~ NYSSA

I forced a single nod. "Yes."

"Good," he smirked, standing straighter, his hands folded over his chest. "You already know what I want."

"Me," I deduced and he scoffed.

"I could care less about you, girl. I have more than enough daughters in different parts of the world. No, it has more to do with what you represent. You are the lycan king’s mate."

I stood slowly, rubbing my hand across my throat. "I don’t follow."

"Vampires will pay a lot of money to have you as their whore, and as your father, I have the right to give you to them... unless." He trailed off, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

I forced back the bile that threatened to spill from my lips. I’d never heard someone speak about their own child so callously.

"I can forfeit my claim to you if you do something for me."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "And what would that be?"

"You make your mate agree to my terms. Allow my vampires roam freely, and you will never have to deal with me again."

I snorted. "Rowan already said no, and I’m not going to convince him to offer his people up as bait to you."

"And somehow you think a war is a better option?" he asked, head cocked to the side. "People will die."

"Not if we kill you."

He smiled wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "You have spunk, I like that. You have so much loyalty towards these lycans, but will they have the same for you? After all, you are now their enemy."

"I am a werewolf," I hissed out. "I can shift."

"Is that what you think?" he cocked his head to the side. "Is that what you tell yourself that helps you sleep better? You drink blood, I can smell it on you. You have our speed, and your fangs will come in soon. Will they defend you then?"

My skin crawled with unease, my body growing hot with each accusation he threw my way. I wanted to tell him that they would, I wanted to stand ten toes behind my pack and leap to their defense, but the truth was that I wasn’t sure.

I couldn’t say for sure that they would come to my defense if it came down to it.

"I don’t want to have this conversation anymore," I said firmly. "Let me go, now."

"Nyssa!"

My head snapped upwards, searching for the source of the voice. It sounded so faraway, and it was a bit muddled so I couldn’t make it out.

The vampire’s eyes flashed with unease and worry, but it was gone before I could decipher it. "Think about my offer, Nyssa."

"Nyssa!"

The voice was clearer this time, and I could make it out to be Rowan’s.

I couldn’t understand how my mate was inside the vampire king’s dream, but I could tell that something about it unnerved the ancient vampire in front of me.

He reached for me, his fingers wrapping around my wrist—or attempting to. His hand slipped through mine as if through smoke and he cursed. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"We will meet again," he warned, and I couldn’t help but note how much he sounded like his son with his ominous words.

The scene bled out from my vision. The trees grew blurry, and everything faded from view until all that was left was that blood red moon high up in front of me.

"Nyssa!"

My eyes closed tightly and when I opened them once more, Rowan stood over me, his eyes wild as he roamed over my body. I sat up slowly, groaning as my bones protested the sudden move.

"Are you okay?" he asked and I nodded slowly. "Fuck, you terrified me."

"What happened?" I asked, rubbing my eyes as exhaustion seeped in.

"Your neck... one minute you were fucking fine and the next there were marks on your skin and then you just... you stopped breathing. Your skin was growing paler by the second. What the fuck happened to you?"

"I was... in a dream."

I explained everything to him. Starting from how the vampire king appeared and the ultimatum he gave me. By the time I was done speaking, Rowan was seething.

Anger radiated off him in waves, and my skin grew warm at the rage that coursed inside of me, rage that wasn’t even mine.

"How the fuck did he get into your mind?" he asked and ii shrugged.

"I am as clueless about vampires as you are," I said with a slight frown. "Marlene would have known but she’s... well, you know."

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "What about Evelyn?"

"I don’t think she wants to speak to us now."

"I don’t give a fuck about what she wants or doesn’t want right now. She needs to tell us what she knows to prevent this war."

I frowned at his words.

He was right, but I didn’t like the idea of trying to force her to assist. It rubbed me the wrong way, and it brought one of the king’s statements back to mind.

"Would you force the pack too?" I asked, head cocked to the side. "To assist if it came down to it?"

"The pack will defend you, Nyssa."

"How sure are you? He’s played his cards well so far. He’s struck where it matters most. I don’t think the people will be happy knowing a blood sucker is ruling them."

Rowan’s lips tugged downwards into a frown. "Let me handle the people, okay?"

There was still a lot more I wanted to say, but I nodded slowly. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and gestured for me to follow him.

He led me into the bathroom and lifted me easily, placing me on the edge of the sink as he reached into the cabinet and pulled out an ointment.

"Can I see it?" I asked softly.

He hesitated for a moment before nodding and pulling out a small mirror.

My eyes widened in shock at the dark purple bruises that marred my throat. It was no wonder Rowan panicked.

"It won’t happen again," he said softly, prying the mirror from my hands. "We will find a way to handle the vampire."

"And if we don’t?"

He shrugged. "We take his heir."