers absentmindedly brushed the bracelet around his wrist.

The enchanted bracelet shimmered faintly beneath the dim lights.

It concealed everything.

His vampire blood.

His lycan nature.

His witch ancestry.

As long as he wore it, the human world saw only what he allowed them to see.

A doctor.

A man.

Nothing more.

Tonight, Caveen didn't want to think about any of it.

He took a slow sip of whiskey and closed his eyes.

For once, he simply wanted to relax.

He didn't want fate.

He didn't want destiny.

And he certainly didn't want complications.

Unfortunately, fate had never cared about what Caveen wanted.

Elsewhere in the City

A sleek black sedan moved through the busy streets of the human realm, its tinted windows reflecting the colorful lights of Arvanis.

In the back seat, Lysandra Moonwell watched the unfamiliar city pass by.

This world was different from her own. There were no enchanted carriages or ancient estates here, only towering buildings, glowing signs, crowded streets, and endless traffic.

But that was exactly why she had come.

She needed a break from the expectations of House Moonwell.

The elders had been pressuring her to accept a political marriage, insisting that it was her duty to continue their powerful bloodline.

Lysandra wanted no part of it.

She didn't want a husband chosen by a council.

She didn't want marriage.

She wanted a child and she was going to have one, she wanted to choose the father herself.

So she had come to the human realm.

She simply wanted to meet someone who will give her a child and then she will raise the child on her own.

The sedan eventually slowed beside a quiet street.

Lysandra glanced outside and noticed a small bar tucked between two old buildings. Warm light spilled through its windows, and faint jazz drifted onto the street.

She had no reason to stop there.

Perhaps she was simply curious.

"Pull over," she said.

The car stopped.

Lysandra stepped out, adjusting her ivory coat before looking back at the driver.

"I'll walk from here."

The sedan disappeared into traffic.

She stood alone for a moment, surrounded by the unfamiliar sounds of the human city.

Then she noticed the bar again.

With a faint smile, she walked toward it.

Hoping to meet a man who would give her what she came for.

Inside the Bar

Caveen was simply sitting in the corner, enjoying his whiskey after a brutal twelve-hour shift.

For once, he wanted nothing complicated.

No romance.

No responsibilities.

No destiny.

Just peace.

The door opened.

A woman stepped inside.

Caveen barely looked up.

Until he caught her scent.

Lilacs.

His eyes slowly lifted.

She was beautiful.

Silver-white hair. Pale skin. Lavender eyes.

She glanced around the room, apparently looking for somewhere to sit.

Their eyes met.

Lysandra walked toward his table.

"Excuse me," she said. "Is this seat taken?"

Caveen looked at the empty chair across from him.

He hesitated.

He had come here to be alone.

But after a long day, perhaps a little company wouldn't hurt.

"No," he said.

She smiled.

"Thank you."

She sat down.

"I'm Lysandra."

Caveen raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Lysandra?"

She gave a small smile.

"You can call me Lys."

He nodded.

"Caveen."

Neither of them knew it yet, but that simple introduction was the beginning of a story neither had planned.

And Caveen?

He still thought tonight was just supposed to be a night to relax.

Lysandra’s Point of View

The moment I stepped inside the bar, I knew I had made the right choice.

Not because I expected to find anyone.

I hadn't.

I had come to the human realm without a name in mind, without a particular man to search for. I simply wanted to escape the endless expectations of House Moonwell and find someone who might be worthy of fathering my child.

Then I saw him.

He was sitting alone in the corner, half-hidden beneath the warm shadows of the bar.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Dark, slightly disheveled hair.

And those eyes—

Storm gray.

They were the first thing that caught my attention.

There was something intense about them, even though his expression was calm. He looked exhausted, as though the weight of the world had been resting on his shoulders all day.

Yet beneath that exhaustion was strength.

I studied him carefully.

Human.

At least...

My magic sensed something unusual beneath his skin, but his aura was strangely quiet. Whatever he was, he had gone to great lengths to conceal it.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

My gaze traveled over him once more.

He was handsome.

More than handsome.

Exactly the kind of man I had imagined when I decided that if I were to have a child, I would choose the father myself.

Strong blood.

Good health.

A powerful presence.

And, judging by the tired expression on his face, someone who wasn't arrogant enough to believe the world revolved around him.

I smiled faintly.

Perhaps fate has a sense of humor after all.

I watched him take another slow drink.

He wasn't looking for company.

That made him more interesting.

Most men in this place were loud, eager to be noticed, eager to impress.

He wasn't.

He wanted to be left alone.

Which meant I couldn't simply walk over and throw myself at him.

No.

I would be patient.

First, I would make him notice me.

Then I would make him comfortable around me.

A conversation.

A smile.

A little laughter.

A little curiosity.

Nothing forced.

Nothing obvious.

And once I had earned his trust, I could use a subtle spell to soften his resistance and deepen the attraction between us.

Not enough for him to notice.

Just enough to make him believe the feelings were his own.

My fingers lightly touched the enchanted ring hidden beneath my sleeve.

Magic answered my touch.

I smiled.

Slowly, Lysandra.

There was no need to rush.

Tonight, I only needed to begin.

I straightened my coat, let my silver hair fall naturally over my shoulder, and walked toward his table.

He looked up.

Those storm-gray eyes met mine.

For a heartbeat, I forgot my carefully constructed plan.

Something stirred inside me.

Something I hadn't expected.

I pushed the feeling aside.

"Excuse me," I said softly, gesturing toward the empty chair opposite him.

"Is this seat taken?"

He glanced at the chair.

Then back at me.

"No."

I smiled.

"Thank you."

I sat down.

For now, I was simply a woman meeting a handsome stranger.

But in my mind, the first step of my plan had already begun.