A Shattered Vow
The silence of the ruined fortress was suffocating. Isla’s knees scraped against the rubble as she forced herself upright, her legs trembling with exhaustion. Her silver eyes, dulled by despair, scanned the empty space where the portal had been. Her children’s cries still echoed in her ears, haunting and relentless.
Susan joined them moments later, her face pale as she surveyed the destruction. “What now?” she asked, her voice trembling. “What do we do now?”
Isla clenched her fists at her sides, her silver light sparking faintly around her. Her gaze turned cold, her voice low but steady. “We fight,” she said. “We search every corner of this world and beyond. I don’t care how far she’s taken them. I’ll find them.”
Jamie placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm. “You’re not doing this alone,” he said, his tone resolute. “We’ll follow you, Isla. Wherever you go.”
Susan nodded, her expression hardening. “She’ll pay for what she’s done.”
Isla turned toward the fortress’s crumbling exit, her heart a storm of anger and despair. “She will,” she murmured. “But first, we get back to the pack.”
By the time Isla reached Crimson Fang, the pack was somber. The news of the twins’ disappearance had spread, and wolves moved quietly, their faces etched with worry and anger. Isla strode through the packhouse, her steps heavy but purposeful.
Inside the healer’s tent, the faint sound of labored breathing caught her attention. Isla froze, her heart hammering as she pushed the curtain aside. Draven lay on the cot, his powerful frame battered but alive. His amber eyes flickered open, weak but sharp, locking onto her the moment she entered.
“Isla,” he rasped, his voice raw but steady. He tried to sit up, but his strength failed him. “The twins…”
Tears spilled from Isla’s eyes as she rushed to his side, clutching his hand tightly. “They’re gone,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Eira took them. I couldn’t stop her.”
Draven’s grip tightened, his amber eyes burning with determination despite his weakened state. “We’ll find them,” he said fiercely, his voice strained but resolute. “No matter how far she’s taken them. No matter what it takes.”
Isla nodded, her tears falling freely. “I swear to you, Draven,” she said, her voice trembling but filled with steel. “I’ll bring them home. I’ll tear the realms apart if I have to.”
He managed the faintest smile, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “That’s my Luna,” he murmured, his voice fading as he slipped into rest.
________________
Isla stepped outside into the cool night air, the weight of her vow settling heavily on her shoulders. She gazed up at the crescent moon, its light thin but unwavering, a faint reminder of the goddess she once trusted.
She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, her hands curling into fists. “This isn’t over,” she whispered to the night, her voice fierce. “Eira took everything from me. Now I’ll take everything from her.”
Behind her, Jamie and Susan watched in silence, their loyalty unshaken. Crimson Fang was ready to follow her into the depths of any battle, but Isla knew this was a fight that would demand everything she had—and more.
The stars above seemed to shimmer, their light dimmed by the darkness of the task ahead.
