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Isabella’s POV
I wasn’t sure where I was going but somehow I felt sure that I should keep going, keep moving. It was the only thing my mind was telling me. Or maybe I decided to keep moving because my mind was not telling me anything. Yeah, I guess that makes more sense. I’ve been unable to think ever since Alexander broke the horrible news to me. When he first said the words, I had laughed. I laughed because it didn’t make any sense and I decided that it was a poorly thought of joke. A cruel joke but a joke nevertheless. I didn’t understand a reality where my parents would just die My young, perfectly healthy parents.
When I realized that it wasn’t joke, I demanded that he tell me how on earth they died. That would help me make sense of what I’m hearing. I decided. And then he told me and it completely numbed me. My parents were killed. They were murdered and left lying in their own blood while they bled to death. They were alone and helpless in their last moments and if I was right about the timing, I was lounging on my bed at the exact moment, scrolling through videos on my phone and giggling with no care in the world. The thought itself was heart wrenching to say the least.
I could have done something. I am very fast and not at all a bad fighter. I could’ve decided I needed to visit my parents and gone there. They wouldn’t have died, they wouldn’t.
Or we could’ve just died along with them. My wolf said solemnly. She was really depressed as well and it didn’t help that I had suppressed her for all those hours. They were her parents too, but I hoped she understood. I always believed that the moon goddess was in control and everything happens for a reason. She knows what she’s doing, I thought. But now I wasn’t so sure. Maybe she wasn’t completely in control because
I couldn’t see her reason she had for letting my parents die.
After Alexander reluctantly left me in the room, I had sat on the ground for what felt like hour just staring at the wall. I did not know how to feel and I did not want to. I wondered if my parents would look over me from wherever she was now and regret having a daughter like me. A daughter that could neither save them nor shed a tear now that they were gone. But I did not want to feel, I was postive that if I crash, I will never be able to pick myself up again. And so I got up from the floor and made my bed, I cleared the top of the dresser and arranged stuff into their different drawers for the sake of just needing something to do. I unfolded clothes and refolded them until the room started to become suffocating and knowing a guard would still be stationed at my door, I went to the window, pushed it open, hopped unto the ledge and then I jumped.
Don’t ask what I was thinking, I wasn’t. It was exhilirating to fall from that height and I definitely got the fresh air that I had been needing. Luckily, my stance had been good and I landed on the ground perfectly even though I lost a slipper on the way. The woods ahead was the only place to go and I remembered to hide my scent first. I wasn’t dumb, I knew the pack wasn’t exactly safe. I had hoped Alexander wouldn’t come looking for me. I needed space but I didn’t want to have to worry him.
I’ve realized how useless that was because I still worried him and he still found me. And then I realized why I had pushed him away. It was impossible to feel numb when he was around and numb was all I wanted to feel right now. All it took was the concern in his eyes and him stroking my hands in his for me to burst into tears and blurt out everything did not want to think of. I knew he didn’t leave this time. I knew he was walking behind me as silently as he could but I said nothing. I realized that even though I had told him to go, deep down I hoped he wouldn’t. You can call me confused and I would agree with you. I was indeed confused. Nothing made sense at all.
I kept walking on damp soil and over fallen branches not minding that I was barefoot and ignored it when something sharp pricked my foot. I
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288 Vouchers
knew Alexander would definitely feel it through the bond when I hurt myself and I knew it was killing him to just ignore it. At that moment, like it randomly does, everything hit me again. I was going to call my mom today but she was dead. I was going to force an argument with my dad so he could eventually start talking to me again but he was dead. Dead! I would never see them again and they will never walk upon this earth again. They were going to be put into some cold, dark, lonely coffin and lowered into the ground where their bodies would rot.
Tears suddenly filled my eyes and the path in front of me became blurry. It was at that point that I lost my footing somewhere and just as I braced myself for the impact of the fall, strong arms gripped me from behind. That was enough to make the tears fall for some reason. Just the fact that my parents were gone but I had someone to rely on anyway. Alexander held my handbag loosely as I wiped my face with the hanky he gave me. I know it definitely hurt to see me like this but what could I do? There was a weight in my chest and a large lump in my throat that I didn’t think would ever go away.
Sniffing, I shrugged off his hand and continued to walk aimlessly around the woods. I could feel my body getting weak but I forced myself to keep moving. The plan seemed to be to push myself to breaking point. I deserved it for being alive. Alexander stayed with me even as I ignored him and I refused to think about how grateful I was to him for fear that I would burst into tears again. He probably had things to do back in the pack, killers to track down and other duties and here I was making him walk around the forest with no destination right behind me. He told me to blame him but I wouldn’t. I couldn’t blame him. Not when he knew about everything before me and even made an effort to help. Meanwhile what did I do to help? Nothing.
I turned back to him and I saw the way he instantly perked up. His eyes
were tired, his pants had greens sticking to them and his shoes were muddied, I didn’t even want to look at my legs. “Let’s go back.” I told him. “Let’s go back to the packhouse.” I told him, noticing how hoarse my voice sounded.
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He frowned and his mouth parted slightly and I could tell that he wanted to say something. Perhaps ask whether I was sure I really wanted to go back but he eventually just nodded and came to me. He put his hand on my waist gently and when I didn’t protest, he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me to him.
“Is this okay?” He whispered and I just nodded.
We began to head back and although I didn’t know exactly where we were in the woods, I knew that all we needed to do was follow our own scents. We walked in total silence. The only sounds to be heard was that of our steady breathing amd our feet on the ground. We walked until we got to a point I recognized as the place where I almost fell. Just then, I felt Alexander stiffen against me and turned to him in confusion. He looked around amd I noticed his arm tighten around me but we kept moving. He also didn’t say anything so I just shrugged it off.
Less than two minutes later, he stiffened again and this time I heard what he seemed to be hearing. There was shuffling sounds whose origins I couldn’t exactly place my finger on.
“Do you hear that?” I whispered but Alexander quickly placed a finger on his lips to tell me not to speak. Just like that, my heart rate quickened as realized that this could be something big. I tuned in to my senses and the sounds of shuffling increased and immediately I realized that those were the sounds of paws, we were surrounded by wolves. I stepped back, only to bump into Alexander’s torso. He held me tight, his entire body and stance, alert.
I looked around at the wolves that clearly outnumbered us–rogues to be precise–and my breath hitched.
“Stay calm.” Alexander whispered.
Once I attack, I want you to run back to the packhouse.
I widened to eyes at his insane request and shook my head. I’m not just
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going to leave you here, no!
288 Vouchers
My fierce overprotectiveness settled me a bit but then I had just lost two of the people that mattered most to me. I wasn’t about to lose my mate too. I know he was strong but the ratio was too unfair.
Isabella! He grabbed my shoulder. his eyes wide and serious. Listen to me and do as I say just this once, I beg you. Go, now!
