Esmeralda opened her eyes, feeling a sense of numbness throughout her body.
"Easy, my princess. You endured a lot last night," her father reassured her.
"Father, where is Ezra?" Esmeralda inquired, recalling the attack.
"He's fine. How are you feeling?" her father replied.
"The vampires... they came for me. Why?" Esmeralda questioned, her memory still fresh.
"I don't know, my love, but we managed to kill two of them, and the third one barely escaped with its life," her father explained.
Attempting to sit up, Esmeralda found her body weak and unresponsive.
"What did they inject into me?" she asked the nurse, looking at her hands in search of answers.
"It was a combination of wolfsbane and vampire lilac. It was meant to subdue you," the nurse responded.
Her father shot a threatening look at the nurse, who promptly scurried out of the room.
"Vampire lilac? I thought wolves were immune to its effects," Esmeralda expressed her confusion.
"Relax, my dear. Do not worry yourself. In a few hours, you will gradually regain your strength. Our wolves are currently hunting down the third vampire, and I will ensure it pays with its life," Aaron assured her, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.
Esmeralda lay back down, replaying the vampire attack in her mind. The fear had been overwhelming, and she had genuinely believed she might not survive. She recalled the vampire's words, "He was just an errand boy," suggesting that someone else had orchestrated her kidnapping. Aside from the possibility of ransom due to her status as the wolf princess and heir to a wealthy dynasty, she couldn't think of any other reason why vampires would target her. Thoughts of Ezra consumed her mind, and the realization of how much she cared for him intensified. She needed to see him and ensure he was safe.
Summoning all her strength, Esmeralda made another attempt to get out of bed. She entered her bathroom and turned on the water, longing to soak herself in the bathtub and wash away the horrors of the previous night. Esmeralda had witnessed her mother's murder, hiding silently inside a flower bush as the vampire tore her mother's heart from her chest and severed her head from her neck. It had been her first encounter with the bloodsuckers, and it marked the beginning of an all-out war. The wolves had been sworn enemies of the vampires for centuries, and her mother's death had ignited a fierce conflict. In retaliation, King Aaron had launched attacks on several vampire hives, earning him the moniker "the blood butcher" after he decimated them under the light of the full moon just days after her mother's demise.
After pouring some essential oils into the water, Esmeralda submerged herself in the bathtub, hoping the soothing ritual would help wash away the stress and trauma. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. She quickly rose from the tub, wrapped herself in a towel, and went to open the door
"Ezra?" Esmeralda was taken aback by his worried expression as he entered her room. He embraced her tightly, and the door closed behind him.
"How are you feeling, Esmeralda?" Ezra asked, concern evident in his voice as he gazed into her eyes.
"I'm fine. I was worried about you too. They injected a lot of wolfsbane into you," Esmeralda replied, returning his gaze.
Ezra cupped her face in his hands. "The thought of losing you terrified me. I don't know what I would have done if they had succeeded in taking you."
"I'm fine, really," Esmeralda reassured him, offering a smile.
Caught off guard, Ezra kissed her passionately. She didn't resist and found herself drawn into the intensity of the moment. He held her tightly, her body still damp from the bath. His kisses grew more fervent, and although tempted to loosen her towel, he restrained himself.
"I'm sorry. I failed you, princess," Ezra said, stepping back.
Esmeralda couldn't find her voice. Her lips were swollen from their passionate encounter, and she looked at Ezra, noticing anger in his expression rather than regret. He was upset with himself for not protecting her from the vampires who had attempted to kidnap her.
"I shouldn't have kissed you. It won't happen again," Ezra stated.
"No, I kissed you back. I'm not upset about it," Esmeralda reassured him.
Ezra smiled at her. "I have to go. Your father has asked me to run an errand."
"An errand? Is it related to the vampires who attacked us?" Esmeralda inquired.
"Don't worry about it. Just focus on healing," Ezra replied.
"I'm much better, but why all the secrecy, Ezra? I have a feeling there's more to this than what I know," Esmeralda expressed her concern.
"Esmeralda, please trust me and don't worry about it," Ezra urged.
"What is Compound V, Ezra?" Esmeralda suddenly asked, catching him off guard. She looked at him intently, her dark brown eyes fixed on his hazel eyes, awaiting an answer.
"How? Esmeralda, how do you know about Compound V?" Ezra questioned, taken aback.
Esmeralda walked to her closet, retrieved the vial she had taken from her father's room, and handed it to Ezra. He accepted the vial of Compound V and took a deep breath.
"Esmeralda, there are things you don't understand," Ezra began.
"Like what? That you're my father's secretive errand boy? That I have this unsettling feeling about you and my father? Or that I was almost kidnapped, and I can't shake the feeling that it's all connected?" Esmeralda interrupted, her tone resolute.
Ezra fell silent, unable to find the right words.
"Esmeralda, please listen—" he started, but she cut him off.
"Just stop. I'm not a child, and if you're not going to tell me the truth, then don't speak at all," Esmeralda asserted.
"I don't want to lie to you, but involving you could put me in serious trouble with your father," Ezra confessed.
"Fine. You should leave," Esmeralda responded, turning away from him. Ezra quietly exited her room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.