Chapter 156

ISABELLA

I was still reeling from the argument with Asher. I just couldn't understand him. If he cared, if he truly wanted to make things right, shouldn’t he be doing everything in his power to obtain my forgiveness? But instead, he distanced himself, leaving me here with all these swirling emotions and no resolution.

It was infuriating.

I waited until Luca had finally settled down for his nap before stepping out onto the terrace. The baby monitor sat on the table in front of me, its screen silent but glowing, a reminder of my constant tether to my son. I wrapped myself in the plaid blanket and sank into the chair, trying to let the warmth of the tea between my hands soothe the tension knotting in my chest.

The cool air felt good against my skin, but it couldn’t untangle the confusion inside me. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. For a moment, the world was still.

And then I heard it.

That same voice.

Low, quiet, and familiar in a way that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Everything is going to be okay. You're the key, Isabella."

My eyes shot open. The cup nearly slipped from my fingers as I looked around the terrace, but I was alone. The wind rustled the leaves gently, nothing more.

The voice... I knew I’d heard it before. It was the same one from before. The same haunting message. But what did it mean? "You're the key."

The key to what?

My heart raced, but my body felt numb. For a long moment, I just sat there, staring into the distance, trying to make sense of it. The voice was so calm, so sure, but it left me more uncertain than ever.

With a shaky breath, I grabbed my notebook from the side table and scribbled down what I’d heard. Every word, every syllable, just in case it meant something. Just in case I needed to remember.

As I wrote, the feeling of unease settled deeper. Whatever was happening, I wasn’t just caught in the middle of it—I was somehow a part of it.

But how?

After Luca woke from his nap, I dressed him in his favorite little jacket and we headed outside. The fresh air felt like a relief after everything that had weighed on me. I needed to clear my head, and being with Luca always helped. We found a small patch of grass near the trees, and I let him play while I sat on a bench, watching him laugh and toddle around with that pure, boundless energy only toddlers seemed to have.

We were both lost in our own little world when I noticed movement in the woods. I tensed, pulling Luca a bit closer, but as the figure emerged from the trees, my heart slowed. I knew that wolf. Tall, powerful, with familiar hazel eyes that were impossible to mistake.

Jax.

Memories of the first time he’d shifted in front of me flashed through my mind—how terrified I’d been, how I’d fainted at the sight of him shifting in my apartment. Now, though, I felt no fear. And neither did Luca.

As Jax slowly padded toward us, his massive form careful and controlled, Luca let out a small giggle. Without a second thought, he toddled towards his father, his small hand reaching out. I held my breath as I watched the scene unfold—my son walking unafraid towards the wolf, who in turn moved with such gentle care that it was hard to believe the power he held.

Luca’s tiny fingers brushed the wolf’s fur, and he giggled, his eyes lighting up as he patted Jax’s massive form with an innocent joy that took my breath away. Jax lowered his head, nuzzling Luca softly, his tail giving a slow, calm wag.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Any other child would have been terrified of the beast in front of them, but not my son. He wasn’t afraid. He didn’t see a predator. He saw his father.

And that’s when I heard it again. The voice, soft yet steady, spoke in my mind.

“You are the key to bringing two worlds together.”

And suddenly, everything became clear.

JAX

As soon as I shifted, the tension I’d been carrying eased. It was always like this—being in my wolf form gave me a sense of calm I couldn’t find as a man. But today, that peace came from something else. Watching Luca play outside, seeing Isabella close by, made the world feel right for just a moment.

I kept my distance at first, watching them from the edge of the trees. It wasn’t long before Luca spotted me, though, his little face lighting up with that infectious grin of his. The bond between us was undeniable, even in this form. He toddled towards me, completely unafraid, like he knew exactly who I was.

My wolf’s instincts softened the moment Luca’s small hand touched my fur. I nuzzled him gently, feeling the warmth of his touch as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He giggled, that pure sound of joy filling the air, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt something close to peace.

Isabella stood nearby, watching us with those deep, thoughtful eyes. I could sense the weight she was carrying, the distance between us growing with every passing day. It was getting harder and harder to deal with. Every moment apart from her felt like a wound that refused to heal, and seeing her like this—so close, yet so far—was becoming unbearable.

My wolf didn’t care about any of that, though. In this form, things were simpler. Luca was safe, happy, and we were together. That’s all that mattered. But as a man, I knew it wasn’t enough. The rift between Isabella and me wasn’t going away. Every time she turned her back, every night she spent in Luca’s room instead of ours, it felt like something inside me broke a little more.

But for now, I let my wolf have this moment. I let him enjoy the feeling of being near our son, of having a fleeting connection with the woman we loved, even if it wasn’t quite what we needed.

But it was getting harder to pretend that this was enough. The estrangement from my mate was tearing me apart inside.