Chapter 16
ISLA
For a moment, Isla could only stand there, jaw unhinged and fist in hand as she took in the Wolf Prince’s features.
His raven-black hair and golden-green eyes gleamed in the streams of moonlight.
With the way the darkness cut him, he looked so much like his father that it sent a tremor of rage down her spine—one that made her fear what she’d do if she ever saw Cassius again.
Adrien dropped his hand and, in turn, hers. “You and your mate truly are made for each other.”
Isla still didn’t speak, taking in his face carefully to banish the image of Cassius away—and to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
He looked… rough. Not his clothes, those looked fine, if not wrinkled and covered in smears of dirt it appeared he’d tried to wipe from his face and body.
But his eyes… something broken lay within them.
Adrien began, “Are you—”
Isla lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him and effectively cutting him off. There was no need for questions yet, even if she had too many. The first being, what the hell was he doing here?
The tension in his muscles melted away with each passing second as he circled his arms around her waist and rested his head atop hers.
She was sure a smartass quip sat on his tongue about her needing him after this time apart, but it was too obviously a lie.
From how he hugged her right now, he needed her, too.
Needed a friend. With her and Sebastian here in Deimos, she couldn’t think of who else he truly had.
Heartbeats passed where they didn’t move or speak.
Isla sniffed, the earthy, rain-kissed scent of his body unmissable even without her animal senses, even if she hadn’t plucked a leaf from his hair.
Had he been out in the storm last night?
Had he run here? There was no evidence of any Imperial Guard.
Hell, no one seemed to know he was here except Kai.
She leaned back, taking stock of his pursed lips, those eyes that held words he hadn’t spoken.
Letting out a deep sigh, she gripped his face between her hands. “You’re a dumbass for sneaking up on me like that, and you look like shit.”
The smile that burst across his features sent a course of relief through her. “I wasn’t aware there was a party.”
“There’s always a party—I don’t even remember what this one is for.” Isla stepped back from him, not even thinking to worry if any of the dirt had gotten on her dress. “What are you doing here? Or better yet, how did you get here without anyone seeing you?”
“When we left last time, I noticed some weak spots in your outer defenses by Rhea’s borders. I’m guessing because you’ve collapsed a lot of your guard south towards the rogues. You don’t have many watches through the mountains between Ifera and Mavec, so I cut through those passes.”
Isla blinked and probably shouldn’t have been surprised or impressed. “And the hall? There are people everywhere.”
“Tunnels,” Adrien said, as if it were obvious, and he was disappointed she didn’t figure it out. “Every Pack Hall on this continent has an underground tunnel system. These check another off my list. Only Mimas and Charon left. Maybe you should consider a few more sentries around here.”
Isla flattened her brows. “Any other faults in our pack’s protections?”
“I can try sneaking in again and let you know.”
“Not necessary. How did Kai find you?”
“I don’t know, but I didn’t make it three feet out of the room the tunnel spat me out in before he nearly gutted me.”
“Maybe next time, you’ll give us some warning before showing up, then.” Isla and Adrien turned towards the entryway, where Kai strode into the room, hands tucked into his pockets. He said to Isla, “And next time, I’ll suggest you leave right away—but then, you probably won’t even show up.”
Isla narrowed her eyes and subtly flipped him off from her folded arms.
Kai barely fought off a laugh before asking, “I’m assuming the Imperial Alpha or his Beta outside don’t know you’re here.” He took a spot by one of the many columns, leaning against it. There, he had a vantage point of them and the door. Always alert, always protective.
Adrien shook his head. “Not yet, but I’m sure they will by morning. I cut my time in Callisto short, and since I’m here, I wanted to stick around for your coronation, if that’s okay.”
Excitement bubbled in her at the last sentence. She’d wanted him to be here, but because of the Equinox holiday and the fact that he couldn’t appear to “play favorites” with Deimos, with her, she thought he wasn’t going to attend.
Her joy was short-lived, however, as her mind snagged on the few words before that. “Why were you in Callisto?”
Adrien swallowed, backing up an inch. “Do you have time for a long story?”
Kai and Isla glanced at each other, not needing a silent conversation.
Even if they didn’t have time, they’d make time for this.
If Adrien was so freely offering up information, it was valuable.
They’d be fools not to take it—though with a grain of salt.
Keeping an eye on her father and Eli would have to wait.
“My father sent me to Callisto to look at the Wall and its enchantments. Alpha Kane reported that the Gate’s lock is breaking down and eroding.
And other than that, there’s still the smell of corrupted magic, and the bak are venturing closer than usual; close enough that guards spot their eyes through the iron occasionally, and…
and on my way here, I noticed some rot seeping through from below, along the edges of the stone.
Dark magic. Still in Callisto, but closer to Deimos than the Gate. My father doesn’t know that part yet.”
Fear spider-walked over Isla’s bones, and for a moment, she swore she could hear the Wilds beckoning her, wanting her back—wanting her blood. A collapsing Wall answered why the bak had been coming through the tunnels, no longer repelled from anywhere near the barrier by magic.
“We’ve already dealt with rot.” Kai barely seemed phased, but he was always exceptional at masking his emotions. “Almost a decade ago, it wiped out an entire village in one of our regions. I wouldn’t be surprised if you never learned about it. Io never seemed to give a shit.”
And there it was: some emotion buried deep within that jab, despite the ease with which it was delivered. And despite everything, she felt the hit.
Adrien glowered. “I wouldn’t put it past your father to have kept it from us.”
Something in the air shifted, then power rose from them both. They weren’t about to break into a brawl, but it was a show of dominance Isla had to resist rolling her eyes at. Frankly, neither of them was wrong, so there was no use arguing about it.
Isla lifted her hands between them. “Play nice. Both of you.” She narrowed her gaze at Kai—a silent you better behave—before she asked, “How did they stop it from spreading? You never told me.”
“I don’t remember, but I think it just… stopped.”
Isla dropped her hands and sighed. What happened ten years ago that could’ve triggered it? In the same way the spread of rot had been triggered now. “Didn’t the witch escape your father ten years ago?” she questioned Adrien softly, trying to hide the bite from her voice.
Before Adrien could answer, Kai said, “If she’s strong enough to mess with the behemoth that is the Wall, which we needed multiple witches to enchant, she wouldn’t need anyone to help with her vendettas. She would’ve destroyed us all years ago.”
His logic was sound.
“Who did you bring with you?” Kai asked Adrien. “I know you’re familiar with… magic,” the innuendo in his tone earned a sidelong glare from his mate, “but I can’t imagine the Imperial Alpha has you as a high-level advisor of such things.”
Pain lashed across Adrien’s face so violently that he didn’t have time to throw on his mask before Isla noticed. “I didn’t go alone.” An answer so quiet. “I brought Raana with me.”
Isla stiffened, and even Kai tensed. She asked, “You brought Raana back into wolf territory? Did you leave her in Callisto? Is she here?”
Again, that look of anguish struck over his features.
“I don’t know where she is.” With his eyes shadowing, Adrien had to turn away.
Moments of silence passed as he paced, wringing his hands and looking over the warriors’ names.
His power ebbed and bowed, as if he were fighting to restrain it and contain his emotions.
Isla jumped when she felt something wrap around her, not an arm, but something like a wind or force pressing on her—protecting her.
Like a literal rope, a tether of power. She turned to Kai, still against his column but watching her, Adrien, and the door.
This feeling, this force, was separate from their bond.
Something physical, something him, and something within her reacted to it.
Her wolf, probably. She didn’t balk at it, though.
She never would balk at him—though she may have called whatever shield this was unnecessary.
She raised a brow. New trick?
Kai simply shrugged. You could say that.
“Do you remember Sandrine? Callan’s cousin?”
She spun back to Adrien, who’d ceased his moving. What did she have to do with anything?
“Of course,” Isla said. “I liked her much more than Callan. She may have been one of the few people who supported me going into the warrior program.”
“She’s dead.”
Isla jerked back, feeling the words like a punch in the gut. Her knees weakened beneath her, and she swore Kai’s power kept her upright. He pushed up off the column, ready to be a true steady force if need be. She and Sandrine weren’t particularly close, but death…
Goddess, she was sick of death.
“Dante, too.” Isla shook her head. Another guard she had a vague memory of. “How?” Kai was at her side now, a hand pressed to her back.
“It’s my fault. I…” Adrien clenched and unclenched his fists. “I brought them into the Wilds.”