LOGINISABELWarm rays of the evening sun brush my skin as I pack the clothes washed earlier, only a few of which are mine. Inhaling a lungful of air, I keep it there for a while, grateful for the endless peace and protection that I’ve found since I ran into the immigrant territory about a year ago. I love it here. A lot has changed since I left – since I got here. I don’t want to talk about my past, at least not the events that led me here. Even though a part of my past has now become a huge part of me that I can’t let go of. “Isabel, I told you to stay inside and not work yourself up.” I turn around to find Irene staring at me with displeasure, hands on her hips. I smile at her and she shakes her head. Ginger-haired, brown-eyed, soft-spoken Irene. One could never tell how much of a badass Werewolf she is just from looking at her. I ran into Irene in the immigrant territory that night. She saved me, hid me, and nurtured me since then. When Irene discovered t
DEREKONE YEAR LATER “Give me one good reason why I should leave my territory and go with you to the immigrant territory.” Standing in the middle of my living room in the penthouse, hands on hips, I watch as Nate takes a big bite of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich while sitting on the couch, nodding his head as he chews until he swallows the last bit in his mouth. Then, he gulps his glass of orange juice and belches. I roll my eyes. “Because I want you to,” he says, swishing his tongue behind his upper lip. “Remind me of your purpose there again.” “To have some fun.” He rises to his feet, dragging his hands down his thighs. “Let’s see how famous we are in that territory. It will only take a day and we’ll be on the road the next. Also, you get to drive any of your fancy cars.” “Who’s going to be in charge while I’m gone?” I ask. Walking close to me, he drops his hand on my shoulder. “How much chaos can a day without supervision create? Trust
ISABEL This is no longer a sensation. This is real. Gabriel is not taking me home and I don’t know where he is taking me. We are deep in the woods and and my fight or flight instinct is starting to kick in. Suddenly, I pause and snatch my hand out of his grip. “Where are you taking me, Gabriel?” I ask in a loud voice. “I’m taking you home!” He snaps, but I’m not having it. “No! You are taking me elsewhere, and if you don’t tell me where right now, there will be trouble.” “What are you going to do?” His voice is suddenly chill and scary, and I almost recoil but something strange in me keeps me feet solid on the ground. I feel a surge of power that I have never felt before. I push him hard and he staggers. “I’m going home myself!” As soon as I turn around, his large hand grips my shoulder and spins me around. “Not too fast, you bitch. You think I’ll let you go when you smell like you’ve been laying with a southern wolf for so long? You
DEREKNate’s party is tonight and the door is unlocked for me to step out – only to attend the party. The truth is, I don’t want to. I could either stay in and sleep, waiting for my next meal, or go out but walk away from the party. Go into the woods or my garage, anywhere I can get a clear head and think of what to do next. From my window, I can see the crowd gathering, most of them with cups in their hands. Alcohol, I assume. I haven’t been to any of these parties in years. There’s the Dj in one corner already blasting house music and getting the party started. I see familiar faces. I see Ellie, clad in jean shorts and a barely-there top. The door is pushed open and I jerk around to find Nate at the doorstep, hands on hips. He is wearing Jean trousers and a black t-shirt. His hair is gathered in the middle of his head with a pink rubber band that I assume is from one of the kids. He brings out a stick of cigarette from the back of his trousers and lights it. I w
ISABEL “I think it’s time to go home,” I tell Gabriel softly. For over a week now, Gabriel has made me stay in his ‘cottage’, stopping me from going in to town because I smell weird, and he’s afraid someone else might perceive me and mistake me for an enemy. His face falls and he looks away from woods he had been cutting down and looks at me. “But, aren’t you scared that you will get in trouble because of your smell.” I shrug. “Maybe we need another pair of nose to tell me actually what the fuck is going on. I can’t smell it and I can’t stay here forever.” Straightening his back, he puts his hands on his hips. “Why not? I’m your only friend, anyways. No one else out there gives a shit about you.” I don’t know if he is just trying to convince me to stay or trying to hurt me because I feel the latter more. Suddenly, the difference between the time I spent with Derek and all my life in the Northern Territory suddenly weighs in. No one has trea
DEREK It’s been a week since so many things were taken away from me. Three days since I’ve been locked in this heavily guarded room, away from everyone including my daughter. Not even Nate has come to see me. But, none of these matter to me as much as the Shewolf that brought me into this mess. Isabel. I miss her. I’ve thought about no one else but her. I don’t know how she’s faring, whether she is safe or not. Alive or dead. No one will tell me anything or even give me an audience. Not the crazy wolves that guard this room, nor the wolves whose only job was to pass my food through an opening made in the door. At least, I’m not chained up and ridiculed like some others. It’s funny how I simply surrendered and let my pack do whatever they want with me. First, I was stripped of my position as the Alpha – for a while, at least. Then, when I let my guard down, I was drugged and taken into captivity. Still, I haven’t had the will to fight back. Maybe because I’m wil







