Chapter 148

• Ian’s POV
• The journey back to the vampire realm was as grim as I expected. Jacob walked beside me, tense and brooding, his usual air of calm authority replaced by an edge I hadn’t seen in a long time. Mike was quiet too, though his eyes were sharp, scanning every detail as we made our way through the path that led to the castle. It was strange to have him back—comforting in one way, but also a reminder of how many things had gone wrong in his absence.
• As we approached the castle, it was clear that things were already in motion. Scaffolding lined the outer walls where chunks of stone had been blown apart in the attack. Several teams of vampires were hard at work repairing the damages, moving quickly but methodically, their movements precise as they pieced together the realm’s fractured appearance. The sight of it stirred something in my chest—a deep, simmering rage at what had been done, and a gnawing unease at how easily it had all crumbled.