Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

The sun rose over the Silver Crest Pack grounds. Birds chirped but Isla barely noticed. Her hands shook as she carried the trays of food to the hall. Today was Damon’s ascension ceremony. She had hoped that after today, he would banish her. Maybe she would finally be free. But deep down she felt a cold dread. Something in the air felt different. The pack members were tense. Whispers ran like wind through the hallways. Even the elders looked uneasy. Damon entered the hall, robes flowing, chest high. He was taller, stronger, more dangerous than ever. His dark hair fell over his eyes, and he did not smile. His eyes scanned the crowd and then landed on her. Isla froze. He looked… furious. “You,” Damon said slowly, almost to himself. “Why are you even here” “I… I am serving” Isla said softly, keeping her head down Damon’s lips curled into a smirk. “Serving, yes. That is all you are good for” She flinched but said nothing. She had learned that speaking too much only gave him more pow

Isla woke before dawn again. The hall was quiet. Only the faint sound of wind moving through the trees reached her ears. She rubbed her eyes and stretched. Her muscles ached from yesterday, from the endless chores and Damon’s harsh orders. She dressed quickly and moved toward the elder’s room. She wanted to see if there were any books or journals left behind from her parents. Maybe something would explain her strange feelings, the bond, the strength that pulsed inside her even though she was wolfless. The door creaked as she entered. Dust floated in the sunlight. Shelves lined the walls, filled with old tomes and scrolls. She ran her fingers across the spines. Her heart raced. “Looking for something” Damon’s voice cut the silence She jumped, turning quickly. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, his dark eyes cold. “I… I am just checking the shelves” Isla said softly “You are always checking something,” Damon said. “Always sneaking” “I am not sneaking” she whispered “Yo

The night was quiet, almost too quiet. Isla walked along the edge of the Silver Crest Pack grounds carrying a lantern. The moon was full, its light casting long shadows across the grass. Her wolf stirred inside her chest, bound but restless. Something was coming. She could feel it. “You are late” Damon’s voice cut through the silence. He stepped from the shadows, eyes dark and sharp “I was checking the perimeter” Isla said softly “You are always checking,” he said. “Do not think I do not notice” “I need to be ready” she whispered “You are not ready,” he said. “You are weak. You always have been” “I endure,” she said quietly. “And that is my strength” Damon studied her for a long moment. Then he turned and walked toward the hall. “We will see how long that strength lasts” Isla watched him go. Her wolf stirred more strongly now. The air smelled different tonight. Danger. She could feel it in the way the leaves trembled, the way the wind shifted. Her heart raced, but her mind was

This stupid skinny stripe of sunlight snuck through the curtains and fucking punched me right in the eyes. I let out this sad, whiny groan thing and flopped over like a dead fish on the lumpy piece-of-shit cot Damon had basically hurled into the corner last night. “Protection,” he’d grunted, like that was supposed to make it normal, but he’d stood there way too damn long, arms crossed, staring while I yanked the blanket up over my chest like it was armor. His eyes were so dark and stuck on me. Like if he looked away I’d disappear into thin air… or like if he stayed one more second he might do something really stupid he couldn’t undo. Now even a couple feet of space between us felt ridiculous and painful, like someone had threaded fishing line under my ribs and kept giving it these lazy, mean little tugs every time he breathed too far away. I hated how much I noticed.I dragged myself sitting up, heel of my hand smearing sleep crust and probably last night’s mascara across my cheek

I woke up way before the sun came up. The room was still really dark no moonlight, a weird gray light coming through the curtains. It was like this light was too afraid to be. Damon was sleeping next to me lying on his back one arm thrown out like he owned the bed. His chest was going up and down slowly. His face looked softer not like the guy who had been treating me badly for ten years.I did not move at first. I just lay there staring at the ceiling feeling his body heat on my side. The mattress was dipping under his weight like it was made for him. My wolf was inside me feeling happy and sleepy like a cat. This made me want to punch something. Because feeling happy is not safe. When I feel happy I let my guard down.. I learned the hard way what happens when I do that. People get hurt or leave me.My hands were hurting under the bandages. It was a pain but I could ignore it. I moved my fingers anyway. The cuts were already healing, faster than they should. I guess my wolf healing w