My lips parted in silent shock. Three hundred?

But I wasn’t okay. Not even close.

Years later, I’d read in old books how the great wars ended. Peace treaties signed. The vampires vowed to drink only animal blood or blood delivered from hospitals. Some went years without needing it at all. Most only required it once a month.

But him?

His jaw tensed slightly, but he shook his head.

Then they began to approach.

Calvin led me back to the hall, and the moment we stepped in, I realized the party had come alive again. Music floated through the air. Glasses clinked. Laughter echoed in distant corners. Guests were chatting, dancing, and sipping wine.

“You okay?” he asked gently.

The moment the door clicked shut behind them, silence fell like a heavy curtain. My wolf whimpered inside me, pacing restlessly, and a strange discomfort bloomed in my chest. She was still howling. Mates…

I forced a smile as the Beta politely excused himself and moved on. As he slipped away, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My eyes swept the crowd again—half-listening, half-searching—and that’s when it struck me.

He hadn’t come to me.

And then, all at once, the entire room’s attention locked onto me—like bees swarming to honey.

“Today is a joyful day,” he said calmly. “Let’s not ruin it with old grudges. I’ll tell you everything… soon. Just not tonight.”

“Yes,” I lied.

For a moment, I thought they would protest, stand their ground, challenge Calvin, and refuse to leave. And that terrified me. Because just looking at Calvin… I could tell he was close to losing it. His hands were still clenched, his breathing uneven. I had never seen him that angry before, but something told me… if he snapped, it would be catastrophic.

The air seemed to tighten… grow colder…

But I stayed silent. Composed. Trying my best not to think of the triplet.

She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “You must feel like a goddess with all these powerful men lining up for your attention.”

He was coming straight for me.

“Lady Olivia!” a woman’s voice chimed beside me, pulling my attention. A curvy, red-haired woman with a gentle smile stepped up to me, holding a glass of wine. “You look stunning. Absolutely radiant.”

Thankfully, they didn’t push it.

I took a breath and nodded slowly, lifting my chin.

I tried to focus on the Beta still speaking to me, nodding politely even though I had no idea what he was saying. My thoughts were a mess.

Their eyes.

He reached for my hand. “Come. Let’s go back to the party. Your guests are waiting.”

A strange chill crawled across my skin, even though the room was warm.

A tall Alpha in a black and gold suit stepped forward first. He gave a respectful bow, his eyes dark and intense. “Alpha Kade of the Red Fang Pack,” he introduced himself. “It’s an honor to finally meet the moon-blessed one.”

She winked. “They’ll be fighting for you before the night ends.”

I withdrew my hand quickly, trying to mask my discomfort. “Thank you for coming.”

Calvin gently squeezed my hand in support before letting go, nodding toward the crowd. “Go on,” he whispered. “Meet them. They came for you.”

A Beta from the Northern Wastes followed, then a warlock draped in midnight-blue robes. A siren prince, a Fae general, a Lycan heir.

And for a reason I couldn’t explain, that terrified me.

But I shut her out. I buried the ache deep and kept my face unreadable—even though inside, I was falling apart.

My heart skipped.

But the second my presence was noticed… everything shifted.

No.

Next came a regal vampire lord with silver hair and piercing blue eyes. “Lord Vadim of the Eastern Blood Court,” he said with a small smirk, taking my hand and pressing a kiss to it. “You’re even more captivating in person.”

The Moon Goddess must really enjoy messing with me.

They all wanted me.

One by one.

I gave him a polite smile and a nod. “Thank you.”

I tried not to stare again.

I turned my head slightly. My eyebrows raised. “But he doesn’t look a day over twenty-five…”

It was suffocating.

Their gazes lingered a second too long. Their words dripped with admiration. Some tried to hide it behind respect, but it was there.

Our eyes locked.

Every single one of them looked at me with the same unsettling hunger. Desire. As if I were a prize to be claimed… fought for.

Everyone else had come forward. Alphas, Hybrids, Betas, warlocks, royals. They introduced themselves, offered their respect, and tried to impress me.

Olivia’s POV

I wondered—Who is he, really?

As a Beta spoke to me, my eyes drifted through the crowd and found that same vampire who had caught my eye when I first entered. He stood a few feet away, deep in conversation with a woman in flowing green silk, his expression calm and charming. But as if he sensed my stare… he suddenly looked up.

And then I noticed—just behind her, Lord Frederick was moving toward us.

I quickly looked away, swallowing hard as heat crawled up my neck. What was wrong with me? Why was I staring? Why did it feel like… he knew I was?

My wolf growled low inside me, restless and agitated. She didn’t like this. Neither did I.

I hesitated, then asked the question burning in my chest. “Calvin… what happened between our families?”

I wasn’t sure if that was meant to be a compliment or a warning.

A few seconds passed before Calvin exhaled deeply and turned to me. The anger on his face was gone, replaced with concern. His eyes softened as they landed on me.

My brow furrowed. There was something about Lord Frederick that set my nerves on edge. Not in a bad way. But not good either.

And the entire time… his eyes never left me.

I wanted to press further. I needed to know. But I could see it in his eyes—he wasn’t going to say more right now.

“Thank you,” I replied softly, trying to remain present.

Conversations died down. Heads turned.

One by one, the triplets gave a reluctant nod, turned around, and walked out.

I froze. Caught.

I didn’t want to. I didn’t feel like celebrating. But I forced a smile, nodding.

He wasn’t pretending to look elsewhere like the others. He wasn’t trying to charm me from across the room.

Slowly, purposefully, Lord Frederick approached. He didn’t rush. Didn’t smile. His presence alone parted the people before him without a single word.

The Beta smirked faintly. “That’s the thing about vampires. They stop aging after a certain point. He’s well over three hundred.”

So I let it go. For now.

Straight at me.

When I was little, vampires were the monsters in bedtime stories. Creatures of the dark. Enemies of werewolves. I still remembered those stories clearly—wolves and vampires at war, blood spilled for centuries.

Lord Frederick was the only one who hadn’t come to me.

I had just confirmed that I was related to the triplets… that our families were sworn enemies… and somehow, impossibly, they were my second chance mates.

They all introduced themselves—some with charm, others with flattery. Their titles varied, but they all had one thing in common:

Unable to hold back my curiosity, I blurted, “Who is that man?” I asked the Beta in front of me while my eyes flicked back to the vampire’s direction. This time, he wasn’t looking at me.

“He’s Lord Frederick,” the Beta responded. “A vampire lord. One of the oldest.

I gave a small, polite laugh. “It’s a little overwhelming, to be honest.”