2
Sophia’s POV
I knocked on the door of Jenny’s house once and waited patiently for her to come get the door. It took a while before she came to open the door. Immediately she did that, she turned around and began walking to the direction of the stairs sluggishly.
“Uh…what’s wrong with you?” I asked with a raised brow as I walked in and shut the door behind me. Clearly something was wrong with her…or she just woke up. That was probably the better option.
“Just…keep quiet, I’m trying to get back to my beauty sleep,” she mumbled as she trudged up the stairs. I rolled my eyes. Of course she was only acting this way because she had just woken up.
“Maybe I should just go back home if you’re that displeased with my presence,” I joked, feigning annoyance as I spun around on my heels and began to walk to the door.
“Jeez, you can’t even take a little play?” She grumbled. “Fine. I’m sorry. You know I’m pleased by your presence. Don’t go,” she said in a robotic voice.
I chuckled and shook my head as I turned around and walked to the couch, dropping my bag. She slumped on the couch opposite me and buried her face in the pillow. She let out a dramatic scream.
I rolled my eyes but chuckled. Jenny was the overdramatic kind and I had gotten used to it. I wouldn’t even ask for another best friend. And I even enjoyed her dramatic antics most of the time.
“Why didn’t you call me to tell me you were still coming?” She groaned. “I wouldn’t have gone to bed. And now you have ruined my sleep.”
I scoffed, raising my brow. “I didn’t think you’d be asleep by-“ I paused to check the time on my phone. “6pm?”
“I was napping. I wasn’t expecting you to come,” she answered with a casual shrug.
“Why not?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Because,” she answered. “You didn’t seem like you were going to ask your parents.”
“Yeah well mom was against it at first,” I answered. “I was able to convince her. Okay, maybe manipulate her a bit. But it worked anyways and now I’m here. When are we going?”
Jenny’s face brightened up instantly. She has always been, and will always be an advocate for doing bad things. Like what we were about to do now. She grinned at me. “I don’t know…I guess, 9pm?”
“Will your parents not find out that we’re going out at that time of the night? I thought one of your neighbors, was like, a spy for your mom and dad?” I asked and she nodded.
“Yeah, but then I already told her that we were going for s reading sleepover at Veronica’s house.” She shot me a devilish grin. I raised a brow at her.
“Who is Veronica?” I asked.
“No one,” she exclaimed and burst into laughter. I shook my head.
“How are we going to get I to the club anyways?” I asked her. “Are you even sure we should go?”
“Uh. Yes, duh! After this, we might not be chanced to go again,” she said, getting up from the couch and rushing to come and sit next to me. “Monday is our final paper. You wouldn’t have any excuse to come and spend the night with me or whatever. And besides my mom is flying me out of the country once my exams are over. Your parents know you don’t have any other friend than me so it simply means we most likely would not have the opportunity to do this again.”
I bit my lip. She was right. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do this again, with her. Until I get into university and there was a high chance that wasn’t going to come to the same university as I was. Her parents were planning on enrolling her into some fancy private university although she wanted to come to the same one as me.
I sighed. “Okay, fine. But how are getting in anyways? I don’t want any security to come and escort me out of the club. That would be too embarrassing. I wouldn’t be able to handle that level of embarrassment.” I pouted.
“Oh you ought to have known that I got us covered,” she answered and winked at me. “Come, let’s go to my room. We need to get you dressed. And your hair, dear God. I can’t take you out with your hair like this,” she complained as she dragged me off the chair and dragged me up the stairs.
“Why? What’s wrong with my hair?” I asked, suddenly feeling self conscious and I touched my hair. I had oiled it very well before I left so that the coils wouldn’t get entangled. And I had made it I to a sleek ponytail and it seemed pretty okay.
“Nothing. I just don’t like it that way. How about I help you straighten it huh?” She asked and continued without waiting for my reply. “Yes, we’ll straighten it. Oh, and do you want a dress or a skirt?”
“Skirt and t-“ I began but she cut me off.
“Yes. A dress will be nicer. I have a lot of them. And we’re the same size anyways so it will fit you perfectly,” she answered and forced me to sit in front of her vanity mirror.
She quickly untied my hair and combed it before straightening it so it was now falling to my hips. Then the helped me with a little bit of make up. It was mainly mascara and lip-gloss though. After that, she looked for clothes to give me and she wouldn’t even let me pick the one I wanted.
After a while, she settled on a green, off-shoulder, mid-thigh length dress that she hadn’t worn before. It was tight on my body and I felt a little bit uncomfortable with it but she brushed it off. She gave me a pair of heels to go with it and then she quickly went to freshen up and then dress up.
“We’re ready to go,” she answered as she came out of her closet, looking gorgeous. “Oh and, here’s your ID.” She handed me a fake ID. “Let’s go.”
191Ian’s POVThe weight of my child in my arms was heavier than I expected, but not in a way that tired me. It was a weight that filled me with awe, a kind of responsibility I had never imagined could feel so peaceful. Ava’s tiny fists curled against my chest, soft breaths rising and falling in the perfect rhythm of sleep. For the first time in what felt like forever, everything was still, everything was peaceful.I sat in the rocking chair near the window, dim light filtering thought the curtain. The house was quiet—Sophia was resting in the bedroom, exhausted but content after the birth. I had barely left her side since she’d gone into labor, unable to help the overwhelming sense of protectiveness that surged through me.But now, as I held this tiny life in my hands, all the fear and chaos we had gone through seemed to fade away. It was just us—our family.“Hey there,” I whispered softly, my voice barely more than a breath as I gazed down at my child. “You’re finally here.”I felt
190Jenny’s POVThe news hit me like a tidal wave. I stared down at the test in my hand, my heart pounding in my chest, unsure whether to scream in shock or laugh in disbelief. Pregnant. I was pregnant.Jacob was in the kitchen, making us a late breakfast. I could hear the soft clatter of pans and the gentle hum of music from the living room, but I couldn’t move. For a moment, I felt frozen in place, my thoughts racing.We weren’t trying for a baby. We weren’t ever going to try. I was a vampire and even though Sophia was able to get pregnant, it didn’t mean I could too. But here it was, plain as day. The test didn’t lie.I felt a mixture of emotions swirl through me—happiness, fear, excitement. All at once, it seemed like everything in my life was about to change. But most of all, I was happy. I was so happy. Everything that had happened the past year ran through my mind all at once. The attacks, falling in love with Jacob, turning into a vampire, fearing that Jacob would leave me for
189Sophia’s POVIt was happening. It was really happening. After months of waiting, months of uncertainty, fear, and hope, she was finally here. My body was aching but not as much as I guessed it should be.I glanced over at Ian, who stood by my side, his hand gripping mine tightly. His face was filled with anxiousness. His thumb rubbed small circles against my palm, trying to soothe me, but I could feel the tension in his grip. This was a moment that neither of us could control, a moment we could only experience.“You’re doing amazing, Sophia,” Ian whispered, his voice low and steady, although it was trembling. His eyes met mine. “Just breathe.”I nodded, though the pressure in my abdomen made it hard to do anything other than focus on the next breath. I squeezed his hand in response, letting him know I heard him, even if I couldn’t find the words right now.The room around us was a blur. I barely registered the blur of voices—the midwife, a nurse—guiding me through the process. My
188Jenny’s POVThe day had finally come—my wedding day. I should’ve been nervous, or maybe overwhelmed by everything, but instead, I felt oddly calm as I sat in the small room at the back of the church, waiting for my moment to walk down the aisle. My fingers traced the intricate lace on my wedding dress, a soft white gown that had been perfect the moment I saw it. It was exactly how I had imagined my wedding to be—simple, intimate, and with the people I cared about most.Sophia sat next to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You look incredible, Jenny,” she said with a smile that reached her eyes.“Thanks, Soph,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but there was a catch in my throat. “It’s kind of crazy, isn’t it? That I’m actually doing this?”She laughed softly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “A little bit, yeah. I thought you were joking last week when you said you and Jacob are getting married. But you and Jacob are meant to be. I’m just happy you’re doing
187Ian’s POVThe sun was setting, making the vampire realm look pale. It used to be pretty to look at, but now the usual beauty felt hollow. Some parts of the ground was still red from all the blood that had dried on it, and though the air was quieter, it felt heavy. I stood in the middle of the courtyard, watching as the survivors moved about, trying to restore what had been broken.It wasn’t just the buildings that needed rebuilding. It was us—me, Sophia, the council, everyone.As the king, I had always known the weight and responsibilty of leadership but never like this. The battle exhausted on all of us, but there was a strange sense of relief hanging in the air, as if the worst had finally passed. The constant fear was gone. For now, at least.I felt Sophia approach before she spoke. Her presence felt like a soft, steady energy that I could feel even when I wasn’t looking. She stepped beside me, her hand slipping into mine, and for a moment, we just stood there, side by side, lo
186Sophia’s POVThe air in the realm felt different after the battle settled down. The energy that pulsed through the vampire realm seemed dulled, weighed down by loss and grief. The rogue faction was defeated, but the victory felt hollow. So much had been sacrificed. Too much.I stood on the edge of the courtyard, looking out over the horizon. The sun was setting but I barely noticed its beauty. My thoughts were heavy with the weight of everything that had happened. Lyanna was gone. The thought of it felt like a punch to the chest every time it crossed my mind. She had saved us, saved me and our baby, but the cost was her life.“I can’t believe she’s gone,” I whispered to Ian, who was standing beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder.Ian’s expression was hard, his jaw clenched as he stared out at the horizon. He hadn’t said much since the battle ended, the stiffness in his body telling me how much he was struggling to keep his emotions in check.“She was one of the strongest witc