Valentina stood between Lucian, Ronan, and Matthew, her heart pounding as tension filled the room. Ronan and Matthew looked furious while Lucian stood protectively by her side, his eyes flashing with possessiveness.
"Valentina, leave him and come with us," Ronan urged, his voice stern. "You are better than this."
Valentina shook her head. "I'm not leaving until you two accept this. Accept him."
Matthew took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the puncture marks on her neck. "Accept him? Val, he's a vampire. He took you against your will, and now you're letting him feed on you? This isn't you."
Ronan's face hardened, and he took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "You know what they're capable of, Val. Vampires are manipulative. They don't care about anyone but themselves. You can't possibly believe he has your best interests at heart."
