{Isla’s POV} Even after two years, my ears were still very familiar with that one voice. The raspiness of it struck me with memories from that night. But meeting an old friend or foe was the least of my concerns. I needed this agony, this pain to stop! I was the Princess of the Nation but I was going Rogue in my own body. I could hear my father’s deep voice shifting closer to me. Only he would have the boldness to approach the chaos that was me. I didn’t know why, but his confidence fueled my angst. I suddenly didn’t fancy his proximity so I growled and threw myself everywhere— slamming the ground and digging the walls with my shoulder. I could hear alarmed screams filling the air so that it seemed like a Whirlwind had consumed the area. I was that Whirlwind. “Do something!” I could hear my Dad bawl from a corner. “You must get him!” The Witch voiced. “Who?” My Dad asked, audibly confused but then their voices sank into the noise of the havoc I was creating. The sound of furn
{Isla’s POV} I took my bath for the second time today and changed into some new clothes. My former ones were ruined because of… I don’t even know how to describe what had happened. Thankfully, the Old Witch Lady was about to explain. We were about to go to her now. Cayden was outside my room waiting. He was my escort as instructed by the Witch lady. Her words. “Let the handsome hunk hold the girl.” I had given Cayden that name, “handsome hunk”. But let's ignore the fact that the Witch uses it to mock me. No one had understood why The Old Witch lady had instructed Cayden to hold me but not could object since the Witch seemed like the only one who understood any of this. For this cause, I would permit Cayden’s touch even though it would burn me and I hated the idea to my bones. Cayden’s a Monster and last night’s steamy session with my sister is proof of this. I fucking saved your mother from burning and you repay me by sleeping with my sister? How— Okay, I’m deviating here.
{Isla’s POV} My Dad shot to his feet, that Kingly reflex. The rest of us slowly joined my Dad on our feet as we watched panting Ralph halt before him. “What do you mean Rogues near the Palace.” My Dad voiced, visibly enraged as his muscles stiffened and his claws dug slightly out. He stood taller than Ralph and his annoyance poured out in waves. Ralph noticed this and trembled. “Over at Opal Pack, Your Highness. Rogues have attacked and they are setting everything on fire!” Ralph voiced. That sent a wave of panic on everyone as we all flinched in our own ways. What had gone down at GreyHill, Cayden’s Pack, was about to come down on Opal Pack. Everyone knew this. I wonder if Cayden would finally believe me now. But if he doesn’t, that’s his problem. My Dad bawled some words in anger. He was already making his way out so I couldn’t hear him. But I was sure he had said something like. ‘Gather the Warriors’. Or ‘Assemble everyone at the fields’. Or ‘Prepare for battle’. One o
{Isla’s POV} So I might have chatted with a Witch for a whole evening. But since we had been in a Meeting Hall, I might as well call it a meeting. In fact, it should be called a meeting, with or without a meeting hall, because the contents of our dialogue were weighty enough to be tagged ‘important’. Finally, I understood the severity of the situation I had gotten myself into. You would think that being Cursed is the worst that can happen to you until you’re told that your deliverer was the same person that caused you to be cursed in the first place. Fate is really playing games with me. I know I had once played a similar game, but I’m done. I don’t want to play reckless games anymore. The Ugly Old Witch had said getting with Cayden would fix everything and I had replied to her with 15 words. “I would prefer to die of this torment than to get back with that Monster.” Count it. It’s fifteen words, and I meant every single one of them. Getting back with Cayden would be a to
{Isla’s POV} I took my time turning around to meet him. I already knew who I was expected to see. “What did you say?” I asked as my eyes met his. He didn’t spare a second of silence. “I said, I think it would be better if we took the North paths. We can catch up to the Rogues faster.” He said, his tone cold. He wasn’t scared of me and he wanted me to know it. Well, I didn’t want him to fear me. I just wanted him to stay the fuck away from me, but it seems that hope is already tarnished. Sigh. “General Cayden. I believe I didn’t ask you for your suggestion or contribution to the mapping schemes for this mission. So I’ll advise you, for future sake, to keep your mouth shut and focus on following my orders.” I dumbed the words on him and continued to the supplies table, leaving him there standing. I didn’t want to get too angry. Intense emotions, the Witch had warned, could get my tantrums fired up. I hissed at his guts as I packed up my bag. There were chips and cracker snacks
{Isla’s POV} Would I be required to sleep next to him too? No. Hell, no! The Witch lady had only said he should lay a touch on me anytime I was about to create chaos. Which happens anytime I think too intensely about the Mating moon night or feel any strong emotion. Which can’t practically happen while I’m asleep. So… I don’t need to be near Cayden to sleep. Phew. That realization gave me a breather. I’d rather end my own life than sleep near that Wretch. I’ll never be— Okay, this is no time for loathsome confessions. I need to sleep. I took out, unfolded, and spread my sleeping bag on the buffalo grass beneath my feet. The atmosphere was cold and windy now but some Warriors had set a campfire near my axis so that it took the temperature to equilibrium. Cozy equilibrium. I looked around. It was dark now but there were two other Campfires at some other strategic points and I was at the heart of everything. The warriors had naturally set up camp around me. It was their
{Isla’s POV} The Wind was taunting but the air was tense. Everyone was on high alert, staring in the direction of the rustling, ready to scrag anything or anyone that would stumble out. Yes, we might have just been set up for an ambush but it didn’t mean we would let fear consume us. But fear was consuming me in a way. This was my first mission and It couldn’t go badly. I needed to prove to my Dad that I could lead my people to victory and yet, here we are. We took our battle stance boldly and awaited the doom or victory that was about to come. The bushes rustled roughly again and whether I liked it or not, whether I was scared or not, I needed to make the first move. I needed to be the leader I was supposed to be. I paced towards the area and gestured three other Werewolves to inch towards the second area. With the noise, it didn’t seem like our attackers had numbers. Maybe they were spies and this wasn’t an ambush. But there was only one way to find out. My claws were cu
{Isla’s POV} It was tickling and gentle. It took its time to wet my clothes and bathe my hands with its warmth. My Blood! I wasn’t certain of the instance as any pain I was supposed to feel was lost in the shouts of the people around me. It was lost in my confusion. One second, a child was smiling at me and the next second, red. I was sure a part of me had been punctured but it hadn’t fully registered to me. I felt numerous hands tie onto my throat with haste and almost immediately, I was taking from being vertically oriented to being horizontal. I was placed on the ground. Several faces dug into my field of view blocking my perfect view of the sky. I could visibly tell that those faces were screaming out words as their mouths and lips were bouncing roughly up and down, but I couldn’t focus my ears on perceiving. It felt like my ears were covered with bubbles. The faces continued shouting their inaudible words however and they started wrapping my body with clothes— maybe my n