Semua Bab The Mate She Can’t See: Bab 231 - Bab 240

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVEGRAHAMThe ride to Viktor’s compound was silent except for the steady rhythm of hooves and the crunch of gravel beneath the wheels. The forest around us stood unnervingly still, the late-morning light spilling through the trees like a calm that didn’t belong to the news we carried. Beside me, Ronald sat with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the path as though expecting danger to leap from the shadows.The young girl’s face kept flashing in my mind, pale, trembling, her breath ragged as she told us about the vampires who chased her through the park. I still heard the way her voice cracked when she swore she saw glowing eyes and blackened veins. It wasn’t supposed to be possible. We had a treaty. Viktor and I had worked too hard for peace to let something like this happen.The compound gates opened as we approached. Viktor’s guards stood at attention, their black coats stiff in the cold air. None of them smelled of blood or deceit. Their scen

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHTGRAHAMThe moon was gone by the time I returned to the strategy room, but the place still smelled of smoke from the lamps. Ronald was already waiting, a stack of maps spread across the long oak table. Two of our best trackers, Felix and Mara, stood at opposite ends, their faces set and alert. Everyone looked tired, but nobody was leaving until we figured out what the hell was happening.I shut the door behind me. “Let’s begin.”Ronald straightened. “The girl who ran into the park is safe. Hannah checked her, no injuries, no bite marks. She’s shaken but says she’s sure about what she saw.”“She said vampires,” Felix added. “But not like Viktor’s people. Their eyes were red, not gold. She swears she saw fangs before she bolted.”A cold weight settled in my chest. “And the patrols?”“No tracks we can follow,” Mara said, frustration sharpening her voice. “The area smells of earth and pine, but no clear trail. Whoever they are, they covered their scent.

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTYGRAHAMThe council room smelled faintly of sharp weapons and freshly scrubbed floors. I stood near the long table, arms crossed, while Ronald placed a rough map across the surface. A small circle marked the eastern border, where the teenage girl had been found the night before.“She swears they weren’t Viktor’s people,” Ronald said, tapping the spot with a calloused finger. “No gold eyes, no insignia. They chased her through the pines, then disappeared like smoke. Patrols found nothing. No tracks, no scent, nothing.”Around the table, my senior warriors shifted uneasily. Their silence was louder than any argument.“We’re sure she’s telling the truth?” I asked. My voice came out low and hard, though I didn’t mean to sound like I was about to tear the walls down.“She’s terrified,” Ronald replied. “But steady. No signs of lying. Her name’s Clara, she’s seventeen, from the western valley. She was heading home from her aunt’s when they surrounded her. Said t

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWOZOEYThe evening air carried a bite of early autumn as I stepped out onto the balcony. From here, the forest stretched into a dark, endless quilt, silvered by moonlight. The world looked calm, almost soft, but the tension in the packhouse told another story.Behind me, muffled voices drifted through the hallway. Graham had returned from his meeting with Viktor only an hour ago, and the whole house felt different. Warriors moved with quiet urgency. Doors opened and shut with careful precision. Even the kitchen smelled sharper, like iron and salt instead of bread and herbs.I wrapped my shawl tighter around my shoulders and listened to the wind, hoping for a moment of peace. Instead, the door creaked behind me.“Zoey?”I turned to see Lily stepping onto the balcony, her dark curls loose around her face. She carried a tray with two mugs, steam curling from the rims.“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked, setting the tray on the small table.I shook my head. “Too

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOURZOEY“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.Graham didn’t even blink. “Because you’re standing without support.”I rolled my eyes. “I’m standing in our own living room, not on a cliff.”“That’s exactly when accidents happen, when people think they’re safe.”He stepped closer like I might suddenly topple over and catch on fire.Hannah, who was sorting herbs on the table, snorted. “Alpha Dad is back.”“Alpha Dad never left,” I muttered.Graham shot her a warning look. “You’re supposed to help me keep her safe, not encourage her to ignore me.”“I’m pregnant, Graham, not made of glass,” I said, resting a hand on my barely-there bump. “You can stop hovering for five minutes.”“Four minutes,” he corrected.Hannah burst out laughing. “I’m staying out of this.”Before I could fire back, a sharp knock rattled the door. Ronald pushed it open without waiting for an answer, his face tight.“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, voice clipped