Isla's POV"What are you doing?" I managed to mumble, confused, feeling something stir deep inside my heart.Adrian's expression had shifted, softening in a way I had never thought was possible. Unlike his usual harsh and distant touch, it was now gentle. He wiped my tears like he cared about me, his hands lingering too long, even after that. And his eyes narrowed with pain to see me hurt.And then, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears loudly. My stomach flip-flopped, forming a knot inside my chest. A wave of emotions that I couldn't even explain coursed through me, rampaging through my insides. Everything faded, and all I could focus on was him... his supple lips... his squared jaw...And the way he looked at me, made my wolf stir inside me, equally drawn to him.But then he pulled back and I knew better.He accused me of having feelings for Stefan. How could he after everything that happened between us? How could he after I told him so many times that Stefan was only my friend?
Isla's POV“What are you doing?” I yelled, shoving Adrian away from Stefan.I was shocked to see Adrian here, my heart pounding in my chest. And the way his gaze flickered between me and Stefan, as if accusing me of cheating, weighed heavy on my shoulders. The air was thick with tension. I could feel the raw, untamed rage radiating off him. But Stefan stood on the ground too, sneering at him, almost challenging him.Adrian growled, his eyes red with fury, to show his rage and panic surged through me. He was not going to let Stefan intimidate him. He glared at Stefan like a predator ready to pounce.“Didn’t I tell you not to even think about taking Isla with you?” Adrian’s voice was low and dangerous, dripping with possessiveness. His fists clenched at his sides as he stepped closer towards Stefan, which sent shivers down my spine.Stefan chuckled a bitter smile as if mocking him. He stood tall, unflinching. He looked straight into Adrian’s eyes and scoffed. “What right do you have to
Isla’s POVThe night had fallen by the time I made it back home. But as I made my way home, I began to feel more restless. Home should be a place for comfort, but for me, it was different. The familiar sense of deep emptiness settled in.But today was different.As I stepped through the door, the house, which had never truly felt like home, was surprisingly lit. I froze when I saw my parents waiting for me at the dining table.I blinked, confused. The way they looked at me... it felt different. And there, on the dining table, was a meal they had prepared. For me. Simple but intentional. The weight of their sudden attention tugged at something deep inside me. For a fleeting second, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time, a flicker of hope. I wondered if they had finally realized I was their only daughter now and had finally decided to appreciate me better.But that hope died quickly when I looked into their eyes. The same doubt. The same suspicion. My brother sat at the end of the ta
Isla’s POV"Adrian," my lips trembled as I spoke his name.Moonlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow over Adrian, highlighting his features as he looked at me with an intensity that made my heart race.He stepped closer, his body towering over mine. And I didn't stop him. The heat of him wrapped around me like a blanket, pulling me in. When his fingers grazed my cheek, the roughness of his touch sent shivers down my spine. I pulled him closer, closing the gap for a kiss. And then as if teasing me, his thumb traced my bottom lip, his gaze darkening with desire.“You have no idea what you do to me,” Adrian murmured, his voice low. His hands slid down my arms, pulling me closer, his hot breath fanning the sides of my neck.Well, he had no idea what he was doing to me. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, and couldn't ignore this overwhelming feeling inside me.I gasped and taking this opportunity, he captured my lips in a sizzling kiss that made my vision blur. It wasn’t so
Isla's POV"Isla!" The moment Adrian called out my name, I felt like I was caught in the act. And when our eyes met, the memory of our brief kiss from last night and that from the dream this morning flooded my mind. His lips had felt so real that I could still feel them on mine. My heart skipped."Isla," Adrian called again, snapping me back to reality. I had been completely distracted since Chloe arrived with Adrian. She had been helping him to mark the scores with such grace that it left me and everyone watching confused.He stood across from me, his eyes narrowing. "You are not focused. I will test you myself. Let’s see if you’ve made any progress."My stomach churned. Here we go again. Why was he always so keen to partner up with me for a sparring match? Honestly, I felt like Adrian sparring with me always had an edge to it, like he was trying to prove something."She is going to fall flat and lose.""Serves her right! Traitor!"Opinions about me hadn't changed, and I didn't expec
Isla’s POVI clutched the file where I had documented every single thing that led to the finding of Chloe's involvement. Adrian had to stop trusting her. So, I hurried to his office, hoping to help him figure out the truth and also to stop Chloe. She was dangerous.But as I approached his door, I stopped, noticing the strange smell muffled in the air. My wolf stirred uneasily inside me. "Something is off!"I peeked through the crack in the door and froze.Chloe was draped over Adrian seductively as he sat on his chair. Her hands caressed his shoulders as she whispered something in his ear and then bit it slowly. The sight sent a jolt of rage through me. She was wearing a tight, body-hugging dress, flaunting herself around him, just like before. She then sat on his lap seductively and Adrian didn't stop her. I clenched my fists, fuming. When she was about to get bolder and kiss Adrian, something inside me snapped. My fists clenched as jealousy surged within me, hotter and sharper than
Isla's POVI stormed out of Adrian's office, my heart pounding in my chest. I screamed at the top of my lungs as soon as I was alone, my hands shaking from the argument. Why couldn't I control these gnawing feelings? Why couldn't I stop him from treating me like a toy?By the time I got home, all I wanted was some calm. But that was something too far from my life. Everything has been so overwhelming recently. How could Adrian lower his guard and fall prey to Chloe's manipulations again and again? He didn't ever care to listen to me. I wasn't sure if it was jealousy or helplessness, but I couldn't stop the anger surging inside me. Chloe was really sinister. But the worst part was, despite my irritation, I still couldn’t shake the feel of his touch, the way his hands had ignited every nerve in my body.I slammed the door behind me, frustration coiling in my heart. But then something caught my eye. An envelope was wedged under the door frame. Who could have put it here?I froze.The edge
Isla's POVI carried Ryan to the hospital, my arms trembling from the weight of him and the fear that clawed at my insides. His blood soaked my clothes, each step feeling heavier. I couldn’t lose him—not like this, not after Elara.Once we arrived, the nurses rushed him into emergency care, but I stayed close, not daring to leave his side. I couldn’t afford to. Even though Ryan, like everyone else, had seen me as a curse for a long time, he was still my brother. And at this moment, I could only think of the sweet memories we shared as kids.I paced the waiting room, my thoughts consumed by questions. Why did the people around me keep getting hurt? Why was it always my family? First Elara, now Ryan. Who was behind all of this?By the time my parents arrived, they had already bandaged and sutured Ryan's wound. Their eyes immediately found Ryan, lying pale and motionless on the bed. My mother’s gaze lingered on him before it slowly shifted to me, cold and accusing.“This is your fault, I
Isla's POVEvery day since I returned from the ancient forest, all I felt was emptiness. Vast and hollow. It was as if something had been torn from me. They told me I had lost my track while patrolling. But it didn't add up. How could I lose track? I couldn't help but wonder what it was that I was missing so dearly but couldn't remember.When I returned, every muscle ached as if I had been crushed under a mountain. My body bore no visible wounds, but I knew something profound had happened. The ache in my chest wasn’t just physical. There was something deeper, something I couldn’t place. An overwhelming urge gnawed at me. I felt like I needed to search for… someone. Someone important.But who? Why did I feel so empty?No matter how hard I tried to piece it together, the memory was always out of reach. I was beginning to wonder if I was going crazy.For everyone else, life in the Black Mountain pack moved forward as if nothing happened. And as their alpha, I spent the next few days buri
Isla's POVThe world around us stilled, the chaos of the Stone Pack fading as I opened my eyes. We were no longer in the bloodied hall but in the heart of a dense, ancient forest. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and wildflowers. Silver moonlight filtered through the towering trees, casting an ethereal glow on the ground.Adrian lay motionless in my arms, his skin pale, his breathing shallow. My heart twisted painfully at the sight of him like this. He was so close to slipping away.“No, no, no,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Adrian, you can’t leave me. Not like this.”As tears spilled down my cheeks, a voice deep within me stirred. But his breathing grew weaker, his body colder.A low, mournful howl rose in my chest, and my wolf’s voice echoed in my mind, strong and resolute. "You are more than what you think, Isla. The power to save him is within you. But it comes at a cost.""What cost?" I choked, desperation clawing at my throat."Everything."Befor
Isla's POVAdrian lay limp in my arms, his breath shallow and strained. His blood soaked into my white gown, and my trembling hands couldn’t stop the warmth from slipping away from his body. He was barely awake, and I couldn't help but keep jerking him to keep him awake.“Adrian…” I whispered, my voice cracking as tears streamed down my cheeks. “Stay with me. Please, stay with me.”His once-brilliant twinkling eyes flickered weakly, breaking something inside me. His gaze focused on me for a fleeting moment as he forced a goodbye smile.“I-Isla…” he murmured, his voice a broken whisper. But his grip on my hand was faltering, his warmth fading.This time when he called me Isla... something stirred inside me. At that moment, everything came rushing back, as if a dam had burst and memories came flooding in, overwhelming my senses.I remembered the cliff.The way Elara, no, my twin, had pushed me with a malicious smile on her face. I knew she never liked me. But we were still sisters. I ne
Isla's POVStefan let out a sharp laugh, his smirk taunting, as he eyed Adrian with nothing but contempt.“You have some nerve, waltzing into my territory, sabotaging my wedding, disrespecting my bride, and demanding what isn't yours,” Stefan mocked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "This is Stone Pack’s territory, Adrian. And you? You’re just a trespasser. Did you think I would just let you take her?”With a single flick of his wrist, a squad of guards stepped forward, forming a strong barrier between Adrian and me. Their golden brown eyes gleamed as they shifted slightly, their claws elongating, ready to strike.A few of his own men stepped beside him, growling lowly, their muscles tensed as if ready to completely shift at a moment’s notice. The tension was suffocating. The guests were frozen, uncertain of whether to stay or run.Adrian didn’t flinch. I knew that look in his eyes. They were blazing with determination, fury, an unshakable will. His stance was unyielding, muscles ta
Isla's POVThe corner of Stefan’s lips curled as he met my gaze. “Nothing has changed.”He said it so effortlessly. But I felt the lie beneath them like a blade pressed against my throat. For a second I wondered if he was the same boy with whom I grew up, the one who had always been by my side, who had laughed with me and cried with me. It was as if those memories had never existed at all.I wanted to believe him. I wanted to reach out and grasp onto something familiar, something that could anchor me in the storm of confusion and pain swirling inside me. But I knew better.Everything had changed.This wasn’t the Stefan I had known. He was gone. This man before me was different: colder, obsessed, and dangerous. His eyes did not give the same vibe of affection but were filled with something I could barely recognize.Hatred. My heart ached, not just for what had been taken from me, but for him too. For the part of him that had been lost to whatever darkness had consumed him.And now, he
Isla's POVAs I crushed the herbs I had been secretly gathering since my captivity with my trembling hands, my heart pounded with anticipation. I mixed them carefully, crafting the sleeping draught. Every step felt perilous, but desperation sharpened my focus. I needed to escape. Now or never.When the maid came over, I threw the powder substance in her face, taking her by surprise. She soon fell unconscious, confirming the effectiveness. I seized the opportunity, grabbing the keys from her. Something primal stirred within me, urging caution.Sliding into the hallways, I pressed myself against the cold walls, my breath shallow. The air was heavy with tension as I tried to move past the guards without getting caught. Every footstep was deliberate, measured. Freedom was just ahead. I could almost feel the night air beckoning me like a promise waiting outside the large wooden door in front of me.But fate, as cruel as ever, had other plans.“Stop her!”The guards’ shouts tore through the
Stefan’s POVThe flickering torchlight in the cavernous chamber made the shadows dance eerily on the stone walls. “She’s still resistant,” I admitted, my tone laced with frustration. “Even after all this time, she won’t submit. She’s regaining her memory, and it’s making her defiant.”Marcus tilted his head, his lips curling into a faint, sinister smile. “Ah, but resistance is merely a symptom of a will unbroken. This will help.”As I paced along the room, the weight of my plan pressing heavily on my mind. Tomorrow, everything will fall into place. Isla would become mine in name and bond, and Adrian... Adrian would meet the end he deserved.The memory of my exile still burned in my chest, a constant reminder of the humiliation Adrian had caused me. He had taken everything away from me. My status, my pack, my pride. Even Isla. My parents died for the Black Mountain pack and in return all I got was suffering. Now, I would take everything away from him. Once he is dead, the pack will st
Adrian’s POVThe tent was stifling, even if it was a cold morning. My fists clenched at my sides, the crumpled wedding invitation lying discarded on the table, a cruel reminder that everything was going awfully according to his plan. The thought of Isla, trapped and manipulated, was a rage I couldn’t contain. "I am going to kill Stefan. How dare he think that he can marry Isla in front of me!" I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “Adrian,” Ryan began cautiously, his voice full of reasoning, “you need to think this through. Stefan is not just inviting you out of arrogance or showing you that he was the one who finally had Isla. This invitation... it’s a bait. He wants you to come. He has probably already planned for every move you might make.”I spun to face him, my chest heaving with restrained fury. “I don’t care if it’s a trap,” I snapped. “I won’t let him marry her. I won’t let him use Isla like some pawn.”“And if she’s there willingly?” Ryan’s question sliced through me, but
Adrian's POVI stood before the map laid out on the table, my fists clenched as my eyes scanned the enemy’s positions. The weight of the situation bore heavily on my shoulders. I should have felt proud to lead such capable warriors. But all I felt was the gnawing ache of loss. Isla’s face haunted me... her wide, confused eyes, the way her voice shook when she told me she didn’t remember me.But I remembered her. Every detail. Every moment.Isla was still trapped in the Stone Pack, surrounded by lies and danger. But most importantly, she was being manipulated by Stefan. I couldn't believe someone could stoop as low as Stefan to win over a woman they claim to love. I would never do that.“You are not thinking straight,” Ryan’s voice interrupted my thoughts.I turned to him sharply. “I am thinking clearly enough to know we can’t sit here while Stefan keeps her under his thumb.” I clenched my fists, my resolve growing stronger. "I will bring her back. No matter what.”Ryan stepped closer,