CHAPTER 14

Isla's POV

"Are you coming over or do you think you are royalty and I have to walk over to you?" Adrian’s voice thundered across the training ground, sending a shiver down my spine.

I felt the weight of the world pressing down on me, crushing my lungs, and leaving me breathless. His eyes radiated with anger. And not just because I was late. We both knew that. And maybe everyone here knew it as well.

I tried to steady my breathing, but my body betrayed me. I couldn’t stop the trembling that overtook me. My body felt stiff, weighed down by the whispers of my classmates that grew louder and harsher. They never miss a chance to remind me of where I belong. And that was not their world.

 "How can she even show her face here? Such shameless brat!"

"Isn’t she connected to Elara’s death? How could she even think she could train with us?"

"And she is late on her first day. Just wait. Adrian will deal with her well."

"A werewolf without a wolf. Useless. Hopeless. Just a waste of our precious time."

Each word felt like a thousand needles pricked my heart at the same time, reopening wounds. But I didn't falter. I didn't stop. I didn't look at their way to give them any satisfaction. I had grown used to being a nobody, a freak in their eyes.

 But it was Adrian's angry glares that were suffocating me. His stern gaze blazed with fury, locking onto me with an intensity that made my skin tingle. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to run.

“Late on the first day? You don’t even try to hide your disrespect, do you? Everything is a joke to you!” Adrian’s voice cut through the murmurs. His eyes burned with accusation.

I opened my mouth, desperate to explain. But it all came out messed up in a panicked rush. "I am sorry, I stayed up late last night—"

But before I could finish, he cut me off. "Why? What could possibly keep you awake? Were you up late mourning your sister’s death? Everyone knows how much you care about Elara." His tone was venomous, dripping with disdain.

 I flinched, his words hitting me like a boulder. The weight of his anger pressed down on me, suffocating me. The mention of Elara, his Elara, the one he loved, hung between us like a curse. I could clearly see he was still clinging to Elara despite knowing he had met his mate last night.

He blamed me. Everyone did.

 "Adrian is right! She is just lying!" Someone sneered, making me feel helpless.

My voice barely held together as I whispered, “I didn’t mean to be late…”

“Didn’t mean to?” Adrian’s growl was low, dangerous.

 His eyes flickered, and for a moment, I swore I saw his wolf fighting to be let out. I fidgeted my fingers, looking at him nervously, waiting for my punishment.

“You didn’t mean to?” He scoffed, raising his voice. “You have never meant to do anything, Isla! Always playing the victim, always letting others clean up your messes. But today,” his lips curled into a cold smile, making me shiver as goosebumps spread across me. I gulped hard waiting for him to tell me whatever dangerous thing he had planned for me as my punishment.

"Since you’re late," he continued, his voice like ice, "I’ll be your sparring partner."

I froze. What? My breath caught in my throat as dread settled in. Adrian was the future Alpha, unmatched in strength and combat. Even the Chief Warrior had him assisting with lessons. And now, he wanted to spar with me? He could directly tell me that he wanted me dead for being late for training.

"This is going to be a disaster. He is mad!" I whispered to my wolf, feeling the panic bubbling up in my chest.

“Trust me, Isla,” she replied, her voice soft but firm, but I could feel her underlying tension and restlessness.

 But how could I? How could I trust in something so new, so raw? I had only learned the basics of the intermediate courses.

"We will never come out alive from this match. I am going to die in his hands. Finally!" I whispered, trembling within. Adrian was a force of nature. No one stood a chance against him in combat, and everyone knew it.

“We are fast. Faster than he knows. But you have to believe in us.” She tried to boost my confidence.

The eyes of the entire pack were on us now, waiting for the spectacle, waiting to see me fail. I could feel their anticipation thickening the air, suffocating me. My hands balled into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms as I struggled to maintain my composure.

I scanned through the ground, my eyes falling on Ryan at a distance. I pleaded with him to save me from this situation. I saw him move, and my hope rose. But one of his friends pulled him back with a smug grin.

“Let her take the hit. She deserves it,” Ryan's friend muttered, loud enough for me to hear.

And to my horror and surprise, Ryan didn't flinch. He didn't even look at me as he lowered his gaze, leaving me to my fate. And yet I call him my big brother!

 I felt helpless, nervous, and abandoned when I heard Stefan. "Let me take her place." He offered, his voice steady, but I could see the uncertainty in his eyes.

"You’re not worthy," Adrian snapped, rolling his eyes, not even bothering to look at Stefan. His focus was solely on me. There was no escape.

My hands trembled at my sides, my mind racing. I swallowed the lump in my throat and braced myself. I had no choice but to face him, even though I wasn’t ready for this. The others watched, their curiosity and cruel anticipation thick in the air. I felt like a lamb being led to slaughter. They expected me to fail. To falter. To prove, once again, that I was nothing compared to Elara.

But beneath the fear, I could feel my wolf's defiance. She urged me to believe in her.

“Don’t panic, you can do this,” my wolf whispered. “We are faster than he knows. Remember last night we outran him?"

Adrian stepped forward, his muscles coiled with tension. “You ready, Isla?” His voice was low, almost a growl.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. “I am not afraid of you,” I said, though my trembling hands betrayed me.

I wasn’t so sure of anything. But I had no other option but to trust my wolf.

 “No?” He smirked, his eyes darkening. “We will see about that.” He was determined to kill me.