A strange new home

When Isabella was taking her things to leave after the argument with her father, she did not waste her time in thinking he would come to his senses and stop her, because she knew he wouldn’t. She had always known somehow that this day would come though she hadn't known it would be under such circumstances.

She went to get her horse whom she had named Luna. The horse was strong and silver grey in color. Isabella took one last look at the packs surroundings just before she left its boundaries. She wasn't happy leaving the pack in this way but her father had left her with no other choice than to choose her child over the pack.

She must protect the child and find a way to unite the fractured packs and save the dying werewolf kingdom. Her only comfort being that she would have Tristan by her side as she rode out of the gates on her horse, but as she rode on her horse away from the pack and into the forest, she couldn't help the feeling that there were dark forces hiding in the darkness of the night. The thought gave her chills but she kept on moving hoping that in the end she couldn't figure it all out.

With each step taken by her horse further into the forest and away from home,the feeling of being followed or watched grew stronger. She turned round but could see anyone and she kept on moving. Unknown to her, her instincts had been right and she was indeed being watched by a dark figure hidden by the darkness watching her and the child she was carrying.

Isabella finally arrived at the sanctuary that was known only by her and her father. It wasn't as she had imagined it would be anymore as the last time she was here was when she was very little. It was unusually quiet except for the rustling of the leaves in the forest and the soft chirpings of the birds in the sky. She thought of the things she would miss all the while that she will be hiding here, the daily routines of the pack members, the sounds of fighting during training and even the steady look of disapproval on her father's face.

She remembered how beautiful it used to be and how the grand hall she used to know was now covered by moss obviously from age and lack of use. It held its own ancient history. She sat on the floor wrapping her arms around her knees keeping warm from the fire she had lit in the hall. She thought about all that had happened and how it had finally brought her to where she was now. She couldn't shake off the thoughts of her father's words and each word felt like a knife cut to her soul.

She also remembered Tristan and how fate kept pulling her to him. Tristan, the rogue Alpha whom she had connected with in ways she still didn’t fully understand. Her mind went back to that moment when she had first met Tristan, the way he had looked at her and how she had felt. How his touch had felt on her skin and what they had shared together that had brought this fate upon her. She forced herself to put thoughts of Tristan behind her and to focus on how she was going to survive the days that she will be spending here and how she was going to protect her child.

Suddenly she heard something like whispers in the air very soft and it sent chills down her spine.

“You cannot hide forever”

Isabella couldn't help but feel like someone somewhere was trying to warn her of the dangers ahead. She had managed to spend a few days in this sanctuary and was beginning to feel safe until now. It felt like she was being warned that her isolation wouldn't last long. Her being exiled from the pack tore at her heart especially as she was all alone and had no one to talk or turn to, until one evening she heard a knock on the door, initially she thought it was the wind playing tricks on her mind until she heard the sounds outside the door of the leaves rustling followed by another knock this time louder than the first. Isabella was afraid as she wasn't expecting anyone but curiosity made her open the door to find Jasper Thornwood standing in the doorway.

He was a very tall man, his eyes showing both fear and determination. Jasper was a very loyal soldier of her father's pack and Isabella wondered why he was standing in front of her door.

"Why are you here?” she asked in a voice laced with suspicion, even though the look on his face made her feel like she could trust him.

“I am not in support of your father's decision to send you away from the pack” he said stepping into the room, when Isabella didn't ask him in.

“The prophecy, your child, it's risky for you to be alone now” he said.

Isabella gave him a suspicious look before she asked him

“And you are throwing it all away including risking my father's anger just because you think I need protection?”

“It's much more complicated than that Isabella, I just couldn't bear to think that you will be alone all by yourself in this sanctuary” he said.

“There are too many dangers out here.”

While he spoke, Isabella noticed the look in his eyes, but she couldn't read it or explain what the look meant. She was just grateful for the comfort his presence brought. She felt safe having a familiar face around to help take her mind off everything she was going through at the moment.