Chapter 9: The Breaking Point
"You don't belong here anymore, Isidora."
As the horse's hoofs kicked up moist soil as I rode into the shadowy woods, I kept thinking about what Jacob had said. The weight of treachery pressed down on me like an unseen hand, and the agony in my chest would not go away.
Just ahead lay the domain of the Moonshine Pack. Since my metamorphosis, since I recovered my sight, since I lost everything, I had not returned. Now, however, it was my only option.
I was sprinting.
Not because I was weak. Not because I was at fault.
However, Jacob had already made up his mind.
And I wasn't the one.
The smell of home surrounded me as the trees parted: pine, clear night air, and the far-off burn of woodsmoke. I felt a feeling of nostalgia as I saw the little homes huddled together and poorly illuminated. I had been using smell, sound, and touch to go around this location for years since I couldn't see. Now that I could see again, it seemed almost alien.
As I got closer to the main house, I slowed my horse by pulling the reins. The front door sprang open before I could get off.
Vega, Lucas.
His rough face was marked with astonishment as he walked onto the porch. Always on guard, his black eyes met mine with a mixture of worry and annoyance.
His voice was raspy with passion as he said, "Isidora." "Why in the world are you here?"
My knees almost buckled as fatigue overtook me as I slipped from the horse. In a second, Lucas was there, steadying me with his powerful hands on my arms.
"I—" My voice broke. I forced myself to swallow so I wouldn't collapse. "There was nowhere else for me to go."
His eyes became gloomy. "Did he cause you any harm?"
I tensed up. "Not in a physical sense."
Lucas let out a harsh sigh and, after a brief period of strengthening his hold, let go of me. "Enter now. Right now.
I refrained from arguing.
I was struck first by the house's warmth and then by the reassuring aroma of tea and old wood. Lucas guided me to the sofa, but he paced rather than sat next to me.
"I ought to have known," he whispered. "I should have known better than to believe that bastard would turn against you."
I responded, "It's not like that," but even I realized that the words were meaningless.
Lucas's eyes were burning as he turned. "Isn't it? Isidora, you came back broken. You're trembling. What was it that he did?
After a moment of hesitation, I pushed the words out. "He said that I had betrayed the pack."
Quiet.
Lucas's jaw tightened, and for a split second I believed he may move in the living room. "You?" he snarled. "That is nonsense."
I laughed resentfully. "Tell Jacob that. He had "evidence."
Lucas put a palm to his face and sat down hard. "Fuck it. He is being played by someone.
More to myself than to him, I said, "Or he just wanted an excuse to push me away."
Lucas took a while to reply. His voice was forceful yet calm as he spoke. "You still have feelings for him."
I shut my eyes. "That is no longer relevant."
"There's no way it doesn't."
Now his voice was closer. He was squatting between my knees directly in front of me as I opened my eyes. His hands touched me, anchoring me.
He said, "You are not alone in this." "What the Golden Claw Pack says doesn't matter to me. What Jacob thinks doesn't matter to me. Oh, Isidora, I know you. You never betray yourself.
My throat filled with emotion, but I resisted letting it out.
Lucas ran his hand over my knuckles as he examined me. He urged them to remain here. "With me. Allow me to keep you safe.
I got a chill from the way he spoke and the intensity in his eyes. Hadn't Lucas been there all along? A quiet guardian, a constant presence in the background. And he was still here now, while everything else was crumbling.
I let out a trembling breath. "I'm not sure whether I can trust people anymore."
He cocked his head, looking into my eyes. "Then let me prove myself."
The moment was broken by a knock at the door.
Lucas immediately got up and stood with his body in front of me in a protective stance.
"Who's that?" he yelled out.
A recognizable voice responded. "Salome."
My blood froze.
Lucas glanced at me, his face stern. "You anticipate her?"
I gave a headshake.
He hardly opened the door to get a glimpse of her. "What are you looking for?"
She said, "I need to speak with Isidora." "It's urgent."
Lucas remained still. "Try again."
Salome let out a sigh. "She is in danger."
Silence for a beat.
I nodded as Lucas gave me a glance. He moved to make room for her.
Salome's piercing blue eyes fell on me right away. "You ought not to have returned here."
I scowled. "Pardon me?"
She closed the door behind her and said, "They know where you are." "Isidora, Jacob is not the only one who believes you are guilty. They demand blood, the elders.
I felt my gut tighten. "They believe that I am a traitor."
She clarified, "They're convinced." "And until they have evidence—or a body—they won't stop."
Lucas muttered an expletive.
I took a deep breath. Jacob refused to let them to—
Salome's laughter was devoid of humor. Jacob is no longer in charge of making decisions. It's Elder Magnus.
My veins slipped with ice.
Between us, Lucas glanced. "We must depart."
Salome gave a nod. "Now."
I paused, my thoughts whirling.
Running wouldn't help if Elder Magnus was responsible for this and had incited the pack against me.
I had to battle.
I had to live first, however.
I looked into Lucas's eyes. "Where are we going?"
He didn't think twice. "Somewhere we'll never be discovered."
My destiny was so decided.