ONE PART 2

Isabelle's Point of View

We bid our farewells, and I stood there, watching as my father and Malik receded into the distance, their silhouettes gradually diminishing in the twilight. Only once they had vanished completely did the authoritative aura of my father's alpha status dissipate, leaving me to face the stark reality. I glanced down at the ring adorning my finger, pondering how they had managed to manipulate me into saying yes so effortlessly.

My father was utterly delusional if he believed I would accept this passively. I let out a piercing scream, my voice reverberating through the air.

Claiming my rightful position as the queen of the Silverstone pack ran deep within my blood. I spat on the ground where my father had stood merely moments ago. It was all a load of nonsense—a steaming pile of bullshit. My father was the epitome of archaic values, adamantly adhering to every antiquated rule imposed by the pack. It mattered not that half of them desperately required modernization and change.

The pack yearned for someone to propel them into the present era, not drag them back into the dark ages. This was utterly unacceptable, and I needed to uncover a loophole or unearth some form of lunar magic to combat this injustice.

Surely, there had to be a more viable alternative than enduring this nonsensical bullshit.

How could my father dare to wield the threat of handing over pack leadership to another ruling family simply because they were men? It infuriated me that he had arranged a mating for me with a wolf whom I hadn't even exchanged a single word with in over two years. I seethed with anger, rejecting the idea of being bound to a mate of his choosing.

My fingertips transformed into sharp claws, and I scraped them deliberately along the walls of my dorm room, oblivious to the damage I caused in my fury.

Chase, my ever-watchful bodyguard, observed me from across the room as I stormed through the doorway. Growling in warning, I made it clear that I had no tolerance for his interference and unwelcome advice.

"Isabelle," he cautioned, his deep voice adopting a soft and soothing tone. "Take a moment to calm down. It's crucial that you maintain control."

I struggled to rein in my emotions, the intensity of the situation threatening to overwhelm me. Losing control was the last thing I could afford.

I squinted my eyes in frustration. "What does it matter if I stay calm or not? I'm forced to obey whatever he commands, regardless of its nature."

"Perhaps. However, if you lose control and your inner wolf takes over, it won't only reveal your anger towards your father. You risk exposing much more. Don't give him the satisfaction," Chase reasoned.

"Go to hell, Chase. This isn't messing with your own life."

While my words proved unfair to him, knowing that he had always been my closest friend and a constant presence since our first meeting, I wasn't ready to be swayed by reason—his special talent. He always possessed the right words and actions to appease the wolf when needed. He was a good man, a reliable friend who kept me grounded.

Yet, it wasn't the same as when...

I yearned to see Tyler.

"I'm going out. Alone," I declared through clenched teeth, determined to reach the door.

"If you venture out in this state, you'll only worsen matters," he cautioned, stepping in front of me to block my path. "Let me accompany you."

I let out a string of curses, my anger reaching its peak as I locked eyes with him. "I don't need someone to protect me! I can handle this situation by myself!"

My chest rose and fell rapidly as I glared at him, noticing a faint twitch at the corner of his lips as if he were suppressing a smile.

"You may think you don't need a protector, but that's exactly what you require. And perhaps a well-deserved swat on your backside," he retorted, his words laced with a playful tone.

I swiftly turned to face him, my expression filled with disbelief. "Excuse me?"

A slow grin spread across his face, causing my best friend to transform into one of the most irresistibly attractive men I had ever laid eyes on. I swallowed hard, aware of the inappropriate nature of my thoughts. Yet, given his constant presence by my side, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the undeniable pull I felt towards him.

"You heard me," he replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

However, the idea of a shifter being romantically involved with their protector... It would undoubtedly invite trouble within the entire pack. Besides, I was already involved with someone else, and now I found myself inexplicably promised to another.

My mind felt like a jumbled mess, making it difficult to find clarity amidst the chaos. Three men now occupied an overwhelming amount of space in my thoughts, clouding my ability to discern the right path forward.

How could I possibly explain this complicated situation to Tyler in a way that he would comprehend? I wasn't supposed to reveal the entire truth to him, just bits and pieces. Only the protectors were privy to the knowledge of shifters, while the rest of humanity remained blissfully unaware. It was an unbreakable rule that the packs upheld, making Tyler strictly off-limits, much like the persistent bodyguard whose piercing gaze still bore into me as if he wanted to devour me whole.

Yet, Tyler possessed an unwavering intensity. He defied conventional norms and lived by a fierce inner strength forged through hardship, refusing to tolerate any nonsense from anyone. I had assumed his resilience stemmed from growing up as an orphan, but it seemed to be ingrained in his very being. He ought to have been a wolf himself.

A pained whimper escaped my inner wolf.

There lay the dilemma. He was a mere human.

My hands clenched tightly, my fury barely contained, as I pondered the unjust regulations that had been imposed upon me. I had spent countless hours suppressing the truth, denying the depths of my emotions for multiple men, even though it felt completely natural to my wolf. Every fiber of my being rebelled against the archaic notion that I had to confine myself to choosing just one man...

Yet, time was slipping away. I had to take action, to make my father comprehend that it was acceptable to love more than one person, before it became too late. I gazed down at the ring adorning my finger, a constant reminder that my choices were already constrained.

Silently, I howled within the depths of my mind, my wolf vehemently rejecting the rules that would force her into a life she had not chosen.

With Chase's words lingering in the air, I turned away from him, attempting to push aside the weight of his implications. He was the epitome of forbidden, the one I shouldn't even consider. Unlike Tyler, there were no lines being crossed between us. We weren't bound by a mating bond.

However, if I held even the slightest hope of persuading my father to change his stance before it became irreversible, I had no choice but to adhere strictly to the rules.

Once again, my wolf whined within the recesses of my mind, expressing her discontent with this limited option. She yearned for both Tyler and Chase, a desire that felt impossible to fulfill. I wasn't sure if I was reminding her or myself of our predicament. Though we were essentially one, there were moments when we didn't seem to be in sync.

"I'm going out. Don't try to follow me," I declared, granting him no opportunity to argue as I stormed out of the room and forcefully shut the door behind me. Tyler and I had been seeing each other for weeks, and it was time for me to reveal the depth of my feelings. He deserved to know the truth.

He had professed his love for me, and together we would find a way to navigate this complex situation. We would make it work.

Without wasting a moment, I swiftly sent him a text, urging him to meet me in the serene woods just beyond his dormitory. He proposed that I come to his room instead, but I politely declined. The confinements of four walls were suffocating at that moment. I yearned for the liberating embrace of the great outdoors.

My emotions were in disarray, swirling like a tumultuous storm, leaving me feeling utterly off-kilter.