LOGINCHAPTER 49- United in GriefISABELLAMy powers must have given me heightened senses because I caught every movement. My eyes darted between them.Five against one. Even one-on-one would be an unfair fight.They were large men, their shoulders broad and each held a different weapon. Strange weapons, nothing like swords, more of chains, wooden bats and others I couldn’t name."Please let me go," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. I held my hands out in front of me, my fingers twitching. "I don’t want any trouble. Just let me go back to the packhouse."A low, guttural laugh rippled through the circle. The man who had lured me here—the one who had wept for a dying daughter—straightened his back. The faux-desperation had vanished, replaced by a cold, predatory sneer."Trouble?" he mocked, his voice echoing off the trees. "Look around you, witch. You aren't the one who causes trouble here. We are the danger."I watched them closely. They shifted their stance, closing in around me, cuttin
48ISABELLAI let out a sigh feeling like a heavy burden had been lifted.“Thank you–“This doesn’t give you the liberty to prance around like a VIP, you will limit the use of your powers,” he said coldly and I got the impression this pardon wasn’t his idea.“I’ll adhere to your instructions,” I responded to pacify him. “But I would need permission to meet a friend to help me know more about my powers,”“Is this friend of yours also a witch?” I paused at his question trying to recall if the seer mentioned the wolves knew about her.“Honesty is your best option here, Isabella.” He lashed out when I remained silent.“She stays in the forest, to help me out she’ll need full immunity,” I uttered keeping my tone even.“We know about the seer," he clipped out, his voice devoid of warmth. "If you wish to refine this... gift, so be it. You have permission to seek the Seer, but do not forget the terms, Isabella. One slip, one surge of uncontrolled magic, and my face is the last thing you will
CHAPTER 48ISABELLA“D-Derek…My voice cracked and faded as I knocked softly on his door, balancing a tray on my arm while the china clinked quietly. I stood there nervously behind the heavy oak doors.The disaster of the previous night still haunted me. Even though he said it was fine, I couldn’t shake the guilt, so I took extra care preparing his favorite breakfast—chocolate pancakes with beef, bacon, and lemon-green tea.I pressed the doorbell, my heart skipping a beat as it swung open automatically.Don’t say anything stupid. I thought internally as I stepped in, forcing a crooked smile.Derek was behind his desk, silhouetted by the morning sun streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He didn’t look up immediately, his brow furrowed as he scribbled notes onto a thick stack of ledgers. The wheelchair was tucked neatly beneath the desk, and for a moment, in the focused stillness of his work, he looked like the untouchable Alpha I got married to."You’re working hard," I said
46ISABELLAAll my life I had never seen something so precious. The tiny ball wriggled in my arms as I cradled one of the twins against my chest. He was impossibly small, his skin flushed pink and his tiny fingers curled around my thumb. I had seen babies before but then it was like I had a deeper connection to them. My insides swelled with emotion looking at his perfect, sleeping face, the memory of my own lost child hurting more now I looked at what I lost."Isabella," a raspy, weak voice chuckled from the pillows.I looked up to see Selena’s eyes fluttering open. She looked exhausted, her hair matted to her forehead, but the life had returned to her skin. She reached out, her fingers brushing the baby’s swaddled arm. "I can’t believe you’re still here," she whispered, her voice a soft hum, "you must really love kids."I smiled and carefully stood to place the infant in the nearby crib. He let out a soft, satisfied sigh as he settled against the blanket. I watched him for a long
45ISABELLAThe silence shattered into chaos and I watched helplessly while Selena’s strength betrayed her. I knew she shouldn’t have been here, but she came anyway to help me.“She needs help,” the lady who was holding her screamed.A man from the council rows vaulted over the throne and ran in her direction. It must be her husband, I thought, his face crumbling into unadulterated fear. He knelt by her side, his hands trembling as he tried to stabilize her. "Get a doctor! Someone get a healer here, now!"The councilman, who had been seconds away from sentencing me to death, remained standing. He looked at the chaos with a detached, chilling apathy. "The trial must continue. We have a verdict to reach."Another elder, an older man with silver-threaded hair, slammed his staff against the stone. "We will do no such thing! Killing someone when a baby is about to be born is bad luck."My eyes widened, the cold realization hitting me with the force of a physical blow. It was never a trial
44ISABELLAMy pulse thundered in my ears, a frantic, irregular rhythm that mirrored the sudden instability of my entire world. Trial? I wasn't a criminal. I was someone who just discovered what I could do.They couldn’t possibly hold a trial on a matter that trivial, right?"This is absurd," Rohan said, his voice rising, sharp and discordant. He stood up, his palms flat against the mahogany table. "She is not a criminal. She is a member of this pack, and this is an internal matter. You cannot just march in here and demand a trial for a woman who has done nothing but survive.""Survive?" Ravena’s father let out a harsh, barking laugh that curdled the air. He leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Rohan with predatory intent. "She leveled a room. She scarred my daughter. You should be thanking the Council for stepping in to teach that little witch a lesson that you were clearly too soft to administer yourself.""It was a mistake!" Rohan argued, his voice straining. "An accident fueled by tr
19ISABELLA“We… shouldn't be doing this.” I muttered in between biting and sucking tentatively on his lips.A part of my mind knew what we were doing was wrong but here, in the dark with only him on me… the rest of my mind was satisfied with the outcome.And when his tongue settled at the back of
9ISABELLA In the silence, my anger wavered leaving my chest hollow. I believed it resonated with the fact there was some sense in what he said. Anyone with his view would have the same cruel words and there I was again feeling bile rise at the back of my throat.My body was coated in shame and t
20ISABELLA For a second the world came to a halt at his words.The dark haired lady smiled at me before she wrapped her arms on Rohan again, she leaned in to kiss him but he swiveled holding her back for a moment."Why did you come here?" Rohan questioned.While my heart sunk down to my knees.I
7It didn’t make sense.How could he easily say those flirtatious words after he left so abruptly the other night the moment he saw my face clearly? Why did he look almost… disappointed?“Sir,” I managed, unsure how to address him now.He was still standing at the door, light from the hallway cutti







