Liam's head throbbed as he slowly regained consciousness. The dim, cold walls of the clan's compound loomed around him, and for a moment, he was disoriented, unsure of where he was. The bitter taste of blood filled his mouth, but it wasn’t his own.

He blinked, trying to focus, the confusion still clouding his thoughts. His muscles ached from the fight with the other vampire, and the sting of his injuries reminded him of the chaos he’d just barely escaped. He was back in the compound, back within the safety of his clan. But safety meant nothing now. He could feel the tension in the air.

"You’re awake."

The voice was cold, detached. Liam’s gaze turned toward the sound, his vision blurry as he saw two figures standing at the door—clan members, their expressions unreadable.

"The Council wants to see you," the taller one said, his tone devoid of emotion.

Liam swallowed hard. He could already guess what was coming. The Council. They wouldn't be pleased.

He was barely allowed to stand, a sharp tug from the guards forcing him to his feet. His head spun, but he steadied himself, knowing better than to show weakness. It was too late for that.

The walk to the Council’s chamber felt like a funeral march. He could already feel the weight of their judgment pressing down on him, crushing him with every step. He’d broken their rules—more than once. He’d broken their trust.

As the doors to the Council chamber opened, the cold, suffocating silence hit him like a wave. Twelve members of the Council sat at the long, elevated table, their eyes fixed on him with piercing intensity. They didn’t speak immediately, just watched him, as if deciding what to do with him.

Liam held his ground, though his nerves threatened to betray him. He knew how this worked. He could feel the anger radiating from the members, the disapproval thick in the air.

Finally, one of the older vampires spoke, his voice booming in the silence. "Liam Hale," he said, his gaze narrowing. "You’ve broken protocol, put yourself and the clan at risk, and acted without our consent." His tone was icy, sharp enough to cut. "You interfered with human affairs, endangered our secrecy. This is a betrayal, and you know the consequences."

Liam swallowed, steeling himself. He knew what came next. It wasn’t the first time he’d faced the Council’s wrath. But this... this was different. He wasn’t going to get away with this one.

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"You are to remain in the torture room for two weeks," the elder continued. "No feeding. No contact. Your punishment is to reflect the consequences of your reckless actions. You will understand the weight of your disobedience. You will be starved and forced to come to terms with what you’ve done."

A cold shiver ran down Liam’s spine. Two weeks without feeding. The hunger would drive him to the brink of madness. It was meant to break him.

He clenched his fists, anger and frustration flooding his veins. He had never been one to bow to authority, but he knew there was no escaping this punishment. His pride and stubbornness wouldn’t save him now.

The guards stepped forward, forcing him to his knees before the Council. He didn’t flinch, but his mind raced. He had no idea how he was going to survive this, but he knew one thing for certain: He couldn’t afford to break.

"Take him away," the elder ordered. "Let him feel the consequences of his foolishness."

The guards grabbed him roughly, dragging him from the room and down the long, dark hallway toward the torture room.

Liam didn’t resist. He was already preparing himself for the next two weeks of agony. No blood. No rest. Just a cruel reminder that no one, not even a vampire, could escape the weight of fate .

---

I slowly blinked my eyes open, the bright lights above blinding me for a moment. The smell of antiseptic filled the air, sharp and sterile. My head throbbed, and my body felt heavy, as though I'd been asleep for days.

"Tessa?"

The voice was soft but urgent. I turned my head to find my mom sitting beside me, her face a mix of relief and worry. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"Mom?" I croaked, my throat dry. "What happened?"

She leaned closer, her hand brushing my hair from my face. "You were in an accident, sweetheart. A car almost hit you. Do you remember?"

My mind scrambled, trying to piece it together. My chest tightened as flashes of the accident surged through my mind—the screeching of tires, the blinding headlights, and then nothing. Just... nothing. It was like my brain had shut down.

"I... I remember the car. The sound," I whispered, trying to sit up but immediately regretting it as dizziness overtook me. "I don’t remember anything after that. How did I...?"

"You passed out from shock," my dad's voice interrupted from the other side of the room. I turned to see him standing there, looking just as worn as my mom. "You were lucky, Tessa. The doctors say you're okay, but we need to keep you here for observation."

"Observation?" I repeated, my mind racing. Something didn’t feel right, but I couldn’t explain it. "Why? I’m fine."

"You took quite the shock, honey," my mom said gently. "You just fainted, but they want to be sure there’s no lasting effects."

I nodded, still trying to make sense of everything. The accident. The fear. I felt like something was off, like there was more to it than I could remember.

"How did I end up here?" I asked, glancing between them both, confused.

My dad sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. "You were found in the street after the car swerved. You must have passed out right before the impact. You were lucky. It could’ve been so much worse."

The image of the car coming toward me, the terrifying sound of metal crashing into something, kept replaying in my mind, like a never-ending loop. But there was something I couldn’t remember. Something important, but I couldn’t grasp it.

I swallowed hard. "I don’t remember... anything after the car. I... don’t even remember the impact."

My mom’s hand tightened on mine. "It’s okay, honey. That’s normal. You were just in shock. The doctors said it was a miracle you weren’t more hurt."

I nodded, but I couldn’t shake the feeling gnawing at me, deep in my gut. Something wasn’t adding up, but I couldn’t figure out what.

"I feel... fine now," I said softly. "I’m sorry I worried you."

My mom smiled faintly, brushing away a tear. "We’re just glad you're okay."

I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of the missing pieces. The car, the screeching tires, the pain... but nothing else. Just blank space.

I didn’t mention the wolf. I wasn’t even sure what to think of it.

---