They stood on the grounds.
The sky was dim—not too dark. Actually, it was… beautiful. Not what they expected at all. They looked around.
"Vinynx Kingdom," Selene whispered.
"What?" Zyra asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Nothing," Selene replied quickly, glancing away.
Zyra looked at her suspiciously, as if she sensed something Selene wasn't saying.
"Selene, you need to cast a cloaking spell," Vaelna said. "They'll detect us. We need to blend in to find the Omega."
"Wait—what do you mean, cloaking spell?" Zyra and Sera asked sharply, both looking at the two suspiciously.
Ciara let out a nervous laugh.
"I'm a vampire," she confessed. "And Selene... she's half-witch, half-vampire."
Vaelna added quickly, "We didn't lie to hurt anyone. But at this point, there should be no secrets. Selene needs to cloak us. We're outsiders here—and the vampires will know. If we don't blend in, we'll be spotted. And killed."
"You tricked us," Sera snapped. Zyra's hand moved closer to her weapon.
"No, just listen," Vaelna said calmly. "Not all vampires are like Veyron. He's... different. Evil."
"Who is Veyron?" Sera asked, trying to stay rational.
"An enemy of wolves," Vaelna said. "He caused the wipeout of half your ancestors. And if he unlocks Liora... he'll finish the job."
"He already did it once," Selene added. "To the last Night Omega. We don't even know how it happened. That's part of why I'm here—to find out the truth and stop him permanently."
Sera turned to Ciara. "Did you know about this?"
"Yes," Ciara admitted. "I knew what they were."
Sera stared at her for a moment… then exhaled. If they didn't hurt Ciara, maybe they deserved a chance. She looked at Selene, then nodded slowly.
"Well… we're already in the lands. I don't really have a choice but to believe."
Zyra said nothing, jaw clenched tight. She was still angry. Betrayal stung deeper when it came from someone you started to trust. Kael just turned away in silence.
Selene stepped forward and lifted her hands. Her eyes glowed faintly as she muttered ancient words under her breath.
A wave of energy washed over the group. Their scents shifted. Their features changed slightly. Not fully… but enough.
Enough to pass.
The werewolf essence was masked. They now looked like vampires.
"Let's move forward," Vaelna said.
And they did.
—-------
"Shut up!" Liora shouted.
"It's a mistake, Your Highness," the servant trembled.
"I don't tolerate mistakes," she said sharply.
The room went cold. The servants around her froze, eyes wide, afraid to even breathe at her tone.
Veyron leaned against the wall and smirked. "My dear sister," he said smoothly, "you can punish her however you like. I have no objections."
"Hang her," Liora said calmly.
The guards immediately grabbed the girl and dragged her out screaming.
Liora adjusted her dress like nothing happened. "Brother, I'd like to visit the village. Do I have permission?"
Veyron smiled thinly. "Of course. Whatever you desire."
She walked away, a few cloaked guards and two handmaidens trailing behind her without a word.
As soon as she left, Veyron's smile vanished. He stared hard at the wall.
"Couldn't the witches have picked a mate?" he muttered. "Why did it have to be my sister?"
Valden stood nearby, silent but listening.
"It might actually make the ritual stronger," Valden replied, hiding the small curl of satisfaction in his voice.
"Follow her," Veyron snapped. "Make sure no vampire touches her."
Valden bowed slightly and disappeared into the shadows.
—------
"Okay," Selene said, stopping the group. "We're in the villages now. We'll need a place to stay. I'll go with Sera to find somewhere."
Sera blinked. "Oh—okay."
Kael watched them carefully, He couldn't help but feel angry at everything happening right now but she only wants to support Zyra so he was keeping his thoughts in check
Selene glanced at the rest. "You four, split up and look around. Try not to cause trouble. And Zyra…" she looked directly at her. "Especially you."
Zyra didn't respond. She just turned and walked away.
The vampire village was larger than she thought. Vampires roamed freely, dressed in fine robes or casual cloaks. Children ran laughing through the narrow paths. It wasn't what she expected — it felt too… normal.
Zyra took a deep breath and let her gaze wander.
Then she heard it — a rhythm of footsteps, heavier than a normal walk. She turned.
A royal carriage was coming down the road, flanked by guards.
"That must be the vampire king," she muttered, trying to step forward for a better look.
"Stop," Kael whispered, grabbing her arm. "Don't start anything."
Ciara and Vaelna nodded, both wary.
Then the carriage door opened.
A hand stretched out first — pale, graceful. Then she stepped down.
Her silver boots hit the ground. Her hair was glowing white, her skin radiant, and her blue eyes shimmered with cold confidence.
Lips curled into a smirk.
Zyra's chest tightened, she couldn't breathe for a while.
"Liora?"