When I finally wake up, I am I a dark room I try to look around, but it is to dark I whisper “hello” my throat is still burning and my whole body is aching

I hear voices from my right, then the door creaks open. Xavier steps inside with another man, his expression unreadable.

"Isabella," Xavier says carefully.

I blink at him, then at the stranger beside him. "Where are we?" My voice is rough, my throat burning.

Xavier exhales. "This is John. Your biological father."

I stare at the man—tall, serious, with eyes that remind me too much of my own. A slow, humourless laugh escapes me, though it quickly turns into a cough. Pain shoots through my ribs, and when I pull my hand away from my mouth, there’s blood.

"You should rest," John says, his tone firm but… oddly soft. "I was able to heal you, but you're still in pain."

I wipe my palm against the blanket, ignoring him. "Right. Well, thanks for the effort."

His jaw tightens, like he wants to say more, but I don’t give him the chance. I turn back to Xavier. "Can we just pretend none of this ever happened? Like, all of it. The past few days, the whole getting attacked thing, this?" I gesture vaguely at John. "Because I’d really like to forget."

Silence.

Xavier watches me closely. John does too.

Neither of them believes me.

John sighs. "I know this is a lot—"

"You think you KNOW?!" I cut him off, my voice rising. "MY SO-CALLED BEST FRIEND TRIED TO HAVE ME KILLED! I’ve spent the last forty-two hours in HELL, and you think you understand? YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

My chest heaves, pain ripping through me, but I don’t care. My vision blurs with anger as I glare at him, my whole-body trembling. "I’M GLAD YOU DIDN’T RAISE ME!”

I see the sadness in John's eyes before he turns to Xavier. “You know how to handle her. Talk to her.”

Xavier nods, and John takes one last glance at me before leaving.

The room is silent except for the faint hum of the lights as Xavier switches one on. He walks over to the bed, running a hand through his hair before sitting down with a sigh.

“I didn’t tell you everything,” he admits.

I scoff, crossing my arms. “No kidding.”

He leans forward slightly. “I’m your biological parents' best friend. For a thousand years, we’ve stood by each other’s sides. They sacrificed everything to bring you home.”

I hesitate, searching his face for any sign of deception. “Why would you lie to me?”

His lips twitch, like he expected that question. “I didn’t lie. I just… withheld some truths.”

I narrow my eyes but then pause, something else nagging at me. “Your eyes… they were red before, but now—”

He smirks slightly. “My eyes change depending on my hunger. Red means I’m starving. Blue means I’m closer to human.”

I nod slowly, taking it in. “Right. Well, you still didn’t tell me everything.”

Xavier sighs, then—without warning—takes my hand in his. His lips brush against my knuckles, smooth and cold. My pulse jumps.

“Look,” he murmurs, voice low. “If I told you everything about me, you’d either jump out the window or run for the hills.”

I yank my hand back. “Funny. I was already considering it.”

His laughter is quiet, almost amused. “Some vampires can read minds.”

My breath catches. My eyes widen slightly as I stare at him.

“So, you—”

“Yeah.” His smirk deepens. “I heard that.”

My stomach twists. How much does he know? My thoughts race, testing him. If you can really read my mind, prove it.

Xavier tilts his head, then grins. “Alright. You’re thinking about punching me just to see if I bleed.”

I inhale sharply.

“And now,” he continues, watching me like a cat watching a mouse, “you’re wondering if I’ve been inside your head this whole time.”

I swallow hard.

He leans in, voice dropping to a whisper. “And now you’re trying not to think at all.”

I shove him back. “Get out of my head.”

Xavier chuckles but sobers quickly. “Your parents have spent fifteen years searching for you. Nearly every supernatural being out there wants a piece of you. This?” He gestures around. “This is the safest place for you. Because I won’t let them have you. And neither will your parents.”

I clench my fists, my whole-body tense. “I don’t need anyone protecting me.”

Xavier watches me for a long moment before shaking his head, almost fondly.

“You really are their daughter.”

look at him, then quickly look away.

Xavier exhales. “Look, I’m from a different generation. I’m a thousand years old. I don’t really know how to comfort people, but—”

Before he can finish, the weight of everything crashes over me, and I break. Tears spill down my cheeks before I can stop them.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Xavier reacts instantly, pulling me into his arms without hesitation. His embrace is firm, steady—something I didn’t realize I needed until now. I cling to him, burying my face against his chest.

“I thought you didn’t know how to comfort people,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.

He sighs, his hand resting lightly on my back. “Isabella, I’m a complicated man, I—” He stops himself, hesitating.

I pull back slightly, searching his face. His ocean-blue eyes meet mine, something unreadable swirling within them.

“You should talk to your parents,” he says finally. “They can tell you more about everything.”

His warmth vanishes as he pulls away, standing. “Come downstairs tomorrow. You should be fully healed by then.”

Before I can say anything, he flicks off the light and walks out, leaving me alone in the darkness.

I stare at the ceiling, my mind drifting somewhere else—somewhere I haven’t allowed it to go in a long time.

Fifteen years ago.

Back then, I always thought it was a dream. Or maybe a nightmare.

A memory surfaces.

Flashback.

Laughter echoes through the trees as I run, my small legs carrying me as fast as they can. A silver wolf races beside me, its fur gleaming under the moonlight.

I’m not scared.

I should be.

But at five years old, I embrace the thrill.

“Come on, Mummy! You promised we could go for a run!” I call out, my voice filled with childish excitement.

A warm laugh follows behind me.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming, Isabella,” my mother says.

We race out of the house, laughter bubbling between us as my dad shouts after me, “Be careful! And don’t forget, missy—you’re cleaning your room when you get back!”

Mum and I scoff at the same time before breaking into full-speed sprints toward the woods. She shifts mid-step, her body transforming into a sleek silver wolf, the moonlight catching in her fur. I beam up at her, keeping close—that’s the rule. Always stay close to Mum.

The trees blur past us, the wind whipping through my hair, filling me with exhilaration. But then—somehow—I lose her.

One moment, she’s there. The next, she’s gone.

“MUMMY!” I scream, spinning in frantic circles. My heart pounds, my breath comes in ragged gasps. I run, twigs snapping under my feet, my legs aching as I search. But I can’t find her. I don’t know where I am.

Hours pass. At least, I think they do. It was daylight before, but now it’s dark.

Then—headlights.

I freeze on the edge of a road, eyes burning from the sudden brightness. A car slows to a stop, and a man steps out, his face shadowed against the glow.

“Hello,” he says gently. “You must be lost.”

Tears streak my cheeks. “I can’t find my mummy,” I whisper. My voice shakes. “It’s been hours. I don’t know where she is.”

The man smiles, kind but unreadable. “I can try to help. Come on.”

He opens the car door, and I climb inside, finding myself wedged between two men.

“This is my son, Mark, and my other son, Thomas,” he tells me. “They don’t bite—they’re just shy.”

I glance at them, sniffling.

“I lost my mummy,” I say again, quieter this time.

Mark, the one closest to me, looks at me with something soft in his eyes. “It’ll be okay,” he says. “We’ll try our best to find her for you.”

Thomas reaches into his pocket and pulls out a sweet, holding it out.

I take it without hesitation.

I trust them.

I stare into the darkness, lost in the memories of that night—the silver wolf, the laughter, the moment everything changed. I was just a child, but even then, I should have known happiness like that was never meant to last.

A presence pulls me back.

The weight of a gaze.

Slowly, I blink, the past slipping away as I turn my head. My breath catches.

She’s standing there.

My mother.

Not the one who raised me. The one who gave birth to me.

She doesn’t speak, just watches me with eyes that mirror my own. There’s something unreadable in her expression—regret, sorrow, relief? I can’t tell.

For a second, I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know what to feel.

“Hi,” I say, my voice almost unsure as I stand up.

Julie chokes on a sob. “Isabella, I am so sorry. One minute you were by my side, and the next… you were gone.”

I stay silent, just watching her.

She steps closer, hesitating before gently taking my hands in hers. “We don’t expect you to forgive us. We know that’s too much to ask.”

I glance down at her hands on mine. She starts to pull away, but I hold on, a small smirk tugging at my lips.

“You know…” I say, tilting my head, “you still owe me a run in the woods.”

Julie blinks at me, caught off guard.

I shrug. “Only this time, maybe don’t lose me?”

For a moment, she just stares—and then, through her tears, she lets out a shaky laugh.

“I don’t want to be rude, but I need to sleep,” I say, my voice flat.

Julie nods quickly. “Yeah, of course.” She hesitates, like she wants to say more, but instead, she steps back and leaves the room.

I climb into bed, letting out a slow breath as exhaustion finally pulls me under.

The Next Morning

A sharp knock on my door pulls me from sleep.

Xavier steps inside without waiting for an answer. “Sorry, but we’re all early risers.”

I don’t respond, just throw the blanket off and get up, following him out into the hallway. The house is eerily quiet, save for our footsteps against the wooden floors. My eyes drift to the paintings lining the walls—portraits of men, their expressions frozen in time.

“They’re lords,” Xavier says, noticing my stare. “Each one tried to kill us over the years.”

I almost don’t react. Almost. Until my gaze lands on three familiar faces. Mark. Thomas. And their father, Nicholas—though everyone always called him the Baron.

I stop dead in my tracks.

“Xavier Black,” I say, my voice low but sharp.

Xavier halts, turning to face me, his eyes narrowed. “How do you know my last name?”

I don’t break eye contact. “Because I know three of the so-called ‘lords’ on that wall. The ones you’re accusing of being our enemies. And those three have done nothing but love and protect me since the day I met them.”

Xavier’s jaw tightens. “Everyone on this wall has tried to kill us for nothing at all.”

“Liar.”

His expression darkens, and before I can react, he grabs my arm, dragging me down a flight of stairs.

“Xavier—” I struggle against his grip, but he doesn’t stop until we reach a large study. The room is filled with people, deep in conversation. At the centre of it all—John and Julie. My so-called parents.

“John,” Xavier calls. “Julie.”

They turn to us.

I rip my arm from Xavier’s grasp, stepping forward with fire in my veins. “You can let go of me now, Xavier.”

He does, but the tension remains thick in the air.

Julie’s eyes soften as she takes a step toward me. “Isabella—”

“No.” I shake my head, cutting her off. “I want to get one thing clear.” I look between both of them, my voice steady, unwavering.

“That name? Isabella? It died fifteen years ago.”

I meet their stunned expressions head-on.

“I go by Shay.”

They both nod, and Mum says gently, "Shay, let us introduce you to your older brothers, Romeo and Vincent."

I glance at them, my eyes lingering on one. "I remember Jack."

Romeo’s lips curl into a smile. "You remember what I like to be called."

I nod. "Yeah."

Mum starts to introduce someone else, but I cut in. "Ryan Barron—" I hesitate, correcting myself. "I mean, Ryan Black."

Ryan’s expression shifts as he meets my gaze, then flicks to Xavier, who is already glaring at me.

Mum clears her throat, continuing. "This is Jenny, Ryan’s wife and the mother of Xavier and Charlie."

She gestures to another man. "And this is Charlie—Jack’s husband."

Finally, her eyes soften as she introduces the last person. "And this is Henry, Xavier and Jessie’s son."

I nod and say, “Uh, nice to meet you.”

Ryan studies me for a moment before asking, “Why did you call me Barron? That hasn’t been my last name in a thousand years.”

I roll my eyes. “Because it is your last name. I know your brother.”

Silence fills the room as everyone stares at me.

“When Mum lost me in the woods, I ended up by a main road. He found me, made me feel safe. His sons, Mark and Thomas, are my best friends.”

Mum’s breath catches. “He… found you?”

She shakes her head in disbelief. “He was one of the first people we questioned. We asked him…” Her voice breaks as tears spill down her cheeks. “He lied to us.

I scoff. “You lost me. That’s on you.” My voice is sharp, unforgiving. “He saved me. I’m here now, I’m healthy.”

Mum wipes her tears, her expression unreadable. “Have you been with him this whole time?”

I lift my chin. “Yes. To me, he’s Uncle Nicholas.”

She exhales slowly, nodding. “Okay.”

I say, “just as long as I am healthy and alive” and she nods and says “yes exactly of course”

My dad says “let’s sit shall we”

I sigh feeling uneasy about being sat with them I say “I would rather stand thanks its just I don’t feel comfortable”