Chapter 4: In The Alpha’s Arms

Isadora’s POV.

My heart stopped.

Was he waking up?

His dark eyes were open, staring right at me intensely. His grip on my wrist was iron-tight, his body pressing against mine with a warmth that made my skin burn.

He was awake!

My breath caught in my chest.

“Alpha—“ I started hoarsely, my voice shaking.

But then I saw it.

His eyes looked unfocused and distant. Like he was looking through me and not at me. His body remained rigid, his muscles tense but there was no awareness in his gaze.

He wasn’t awake.

It was at that moment I realized that it was only a physical reaction, his nerves responding to my touch.

I let out a shaky breath. My heart was still pounding, but I forced myself to calm down.

“Just a reflex,” I whispered to myself. “He’s still unconscious.”

I tried to pull my wrist free but his grip only tightened. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer against his chest.

“Please,” I muttered as if he could hear me, struggling against him as best as I could. “Let me go.”

There was no response.

Eventually, I stopped fighting and just laid there, frozen in his arms. My heart raced wildly against his chest, I could feel his steady breath and the warmth of his body.

For a while, I just stared at his face. The way his dark hair fell across his forehead. The way his chest rose and fell with each shallow breath.

My mind drifted back to a night I’d tried so hard to forget.

Four years ago. Before prison. Before everything fell apart.

I was young and foolish, desperate for a moment of connection. I’d gone to a wild party filled with random wolves from across the border.

I’d been drinking alone when he walked up to me.

I never saw his face clearly. The lights were dim, but I remembered his voice clearly—a deep, rough, almost a growl. A tremor shot down my spine at the thought of how he’d held me and the things he whispered into my ear that night.

He had promised to find me again.

But he never did.

I shook my head sharply, pushing the memory away. That was a lifetime ago. A foolish mistake from a foolish girl. It had nothing to do with anything.

That night didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was my daughter. What mattered was getting her back.

I tried to pull away from him again. His grip loosened slightly and I managed to slip out of his arms.

My body was heavy, my eyelids drooping. I’d been through so much in the past few hours—the prison, the contract, the journey.

I tried to put as much distance as possible between us, laid on my side of the bed and stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours with my heart still racing.

Slowly, I drifted off to sleep.

****

My eyelids fluttered open to soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Birds chirped somewhere outside. And I was pressed against something solid and warm.

My eyes flew open.

I was in bed, right next to Alpha Caelen. His arm was wrapped around my waist, my head resting against his bare chest.

My heart nearly stopped.

How did I get here?

I’d fallen asleep on the opposite side of the bed, as far away from him as possible. I didn’t remember moving.

But I’d somehow ended up in his arms and it felt… familiar.

That was the strangest part. Lying here, pressed against his chest with his arm wrapped around me—it felt like I’d been here before.

My thoughts drifted back to that night four years ago. The strangers arms around me. The warmth of his body. The way he’d held me like I was something precious.

It was ridiculous and it made no sense. I’d never met this man before. I’d never seen his face in my life. But lying here in his arms, it felt like I was back in that bar, wrapped in a strangers embrace.

I pushed the thought out of my mind immediately. This was just my mind playing tricks on me.

Quietly, I tried to pull away but his grip tightened slightly. Even in his comatose state, he was strong.

A sudden knock at the door made my heart jump to my throat.

I scrambled out of his arms, my face burning with embarrassment. I barely had enough time to sit up and smooth down my clothes before the door opened.

Caelen’s mother walked in. She was tall, regal, with gray hair and beautiful eyes. Her dress was made of silk, the kind that wasn’t available to the public.

“Isadora ,” she said smoothly. “I trust you slept well.”

I bowed my head. “Yes ma’am.” I responded politely. “Thank you.”

She walked to the bed, looking down at her son. Her expression softened slightly.

“He looks peaceful.” She murmured. “More peaceful than he’s looked in months.”

I didn’t respond.

She turned to face me. “I need you to do something important for me.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to take care of him.” Her voice was firm. “He’s my son. He means a lot to me and I can’t stand to see him like this. I need you to stay by his side and help him heal.”

My eyes shot up to meet hers, completely taken aback by her request.

I blinked. “I’m not a trained healer—“

“You saved him last night.” She cut me off. “You stopped the convulsions. The elder said you have a gift that can help with his condition.”

I opened my mouth to argue but then I thought about my daughter. About the contract. About why I was really here.

If I refused, I would make an enemy of her. And I couldn’t afford to have enemies. Not when my entire future depended on this man staying alive.

“I’ll do what I can.” I said quietly.

She nodded, her expression unreadable. “Good. I’ll have the servants bring you everything you need.”

I nodded, forcing a smile.

I would play my role. I would be the dutiful bride. I would help the Alpha heal.

But I would never forget why I was really here.

My daughter.

Everything I did was for my daughter.