“What could you possibly have to say to me?” Tamara asked angrily, sounding a bit like an angsty teenager. At 25, she should have been over that phase, but apparently frustrating alphas and hybrids brought that out in her all over again.
“I have a lot to say, actually,” Annalise snapped back, holding her ground a bit. She was trying to be kind here, and Tamara was making that incredibly hard. “I need you to know that nothing has ever happened between Isaiah and I, despite what you seem to think. I don't know if that will help anything between the two of you in the long run, but you have to know. He has not been unfaithful to you in any way,” she told Tamara, trying to reassure her. The jealousy was unfounded. Isaiah would never do that to Tamara, or anyone for that matter. It was why she knew that she had to get over him, and bit by bit, she would. She just hadn't expected him to be in a similar boat.
“I don't know what your definition of unfaithful is, witch, but I feel like he has been entirely unfaithful. By keeping you here, he is being unfaithful to his pack. By giving his attentions to you, he is being unfaithful to this new relationship we are trying to navigate. But putting you first, he is being unfaithful to the promises he has made to himself. And if you knew him half as well as I did, you would see that. So, do not think that just because you have not kissed one another or slept with one another, there is nothing wrong with the way the two of you act.”
Annalise was taken aback by Tamara’s bitterness. Tamara had not struck her as the one to have such malice. She was beginning to sound like Orson. Maybe she was with the wrong brother entirely.
Annalise thought about her behavior, though, trying to see things from Tamara’s side. Had she done anything at all to try to pull Isaiah away from Tamara? Had she given any kind of signal that she wanted or expected something romantic from him? No, she could not think of any time since the moment that Tamara had entered that house that she had done anything that could even be construed as flirting. The only thing she had done was not leave, but how could she when she had not known how to handle the shift? “Tamara, I don't know what you think you have seen or what you have felt. I have not pressed Isaiah to spend extra time with me or do anything he has done. I think I know him well enough to know that he will make whatever decision he wants, regardless of those around him,” Annalise told her, trying to remain calm about it.
Tamara looked over at Annalise, disliking her even more in that moment. Even if she was right about Isaiah’s stubbornness, she could not possibly know more about this man in just a few weeks than Tamara did over a lifetime. Yet, she was acting like she had some kind of claim to new or different information to give Tamara. And if she did, it meant that Isaiah had opened up in a way that he should be opening up to her, his mate. “You shouldn’t be acting so innocent,” Tamara told her. “I have seen the way you’ve looked at Isaiah from the first day you got here. It doesn’t matter if you’ve said or done anything. You have thought it.”
Annalise felt like she was getting a scolding for feelings he couldn't control; feelings she hadn't known at the beginning were going to get in the way. She could easily tell Tamara it was she who had chosen Tamara over many others to be with Isaiah. She had given him up in that moment, but she didn't think that would help.
Annalise knew she would be able to control the change now. She could leave, with her magic intact, and go back to the coven. They wouldn't suspect anything knowing she had not been in a good mood when they last saw her. Hyacinthe had been pushing her to take her place as the leader and do her job. She was resisting it, not wanting that kind of responsibility. She didn't understand why she should be raised above anybody else. She still didn't know that she was ready to face it, but watching Isaiah do it had made her feel more confident in her abilities to handle whatever came her way. Surely, the coven did not have as many issues as the pack did right now. Hyacinthe had kept it stable for many years.
Maybe that was what she needed to do. She needed to leave this all behind and give the two of them a real shot. She was just getting in the way of everything. “Tamara, I am sorry for any trouble I have caused here, but it was not intentional. I think it is time I go home, but I do not know of Isaiah or Roman will let me go just yet. Can you help me?” Tamara looked Annalise up and down like she might be crazy for asking that question. There was no camaraderie between the two women, but if she was ever going to help the witch with anything, maybe leaving was it.
“Alright, we’ll think of something. When do you want to go?” Tamara asked, wondering how much time she would have to think of a plan and how long it would be until she would have Isaiah all to herself.
“Tomorrow night.”
It was the dead of night when Annalise ventured out into the woods, using her internal compass of sorts to lead her back to the coven's territory. She couldn’t help but feel a slight fear as she trekked through the near pitch-black tree line towards a place that may or may not welcome her back. If she told then she had run, she didn't know how they would react. There was no choice, though since anything else would send them after Isaiah and the pack, something she couldn’t live with. Though, there was a chance that would happen anyway. She pushed forward. At least if it did, it wouldn't be her fault.
The woods were loud, louder than she remembered. Her wolf self was much more in tune to nature, to the animals that scurried along the forest floor and bounced through the trees at night. She could have sensed them before, had she wanted to, but now it was like she had no choice. At least it meant she would hear a wolf coming to attack her before he or she succeeded.
As she had this thought, she picked up her pace, feeling a chill rolling through her. An eerie chill, even though she was wearing every layer she could carry on her back, as she worked her way to return to the coven. Hopefully Isaiah and Tamara would not miss the items she took with her to make sure she was warm for her journey.
While she made her way through the woods that led her back to the coven's territory, flashes of memory began to come back to her. If only they had done that sooner, she could have saved the pack a lot of trouble. The images were somewhat fuzzy, and the details were not there in order. She remembered seeing a black wolf, then feeling it pounce on her out of nowhere. It was standing over her with its nostrils flaring before it bent down to bite her, holding her down with more strength than one animal should have. There was also something else about that night as well, the sense of being carried away from the coven’s territory for another reason. The possibility of another person involved loomed. Se strained her brain as she watched her breath puff out in a cloud of smoky, cold air. She couldn't picture who the other person was or even confirm it was what had really happened.
Finally, reaching the edge of the coven’s territory, she was ready to make off in a sprint. She was too cold to care what kind of an entrance she made at the moment. Annalise just wanted to be warm, but then she heard a voice. Something told her she needed to avoid being seen. She definitely needed to know who was talking. Using her magic, she sent a tingle through her body, making herself invisible as she quietly trekked through the underbrush to see who the voices belonged to. She was immediately confused, clinging onto a tree in complete stillness as she saw the strangest pair of people ever, having a secret meeting in the dark woods. The two should never even have dealings with each other. She held back a gasp as realization came over her, hitting her over the head like a brick.
Orson and Roan, a member of the coven who was distantly related to herself, were meeting under the cover of night. Roan was the next in line to be the coven leader, if for some reason she or Hyacinthe could not fulfill their duties. He had never expressed any desire for a leadership position either way. Though, she wondered if he harbored some kind of private jealousy for the two of them now that she was seeing this strange scene unfold right before her eyes.
“How many witches have you turned, Roan?” Orson asked, sounding so much like a snake, like the way she had been picturing him this whole time. The façade of
the fun-loving, helpful brother was gone. These two had done something to mess with the pack and the coven. They had been the ones to do something to her. The reason behind it and the ultimate mastermind still remained to be seen, but as Annalise heard more, she was certain that the two were up to no good.
“I lost count, to be honest with you, not too many, I think. It’s enough to cause a disturbance. That’s what we wanted, isn’t it?” Roan asked, picking at his nails in a cocky way, instead of meeting Orson’s eyes.
“Yes, but there is a limit. Please, refrain from taking out your newfound werewolf anger on someone else, but if you must, maybe make it a little further away from here. Feel free to wreak havoc on any of the packs north of here.” Orson sounded angry but in a controlled way, a way she didn't think him capable of. She was learning all kinds of new things that night, and she didn't like it at all. It turned out, she was not the only hybrid around; not anymore. Part of her wanted to hear more, but the other part wanted to get back to Isaiah. She had to warn him before it was too late and let him know these two were in it together somehow. For all she knew, it could be even bigger. Yes, he had to know, and she hoped to let him know before he realized she was gone.
Annalise was tired and cold. She so wanted to go sleep it off in her warm bed before going back, but that couldn't be an option. She would just have to trek through the wee hours of the morning to get herself back to the cabin. Tamara was going to be furious, but the fate of the entire pack could easily rest in her hands right now. If she was ever going to consider being the leader she was meant to be, it had to start somewhere. This was an excellent opportunity.
She went with the wind, only moving away from them as the wind blew around the underbrush. She did not want to let them in on the fact that she was there. She couldn't imagine what else they might do to her if they did find out.
Once she was out of hearing range, she began to dart, running as much of the distance as she could. As she became closer, the sun began to come up, putting some color back into the sky. The moon was still visible in the lightening sky as precious time escaped. She knew she was nearer now, having hit the pack's territory in the woods.
Annalise didn’t know how she was going to tell Isaiah that his own brother was wrapped up in all of this. It was something they would all have to band together and face as a team. It involved all of them now.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Annalise could hear Isaiah’s fury before she even entered the cabin. He must have already realized she was gone. Tamara was probably trying to coax him and explain it away as something that was for the best. Isaiah clearly wasn't having it. She realized what a bad decision to leave on the spur of the moment had been. Yet, without having done so, she wouldn't have the new information they needed. Isaiah was going to be more furious when she walked back in there like nothing had happened, even with giving him the new information that might lead to a familial betrayal being uncovered.
Annalise took a deep breath and walked inside, knowing there was no gentle way to do it. All four werewolves that stood in the living room stopped dead in their tracks to stare at her with similar reactions of shock and anger. “Where have you been, Annalise? We thought you had left,” Hector asked with a worried expression on his face. “You know you aren't supposed to wonder off alone, even if you are one of the pack now. Some people are still angry.”
“I bet they are,” scoffed Tamara, looking like she was ready to kill. She had probably endured quite a bit of blame and faced intense questioning for Annalise leaving. Of course, she was livid to see that Annalise had reappeared before their eyes as if she had never left.
“I did leave,” Annalise responded flatly, sending everyone else into silence. Before she could continue, though, Isaiah stepped up, looking murderous as well.
“I would like to speak to Annalise alone,” he said angrily through gritted teeth. His nostrils were even flaring like they did when he was in wolf form. “Leave us,” he said more firmly, strengthening his order, making it a finality, even upon his own mate. Annalise expected to hear it from Tamara later, possibly even get a black eye from it. Tamara looked like the kind of woman who could and would throw a punch when the situation called for it.
“I know you’re angry…” Annalise began, leaning her cold body up against the arm of the couch, trying to keep herself awake in order to deal with him. She was cut off by a waving of Isaiah’s arms in a crossed movement.
“Do not try to explain away anything. You left without telling a single soul why or where you were going. You could have been killed, and for all I know you could have been headed to betray us,” Isaiah exploded, looking a bit crazed as he approached her. This time his closeness actually brought a tinge of fear; not that he would have physically hurt her but that he was so angry he would never forgive her.
“I didn't leave without telling a soul, Isaiah,” she told him defensively. “Besides, I can control the change. Shouldn't I be leaving? I am causing you and Tamara so much grief by being here. The pack is in trouble because of me. You don't need me here.” She was almost daring him to give her a good reason to stick around, but that wasn't supposed to be what this conversation was about. She needed to tell him about Orson and Roan, though, this fight was tempting.
“Who said this to you? Who told you that you were a problem for me?” Isaiah asked, ready to aim his anger at any and everyone.
“I overheard that fight, Isaiah. I came to try and comfort Tamara afterward and tell her nothing had ever happened between us. Let's just say, it didn't go well, and she had some compelling arguments for me no longer being here,” Annalise admitted, wanting to get this part over quickly. They didn’t need to be taking these steps backward. They needed to pull together and worry about the task at hand. There was trouble in the coven and trouble in the pack that had to be dealt with before it got out of hand.
“I knew it felt like she was trying to keep something from me. So, she knew you were leaving? She wanted you to leave?” Isaiah asked, looking like he was about to have a coronary. His face was red and purple with his anger.
“You know she wanted me to leave, and you know why,” Annalise told him, tiring of the round about the conversation was going in. “That doesn't matter right now, Isaiah. I came back for a reason. I have to tell you something that I saw out there. There are bigger things to worry about. The coven and the pack both are in danger worse than we thought, and I know who is involved.”
“So, you came back to tell me you solved a mystery that you or my brother has not been able to solve for almost a month. I am supposed to just believe you after you left without even a word?” Isaiah asked, looking away from her. He wasn't going to listen, and Annalise felt panic welling up inside of her. He needed to know what was going on in his own pack. He could be in danger for all she knew.
Annalise grabbed his shoulder, trying to get him to turn around. “Please, Isaiah. You have to listen. Roan, a member of the coven, was talking to Orson in the forest about turning the coven. He had been made a hybrid for some reason, and he is trying to create chaos, and your brother is somehow involved,” she pleaded with him, hoping he would hear her and do something.
“After all of this, why should I trust you over my own brother,” Isaiah asked coldly, chilling her to the core. She had never seen him like this, and she instantly knew how her leaving had impacted him. It broke her heart. “It’s time for me to start listening to my pack and stop protecting those that don’t deserve to be protected. You are on your own whether you stay or go.”
Isaiah turned around and left, headed for his bedroom. Annalise heard the door slam behind him and lock. Was she even welcome in that house anymore? She doubted it at that point. Annalise wasn't going to cry about it, though. She would take the day to think about her options and how she was going to figure this all out on her own. No matter how angry he was right now, she was going to protect Isaiah and his pack.
She decided a walk was in order, so she walked back out the
door and headed into the woods, knowing it was the best place to be and not get attacked by a pack member. It sounded like there would be no one there to protect her anymore if one of them did want to get rid of her. As she walked, she thought of going to Roman and letting him know what she saw, but she got the feeling that he wouldn't be able to convince Isaiah of anything either. It would just pit all the brothers against each other. The only way she was going to help them was from the outside of it all. It meant that she would be leaving and going back to the coven after all. Maybe they would be able to give her more information about what was going on, and if they attacked, she could be there to protect them in any way possible. She would practice her powers and make sure she could control and use them, even against her own if necessary.
This time, though, she was not just going to disappear into the middle of the night. She was going to get some rest and then say goodbye, whether anyone wanted to hear it or not.
Annalise went back into the cabin, meeting no one on the way to her room. They had all gone their separate ways in sadness or anger, forgetting about her presence entirely. Perhaps it was for the best. That was what she thought as she laid down and shut her eyes in an effort to rest for the first time in a while.
As Annalise found herself approaching the coven’s territory once again, she thought of the way Isaiah had reacted when she told him she was leaving again. She had tried to warn him again of what would happen if Roan continued turning the witches and allowing the blame to be placed on the pack. If the coven found out, they would use the next full moon to attack, since it also gave them added power. He didn't seem to care or take her seriously.
“Then, I guess I will see you in battle, but don’t think I will hesitate. I will do what is necessary to protect this pack. The moment you step foot off the land this time, you are no longer a part of it; no longer protected. If you want to tell them that the pack attacked you, then that is on you.”
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