All Chapters of They Both Wanted Me: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The old ruins lay three days east.Lena studied the map by firelight, her mind racing through possibilities and plans. Lilith had three hybrids—three of her own kind, scared and alone and probably being manipulated. And Lilith wanted Lena to come alone."You're not going." Kael's voice was flat. "I don't care what the note says.""She has three hybrids, Kael. Three people like me who've probably never known safety or love or *family*. I can't just leave them.""You can't just walk into a trap either." Caspian's red eyes were troubled. "Lilith has proven again and again that she'll use anything to hurt you. These hybrids—they might not even be real.""They're real." Lena touched her chest, where the light still pulsed. "I can feel them. Faintly, but... they're there. Scared. Alone. Hoping."Kael ran a hand through his hair. "Then we go together. All of us. We surround the ruins, we—""She said alone." Lena met his eyes. "If she senses anyone else, she'll kill them. You know she will."

Three days had passed since Lilith's midnight visit.Three days of heightened security, of restless nights, of jumping at every shadow. The camp had transformed into a fortress—guards posted at every entrance, patrols circling constantly, warning systems activated. No one slept well. No one felt safe.But through it all, the new hybrids began to heal.Rina stayed close to Lena, following her everywhere like a small, frightened shadow. Her brother Dorn was quieter, more withdrawn, but Lena caught him watching the other hybrids with longing in his eyes. And Sera—the oldest of the three—had thrown herself into helping with camp duties, as if staying busy could keep the nightmares at bay."They're doing well," Mira observed. She'd taken on the role of big sister to the newcomers, showing them around, answering their questions, *being there* in ways no one had been for her. "Considering.""Considering everything they've been through." Lena nodded. "You're good with them."Mira shrugged, em

The camp had grown beyond anything Lena had imagined.Thirty-seven hybrids now called it home. Wolves and vampires lived side by side in numbers that would have seemed impossible just months ago. Children—hybrid children, wolf children, even a few vampire children—played together in the gardens.But peace, Lena was learning, was fragile.It started small.A new vampire had arrived with Lyra's group—a striking woman named Celeste with pale skin, dark hair, and eyes that lingered on Caspian a moment too long. At first, Lena thought nothing of it. Caspian was ancient, powerful, beautiful. Of course others would notice.But then Celeste started finding reasons to be near him.Training sessions where she "accidentally" ended up as his partner. Evening fires where she sat just a little too close. Conversations that lasted a little too long.Lena watched. Said nothing. Told herself she was imagining things.---"You're not imagining things."Mira's voice came from beside her. They stood at t

Peace lasted exactly one week.Seven days of quiet contentment. Seven days of training, of building, of *living*. Seven days of watching the hybrids grow stronger, the wolves and vampires grow closer, the camp grow more beautiful.Lena had begun to believe that maybe—just maybe—the worst was behind them.She walked through the settlement each morning, greeting people by name, watching children play in the new gardens, marveling at how far they'd come. The cabins stood sturdy and warm. The communal hall echoed with laughter every evening. The training grounds hummed with purposeful activity from dawn until dusk."We're really doing this," Mira said, falling into step beside her. "We're really building something permanent.""We are." Lena smiled. "And it's only the beginning."That was when the scouts came running.---"Attackers," one gasped, collapsing at Kael's feet. He was young, barely more than a pup, his face pale with terror and exhaustion. "Dozens of them. Maybe more. Coming fr

Three weeks had passed since Celeste's capture.Three weeks of tension, of healing, of *difficult conversations*. The camp slowly rebuilt—new cabins rising where old ones had burned, new defenses reinforcing weak points, new hope taking root in scarred soil. The smell of smoke had finally faded, replaced by fresh timber and wildflowers.But the biggest change was Celeste herself.She'd been given a small cabin at the edge of camp, watched constantly but not imprisoned. The arrangement made everyone uncomfortable—guards shifted uneasily during their shifts, and Celeste herself seemed uncertain whether she was a prisoner or a guest.At first, the others had protested loudly. How could they let a traitor live among them? How could they trust someone who'd helped destroy their home?Lena's answer was always the same: "If we can't offer forgiveness, we're no better than Lilith."Slowly, hesitantly, people began to accept it. Not forgive—not yet—but accept. They stopped glaring when Celeste