The Council's Judgement

 (Chapter 25:Lorenzo's POV)

 The chamber was cold, carved from black stone, lit only by torches that flickered against the high walls. The air reeked of old blood, of judgment long passed and executions long carried out.

 The Vampire Council sat before me, their expressions ranging from disapproval to barely veiled contempt. They were the oldest of our kind, relics of a time when war was our only language.

 And now, they had summoned me like an errant child.

 "You acted without permission," Lord Castiel, the eldest among them, said, his voice sharp as a dagger. "You took the girl from the gala under our watchful eyes."

 I met his gaze evenly. "Mira was in danger."

 The other council members scoffed.

 "In danger?" Lady Selene leaned forward, her silver eyes narrowing. "She is the danger, Lorenzo. A Lycan heir—no, something more than that. And you chose to protect her?"

 "She is not your concern," I replied, keeping my tone even.

 Castiel's lips curled into something resembling amusement. "Not our concern? You would have us believe that when you whisked away a creature whose very existence threatens the stability we have maintained for centuries?"

 I didn't respond. I knew better than to argue with creatures who only listened to their own echoes.

 Lord Valen, who had been silent until now, spoke with a quiet intensity. "We fought wars against their kind. Watched them tear through our ranks like beasts. And you, a vampire lord, now claim one as yours to protect?"

 A low murmur spread through the chamber.

 I clenched my jaw. "Mira is not her ancestors."

 Selene sneered. "No, but she is their legacy. And legacy has a way of repeating itself."

 There it was—their fear, wrapped in centuries of hatred.

 Castiel sighed, as if exhausted by my defiance. "What hold does she have over you, Lorenzo? Has the mighty Lord of the North fallen for a creature that would see us all burned?"

 A dangerous silence followed.

 I could feel their scrutiny, the weight of their suspicions. They wanted me to confess to something reckless, something foolish.

 But I had given them nothing. And I would continue to give them nothing.

 "You forget yourselves," I said at last, my voice like steel. "I have sworn no loyalty to your fears, nor will I kneel to your paranoia. Mira is under my protection, and that will not change."

 Castiel's expression darkened. "Then understand this, Lorenzo: Should she become a threat—should she so much as breathe in the wrong direction—we will end her."

 My blood burned, but I forced myself to nod.

 This battle was not to be fought with words. Not yet.

 For now, I had bought Mira time.

 But time was never enough.

 The council chamber was far behind me, but their words clung like a curse.

 I had expected their resistance, their disdain. Still, their willingness to erase Mira without hesitation stirred something dark within me.

 I walked through the halls of my estate, the torches casting long shadows against the stone walls. The weight of centuries pressed down on me, but tonight, it felt heavier.

Mira.

 I had fought wars, led armies, ruled over death itself. But nothing had ever felt as dangerous as what I was doing now—standing between her and the monsters that called themselves my kin.

 When I reached the door to my study, I paused, sensing the presence within before I even opened it.

 Vicenzo stood by the fireplace, swirling a glass of bloodwine. His sharp eyes met mine, unreadable as ever. "I heard the council meeting didn't go well."

 I scoffed, shutting the door behind me. "You expected otherwise?"

 He smirked, setting his glass down. "You've made enemies, Lorenzo. Powerful ones."

 "I've had enemies my entire existence." I poured my own drink, the familiar burn doing nothing to ease my frustration. "This changes nothing."

 Vicenzo studied me for a long moment before speaking. "It changes everything."

 I didn't respond.

 Because he was right.

 Protecting Mira wasn't just defying the council—it was drawing a battle line I couldn't erase.

 And I had done it willingly.

 Vicenzo exhaled, shaking his head. "I won't ask why you're doing this. I already know."

 I met his gaze. "Then you understand why I can't stop."

 A slow smile tugged at his lips. "I do. But that doesn't mean the council will let you walk away from this unscathed."

 I drained my glass, the firelight flickering against the crimson liquid. "Let them try."

Vicenzo chuckled. "And if they come for her?"

 I set my glass down, the sound sharp in the silence.

 "They won't reach her," I said coldly. "Because by the time they try—she'll be strong enough to destroy them herself."