Ethan woke up the next morning with a dull, throbbing pain radiating through his hand and leg. Though his wounds had healed, the pain lingered intensely. Late last night, he had sent all the human servants back to the Deveraux family estate; now, with the Nightshade Enforcers under his command, he no longer needed them.

Still aching, Ethan summoned Xanthos, his new lieutenant. "I need you to train the twin vampire brothers, Kalem and Kael," he instructed. Xanthos nodded, understanding the importance of strengthening their allies. Despite the pain coursing through him, Ethan decided to go to school, determined to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

At school, Ethan took his usual seat on the last bench, hoping for a quiet day. However, this time, things were different. Amelia, who usually sat far from him, came over and took a seat beside him. Ethan glanced at her, surprised and not particularly pleased. He could sense her emotions—an undercurrent of anger and jealousy.

Amelia had been harboring a storm of feelings ever since she saw Ethan and Lila together. She had never dated anyone and had fallen deeply for Ethan, wanting him to see her as more than just a friend. But what she didn’t understand was that Ethan, being a vampire, had a cold heart, almost incapable of experiencing human emotions. He couldn’t return her feelings, but Amelia, unaware of this truth, grew more frustrated and confused.

Unable to contain her emotions, Amelia snapped. "So, are you just going to pretend like nothing happened yesterday?" she demanded, her voice trembling with frustration. Ethan gave her a blank stare, not entirely sure what she meant. His silence only fueled her anger.

Before she could stop herself, she struck Ethan’s right hand. He let out a sharp cry of pain, his face contorting as he tried to suppress it. She hadn’t expected such a reaction, and her eyes widened with concern. Quickly, she reached out to roll up his sleeve, revealing faint scars that seemed to have only just healed. She stared at them, confused. They were faint, but she could sense the depth of the wounds beneath the surface.

"How did this happen?" she whispered, her anger mixing with genuine worry. She remembered how Ethan had seemed perfectly fine yesterday. "What are you hiding from me?"

Before she could ask more, Ethan shot up from his seat, his eyes flashing with a cold, unearthly intensity. For the first time, Amelia felt a chilling fear take hold of her—a sense that she could be in real danger. Ethan turned away abruptly, ignoring the teacher's calls as he stormed out of the classroom. He needed to escape before his anger got the better of him.

He made his way to the nearby forest, seeking the solitude of the trees to calm his frayed nerves. As he leaned against a tree, a shadow materialized beside him—a soldier from his army.

"Master," the soldier said cautiously, "if you wish, I can eliminate that girl for you. She seems to be a distraction."

Ethan's eyes burned with a deep red glow. "Do not harm any human without my command," he hissed, his voice laced with an ancient, powerful authority. A formidable aura radiated from him, enough to make even his most loyal soldiers cower. The soldier bowed his head, acknowledging his master’s command.

Ethan stayed in the forest until lunch, cooling his temper. Back at school, Amelia sat alone, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She had never been treated like this before. Ethan knew he had been too harsh, so he decided to make amends. When lunchtime arrived, he approached her with a tentative smile. "Amelia, I’m sorry for how I reacted. I didn’t mean to—"

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Before he could finish, Lila appeared, suddenly throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. "Ethan! I’ve been looking for you all morning," she said, her voice dripping with concern. Amelia's eyes darkened at the sight. Without a second thought, she pushed Lila away from Ethan, stepping between them.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Amelia demanded, her voice sharp. Her emotions were raw, and she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Lila, unyielding, met Amelia's gaze head-on. "I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been clinging to him like he’s yours alone."

Amelia took a step closer, her face inches from Lila's. "Maybe because I care about him more than you ever could," she shot back. Her hands were clenched into fists, her body trembling with a mix of anger and passion. "I’ve been by his side for longer than you’ve known him."

Lila laughed softly, but her eyes were fierce. "You think that matters? At least I’m not afraid to show how I feel. You keep pretending, acting like you're his guardian or something."

The tension between them thickened. Ethan could feel their emotions clash in the air—a mixture of jealousy, anger, and a deep, unspoken affection. He had never seen Amelia so confrontational before, nor Lila so determined. His heart, though usually cold, felt a strange warmth in his chest.

"Both of you, stop this," Ethan said, stepping forward. "There's no need to fight over—"

Amelia turned to him, her eyes blazing with unshed tears. "Then tell her there’s nothing between you two!" she demanded, her voice breaking slightly. "Tell her that you don’t feel anything for her."

Ethan hesitated, caught off guard. Lila watched him closely, her eyes narrowing. "And what about you, Amelia? You want him to say the same about you?"

The intensity of their emotions was almost overwhelming. Kalem and Kael, the twin vampire brothers, watched from a distance, amused by the spectacle. Being only thirteen, they found the whole situation incredibly entertaining and couldn’t help but laugh.

Amelia, seeing the hesitation in Ethan’s eyes, took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. "Ethan," she whispered, her voice softening, "I just want to know where I stand. I want to know if you care, even a little." And with that, she leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek, her lips lingering for just a moment.

Ethan's face turned a shade of red he didn’t know he was capable of. Before he could react, Lila stepped forward, refusing to be outdone. "Well, if she can do it, so can I." She leaned in from the other side and kissed Ethan on his other cheek, her lips pressing firmly against his skin.

Ethan stood there, stunned, with both girls pulling back, their eyes locking in a fierce stare-off over his shoulders. His face burned hotly, a deep crimson spreading across his usually pale cheeks. He had no idea how to navigate this situation—his usually composed demeanor completely shattered.

Kalem and Kael burst into laughter, watching their stoic mentor caught in such a bewildering moment. "This is better than any fight training," Kalem chuckled. Kael nodded in agreement, wiping away tears of laughter.

Before things could escalate further, Xanthos appeared, sensing the chaos. "Young master," he said firmly, breaking the tension, "we should return to the villa. Your training awaits."

Ethan, still flushed and embarrassed, nodded quickly, grateful for the escape. They left the school grounds and returned to the villa, a sprawling estate nestled deep in the woods. Inside, the new training room awaited—a vast space with high ceilings, reinforced walls, and ancient symbols etched into the floor, creating a powerful and mystical environment.

As Ethan and Xanthos stepped into the room, the air grew thick with anticipation. Ethan could feel the tension still lingering from the morning’s events but knew he had to focus. This training would be unlike any other. As he prepared himself, he realized that his challenges weren't just with enemies or councils—they were also with the people he was beginning to care about, in ways he had never expected.

“Let’s begin,” Xanthos said, his voice calm yet commanding.

Ethan nodded, his resolve hardening. The path ahead would be difficult, filled with battles both on the battlefield and within his own heart. But he was ready for whatever came next.