"DAD!" Erin's voice ripped through the cavern like a lightning bolt. His father—our King—hung from rusted chains, shirtless and bloodied, his chest heaving with effort. A wilted purple flower was duct-taped to his skin, a cruel mark of mockery. His head lolled, but he lifted it enough to find Erin's eyes.

"Erin..." Daniel rasped. "Don't come closer. She... she gave me wolfsbane."

Erin fell to his knees. "Dad, no—no, I'm not losing you. Not you."

Daniel smiled weakly, blood crusted at the corner of his mouth. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

A slow clap echoed from the shadows. "Touching." My sister stepped into view, her voice like glass underfoot. Her thin fingers spun a gleaming axe with practiced ease before hurling it toward Mr. Sanchez. The blade missed his face by inches, thudding into the stone beside him.

"Next time, I won't miss," she snarled.

"There won't be a next time, you fucking psycho," Erin growled, stepping protectively in front of his father.

"Aww. Is the baby wolf king threatening me?" Hannah taunted. From her cloak, she drew a dagger, glinting under the dim torchlight.

"This..." She ran a finger along its edge, licking the silver with a grin as blood beaded on her tongue. "This is real silver. If it kisses Daddy's heart just right, guess who gets a promotion?"

Erin stepped in front of his father.

I stepped in front of Erin.

"Move, Adam," he growled.

"No," I said.

"Silver hurts vampires too."

"I'll take the risk."

"You're a brave one, Adam," Hannah mused. "Just like Daddy. Pity I gutted him not long ago."

"You sick bitch," I hissed. "What do you even want from us?"

"The throne, idiot," she snapped. "What else?"

"You can have it. I never wanted it."

She smirked. "Good."

Without warning, she whipped the knife—another near miss. Daniel flinched, the blade nicking his ribs. Blood trickled down his side.

"Let's play a game," she said. "I hit Daddy's heart, and you all walk. I miss... and Erin dies."

"NO!" Erin roared, stepping forward.

I stepped up beside him. "Take me," I said.

She studied me with eerie calm, flipping the knife in her hand again and again like a coin. "Always the protector," she whispered, almost fond. "Just like Mom used to say. But you're wasting your breath."

Then—without pause—she threw.

The blade sliced the air with a metallic whistle and embedded itself directly into Erin's chest.

His body jerked.

He stumbled.

He collapsed.

"ERIN!" I dropped to my knees, catching him before he hit the ground. His blood soaked my shirt, hot and fast.

"Oops," Hannah giggled. "Turns out he was a daddy's boy too."

"Stay with me," I begged. "Come on, come on, breathe."

"Adam," Erin wheezed. "You were... like a brother to me."

"Don't say it like that. Don't you dare say it like goodbye."

Across the room, Daniel's eyes widened in horror. The King fought against the chains with a savage growl.

"Bite him," he ordered. "Drain enough blood. It's the only way."

"Adam..." Erin's voice was fading. "Do werewolves... go to heaven?"

"I need to bite you," I said, desperate, shaking. "It might hurt—I don't know—but I need your blood."

He gave a weak nod. "Try... try your worst."

"NOW, Adam!" the King barked.

My fangs dropped, sharp and aching. I leaned in. His pulse fluttered under my lips. Then—bite.

His blood filled my mouth like molten iron. My body reacted—ecstasy and horror merging. His heartbeat slowed beneath me. Shallow. Then weaker.

Then... gone.

His body went still in my arms.

The silence was deafening.

"HANNAH, YOU PSYCHOTIC BITCH!" I roared, yanking the knife from Erin's chest. The sound echoed like thunder.

"Adam," the King said gently, already collapsing to his knees. "Let her go."

I knelt beside him, ripping the flower from his chest and tossing it away. "She's going to pay."

"You did what you could," he said, tears streaking down his face. He crawled to Erin's side, pressing his hand to his son's heart. Nothing.

"I'm sorry, Adam. I'm sorry for everything—"

"Stop it!" I shouted, barely holding it together.

"This is my fault," he sobbed. "If I hadn't let him near you—if I'd never—"

"No. He's dead because of me! Because I let her do this!"

And then he grabbed me.

Held me.

The King wrapped his arms around me and just held me, trembling. "It's okay," he whispered. "It's going to be okay."

A crack of thunder boomed outside as rain began to fall. Lightning lit the sky, silver veins across black clouds.

Then came the others.

Jessica's scream hit like a blade.

"No! NO! Not ERIN!"

She fell to her knees beside his body. "Not him. Not Erin. No, no, no, no, NO—"

Jeremy grabbed her, holding her tight. "Jessica! Please—"

"He's dead and you're saying it's okay?!"

She shoved him, running to Erin and shaking him like she could wake him. "You big dumb mutt. Wake up. Please..."

"Jessica," the King said softly. "He's gone."

She crumbled into Mr. Sanchez's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Jeremy stood, jaw clenched. "We have to go. Now. Before they find us."

Blake nodded. "There's a safehouse nearby. My dad owns it—warded. We can be there in thirty minutes."

Jessica wiped her tears. "We're not leaving him. We take Erin."

"We can't carry him," the King said, voice broken. "None of us are strong enough."

"I've got keys," Jeremy said, holding up a set. "That van Hannah took us in—it's still here."

"I'll help him," Blake offered. "We'll meet you at the cabin."

"Go," the King said to me. "Go now."

Blake hugged me tight. "I love you."

"I love you too," I said, trying to smile. "I had this huge crush on you in—"

She kissed me. Her lips met mine, fangs and braces clashing, but I didn't care. My hands found her back. Hers found my heart.

She pulled away, eyes shimmering. "I know. I always knew."

She joined Jeremy by the van. I stood there, frozen, rain washing over us.

Jessica, the King, and I vanished into the woods.

That night... I didn't know it yet, but it was the last time I'd see Blake for a long time. A year later, the King adopted Jessica and me as his own. We watched each other's backs. Waited for the shadows to find us again.

But for now—we were safe.

For now.

But spring break would forever be the season everything changed.

I was a vampire prince.

And my kind wanted me dead.