Chapter 32

Isabella stood with an unfriendly gaze. “Alright,” Isabella snapped, her voice sharp and demanding. “What the hell is going on?”

Lucy’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of Isabella. Isabella’s sudden entrance had shattered the fragile calm that had settled over the room, and now tension crackled in the air like electricity. Lucy sat up straighter, her eyes wide as she tried to gather her thoughts. 

Marie was the first to react, her eyes narrowing as she shot Isabella a disapproving look. “Isabella, I don't… I mean.!” she stammered as she could not get her words together.

“Can someone please help her out?”Isabella interrupted, her voice rising. “What is she trying to say?” She demanded, turning to notice Lucy.

Katherine exchanged a glance with Lucy, who looked pale and exhausted, the weight of everything bearing down on her. But there was no avoiding it now. Isabella wasn’t going to leave until she had answers. And for the fact that she had come around before and met the door locked and now seeing them all inside the room was something that would need some explanation. 

The room was thick with tension as Lucy sat still on the mattress while Marie and Katherine stood, their heads slightly bowed, unable to meet Isabella's piercing gaze. The air felt heavy, almost suffocating, as they avoided each other’s gaze, unsure of how to navigate the situation. 

Isabella's eyes flicked from Marie to Katherine, then finally settled on Lucy as she expected a response from any of them. She could feel something was off with the silence that hung in the room and her instincts told her that whatever it was, it was significant. She let out a low chuckle, breaking the silence, as her eyes met Lucy’s. There was a defiance in Lucy’s eyes that intrigued her, but also made her suspicious.

“What’s going on? Would anyone tell me something?” Isabella’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a knife. She looked directly at Lucy and Marie, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Where have you two been? I was here before, but your door was locked.” 

Marie flinched at Isabella’s words, fear flashing in her eyes. She remembered the exact moment when Isabella had called out to them, and how she had chosen not to respond. She had to do it all because of Lucy's safety. She knew if she had answered Isabella's call, she would be bombarded with questions which she wasn't ready to answer and based on her terms with Lucy, it might have resulted in something not favorable. But now, faced with Isabella’s scrutiny, she felt unsure of herself. Her mind raced as she searched for an explanation that wouldn’t betray the truth, but every word that came to her mind felt inadequate.

Before Marie could muster a response, Isabella pressed on, her voice dripping with suspicion. “And why on earth would you lock the door? You never lock your door. What’s going on? This would be the last time I would ask a question without getting a response… and you know what I can do, right?”

Lucy's heart pounded in her chest as she sensed the rising tension. She knew she had to say something, anything, to diffuse the situation. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to speak. “Isabella… I wasn't okay and I'm just… getting better.”

Lucy's voice was weak, and her words didn’t carry the conviction she had hoped for. She could see the doubt in Isabella’s eyes, the way her gaze seemed to pierce right through her. But before Lucy could continue, Marie suddenly interrupted, her voice slightly shaky but determined.

“Lucy fainted,” Marie blurted out, her words coming out in a rush. “She’s been unconscious for almost a day, and we’ve been running around trying to keep her at bay. That was the reason the door was locked.” Marie took a pause and glanced at Isabella to notice the expression on her face. “I guess when you called out to me and Lucy, I wasn't around and Lucy was unconscious.”

Isabella raised an eyebrow, her skepticism clear and evident on her face. She tilted her head slightly, studying Marie’s expression, searching for any sign of deceit. It was hard for her to believe that was the whole story, especially given the secrecy that looked obvious from their silence and the locked door. “Lucy fainted?” Isabella giggled. “Running around?” she echoed, her tone flat, as if she was testing the words in her mouth. “Keeping her at bay?”

Marie bit her lip, feeling the weight of Isabella’s scrutiny. She had hoped that her explanation would be enough, but the doubt in Isabella’s voice made her uneasy. She glanced at Lucy, who was still sitting on the mattress, her face pale and drawn. Lucy met her gaze, silently urging her to stay strong, but the unspoken plea in Lucy’s eyes only made Marie feel more anxious.

Isabella’s gaze shifted back again to Lucy, her eyes narrowing. “You expect me to believe that you fainted… for almost a day and had woken up not quite long? And now you're resting? And that’s why the door was locked?” She didn’t wait for an answer, her frustration evident. “This doesn’t add up, Lucy, Marie… don't think you can make a fool of me.”

Katherine, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, her voice calm but firm. “Isabella, we’re all concerned about Lucy’s health. She’s been through a lot, and she needed rest. That’s all there is to it.”

Isabella turned her gaze to Katherine, her eyes narrowing further. “And you expect me to believe that too? There’s more to this, and you know it. I can see it in your eyes. All of you are hiding something.”

Lucy felt her pulse quicken, panic rising in her chest. She could feel the weight of Isabella’s accusations pressing down on her, and she knew that they were skating on thin ice. She had to think quickly, to find a way to calm Isabella’s suspicions before things got out of hand. 

“We’re not hiding anything, Isabella,” Lucy said, her voice trembling slightly. “I fainted and I just needed some time to recover. That’s all.”

But Isabella wasn’t convinced. She crossed her arms, her eyes never leaving Lucy’s. “I don’t believe you,” she said bluntly. “I don’t believe any of you. There’s something you’re not telling me, and if you all don't give me an answer, you will suffer the consequences.”

The room fell into a tense silence, each of the women feeling the pressure of Isabella’s words. Lucy felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, her body heavy and weak. She knew that Isabella wasn’t going to let this go, and that they were running out of time to come up with a believable explanation.

“Mistress, it's true… you know I've always done everything you told me and I've always followed your order… why would I lie now… Lucy fainted and just recovered.” Marie went on her knees and slightly bowed her head.

Isabella burst into laughter, her voice echoing through the room as she clapped her hands in mock amusement. "Lucy fainted?" she repeated, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, Marie, you said that before and that’s rich! What a story."

Marie’s face paled, her nerves fraying at the edges as she watched Isabella laugh. She exchanged a worried glance with Katherine, who kept her expression steady, though a flicker of irritation crossed her eyes. Lucy, sat still on the mattress, tightened her grip on the sheets, her body tense as she waited for Isabella’s laughter to subside.

But as Isabella’s laughter began to fade, she noticed the serious expressions on their faces. The room’s atmosphere had shifted, Isabella’s amusement quickly drained away, replaced by a cold silence. She frowned, her eyes darting from Lucy to Marie and then to Katherine, trying to decipher what she had missed.

Katherine took the opportunity to speak up again, her voice calm and measured. “It’s true, Isabella,” she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt. “Sir Ethan came to find me. He told me Lucy was unconscious, and that’s the only reason I’m here. You know my quarters are nowhere near theirs. I wouldn’t have come unless it was serious.”

Isabella’s eyes narrowed as she processed Katherine’s words. She knew she saw Ethan with Katherine’s and had been wondering why on earth would Ethan see Katherine privately. Even Katherine quarters were far from where Lucy and Marie , and that her presence here meant something significant had happened. Isabella crossed her arms, her mind racing as she pieced together everything she had observed. Ethan’s unusual concern, Marie’s silence when she called out earlier, Leo’s distracted demeanor—all of it began to make sense.

The puzzle was almost complete, but something still gnawed at her. Despite the story they had crafted, Isabella couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more beneath the surface, something they weren’t telling her. Her gaze lingered on Lucy, who was trying her best to remain calm, though the tension in her body betrayed her fear.

A twisted thought crossed Isabella’s mind, one that made her stomach churn with a dark satisfaction. *What if Lucy hadn’t survived?* The idea of Lucy out of the picture, no longer a complication in the delicate balance of power and relationships within the pack, was oddly appealing to her. It would have been easier, cleaner. 

“Is that really it?” Isabella finally asked, her voice softer, almost thoughtful. She glanced at Lucy, her expression unreadable. “You fainted, and that’s why all of this happened?”

Lucy swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice. “Yes, Isabella. That’s all. I’m just… weak right now. But I’ll be fine.”

Isabella’s gaze hardened as she looked at Lucy. *Weak,* she thought. *Of course, you are. But why couldn’t you have stayed that way?* She sighed, her fingers drumming against her arm as she considered her next move. There was nothing she could do now, nothing she could say that wouldn’t come off as paranoid or spiteful. Yet, the seed of doubt had been planted, and she knew it would grow.

She finally let out a long breath, her demeanor shifting back to something more neutral. “Well, I hope you get better soon, Lucy,” she said, her voice carrying a faint hint of insincerity. “We can’t have you fainting again, can we?”

Katherine and Marie exchanged a quick glance, knowing Isabella was far from convinced but relieved that the confrontation seemed to be winding down. Lucy nodded weakly, forcing a small smile, but she could feel the coldness in Isabella’s words, the unspoken threat lingering in the air.

Isabella tilted her head, studying Lucy for a moment longer. “Just… take care of yourself, okay? I’m sure Ethan and Leo wouldn’t want anything bad happening to you.”

Lucy hesitated, her thoughts swirling. *Is she seriously telling me to take care of myself?* Lucy thought bitterly. *As if she actually cares.* She knew better than to trust Isabella’s sudden interest in her well-being. The resentment between them was no secret, fueled by Isabella’s jealousy over Leo’s attention toward her. The idea that Isabella would genuinely care about her condition was laughable.

But even as these thoughts churned within her, Lucy knew she had to respond. She couldn’t afford to let her true feelings show, not with Isabella’s calculating eyes fixed on her. Forcing herself to remain calm, Lucy finally nodded, though her voice was hollow. “Don’t worry about me, Isabella. I’ll be fine.”

Isabella chuckled softly, the sound more mocking than amused. “Good. You’ll need to be,” she said, her voice carrying a subtle edge. “Both you and Marie should get ready for tonight’s work. We don’t want anyone slacking off.”