The One Night Stand Turns Out To Be My Professor

137

137

Ian’s POV

Getting Sophia out of the vampire realm was no easy job, but we did it. Jacob, Jenny, Lyanna, and I worked together as hard and sleek as we could, making sure no one saw us leave. We had to be quiet, subtle, and quick. The council would find out eventually, but by then, it wouldn’t matter. I just needed to get her out of there—away from the politics, away from the dangers lurking at every corner. Her pregnancy had changed everything.

Now, we were back at my condo in the human world. It felt surreal, like stepping into another life. The familiar surroundings were almost comforting—the sleek, modern furniture, the quiet hum of the city outside. It was a world that had always felt like a safe space, a place where I could just be Ian Grant, the professor, not the vampire king.

I watched as Sophia sank into the couch, visibly relieved. She looked exhausted, and for good reason. The toll of everything—the captivity, the pregnancy, the uncertainty—it weighed heavily on her. Her body was still recovering, and though she was safe now, I knew we couldn’t relax.

“Do you need anything?” I asked, walking over to her.

She smiled faintly, shaking her head. “Just… rest. I need to rest.”

I nodded and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. “You’ll get all the rest you need here. No one knows we’re back. You’re safe.”

But even as I said the words, I couldn’t shake the gnawing anxiety in my gut. I wasn’t a fool. I knew how quickly things could change. The council, the vampires still loyal to Freya’s bloodline, and now the werewolves—we had enemies, and they were everywhere.

The sound of my phone vibrating on the counter broke the brief moment of peace. I walked over, picking it up, and saw a message flash across the screen. It was from one of my contacts in the vampire realm.

‘Castle under attack. Several casualties. Council compromised.’

I stared at the message, reading it again to make sure I wasn’t misinterpreting the words. The castle. Attacked. Oh God. This was impossible.

“What is it?” Sophia’s voice broke through my thoughts, her tone filled with concern.

I hesitated, not wanting to alarm her, but I couldn’t lie to her either. Not now. I turned to face her, my expression grim. “The castle’s been attacked.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Attacked? How?”

“I don’t know the details yet, but it looks like it was a coordinated strike. The council’s compromised. I’m not sure who’s still standing.”

I watched as the weight of my words sank in. Sophia sat up straighter, the exhaustion in her eyes momentarily replaced by fear. “What about Jacob? Jenny?”

“They’re safe. Jacob messaged me earlier—they left right after we did. They’re in one of the safe houses.”

She exhaled, relief flooding her features. “What are we going to do?”

I clenched my jaw, pacing the length of the room as my mind raced. I hadn’t expected this—at least not so soon. Someone had taken advantage of our absence, of the weakened council. And now the entire realm was vulnerable.

Or maybe…

I tried to shake the thought out of my head but I couldn’t. What if they intended to attack us while we were still in the castle? What if it was by luck that we had left before they attacked?

“We need to stay hidden,” I said finally. “For now, our priority is keeping you safe. If the council’s been compromised, it means whoever attacked is looking to seize power. They’ll come for us next, especially if they find out about the baby.”