Lahat ng Kabanata ng Forbidden Lessons : Kabanata 81 - Kabanata 90

82Sophia’s POVThe night was unusually quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you feel like the world is holding its breath. The woods stretched out before me, dense and shadowed, illuminated only by the pale light of the moon filtering through the canopy of trees. I could feel the pull inside me, the hunger gnawing at my insides, demanding to be sated. It had been too long since my last hunt, and the blood bags Ian had provided just weren’t enough anymore. I needed something fresh, something warm.I moved silently through the underbrush, my senses heightened as I scanned the area. The woods were alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures—rustling leaves, the occasional snap of a twig underfoot—but nothing that would satisfy the hunger coiling in my gut. I needed something more substantial. A deer, maybe, or even a stray hiker if I was lucky. The thought made my fangs ache with anticipation, and I quickened my pace, eager to find my prey.I paused and shook the thought out of my head.

84Sophia’s POVI tried to move, but the ropes binding my wrists dug deeper into my skin. Panic clawed at my throat as I blinked through the haze clouding my vision. The forest around me had turned into a blur of dark shadows and faint moonlight, and all I could feel was the cold, hard ground beneath me and the burning pain in my limbs.Where am I?My thoughts were jumbled, a chaotic mess that refused to settle into any sort of coherence. The last thing I remembered was the sharp sting of the bullets—wooden bullets—tearing through my skin, and then everything had gone black. Now, I was here, tied up, completely helpless.Helpless.That word echoed in my mind, a cruel reminder of how powerless I was in this moment. The vampire strength that had become second nature to me, the abilities I had come to rely on—they were all gone, drained away by the vervain they kept injecting into me. I could feel it coursing through my veins, dulling my senses, sapping every ounce of energy from my body

86Jenny’s POVThe car ride home was a blend of panic and fear. I kept my hand on Sophia’s arm, checking for any sign of life, but her skin was cold, and her breathing was so shallow it was barely there. Every time I looked at her, my heart squeezed with dread. She was unconscious, completely unresponsive, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.We finally pulled up to the house, and Jacob barely had the car in park before Ian was out of the driver’s seat, moving faster than I could track with his vampire speed. He yanked the door open, scooping Sophia into his arms as if she weighed nothing. His face was the definition of fury and worry, along with other dark emotions swirling in his eyes.“Get the door!” Ian barked, his voice sharp and eyes as cold as glaciers.I scrambled out of the car, fumbling with the keys as I raced to unlock the front door. My hands were shaking so badly that it took me a couple of tries, but I finally got it open, and Ia

88Sophia’s POVI could feel the strength returning to my body and my mind getting stronger each day. The darkness that had clouded my thoughts was lifting, replaced by a sharp awareness that made everything seem more vivid. I hadn’t felt this alive in weeks, and it was relieving. It was as if I’d been underwater, struggling to breathe, and now I’d finally surfaced, gasping for air.But with that clarity, I also realized just how dangerous our situation had become.I sat on the couch in the living room, surrounded by the people who had become my family. Ian sat beside me, my body touching his slightly, while Jenny was on my other side, her hand resting reassuringly on my knee. Across from us, Jacob leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Lyanna and Mike, both looking serious, completed our circle, the tension in the room almost physical.“We need to talk about what happened,” Ian said, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, but I could hear the concern

90Sophia’s POVThe sky was a light shade of blue, barely any cloud in it as Jenny and I trained outside, the setting sun casting long shadows over the yard. The cool evening breeze brushed against my skin, offering a temporary relief from the heat of our training. We moved in rhythm, practicing punches and blocks, our movements synchronized in a way that only came from hours of shared training.Jenny was focused, her usually cheerful demeanor replaced by a seriousness I hadn’t seen before. She threw a punch, and I deftly blocked it, both of us panting slightly from the effort.“You’re improving,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice. “Your reactions are getting faster.”“Thanks,” I replied, catching my breath. “So are yours. You’re getting really good at this.”Jenny smiled, but it was brief, as if her mind was elsewhere. I noticed the change in her demeanor and sensed that something was bothering her. “You seem a bit distracted,” I remarked, pausing our training. “Is everything ok