Chapter 55: Chapter 55

ADELIE

Five of them stood there, arranged in a triangle. The woman at the front seemed to be their leader. I remembered my visit to the vampire coven; she hadn’t been in charge then.

Had they switched leaders already?

Kairos stepped forward, his voice resonating with the authority of an alpha. “What brings you to my pack?” He stopped at a safe distance. Their lifeless eyes and ghostly white faces turned towards him.

“Alpha Kairos and Luna Adelie,” the woman in the center greeted us, extending her hand to Kairos. He hesitated but eventually shook her hand. She then turned to me, and we followed suit.

Her hand was colder than I’d anticipated, but I managed to keep my composure.

They were all dressed in dark jackets and pants—practical attire, even for vampires. While Kairos stood shirtless, they were fully covered.

The woman’s hair was a stark black, pulled up into a tight bun. Her lips were chapped and tinged with blue.

Their expressions were hard to read—was it their natural demeanor or did they simply dislike being here? The relationship between vampires and werewolves was always strained.

“We received a message from Miss Hargreaves,” the leader announced.

I shot Maeve a disapproving look. Why would she do that? She avoided my gaze.

She looked down, but her eyes held a certain confidence. She knew we wouldn’t approve, yet she believed she was right. What had she done?

“Why would she send a message on behalf of this pack? Why would she invite you here? She has no authority to invite your kind here.

“If she wanted to meet you, it could be done privately, not on pack territory,” Kairos retorted, his voice rising as he glared at Maeve.

Just then, Nathan handed him a button-up shirt. I hadn’t even noticed when he’d slipped away to fetch it.

I couldn’t understand why Maeve would defy Kairos. She was always obedient to the Alpha, always encouraged others to do the same.

“We received a pleasant offer from her,” the vampire leader replied, a smug, emotionless smile playing on her lips.

Each word she spoke seemed to dig Maeve into a deeper hole. I had no doubt that Kairos would have to punish her for her defiance.

Kairos glanced at Maeve. She held her head high, meeting his gaze with unwavering confidence. She was certain of her decision. But why?

“I am not aware of any offers made to you,” Kairos responded, his voice laced with anger. “I apologize for wasting your time, but this matter has not been discussed with me. My apologies.” His attempt at politeness was overshadowed by his evident irritation.

I saw panic flash in Maeve’s eyes. Kairos was about to send them away. She looked at me, silently pleading. I closed my eyes, hoping her gamble would pay off.

I moved closer to them, glancing at Kairos. “You’ve traveled a long way. I’m sure we can spare a moment to hear about this offer.”

The leader looked pleased, even managing a small smile. I cleared my throat as Kairos watched me, his confusion and disapproval clear.

“Would you like to sit down?” I gestured towards the living room. She nodded, and I led them to the seats. Only she sat, while the others remained standing, guarding her.

Kairos sat next to me, while the others positioned themselves opposite us.

Maeve and Nathan hung back, close enough to hear but maintaining a safe distance. They stood like soldiers, hands behind their backs, heads held high, eyes straight ahead.

“May I know your name?” I asked, seeing that Kairos had no intention of speaking. He leaned back in his chair, trying to appear relaxed, but I could see the tension in him.

The woman hesitated before finally responding. “You can call me Irene,” she said, though I doubted that was her real name.

She didn’t even give me a chance to finish. I suppose they were as eager to leave as I was for them to go.

“We’ve been offered an alliance with your pack,” she said.

She was direct, no beating around the bush. I got the gist of what she was saying, but the benefits of such an arrangement eluded me. Vampire deals always seemed to spell trouble.

“And what would that involve?” Kairos asked, finally showing some interest in the conversation.

Irene crossed her legs, resting her pale, slender fingers on her knees. “We offer you protection and support in any conflict you choose to engage in.”

A hush fell over us. Why would Maeve think we needed this? And why now?

“And what do you want in return?” I asked, beating Kairos to the punch.

Irene nodded, as if she’d expected the question. “You provide a home for ten of our kind within your pack.”

They wanted to live among werewolves. But why? Kairos started to laugh, a smug sound that made me nervous. I didn’t want him to provoke the vampires.

But it seemed I was too late. Irene’s face hardened. “Is there something you find amusing?” she asked, her teeth clenched.

Kairos’s body stiffened. He met her gaze head-on. “You expect vampires to live among werewolves?”

“And why not? Your pack is dwindling as it is. Why not bolster your numbers?”

Kairos closed his eyes, his hand resting on his mouth as he thought. “You want two natural enemies to coexist in one pack?”

Irene rested her chin on her hand. “We are only enemies if we choose to be.”

“And why would you choose to live here?” I asked.

“Vampires need room to grow. We’re confined to a small territory, safe and secure. We need to find a new safe haven.

“This could be a great opportunity to show other werewolves that we can coexist peacefully, and you get a little extra protection in return.

“Werewolf packs are hidden from the world, living in places humans can’t reach, while vampires’ only protection is the mystical shield that keeps humans in the dark.”

Kairos didn’t respond, and Irene fell silent. It didn’t seem like he was going to break the silence anytime soon.

I glanced at Nathan, who looked unsure of what to do. He was just there to follow orders, like Maeve, but Maeve wasn’t exactly playing by the rules anymore.

Maeve looked exhausted. I wasn’t sure why. But she still held her head high, maintaining her confident facade.

“And how do you envision the rules of this combined pack working?” I asked.

“If we were to live here, we would respect your home and abide by your rules. But we would live independently and come and go as we please.”

“But when you visit, you always take…” I wasn’t sure how to phrase it. “Guest blood rights,” I finally said.

When vampires visit, they always request a drop of blood from someone, a sacrifice to quench their thirst. “You must understand that that would be completely unacceptable.”

Irene nodded. “Of course, except for this time,” she said.

I shook my head. “I won’t let you do that to anyone,” I said, speaking before Kairos could. I knew he wouldn’t let them do that.

Irene glanced at her companions and giggled. “We’ve already received our payment,” she said, smirking at Maeve.

She’d already done it. How had I missed the dark circles under her eyes and her hair falling over her neck to hide the bite mark?

Yet she stood there, so brave. It was only when it was pointed out that she was suffering that I saw it for myself.

When they came, they needed the blood of at least one person. Maeve had given it to them—allowed them to sink their fangs into her flesh.

Irene rose to her feet, her gaze fixed on me. I followed suit, not wanting to be at a disadvantage. Her attention wasn’t on Kairos, it was solely on me.

“Are we in agreement?” she asked.