All Chapters of Forbidden Lessons : Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

162Sophia’s POV Stepping outside the castle walls for the first time felt like stepping into another world. I had been to the vampire realm so many times before, but I had never truly seen it. Every visit had been filled with tension, political maneuvering, and danger. But now, with the council meeting behind us, I could finally take a breath and see what this place had to offer.Ian had insisted on coming with me, of course. He was always protective, especially now with everything going on, but I had managed to convince him that I needed some space. Just for a little while. I wasn’t entirely alone though—two guards shadowed me, keeping a respectful distance, as I walked down the winding cobblestone streets.The city was… beautiful. I hadn’t expected that. For some reason, I had always associated the vampire realm with darkness, shadows, and cold stone, but what I saw now was entirely different. The streets were lined with tall, elegant buildings, their stone facades gleaming in the

164Ian’s POV Returning to the vampire realm always heavier each time I stepped through the threshold. Maybe it was because of the shift in the air, or maybe because the vampire realm was much more complicated than the human world. The realm was still undergoing repairs, the aftermath of the attack hanging in the air like a stubborn fog. Workers moved briskly, and I noticed the council had been gathering in the grand hall. It had been a while since our last meeting, and I could sense something was brewing.As I made my way inside, Aldric’s absence lingered in the back of my mind. His death had left a vacancy not only in the council but in the balance of power. The rest of the council, no matter how much they pretended otherwise, seemed rattled by the events that had unfolded. With everything going on, it was hard to know who to trust.Viktor, as usual, was the first to speak when I entered. He looked over his shoulder and nodded, his eyes piercing. “Ian, good. You’re here.”I didn’t

166Sophia’s POVI sat in the driveway for what felt like hours, my fingers nervously tapping the steering wheel as I stared at the front door of my parents’ house. I’d come all this way, and now that I was actually here, I wasn’t so sure I could bring myself to tell them what I was here to tell them. How was I going to tell them? I hadn’t spoken to them in weeks—since everything had happened with Ian—and they were already worried about me. This was going to be a lot to dump on them.I sighed and finally got out of the car, clutching my jacket around me as I made my way up the steps. My belly wasn’t huge yet, but it was starting to show. I could still hide it under loose clothes, but that wouldn’t last much longer. That’s why I had to do this now, before they found out some other way.The front door opened before I even knocked. My mom stood there, her face lighting up when she saw me.“Sophia!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug. “Where have you been? We’ve been so worried. You hav

168Ian’s POVI was sitting at the edge of the bed, watching as Sophia absentmindedly rubbed her belly. It was clear that her mind was very far away from here. I knew that she had been worrying more these days and I didn’t blame her—everything had been heavy on both of us. And as much as I wanted to avoid the conversation, I knew we still had to talk about it.I got up from the bed, rubbing my face as I took a step.“Hey,” I said softly, moving to sit beside her, the bed dipping slightly under my weight. “You’ve been quiet all night.”She sighed, her hand still resting on her stomach as she looked at me and forced a smile. “There’s just… so much on my mind. I can’t stop thinking about everything. The council, the baby, the werewolves…my family too. It’s like we are always in danger and there’s so much to loose.”I nodded, reaching out to take her hand. Her fingers were cold. “I know. I’ve been thinking about it too. The council… they’re not exactly thrilled, but I think they’re coming

170Ian’s POVThe night air was colder than usual, the kind of cold that made your breath visible and your senses sharper. I felt it deep in my bones, the unease that had been creeping up for weeks now. Things were getting worse, and it wasn’t just paranoia anymore. The attacks were escalating—first subtle, then intense just like the one that happened a few hours ago, almost like whoever was behind it wanted us to know they were closing in. And the worst part? None of us knew who to trust.I had been extra careful about telling anyone anything these days. Not even Mike.Jenny and Jacob left a few minutes ago to Jacob’s new apartment in a secluded area. Sophia was seated on the couch across from me, her hand resting protectively on her belly. It was a thing she did these days now, resting her hand on her belly as if it’d sheild our baby from every harm just like that. Her expression far away. As if sensing my eyes on her, she turned her head and looked at me.“Do you think it’s another