CHAPTER 2

Isla’s POV

Today was my eighteenth birthday. Yet nothing was ceremonious or happy.

The air was thick with accusations, almost making it difficult to breathe without feeling suffocated. Even the silence was weighing down on me like a double-edged sword. Neither could I bear it, nor did I want them to open their mouths and put all the blame on me somehow. My place, my role, was clear. It had always been like this. So, why would anything be different today, especially when their precious Elara was dead?

My father stood at the head of the table, with a grim expression, his lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line. Ryan looked outside the window towards the main gate as if he expected Elara to walk through the gate any moment, his demeanor distant and unforgiving. My mother sat on the edge of her seat, still sobbing, her puffy red eyes full of accusation and more.

But it was Adrian's presence that made me the most nervous, even when he stood still in a corner. His bloodshot, unblinking eyes were fixed on me, burning with rage.

It was early morning. But none of us had slept. How could we? Not after what had happened.

"Where were you last night?" My father’s voice was harsh, cutting through the silence like a sharp knife.

“I…” I hesitated, my mind still trying to reply with something believable. I couldn't tell them about my wolf. Not yet. "I went for a walk."

“Walk!” My mother's voice cracked in disbelief as she wiped her tears. "You were gone without any notice! While your sister..." She choked on her words. She looked down again, tears falling automatically. "While your sister... In the fire... We couldn't even find her body... only pieces of her clothes."

“I didn’t know,” I said, my throat tight. “I had no idea this would happen to Elara.” My head was reeling to understand how this was my fault. I don't even know who started the fire.

“Didn’t know?” My father snapped, his voice full of suspicion that made my skin prickle. I could see a quiet fury beneath the surface. "You were missing exactly when our daughter was dying."

My chest constricted at his words. Was I not their daughter, too? Was she not my twin? The division was clear. He didn't even feel the need to soften his tone when he directly accused me of being involved in Elara's death.

"You think I had something to do with her death? Why? She was my sister." My voice croaked as I tried to hold something solid to steady myself. How could they hate me so much? I was also one of them.

My father looked away. But his cold and unforgiving demeanor was enough for me to understand what he was thinking. But it wasn’t him I had to fear or worry about.

“Lies,” Adrian’s voice cut through mine, cold and sharp.

It was only a matter of time before he came forward. After all, he didn't even shy away from accusing me in front of the pack last night without any evidence. He stepped closer, uncrossing his arms, his dark eyes blazing with hatred. We didn't know each other well. Yet the prejudice he harbored for me was too overbearing. He was again going to blame me for his beloved's death just because I was her twin.

“She canceled our date to meet you last night. She wanted to be with you to prepare for the celebration together.” He said in a dangerously low voice filled with disdain and distrust.

“What?” I froze on my spot, my eyes widening in shock as I tried to process his words, a wave of confusion twisting my insides. His words made no sense. “She never came to see me. She never told me we were meeting. I was alone.”

Elara was supposed to meet me? Why didn’t she tell me earlier? Why did she lie to Adrian? And since when did we prepare for our birthday celebration together? It was always about her. Her favorite theme, her favorite cake, her favorite flowers, and her guest list. Our birthday had never been about me, to begin with.

“Liar,” Adrian growled, his words dripping with relentless accusations. His fists clenched and unclenched as if restraining himself from physically lashing out. Only because I spoke back. What was he expecting from me? To accept something I haven't done? His eyes burned with rage as they locked onto mine.

“Stop blaming me. I didn’t do anything!” I shot back, my heart racing.

Adrian’s gaze hardened as he took a step closer. “Blaming you? You expect us to believe your story! That you just disappeared at the same time?” His voice was venomous. "I should have stopped her!" His voice softened as if he was telling himself, a guilt gnawing at him.

I met his eyes, refusing to let him intimidate me completely. “I am telling you this again. I didn’t start the fire. I have nothing to do with her death. We never met, and I was alone in the woods.”

"Convenient!" Adrian’s voice was full of disgust. The intensity of his stern gaze sent a shiver down my spine. “She specifically told me she left to meet you in the woods." He scoffed, assuming everything, even if there wasn't a shred of evidence.

“That’s not true!” I cried, my voice trembling, feeling hollow in my chest. “Why would I want to hurt Elara?”

A heavy silence followed. My parents looked at me in disbelief and contempt. Maybe they even hoped that I had died instead of their precious Elara. My family, my pack, everyone had always loved her. I was the outcast. The cursed one. The dark child. And now… now they were looking at me like I was also a murderer... as if somehow I was involved in her death.

Ryan’s eyes flicked between Adrian and me, his brow furrowing. "Isla, can you give us a believable excuse, at least? You don't even have an alibi, do you?”

 "Do I really need to prove it? I wanted some time alone, Ryan!" I shook my head, my cries going on deaf ears. Their accusations seemed like a mountain. A barrier I couldn't cross despite how much I tried.

"You have always been jealous of her. You couldn’t stand being in her shadow despite your own shortcomings. You never believed it was not her fault that she was just better." Adrian shot back, his voice low and dangerous.

"Isn't that right, Isla?" His gaze locked on to me as if commanding me to give in. "All those years, wishing you could be her. And finally, you have got an opportunity. To replace her. But in your dream, Isla. Never till I am breathing!" He looked away in disgust as if I was something too ghastly and repulsive to look at.

My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breathe. My father, my mother, Ryan—they all just stood there, watching. None of them spoke up for me. None of them said a word in my defense.

I wiped a stray tear and took a deep breath as anger flared inside me. Clenching my fists, I stood straight. "Do you have any evidence to prove my guilt?" I shot back.

Nothing I would say in my defense would matter. I could see the doubt in their eyes, how their minds had been convinced against me. Elara was dead, and I was the only one missing last night. I wish I could tell them about my wolf. But my wolf had been strict about not telling me about her existence. I trusted her more than anyone in this room.

The truth was, to them, it didn’t matter whether there was proof or not. I would still have been blamed for everything I had since birth. After all, I was the unwanted child. The curse. A mistake that shouldn't have happened. And I knew they regretted not killing me at birth like the elders had advised.

"You want proof? I will find out what happened, Isla. And when I do, you will pay for it.!" His words hit me like a boulder.

He had already made up his mind. They all had.

I was his target for revenge.

He was not going to stop until I had paid for Elara’s death.