A Choice in Shadows
Kael paced the length of the small hut, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. Isla’s defiance had thrown him, and the quiet resolve in her eyes had made something inside him snap. He had expected anger, fear even—but not this unshakable determination to return to Draven. The thought of her choosing another man over him was unbearable.
“Kael, let me go,” Isla’s voice cut through the thick silence. She was standing now, her back straight despite the exhaustion written across her face. “You’re not helping me. You’re hurting me.”
“I’m protecting you!” Kael snapped, spinning to face her. “Do you have any idea what Draven will do to you? To us, if he finds out you’re here?”
Isla’s jaw tightened. “He won’t hurt me. And as for you—what happens to you isn’t my concern anymore.”
Her words struck like a blow, and Kael’s breath hitched. He closed the distance between them in two quick strides, his expression dark. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do,” Isla said, her voice firm. “You chose your path when you betrayed me, Kael. Now I’m choosing mine.”
Kael’s hands trembled at his sides, his emotions warring between anger and desperation. “He doesn’t deserve you,” he said through gritted teeth. “He’s an Alpha, Isla. You’re just a piece of his power, a tool to strengthen his pack.”
“And you think you’re better?” she shot back, her voice rising. “You’re the one who used me, Kael. You threw me away the moment it suited you, and now you’re doing it again by keeping me here.”
Kael’s face twisted, his eyes darkening. “I won’t let you go back to him,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t.”
Before Isla could respond, the faint sound of movement outside the hut made them both freeze. Kael’s head snapped toward the door, his nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of another wolf. His body tensed, his hand reaching for the dagger at his waist.
“What is it?” Isla whispered, her voice low.
“Stay here,” Kael growled, his tone sharp as he moved toward the door. But Isla didn’t listen. She edged closer, her eyes narrowing as she tried to catch a glimpse of the intruder through the cracks in the walls.
Kael opened the door just enough to slip outside, his dagger gleaming in the moonlight. Isla held her breath, straining to hear the exchange. The muffled sound of voices reached her ears—Kael’s low and threatening, the other wolf’s more composed but no less dangerous.
A sudden growl cut through the air, followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground. Isla pressed her hand to her mouth, stifling a gasp. The door flew open, and Kael staggered back inside, blood dripping from his blade.
“Who was it?” Isla demanded, her heart pounding.
Kael’s eyes were wild as he slammed the door shut. “Someone who shouldn’t have found us,” he said, his voice shaking. “We need to move. Now.”
