Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Irina Volkova

Mirov appeared in front of an old, weathered mansion that stood alone in the woods, its windows covered with dust and vines creeping along the stone walls. The air was heavy, silent except for the low rustle of the wind brushing through the trees. He didn’t need to knock. The moment he stepped onto the cracked steps, the doors creaked open on their own.

He walked in quietly, his boots echoing against the marble floor. The mansion smelled of age and faint smoke, like the ghosts of fires long burned out. Inside, in the wide hall, five old men sat in a circle around a large wooden table. Their faces were lined and hard, eyes yellow under the dim light. The room felt ancient — full of strength, authority, and a kind of unspoken tension that only wolves carried.

When Mirov entered, all eyes turned to him.

One of them, his beard gray and thick like winter frost, leaned forward. “How did it go?”

Mirov exhaled slowly before answering. “He still doesn’t trust us yet,” he said, voice calm. “But that’s a good thing. I’d be disappointed if he trusted us that easily.”

The old man nodded, his expression unreadable. But before anyone else spoke, another council member scoffed. His voice was rough, deep, the sound of a man who had seen too many battles. “I still don’t understand why you waste so much time on that boy,” he said. “He killed one of our own. By pack rule, we should be hunting him down, not reaching out to him.”

Mirov looked at him for a long moment, then shook his head. “It’s time we stop hiding behind old rules,” he said firmly. “Those rules kept us loyal to ourselves, yes — but they also kept us weak. The vampires have grown stronger. Every day, they feed, expand, and plan in the shadows. We’re losing. You all know it.”

The five men exchanged glances but said nothing. The truth in his words hung in the air, thick and heavy.

“The packs are scattered,” Mirov continued. “Half of them have gone rogue, and the rest are too scared to fight. We don’t have the numbers or the power to take the vampires on alone. If we want to survive, we need to adapt.”

He paused, eyes narrowing. “And that boy — Liam — he’s the key. You’ve seen what he did. His strength isn’t normal. The energy he carries is different, dangerous, but useful. If we play this right, he could be the weapon we need.”

The room fell silent again. The oldest of them all, a frail man whose eyes were still sharp like a hawk’s, leaned forward. “You speak of him like he’s one of us,” he said quietly. “But he’s not. He’s human.”

Mirov smirked faintly. “Human?” he repeated. “He stopped being that a long time ago.”

No one argued. They had all seen the same reports — the footage of his battles, maybe the boy wasn’t human anymore. Maybe he was something else.

Before the discussion could continue, the heavy doors behind Mirov opened again.

Sunlight spilled through, cutting across the dim room. The air shifted — sharper, colder — and every head turned toward the entrance.

Mirov didn’t need to look to know who it was.

Irina.

She walked in slowly, her boots clicking softly against the stone floor. Her long black hair fell past her shoulders, dark as ink and smooth as silk, glinting faintly where the light touched it. Her eyes were a piercing gray, cool and confident, holding that sharp, commanding focus that made everyone go silent when she entered a room.

She wasn’t tall, but she carried herself with the kind of authority that filled the space around her. Her body was slim but strong, curves tracing along her leather outfit like it was made just for her — tight black pants that hugged her hips and legs perfectly, a matching leather jacket zipped halfway up her chest, and heavy boots that clicked with purpose.

Her skin was pale, smooth, and flawless, a striking contrast to the black she wore. Her lips were a deep natural pink, the kind that drew attention without trying. There was no mistaking her beauty — she was dangerously hot, in that cold, untouchable way only Russian women seemed to master.

Mirov turned slightly, eyes narrowing as he watched her walk in. Of course, it was her.

Irina Volkova — daughter of the Wolf Leader, the Alpha of Alphas. Her father had been the most powerful werewolf alive until he vanished a year ago without a trace. His disappearance shattered the balance of the packs. Without him, chaos had followed.

The vampires had started attacking openly again, forcing the wolves to scatter and hide. Some packs were slaughtered, others went rogue, abandoning their honor to survive.

In the middle of all that, Irina had stepped forward.

At first, nobody took her seriously. She was young, a woman leading warriors who’d lived twice her years. But she proved them wrong quickly — her strength, her control, her presence — she earned their respect one battle at a time. She wasn’t officially Alpha, but everyone knew she was the only one who could be.

So when she entered the room now, even the old councilmen lowered their eyes slightly.

Mirov crossed his arms as he watched her come closer. “Irina,” he greeted quietly.

“Mirov,” she replied in her smooth, confident voice. It carried the faintest Russian accent, deep and rich. “You called a meeting without me?”

One of the council members shifted uneasily. “You were occupied,” he said.

Her lips curved slightly — not a smile, not quite. “I’m never too occupied when it concerns the future of my pack.”

She walked past Mirov and stopped in the center of the circle, the sunlight framing her like a spotlight. The faint scent of leather and wild pine followed her.

She looked around the room, her gray eyes landing on each of the old men before finally resting on Mirov again.

“Well?” she asked softly. “What did the human say?”

Mirov gave a small grin. “He doesn’t trust us yet,” he said. “But that’s fine. He will.”

One of the elders looked at Irina, his voice low and gravelly. “How did things go at your end?”

Irina crossed her arms and leaned slightly against the heavy wooden table. “The council of witches has agreed to work with us,” she said firmly. “If the vampires start getting out of hand, they’ll step in.”

The elders exchanged tired looks of relief. The thought of having the witches on their side eased some of the pressure that had been building for months. For too long, the werewolves had been fighting this shadow war alone.

Irina’s eyes shifted toward Mirov. “That man you’re after better be worth the effort,” she said. “We can’t afford to waste time on someone who doesn’t bring real help.”

Mirov let out a small, uneasy laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s not a man,” he replied. “He’s a boy. Around your age, maybe a year or two older.”

Irina frowned slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing. “A human boy?” She almost scoffed. “And you expect him to make a difference in this war? He’s not one of us.”

“He’s not ordinary,” Mirov said simply.

She studied his face for a moment, then shrugged. “I don’t care what he is. If he’s useful, good. If not, I’ll tear his throat out myself.” Her voice was calm when she said it, but everyone in the room knew she meant every word.

Mirov smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Trust me,” he said. “You’ll see soon enough.”

The council chamber went quiet. Irina gave Mirov one last look before she walked out. Her boots clicked softly against the stone floor, fading down the hall.

———

Meanwhile, Liam sat in Seo Yeon’s living room, surrounded by a strange calm that didn’t match the heavy conversation taking place. Ann and Kelly sat across from him, both of them staring like he had just told them the craziest thing in the world.

Ann blinked first. “Wait,” she said slowly. “You’re saying… if we have sex with you, we get stronger?”

Liam rubbed the back of his neck and exhaled. “Something like that,” he said. “The system works in weird ways. When there’s… physical connection, the power sync increases. It’s not just energy transfer. It’s—complicated.”

Kelly leaned forward slightly, her dark eyes narrowing with interest. “And you’ve tested this?”

He nodded once. “Yeah. It’s real.”

Ann’s eyes widened. She bit her lower lip, and her tone turned almost playful. “So you’re telling me that just being… closer to you helps us level up?”

Liam nodded again, though he was already starting to regret saying anything.

Ann leaned back on the couch, her grin spreading slowly. “That’s probably the best thing I’ve heard all week,” she said, her voice low.

Kelly rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide a small smirk. “You look way too happy about that.”

Ann ignored her. She tilted her head at Liam, her eyes locking on him like a cat studying a mouse. “So… how close are we talking?” she asked, teasingly.

Liam looked up at her, confused for a moment, before realizing the look in her eyes. He sighed quietly. “You’re not serious right now.”

“Oh, I’m dead serious,” Ann replied, smiling wider.

The room went quiet for a beat. Kelly shook her head, muttering something under her breath about Ann never missing a chance to turn anything into a game.

Liam leaned back, rubbing his temple. “You two are impossible,” he said, but the edge of a grin broke through his composure.

Ann just smiled wider, her mind clearly racing with possibilities.

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