CHAPTER 10

Isla's POV

I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. The darkness around me felt heavy. No matter how much I tried to shake off everything that had happened since the moment I shifted to get on this bed, I failed. The sorrow, the hurt, and the pain engulfed me like a blanket of restless thoughts and accusations pressing down on my chest. Their words, their eyes, and their hate replayed endlessly in my mind, making me anxious.

I should have left. I had made up my mind. And still, I found myself bounded by invisible chains. It’s no wonder I live in Elara’s shadow. Nothing changes. I was also a part of the problem. I failed to break free, my emotions and my love, always pulling me behind.

I looked out the window at the moon, feeling an almost magnetic pull towards the forest. The moon’s light spilled through the forest outside, casting a silvery glow on its leaves. My wolf stirred restlessly within me, almost pleading with me to leap and take refuge in our secret base.

The cabin by the waterfall has always been my safe place, my hideout. Here I felt free and at peace, a sharp contrast to my life in this pack. I had always felt drawn to it here, finding this place by luck when I was looking for herbs. But this place now holds a deeper meaning after last night. It was where I finally transformed last night.

“Isla,” My wolf whispered in my mind softly, “Let's go.”

I sighed, looking outside. Taking a deep breath, I closed the window and walked to my bed. “It’s late. I need sleep, not another trip to the cabin. Tomorrow is a very important day and we both need rest.”

As I lay on the bed, I tossed and turned again. I tried to push away the feeling, but it only grew stronger. I couldn't ignore it any longer. There was something about this place that called to me, something deep and primal. I slip out of bed, driven by a sense of urgency and a need to escape the stifling atmosphere of my home.

I opened my window and let the night air cool my face. My wolf’s excitement was palpable, a thrill of anticipation that matched my own.

"Let's go!" I leaped out of my window, like always.

I shift into my wolf form, the cool night air rushing over my fur, stirring an overwhelming happiness inside me. The exhilaration of the run is liberating, the speed and freedom a stark contrast to the turmoil I felt earlier. As I race through the woods, I reach out to my wolf.

 “Can we do this always? This feels so good.” I asked my wolf as we raced through the trees, the distant sound of the waterfall growing louder.

“Maybe sometimes. Not always,” she replied, her voice soft but filled with hope, but an underlying worry.

"What is it?"

“I am afraid if you reveal me, things might become even more troubling for you. We have to be cautious for now.” She warned me of a looming danger. She had been asking me time and again to hide herself, even from my family, even from Stefan.

“Why? Why do you insist on being hidden? Maybe if I revealed I have a wolf, things would become easier. If they find out I was undergoing my transformation, they will not blame me again. Maybe... just maybe I can come out of Elara's shadows.” I asked, feeling a pang of frustration.

Her voice resonates, calm and steady. “Isla, I have been with you since your twelfth birthday. That night, I had tried my best to claw my way out and make you proud... to shut those malicious mouths. But we failed.”

"You were there?" I asked, surprised. The memory of the night is my worst nightmare. But I had no idea my wolf had also suffered in silence.

"Yes."

I felt a pang of sorrow. “Why? What happened? Why didn't we shift?”

My wolf’s voice grew somber. “Someone had drugged you, ensuring that I couldn't come out. Those foreign substances in your body had stopped you from shifting. They had limited my abilities, preventing our opportunity deliberately."

"What? Who would do something so bad?" I asked, stunned at the revelation. Even though it made sense, I still could never have thought of this possibility.

"I don’t know who did it, but you need to be cautious. You can't reveal my presence. Otherwise, we could be in danger. I can smell some malice around you.” My wolf insisted, revealing the real reason behind her asking. But it terrified me to the bone.

“Should we leave? Shouldn’t we get away from here?” I felt a surge of fear. "We have suffered enough already."

She pauses before answering. “I can’t decide for you. Leaving or staying is your choice. Be brave and strive to become your true self, your best version. But no matter, I will always be here for you.”

I feel a surge of gratitude and comfort. For the first time, I am not alone. I have my wolf, a steadfast presence in my life. After reaching the waterfall, I looked at my wolf's reflection. She was the most beautiful wolf I had ever seen, so surreal and serene.

I finally dared to dream about a mate. My expectations are not too high. I just wanted someone who was caring, kind, and someone who would want to understand and see me for who I was really and not the image they had painted for me. I want him to appreciate me. I want to see love in his eyes for me like his world perks up when he is around me. And not the same hate that I had grown used to. But still, it all felt like a too good dream.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat by the moonlit waterfall, letting my emotions flow freely. I loved how free, and happy I felt in my wolf form. And I couldn’t believe someone had purposefully kept it suppressed. This was the only place where I could cry, where I could be anything I wanted. I had always felt like an outsider, but now, with my wolf by my side, I was not alone in my suffering. Maybe I can even change my fate.

As I prepare to transform back into my human form and leave, I sense a gaze fixed on me. A tantalizing scent of oaks and cinnamon fills the air. It enthralled my nose, captivating my very essence. I knew I should leave, but I was drawn to this scent beyond my control. My heart raced, a familiar, yet foreign pull drawing me toward it.

I turned around, unable to control my urge, the pull, and curiosity building up inside me. I wanted to find the owner of such a masculine, raw, powerful essence. My wolf howled in my head, almost wanting to come out. Her excitement was way out of control.

That's when I saw a figure in the distance, a wolf with piercing eyes fixed on me. The wolf was too familiar, too popular. I didn't even have to spare a second to recognize it. It was Adrian's wolf.

The recognition was a jolt to my system. I felt a rush of excitement and fear, knowing that this strong, captivating essence belonged to Adrian. When our eyes met, I felt a wave of unwarranted emotions. And I could feel the way his wolf was trying to figure out my identity. His excitement was too palpable, and his gaze was full of curiosity, and something even more overwhelming that I couldn't quite figure out.

At that moment, everything else faded away. The forest, the cabin, my fears, they were all overshadowed by the pull of his presence. I was both exhilarated and apprehensive. My mind spun! How could Adrian be? Why?