Sophia’s POV
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the grand ballroom, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. I stood frozen in my wedding dress, the sheer beauty of the day unraveling in front of me as chaos erupted. People screamed, chairs toppled, and the once-elegant atmosphere became a battleground.
“Ian!” I shouted, my voice trembling with fear. I could barely think, let alone move. All I could see was the wave of rogue vampires crashing into the reception, their glowing eyes wild with bloodlust. Behind them, the hulking shapes of werewolves followed, their snarls cutting through the air like the promise of death.
“Sophia I told you to run for fuck’s sake!” Ian growled as he looked back and saw that I was still standing there, Jenny behind me. I remained frozen om the spot, my eyes welling up.
Ian was already moving before I could even process what was happening. His hand tightened around mine briefly before he let go, his face hard with resolve. “Stay close to me,” he commanded, his voice like steel. “Don’t let them get near you.”
I nodded, my heart racing as I clung to the nearest table, trying to make myself as small as possible. The guests were scattering, some fighting, others retreating toward the exits. But it was all too fast, too chaotic. I could hardly keep track of what was happening.
Jenny’s voice pierced through the noise. “Sophia! We have to get out of here!”
She was right beside me, eyes wide with panic as she grabbed my arm. But before we could even take a step, a rogue vampire lunged toward us. His eyes locked on me, and in that moment, I knew what he wanted—me. Dead. He wanted me dead.
“No!” I screamed, stumbling backward. Fuck. I felt weak. I couldn’t bring myself to fight at all.
But Ian was already there. He slammed into the rogue vampire with a force that sent them both crashing into the table, silverware flying everywhere. The vampire snarled, fangs bared, but Ian was quicker, his hand around the vampire’s throat as he slammed his fist into his chest. The rogue vampire crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
“Get her out of here!” Ian barked, his eyes burning with urgency as he turned to face the next threat.
Jacob appeared next to me, his expression fierce. “Come on, we have to move!” He didn’t wait for an answer, grabbing my other arm and pulling me with him.
The air around us was thick with tension as more rogue vampires and werewolves poured into the room. The council members fought valiantly, but the attackers were too many. I could see the glint of metal as blades and daggers clashed, the sound of growls and screams melding into a nightmarish symphony.
Mike was fighting off two werewolves at once, his movements quick and precise, as if he had been anticipating this moment all along. My chest tightened at the sight. Could it really be him? I had my suspicions about him for a while, especially since Ian had gotten so cagey in talking about him. I shoved the thought away, knowing now wasn’t the time to question loyalties. But deep down, the suspicion gnawed at me.
“Sophia, keep moving!” Jenny shouted, her voice filled with fear as she dodged a rogue vampire’s swipe.
I staggered, trying to stay on my feet as we hurried toward the nearest exit. But we didn’t get far. Another werewolf blocked our path, its massive form hulking in front of us, teeth bared and ready to strike. Jacob didn’t hesitate, throwing himself in front of me and Jenny. His vampire strength kicked in as he tackled the beast, both of them crashing to the floor in a violent tangle of claws and fists.
“Jacob!” Jenny screamed, her eyes wide with terror as she reached for him, but I pulled her back.
“He can handle it,” I said, my voice shaking, even though I wasn’t entirely sure. “We need to keep moving!”
We didn’t get far before another vampire lunged at me. I barely had time to react when strong arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me away from the fight. For a moment, I thought it was Ian. I struggled, but the grip was too tight, too cold.
“Let go of me!” I shrieked, panic rising in my chest.
But the vampire didn’t loosen his hold. His fangs glinted as he leaned closer, ready to sink them into my neck. My heart pounded in my ears as I realized I was defenseless, too weak to fight back. In a split second, everything slowed, and I thought this might be it.
And then, just as quickly as it had started, the vampire was ripped away from me. Ian appeared, his face twisted in fury as he threw the vampire to the ground and plunged a silver dagger into his chest. The rogue vampire howled in agony before disintegrating into ashes.
“Are you okay?” Ian asked, breathless as he pulled me into his arms.
I nodded, shaking. “I—I think so. But there are too many of them, Ian.”
He glanced around, his eyes narrowing as he took in the chaos. The rogue vampires were everywhere, and the werewolves were relentless, attacking anyone in their path. I could see the council members struggling to keep up, and the realization hit me—this wasn’t just an attack. This was coordinated.
Ian’s jaw clenched. “We have to end this.”
Just as he said it, a massive werewolf barreled toward us, its growl vibrating through the floor. Ian shoved me aside just in time, narrowly avoiding its swipe. He fought fiercely, but the werewolf was fast, its claws cutting through the air as it lunged again. I watched in horror as they fought, my heart in my throat.
Jacob was nearby, locked in battle with another vampire, while Jenny was trying to stay out of harm’s way. The whole scene was pure chaos—blood, fangs, claws. And through it all, I couldn’t shake the thought of Mike.
Where was he? He had been fighting earlier, but now I couldn’t see him in the crowd. My stomach twisted as I considered the possibility that he had planned all of this. He had been the one behind the attacks, the one pulling the strings. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to fully believe it. Not yet.
Suddenly, the ballroom doors burst open, and more attackers flooded in. My heart sank. How were they still coming?
“We need to retreat,” Ian growled, slashing through another vampire. His voice was rough with strain, his face tight with exhaustion. “They’re not stopping.”
Before I could respond, another figure appeared at the doorway—Mike. He was breathing heavily, his eyes scanning the room as if assessing the situation. When his gaze landed on me, something flickered in his expression—something dark and unreadable. For a split second, our eyes locked, and I swore I saw guilt flash across his face. But then it was gone, replaced by determination as he joined the fray once more.
“Ian!” I called out, pointing toward Mike. “There’s something wrong—”
But I didn’t have time to finish. A werewolf tackled Ian from the side, and he hit the ground hard, the impact making me gasp. I rushed forward, trying to help, but another rogue vampire grabbed me, throwing me back. I hit the floor with a thud, my head spinning.
I blinked, dazed, trying to gather my thoughts. The rogue vampire was coming toward me again, but I couldn’t move. My body felt heavy, like I was sinking into the floor.
“Get away from her!” Jenny’s voice rang out, sharp and clear. I turned just in time to see her leap toward the vampire, a silver knife in her hand. She slashed at him with all her strength, and the vampire hissed in pain, retreating.
I struggled to my feet, my head pounding. “Jenny—thank you—”
“We need to get out of here,” she panted, pulling me to my feet. “Now.”
I nodded, but my mind was still on Mike. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had something to do with this. That he had orchestrated everything, even now.
“Ian!” I shouted, searching the room for him.
He was still locked in battle with the werewolf, his movements swift and deadly. But as I watched, I saw something in his eyes—a flicker of doubt, of uncertainty. It was brief, but it was there. He wasn’t sure he could win the battle.
And in that moment, I realized something.
We were in over our heads.
The battle wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.