The Twin’s Shadow
Draven’s stare was unrelenting, his question hanging in the air between them like a drawn blade. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you? Care to share?”
Isla’s pulse pounded as she searched for the right words to deflect, desperate to keep him from prying any further. But as she opened her mouth to speak, a sudden, sharp howl echoed from the far edge of the camp, cutting through the silence like an alarm. Draven’s expression shifted instantly, his gaze snapping toward the sound, his body tense and alert.
“What the hell…?” Draven muttered under his breath. He rose in a swift, commanding motion, his eyes narrowing as more howls and snarls erupted from the perimeter.
The camp around them came alive with urgency. Warriors ran past in flashes of movement, weapons drawn as they rushed toward the source of the commotion. Isla felt a cold wave of dread wash over her. She knew, with a gut-wrenching certainty, who had arrived.
Draven shot her a look, suspicion flickering across his face. “Stay here,” he ordered, his tone brooking no argument. But as he turned toward the door, Isla reached out, her fear slipping through her control.
“Draven—wait,” she said, barely able to keep the tremor out of her voice. “Please—”
Draven’s expression darkened, his eyes never leaving her as he gave a single command, voice low and deadly.
“We’re not done. Don’t move.”
Back at the Midnight Crest pack, Seraphine paced furiously, her eyes narrow and calculating. When she’d discovered that Isla had fled, a surge of anger boiled within her. Isla had always been a thorn in her side, but now, her absence was a threat. If Isla dared to expose their family’s secrets, everything could unravel.
She turned sharply to her parents, who were watching her with expressions that mirrored her own worry. “Isla’s weak, but desperate,” Seraphine hissed. “If she’s truly out there, she may think she has something to prove. She could talk.”
Her father’s face hardened, and without hesitation, he called for Kael, the pack’s strongest warrior and, once upon a time, Isla’s fated mate. He stepped forward, his expression cold and detached.
“Find her,” Isla’s father commanded. “And make it clear—she either returns with you, or she doesn’t come back at all.”
Kael’s eyes flashed, a mix of reluctance and resentment clouding his gaze, but he gave a curt nod, setting off without another word.
You have to hide,If he finds you, it’s over.
Isla slipped into the shadows, ducking behind one of the supply tents, her mind racing as she tried to mask her scent, pressing herself into the thick growth behind the tent. But she could still feel him, his presence close, the lingering connection between them simmering in the air.
A voice echoed through the camp, deep and unmistakably familiar. “I know you’re here, Isla,” Kael’s growl carried across the clearing. “You can’t hide from me.”
Isla clamped a hand over her mouth, pressing herself deeper into the shadows, praying he wouldn’t come closer. But before she could steady her breath, a strong hand seized her from behind, pulling her back against a solid frame. Another hand clamped down over her mouth, stifling the scream that rose in her throat.
“Quiet,” a low voice murmured in her ear.
