When Zeref opened the cabin door, Belinda hadn't expected everyone to be still there. He stepped aside to allow Charlotte to enter, and Belinda followed, halting at the sight of Fane beside the fireplace. He appeared stunned that she had returned, just like everyone else present.

"You decided to stay?"

"Until this madness ends. I don't want to endanger anyone else."

When Quinn emerged from the powder room, Belinda glared at Fane. "Seriously? This was a mistake."

She turned, but Charlotte blocked her path. "Relax child. Do not jump to conclusions."

"We are allies and have many matters to discuss," Quinn said. "You better get used to my presence, human."

"My name is Belinda."

"Whatever—" Quinn stopped speaking when Charlotte shot her a pointed look. "Forgive me, I do not mean to be rude." The smile she gave Belinda didn't seem to be genuine. "I care a lot for Fane, so if he is happy with you, I am happy, even if I think he can do way better."

"You mean like you?"

She wanted to smack that smug look from her face. "If you want me to be honest, yes."

"Too bad you couldn't win his heart—It must be devastating to you that someone as simplistic as I did." Belinda bit her tongue at Harper's laughter. She needed to learn to think before speaking. To her surprise, Quinn seemed amused.

"I like her."

"I must return to the palace," Charlotte said. "Behave, please."

Zeref said something in a foreign language, and everyone appeared amused while Fane seemed annoyed. Charlotte even struggled to suppress a smile as she followed Zeref out the door.

"What was so funny?" Belinda asked.

Fane seized her arm and led her toward the stairs. "Nothing."

"It didn't seem like nothing—Where are you taking me?" He paused when she jerked her arm out of his hold. "What did Zeref say?"

"He was just being silly," Harper said with a beaming smile.

Fane grabbed her luggage and headed upstairs in silence. Belinda followed him, her eyes narrowing when he walked past the bedroom where she had spent most of her nights. She grasped his forearm, forcing him to come to a halt. "Where are you going? My bedroom is over there."

"Our room is the one down the hall."

"Our room?" She laughed. "I'm not sleeping with you."

"There are only three rooms in this cabin. Silas is staying here with Aurora for today—"

"All right and what does that have to do with my room?"

"Quinn is also spending the night."

Her smile fell. "Of course she is."

"Is that jealousy?"

"Why would I ever be jealous of her?" She was far prettier and had a body that probably looked amazing in everything. Of course, part of her felt a tinge of jealousy, even more knowing she was his ex. Next to her, she was generic.

He moved closer, grasping her chin and tilting her head back so their eyes could meet, and she hated how easily she became lost in their depths. "I'm yours, and yours alone."

Those simple words made her heart flutter. "Fine."

His smile broadened as he took her hand and led her into his bedroom.

While Fane entered the en-suite bathroom, Belinda didn't think it over and plopped onto the soft mattress. Exhaustion consumed her, and it was lights out within seconds.

——————

When she woke up the next day, she stretched her limbs, accidentally waking Fane with a soft blow to the face. "Oh, shit. I'm so sorry."

His soothing laughter filled the air. "What way to wake your beloved."

"I'm not used to sharing a bed with others okay."

"I could tell."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He laid back on the mattress once more. "You have me literally in the corner, love."

Hearing him call her love made her smile and warmed her heart. Heat exploded across her face when his hand rested on her hip and pulled her closer to him.

"I thought vampires don't sleep much."

He kept his eyes closed. "I haven't rested for days, which can still be disorienting for a vampire."

"Fane, I'd like to talk about the contract."

He pulled away and rose to his feet. "About what exactly."

She heaved out of bed. "Did you want children?"

"Of course."

"So, it isn't solely because of wanting to keep your family on the throne?"

"I've always wanted children, even before." He moved closer, and she had no idea how she hadn't noticed he wore no shirt. "And you?"

"I've always wanted three kids. I thought of adopting too, but of course, the plan was like around twenty-five." When the thought of touching him flitted into her mind, she grasped the pendant resting below her collarbone. "Can the contract be broken?"

That didn't have the effect she wanted. His eyes told her he thought she sought a way out of this. When all she wanted was more time. Three years was a long time for some, but a year had almost already passed. She didn't want to jump from one pregnancy to the other, not giving her body time to recover. The women in town were given a year out of work to heal from giving birth and bond with their babies.

"I'm human, Fane. My body doesn't heal like a vampire's."

"Only the vampire council can void contracts. I doubt they would do such a thing."

"Why?"

"Because they are the ones who demanded my mother include the children part. They want me to have children as soon as possible." As he seized her hand, she released the pendant. Her face flamed when he placed her hand over his chest. His heart thumped at the same fast rhythm as hers. Perhaps she should have requested to be seen by a doctor. It couldn't be normal for her body heat to rise within seconds, reminding her of the time she had a fever of 106, which had sent her parents rushing to the hospital with her.

She moved her hand across, loving the feel of his body under her fingertips. When their gazes met, she watched his eyes darken. His hand moved to the side of her neck, and he pulled her closer, weaving his fingers in her dirty blond curls. "Take it easy with me."

His smile created a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. "I will take my sweet time with you, love."

A knock came at the door, and they both laughed.

"I should have kicked everyone out of the house."

She hit him playfully and stepped back once he released her hair. When he opened the door, the look on Silas terrified her. His expression hinted that whatever news he brought wasn't good and for a moment, concern for those she loved consumed her.

"What's going on?"

His gaze shifted from her to Fane. "A clan was attacked last night."

Fane stormed out of the room, and Silas followed him as Aurora walked in, all the usual brightness of her face gone. "I don't understand what the goal of our enemy is. First, they target the chosen ones, and now, a clan is almost wiped out." She wrapped her arms around herself. "This is utter madness."

"Maybe they don't have a goal and all they seek is to cause pain."

Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "So, you spent the night with Fane."

"Nothing happened. Although, I'm not going to deny that I want to."

"Just remember these walls aren't soundproof."

They decided to head downstairs to prepare breakfast. In the kitchen, they found Harper and unfortunately Quinn as well. She had expected her to head out with the men, but instead, she sat at the dining table reading through some documents.

"Did you sleep well, human?" she asked, not glancing at her.

"Why didn't you go with them?"

She set the papers on the table. "I would have loved to, but Fane requested I stay here."

As Harper prepared the food in silence, she sneaked glances toward them.

"When is Fane planning to turn her?" Quinn asked.

Harper continued cooking. "Why does that matter to you?"

Quinn's eyes turned to Belinda. "Has he even offered the option to you? If you remain human, whatever is happening between both of you is pointless. You will grow old. He will not."

Harper whirled around, an actual hissing sound that reminded Belinda of the snakes within the forest escaping her full-even lips. "Quinn, why did you stay? You could have returned to your home."

"Why are you furious with me? What I say is the truth. Do you believe the clans would follow a human queen? That would be ludicrous." She glanced at Belinda, her eyes narrowing. "You are fragile, and that is no lie. With the flick of a finger, the power of a supernatural can break any bone in your body."

Not once since she met Fane had she thought of such details.

In the end, it would be time that would tear them apart.

"Quinn, enough," Harper warned. "Fane might consider you an ally but do not assume—"

"I am not assuming a thing." Quinn rose to her feet. "I only seek what is best for Fane and so should you. Some will not hesitate to challenge him for the throne. From what I can see, he is not feeding as much as he should. Someone else who takes notice of his movements as I do, will not hesitate to take advantage."

"How much is he supposed to be feeding?" asked Belinda.

"He is still under the year of his ascension, so every day."

Belinda stared at her, astonished. "What? He's fed... He lied to me."

"Belinda, please—"

"Why? Why did he lie to me?" she asked.

Harper remained silent.

"If he feeds as he should from you, you will die," Quinn said. "A human could never endure such long feedings."

"How long is a feeding supposed to last?"

Quinn didn't answer.

"How long?" she asked again.

"It depends on the vampire. Fane is of royalty and young. Eight to ten minutes should suffice."

"That's nothing. It's about the same whenever a human donates blood to a hospital."

Quinn smirked. "That is only one feeding. I doubt humans are donating blood bags daily for a full year."

Belinda reached for the chair in front of her with quivering hands and pulled it back to take a seat on it. "He hasn't fed for that long."

Quinn leaned closer. "And this is why we vampires turn away from our beloveds when they are human—"

"Enough, Quinn," Harper interjected.

"She should know everything, Harper. Keeping her in the shadows will bring nothing good." She focused her attention back on Belinda. "Vampire beloveds are rarely human, and if they are, by law, they should be turned within the first month unless the vampire has a blood donor."

Belinda glared at her. "Is that why you're telling me all of this? You want me to choose you to be his blood donor?" Remembering the effects of the feed, she said, "You've lost your mind if you think I'd agree to this."

"Fine, then Harper can do it."

Harper choked on air. "No. Fane is like a brother to me. That would be... too weird."

Quinn grinned. "If you trust Fane, I do not understand why you would be against it."

"The contract states I have to feed him my blood."

"Does it state that you can be his only blood source?" She hated that she was correct. "You can feed him a few drops of blood, but I will be the one to quench his thirst."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Belinda asked Harper.

She shook her head.

Quinn started to read the document once more. "If you decide to do what is best for Fane, let me know."

——————

"I don't like that woman," Aurora stated, entering the bedroom after Belinda.

Belinda whirled around and crossed her arms. "I dislike her too—I hate that she's right. I'd probably die if I tried feeding Fane for that long."

"I had no idea he had to feed daily."

"He shouldn't have lied to me—I asked him, and he said to function normally all it took was one feed every three weeks."

"Even if you knew, would you have fed him?"

"I don't know..." She sat at the foot of the bed, eyes musing on the floor. "I'm not going to act like it doesn't scare me to know that I can die from blood loss."

"Maybe the brew he drinks helps with that?"

"If it did, he wouldn't have hidden the truth from me. He would have fed more frequently and for longer."

"Or maybe there's another reason."

"Have you ever considered becoming a werewolf?" Belinda asked.

Aurora seemed lost in her head for a moment. "I hadn't stopped to think about that."

Belinda fidgeted with the bangle. "I haven't thought about becoming a vampire, either."

"You're letting Quinn get to you."

Belinda fell back on the soft mattress. "I wish I could ignore her, but what she said is true. As the days pass, I age."

"Well, they stop aging at twenty-five, so we have a little over four years before we need to worry about that." Aurora lay beside her and turned her head to meet her gaze. "Even if you agree to let him feed from someone else, it doesn't mean he will."

"He needs to, even if I dislike the idea of his vampiric kiss affecting Quinn, as it does me."

Aurora arched an eyebrow. "You haven't mentioned such a thing to me."

She raised her hand, and the bangle glinted in the light from the chandelier. "This has prevented me from losing myself in those divine sensations. It's almost like being drunk, and I don't like not thinking with a logical mind."

"You've been drunk before? Lies."

Their laughter filled the room.

"That's not the point." Without the bangle, she would have caved to all his desires. "If I end up in bed with him, I don't want it to happen because of the stupid bond effects."

Aurora sat up, her eyebrows knitting. "I didn't have sex with Silas because of our bond—it doesn't work like that. For the bond to develop, you and Fane must have feelings for each other. If not, it would fade."

"But what about the marks?"

"They turn like a scar."

So, she would end up with a scar on her forehead shaped like a tiny crescent moon.

"I plan to seal my bond with Silas."

Belinda met her gaze. "I thought you were afraid of his bite."

"Not anymore." When Belinda narrowed her eyes, she laughed and averted her gaze. "When we were together, he bit me, but not hard enough to break through the skin."

"Did it hurt?"

Her face turned bright red. "I was too focused on the other things he was doing to care about a bite." She covered her face with her hands. "I can't believe this man has me head over heels for him."

The joy radiating from her friend elated her. "I'm glad he makes you happy."

"When do you plan to start working on creating the babies?"

Belinda laughed. "Not anytime soon. And you? Did Silas change your mind?" Once they had babysat a mischievous two-year-old girl, and it had been torturing for Aurora. At first, she had been excited, but after four hours with the child, she proclaimed not to want children ever—of course, she told Aurora and Belinda she'd be okay being an auntie to their children.

"No—Girl, I'm too selfish to be a mom. And I'm happy to report that Silas is just like me. He also doesn't want children. Can we change our minds in the future? Maybe, but I highly doubt it."

——————

That night, Belinda slept and woke up alone. As her eyes fluttered open, she yawned, stretching her limbs before turning on her side, the warm blanket cocooning her. If she didn't have to get up to eat, she'd remain in the comfy bed the entire day.

At a familiar soothing laughter, she sat up still bundled in the sheets. "When did you return?"

Fane seized the blanket and tugged, but she held it tight. "It is twelve. Why are you still in bed?"

"I love to sleep, okay?" He pulled her along with the sheets. After lifting her into his arms bridal-style, he carried her over to the bathroom. "Wait—Okay, I'll get ready."

His sweet laughter joined hers as he put her down. "I'll be waiting downstairs."

It didn't take her long to get ready, and as she tied her hair up in a messy bun, she joined everyone in the kitchen. Harper's food always had Belinda getting seconds. While Aurora had a fast metabolism, Belinda put on a couple of pounds but didn't worry, since she felt fine for her height.

"Everything looks delicious, as always." Her heart almost leaped out of her chest when Fane stood behind her, one of his hands resting on her waist, creating a warmth in her cheeks. She couldn't even focus on what Silas spoke about with him. Amusement adorned Aurora's face, which Harper mirrored as she settled in the chair beside Quinn.

"Are you boys not eating?" Quinn asked, taking a bite of the steak.

Silas sat beside Aurora, who was on her second serving. "When are you going to return home?"

Quinn tilted her head to the side. "Why are you so desperate for me to depart? Are you afraid I might inform your mate of certain things you keep from her?"

His eyes flashed amber. "Watch it, Quinn."

"You men should be more truthful with your beloveds."

"What is she talking about?" asked Aurora.

Silas didn't speak a word.

"Go ahead, Silas. Tell her exactly how it works to be a werewolf's beloved."

"Enough." The darkness laced in Fane's voice made Belinda recoil away from him. Instantly, his eyes returned to their normal color, and she could see the hint of regret.

"Control that beast of yours, Fane. You do not want to lose the reins over it when you have not fed as much as you should."

"Is this why you came? To attempt to turn my beloved against me?"

Quinn lurched to her feet, the chair almost falling back. "Your beloved?" She let out a humorless laugh. "She rejected you, Fane. I would have never thought I would ever see the day when you followed her around like a lost pup. You are the vampire prince—there are far greater choices for you." Sadness flashed across her face. "You told me once that I should not beg you for your love and move on. Perhaps you should have done the same when it came to her." She tossed the cloth napkin on the table and headed upstairs.

"What are you hiding from me?" Aurora asked Silas.

He hesitated before saying, "If you wish to stay with me, you must become a werewolf. My alpha will have to bite you and welcome you to the pack."

"I thought..." Aurora appeared to lose her train of thought for a moment. "What happens if I reject the change?"

"You die."

Belinda's legs wobbled. "Is it the same for vampires?"

"Death would be mercy if you reject the change."

"Mercy?" She turned to him. "How can you call that mercy?"

He held her gaze. "For centuries, the council advised all vampires not to claim a human beloved. Because you are human, the chances of the blood thirst consuming you during the ascension are far greater. If that happens, you will feast on yourself and lose your humanity. Within two days, you will become one of the lost ones."