Chapter 9. Desperate measures

* Isabella *

They left after a few minutes of staying beside my father's grave and I felt a feeling of uneasiness lifted from my heart. I wonder why the presence of Alpha Charles makes me so aware of him that I can't stay still knowing that he is around. It could be because I am not comfortable with them, as I blame the death of my father on their kind. 

The darkness of the clouds above me as I stood on the balcony of my room accompanied my grieving heart. "Isabella?"

I turned around to see Richard walking towards me. The room where he stays is next to me and we share the same balcony. "You couldn't sleep too?"

He nodded and let a tiny smile hover around his lips. "The wolves are not pleased because you have been obvious about your feelings towards them my dear. Alpha Charles is smirking every time he looks at you. You could be wrong about them you know?"

I sighed. "I don't need their help, Richard, I could be civil if I happen to bump into them but unlike my father. I don't want to ever be friendly with them."

Richard sighed and looked at me. "What about Bernard Isabella, I haven't seen him around recently?"

I look away and feel the cold breeze of the wind on my face. "He must be busy Richard, I will try to contact him tomorrow. Let us go inside now, I think the wind is getting colder."

"Yeah, it is."

I was glad that he did not ask any more questions further. Bernard has been acting weird ever since the wolves of the South made the threat to us. He wasn't as sweet as he used to be and I wonder why. Maybe he felt sad that I refused him to stay in the mansion.

As I entered my bedroom I could not help but think about him. It has been a few days since I have not heard from Bernard. I sent her a message on the cell[phone that he is using but I did not get a reply, so I just assumed that he could have a lot of things on his hands right now. And I on the other hand am quite busy as well. My father just died and I have to take care of the things and responsibilities that he left on my shoulders.

The loud knock on my bedroom door made me get up all of a sudden. "Who is it?"

There was a brief silence as I looked around and saw my wristwatch on top of my bedside table. It's five in the morning, an hour earlier than the usual time that I get up.

'It's me Miss Bannister, Mister Shaw is here early to speak with you. I'm sorry to disturb your sleep but he said that it is urgent."

My brows furrowed as I got up and looked for my robe to put above the thin fabric of my sleepwear. It is very early to have a visitor but since it is Bernard, I walk towards the door and open it up to see Martha.

"Thank you, Martha, you can go back to sleep. I would talk to Bernard."

"It's alright Miss Bannister, I am already up. I think that Mister Shaw would like it if I bring you both a cup of hot coffee."

I smiled and nodded. When I was about to go down the grand staircase, I took a good look at the couch in the living room and saw Bernard's back and felt a weird feeling when he turned around and faced me. My feet stopped in the middle of the stairs as I stared at his red eyes and haggard appearance.

"Oh! Bernard, What's wrong? You are here so early."

He stood up quickly and met me down the last stairs. "Isabella! My God, I don't know where to start but I am hoping to tell you something very important."

The trembling of his voice and his hands that grab me with force are all making me feel that something is wrong with him. "Hey, relax Bernard. Easy, come on let us sit and talk about it."

He gulps down a lump in his throat and fixes himself realizing that he must have been overreacting. As I settled beside him on the couch, he looked down and then met my eyes. It seemed that he hadn't slept in days.

"You don't understand Isabella, I have to tell you everything now. And I don't have enough time to even explain to you the reasons why I was not visiting these last few days."

"Bernard, relax. I am not mad at you if it is about your work, I do understand the importance of your role in the community. And my cousins are with me, together with the people who work for my father. Don't worry about me."

His eyes turned even wider as he looked at me and I held his hands. They were cold, unlike the last time I remembered holding him. He must be cold from outside.

"Isabella, I can't be with you anymore. My life as a human is over now, but I have to tell you that you must go. Get away from this place as soon as you can, please. I still care about you and my feelings for you will never change. The wolves of the South are coming here tonight, they will kill you all if you do not go!"

"What are you talking about Bernard!?"

He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me closer towards him. "I cannot protect you, Isabella, the wolves met with my family yesterday and my parents were informed that I am mated to the female wolf of the southern pack. If I choose to deny it they will slaughter everyone in my family. You have to understand Isabella, they are very strong in numbers you don't stand a chance if you want to stay and fight!"

I shook my head as I understood everything he told me. "No! That's not going to happen, I am not leaving this place. My father and all the people here are expecting me to protect them. We are staying! We have silver bullets that would kill a wolf."

"Isabella! You can't kill the Beta with the silver bullet and how much more the Alpha? The only beings that could defeat the wolves of the South were the wolves of the North. You have to go and talk to Alpha Charles, they can help you. Please, Isabella, do not think that you will stand a chance of killing a wolf from the South. They are well experienced in battling with human hunters and you will only kill everyone in your group. Please listen to me!"

I gritted my teeth. "No!!! This is not happening, Bernard. And why are you mated to the wolf of the South when you are human? I don't believe this! You are lying to me."

The feeling of pain suddenly gripped my heart as I looked at him. And my tears fell.

"Isabella? Bernard?"

My cousin Richard came down the stairs and called us. He must have heard my scream and he woke up. Bernard stands up and walks towards him.

"Richard! Take your cousin and leave this place, all of you! The wolves of the South are coming tonight. They will kill all of you, I cannot protect you no matter how I would try to save you. This is the only way. You don't stand a chance against the wolves."

"No!"

I stand up and meet the eyes of my cousin. He was shocked as he looked at me. "What are you talking about Bernard? Your family are the police, you could help us defend this place. We can't just leave and what about my family and the Bannister army? We are strong together."

"There is no army anymore!?"

My eyes widened as I looked at Richard and read his lips as he spoke. "The wolves have invaded the lands on the other side, I was with them. I have no other choice, they will kill my family!"

Richard immediately let out a right punch into Bernard's face. "And what about my family? huh! Where are my parents now?"

My hands trembled as we waited for Bernard's answer. "They are gone, there's only you and Isabella now. I'm so sorry, I came just to save you both. Please if you want to save yourselves, leave now and don't come back not if you got help from the cold mountain pack."

My head went spinning as the tears fell from my cheeks, I couldn't believe what was going on.

"Isabella!?

Their voices faint as I close my eyes and everything in me is blackened out.