I scream, pushing Harry off me. But immediately after I do so, I realise that it's not Harry at all. Oliver is the one, and Harry was a figment of my imagination."Isla, what's wrong?" Oliver asks me in confusion, and I try to wrap my head around things. He stares at me expectantly, waiting for an answer, but I have none.How can I explain to him that I came to the image of another man instead of him? Worst of all, it's the man that Oliver is so insecure about."Nothing; it's nothing." I say to Oliver in the most unconvincing tone ever, and he stares at me warily."Isla, did I do something wrong? Was I too rough? I'm sorry; forgive me; it wasn't my intention." Oliver says in a desperate tone, and I'm shaking my head as guilt swells up in me.“No, no, no. Don't say that; you didn't do anything wrong. I'm just overwhelmed; that's it. You were perfect. Everything about you is perfect." And that's the problem."Are you sure?" He asks me, and I nod."I'm sure," I say with a smile. "Let's g
HARRYI've done a lot of selfish things, but what I plan to do soon will be the most selfish of them all.I know I said that I'm a changed person, but that only applies to the wrongs against the pack that I have done. Not to Isla.Every single day, I feel my heart close to exploding just because she isn't with me. And the thought of her belonging to my former best friend doesn't sit well with me.I want Isla so bad that it hurts, and I'm willing to do anything and everything for her. And that's why I'm even doing this for her.I'm supposed to be at the infirmary, resting, but I'm sure that's not doing me or anyone else any favours. I have to get back to my list.As I find my way to the home of the next person, people around me sneer and snicker. They're probably happy to see that the man who terrorised them for years is now battered and bruised, unable to defend himself.Who would've thought?I knock on the door of the house, and a man opens it. One that I know well and that used to b
The woman explains to me what Harry did, and to say I'm shocked is an understatement. Harry? The Harry that I know ran into a house on fire and saved a child, risking his own life in the gesture.I can't believe this."Are you sure he's the one?" I can't help but ask the woman, and she nods gingerly."Yes, I'll forever be grateful to him, and right now he's in the infirmary. He inhaled a lot of smoke, and the doctors are treating him." The woman says, and I raise a brow.Why would he do such a thing?I don't allow my mind to linger much on it as the people start coming one by one to cross out their names on the list.By the time they're all finished and leave, I check the list to see that there are exactly sixty-six people remaining.I know that Harry's motives for such an act can't exactly be innocent and nice. I bet it's all a trick. I need to see him.No, Isla. You can't see him.You just made up with Oliver, and if he finds out about this, he won't be happy with the news at all. S
The next day, I was up and ready. I leave Oliver's room before he wakes up. I don't know why, but I feel like it's the right thing to do.I feel awfully guilty for what I did yesterday night, not that he's even aware of it. But that doesn't even make me feel better.I head straight for Sandra and the kids. I see her giving them work to do, and I quickly gesture for her to come with me.She tells the kids to continue doing their work before she heads straight for me as I stand by the door of the room."Good morning, Isla. It's been a minute." I say, and I nod frantically."Yeah yeah. Good morning." I say in an off tone, and she raises a brow at me. Goddess, this woman always knows when something is wrong with me."You know the councillor, right? Lauren's father." I say in hushed whispers, and she nods."Did you know that he has these vivid dreams that come true?" I ask her, and she nods casually."Yeah, everyone knows that." She shrugs, and my jaw drops.No. This is not happening. This
"You, Isla. You." Harry says in a serious tone with his eyes trained on me."You can say that," I say in a whisper as I clutch my chest."I can and I will. I know that you've been avoiding me, but I'm trying. I'm changing. I'm sorry for all that I've done to you, please." He says in a desperate tone, coming closer to me, and I stand up from my chair, moving to the deepest corner of my office so that I can be further away from him."You need to leave right now, Harry." I point out the door, trying to sound firm and strong when there's a tsunami going on inside me."Why?" He asks.Because if you don't leave right now, I might give in to whatever you ask of me, and I can't do that because he's my fiance, and you're the man that my heart keeps calling for, but I can't do anything about it because you've hurt me before, and I'm afraid you'll do it again.I don't dare say all of that to him, though. I just hold my breath and flex my shoulders."Because you're being inappropriate right now,
"And I was, but in a different way." He says, and I raise my brows in confusion."What? What do you mean?" I ask him."You had moved on. You were doing good for yourself. Heck, you're a doctor. That's better than anything else. I was so proud, angry, and jealous at the same time." "I was proud that you had made a name for yourself and that you were doing so well. I was angry; you did all of that without me. I was jealous that while I was thinking of you twenty-four seven, you were out making your name, doing good things." "It hurt me so much, and I wanted to hurt you. I didn't understand how you could move on so fast and happily while I was and still am hung up on you.""As you came back to the pack, I realised that you were an entirely different person. You weren't the soft, docile Isla I used to know. You became strong, independent, and bold.""I still don't know which version of you I love best; maybe both, but that's not the matter here. You could take care of yourself, and that
"What the hell?!" The question spins in the air, jerking me into alertness, and I quickly peel myself off of Harry.Thankfully, it's not Oliver; it's Sandra.Why am I thankful that it's not Oliver? What is wrong with me?"What is going on here?" Sandra demands, and suddenly I've run out of words. I can't speak. The situation seems different for Harry because he takes a step forward and starts to speak."Isla was having a panic attack, and I was calming her down." Harry explains in a chill voice.He's telling the truth, though, so why do I feel like he's not and we were doing a bad thing? I don't know. All my emotions are just jumbled up all over the place."When did Isla start having panic attacks?" Sandra asks in a concerning voice as she stalks closer to me and rests her fingers on my shoulders, threading them and calming me even more."Right now, apparently. I think you should take her to see the pack doctor." Harry suggests to Sandra, and she's nodding her head.“Do you want me to
"What do you mean by run?" I ask him, sniffling in between as I disentangle from him."Exactly that. Since we've both gotten our wolves back, I say we run together. Hunt together, even. Spend the night together. What do you say?" He asks me in an excited tone, and I see how his eyes are bright and wide.He really wants to do this with me. "Of course," I cheer, and he smiles. "What time?" I ask."Six-ish. I'll come here to get you." He says, and I nod. "I promise, you're going to love it." He says in a reassuring tone, and I believe him."I love everything that has to do with you." I tell him honestly, and the smile on his face increases."Are you okay? I mean, are you good now?" He asks, referring to how I was just bawling my eyes out a few seconds ago.“Yeah, yeah, I'm totally fine. Maybe all I needed was your presence." I tell him, bumping shoulders with him playfully."You know, I was kind of having an off day; that's why I headed here. I feel better now, thank you." Oliver says to