CHAPTER 18

Isla's POV

"Adrian!" I blinked in shock, my heart racing as I stood there staring at his dark eyes. "What are you doing here?" I blurted out, my voice full of shock and confusion. He had absolutely no business being in this class. He was a warrior through and through, not a healer.

Just then, someone brushed past us, and before I could react, Adrian was pushed toward me. My heart leaped as he collided with me. I was about to stumble when his hands instinctively caught my arms, steadying me.

Tingles. Goosebumps. And my heart skipped a beat.

For a split second, we were too close. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin, the mate bond crackling between us. My pulse quickened, and my face heated up, flustered by the sudden proximity. His scent, oaks and cinnamon, surrounded me, making it impossible to ignore him or the fated connection.

But just as quickly as it happened, it ended. Adrian pushed me away, his hands leaving a cold emptiness in my chest. His expression was unreadable. But the way he ran his hand through his hair, scoffing, was enough to remind me of his hatred. And pull me back to reality.

"Do I need to report to you?" He sneered, his eyes narrowing, his voice dripping with arrogance and disdain. "I haven’t needed to take the Shifting Control course for a long time." His tone was sharp and dismissive.

He didn't even bother to look at me, rejecting my entire existence as he walked off, heading to the back row to put as much distance between us as possible. He moved with a kind of casual confidence, as if the whole room was under his command.

I clenched my jaw, fighting the frustration bubbling inside me. Of course, Adrian couldn’t just leave me alone, even here. He had this constant urge to show me how much he despised me. I didn’t want to sit anywhere near him, either. So I found a spot in the front row.

The second he sat down, I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head. There was no escaping him, not even in a place I had hoped would be a sanctuary from all the drama. He was definitely here to torment me. But then I wondered if he was suspicious of me... and maybe my wolf. He kept following me relentlessly. My thoughts spiraled, and I could feel the tension radiating from him across the room, making it impossible to relax.

 A soft voice broke through my thoughts. "Hi Isla, can I sit next to you?" I turned to see Chloe, a timid girl who barely spoke to anyone throughout middle school. But she had successfully managed to stay under the radar. Her eyes were wide, and there was nervous energy about her.

I was surprised she even knew my name, let alone wanted to sit next to me. This was new to me, someone wanting to sit beside me. Was this day real?

"Of course, you can," I replied, forcing a smile.

Chloe smiled shyly and took the seat beside me, pulling out her notes. It was a small relief to have someone else approach me without an agenda, someone who wasn’t judging me or glaring daggers into my back.

Before anything more could happen, Sylvie, the pack’s healer and the teacher for the healing and recovery class arrived. As Sylvie stood at the front of the class, beginning her lesson on recovery techniques, I immediately focused on her. She began explaining the importance of healing and recovery for werewolves, detailing how it could save lives and help our warriors survive even the most grievous injuries.

"Now, let’s talk about herbs," Sylvie said, turning to the class. "Who can name a rare herb used to heal deep, infected wounds?"

Without thinking, I raised my hand. "Grimroot," I said.

Sylvie paused, her eyes narrowing in pleasant surprise. "Right. Grimroot is one of the most powerful healing herbs we have."

But I wasn't finished with my answer yet. Much to her and my peers' surprise, I continued. "It grows wild in the dense parts of the forest. Its sap can be mixed with moonstone extract to treat wounds that can't be healed even by our wolves." I found myself answering without hesitation. The knowledge flowed out of me naturally from years of research and practice. For the first time in a while, I felt a sense of accomplishment.

"Well done, Isla. You have a rare gift for this. You are really good at this." She said, her tone calm but filled with praise.

I nodded, a flush of pride warming my chest. It wasn’t often that I got praised for anything, and it felt… good. For a brief moment, I forgot about Adrian’s brooding presence and my inner conflicts. I could feel my wolf praising me in my head as well.

But I was careful not to let that get over my head. After all, it was something I had been drawn to since my early days. I joined here to learn and not boast.

"Your understanding of these techniques is remarkable," Chloe whispered, noting down what I had mentioned earlier.

"Thank you," I murmured, feeling accomplished again.

Later, Sylvie told us the basics about the importance of the class and how, as time progressed, she was going to teach us to use our skills for the better benefit of our pack.

When the class ended, I gathered my things quickly, ready to bolt before Adrian could make things worse. I knew he would do something to make it harder for me. But Sylvie’s voice called me back.

"Isla, Adrian, please stay behind. I need to talk to both of you."

My heart sank. Great. Alone with Adrian. Again.

I glanced at him as he approached, his expression unreadable as he got up and approached Sylvie. I wondered why Sylvie asked just the two of us to stay back. We have nothing in common. And I absolutely didn’t want to be with him.

Whatever Sylvie wanted, it couldn’t be good.

This was not how I expected my day to go. I wondered if I should have continued sleeping instead… continued to be an unimportant person living in the shadows.